Although they are called "work parties", arranged for building, conservation and maintenance, or archaeology, the emphasis is on experiencing life on this unique island, with visitors living communally in the restored 19th-century cottages in the old village our main groups. Shetland is a distinct cluster of 100 or so islands way off to the north-west of the mainland (although often found sheltering in a small box off Aberdeen on maps). Orkney comprises some 70 islands scattered just across the Pentland Firth from John O'Groats.The Inner Hebrides are dotted along the coast from the north-west Highlands down to Islay, 25 miles from the coast of Northern Ireland. The Outer Hebrides, also called the Western Isles, arc in a 130-mile chain of 200 or more islands to the north-west of their more sheltered siblings.A few mavericks do not fit into these categories, including Arran and Bute in the Firth of Clyde, and the remote islands of St Kilda, 40 miles west of the Western Isles. . In my 25 years of travelling between London and Yorkshire by train, I thought I'd encountered every excuse in the book for delays, but on Saturday 12 May even I was gobsmacked.
In my 25 years of travelling between London and Yorkshire by train, I thought I'd encountered every excuse in the book for delays, but on Saturday 12 May even I was gobsmacked.I arrived at King's Cross to find hundreds of people marooned on the concourse. Families sat disconsolately staring at the noticeboard which read: "Owing to unforeseen circumstances there are speed restrictions in place which affect the arrival times of incoming trains. Once your train has been cleaned you will be informed which platform it will depart from." From the arrivals board it was clear that trains from Scotland, Leeds and Newcastle had been getting into London up to 90 minutes late.Now, because I make the journey between London and Northallerton regularly, I am a GNER veteran. I've noted, for example, that they've lengthened my journey time by roughly 10 minutes in their schedules, so they can claim more trains arrive on time. GNER users have been patient throughout the delays they've suffered as a result of first Hatfield and then Selby, but we were told quite categorically that schedules would be back to normal by Easter. So what happened on this Saturday?I'd checked with their website and the phone information service before setting out.
Neither gave any delays up to 30 minutes before I arrived at King's Cross. My train left 40 minutes late, but no one would tell me up until 10 minutes before departure when we'd be setting off. Like many people on the train I rely on being met at the other end It was too late to get in touch with the person meeting me. Throughout the journey the train went through phases of dribbling along at 10mph, then stopping completely before Doncaster. Our arrival time at Northallerton remained a mystery.The ticket inspector admitted to me what the problem was. According to him, Railtrack has installed heat sensors on the line and the hot weather had triggered them all off, resulting in miles of speed restrictions. Hard to believe, isn't it? This was May, and the highest temperature that day was about 75F.
