We've all had our fair share of bad train experiences.

As a regular commuter, I have become immune to delays or problems, to the point where I actually begin to worry if everything runs smoothly.

However, a couple of weeks ago my patience was pushed to the limit.

Travelling from London to Birmingham, the train came to a halt somewhere between High Wycombe and Bicester in a particularly open patch of countryside.

After 10 minutes of inaction, the driver came on the tannoy.

“Apologies for the delay, ladies and gentlemen, but it would appear that there is a cow on the track.”

Twenty minutes later, after much debate about how big this monster cow could be that it could hold up a train, we finally proceeded “with caution, as the cow is still around”.

Leaves on the line I can handle, but yielding to a farmyard animal?

Thomas the Tank Engine would never have stood for it.