I’m on a packed train from Leeds to London – busier than usual because it contains the cancelled 8.40ers like me, now with irrelevant seat reservations, as well as the 9.05ers, determinedly claiming their rightful seats.

And I’m wondering whether we’ve all become less fractious as travellers now – grown immune to the frequent problems and delays and sweetly grateful when we can report “a really good journey” – or are we all just ensconced in our own virtual worlds?

I can see laptops on nearly every knee and table, several iPhones, Blackberries and other mobiles. But no conversation. Despite the gift of mutual inconvenience, shared train company gripes, competition for worst travel nightmare story – the only exchanged words are “I think that’s my seat” “Sorry” and “Thank you”. Were we all sharing our frustrations on Facebook? Tweeting our angst?