The transport arrangements specifically (more below) but generally it
was superb, wasn't it?

I remember posts here from 2005-2008 where a large number opined that
the task was impossible, the venues would never be completed on time
and various events would need to be outsourced to France. Indeed,
unless my memory is failing me a narrow majority predicted some kind
of disaster.

The budgets, inevitably, were and are full of smoke and mirrors, with
some pretty horrific gross sums being bandied around that conveniently
ignore present and future tangible benefits, let alone the intangible.
So very much like the question of our EU membership then, but with
added happiness and without a camp song contest to endure.

Given the hundreds of millions watching worldwide, there will surely
be a large number who add London/Britain to their 'bucket lists' off
the back of what they've seen. They may not visit this year or next,
but visit they will, and surely that's a big win - investing to
maintain London's aura and reputation as one of the top five world
cities. And of course, at a commercial level we have demonstrated we
can deliver, in all respects, and there must be great value in a
reputation as a reliable counter-party when contracts are let. But all
of this is impossible to quantify.

The venues and park looked wonderful without exception, and I was
reminded - during the road cycling - of the beauty of the Surrey
Hills.

Turning to transport, this appears to have been impeccably executed.
Rather ignoring general guidance I continued with my daily commute up
from East Coastway to zone 1, and loadings were fairly typical for the
school holidays but with Olympic-going family groups replacing civil
servants and others working from home. The volunteers (and transport
employees) manning every station and almost every significant road
junction did a great job, and the atmosphere was like nothing we have
seen before or are likely to see again, regrettably.

(Contrary to my preconceptions of what would happen, Southern actually
tightened up enforcement of First Class, with RPIs checking tickets
between London and East Croydon on three days of the eight I
travelled, and throwing out a group for having Standard tickets, or
for being visibly French, or both. Had they sold lots of FC Olypmic
tickets and wished to avoid complaints?)

On the roads, my bus trips (Ludgate Circus to London Bridge,
generally) were barely impacted, and expectation management allowed
the capital to work around the ORN.

Regarding the ORN, Stagecoach had pulled in vehicles from far afield
to service the media and other participants, with some Fife buses seen
plus a few from Eastbourne not on the usual run to 'Willingdon -
Trees' that I'm familiar with. I did note that many of these buses
seemed to have only two or three pax on board which seemed a bit of a
waste, although perhaps some were basically 'ECS' runs, and had been
busy in the other direction.

Would October be a good time to buy a lightly used BMW 320d?

Generally the ORN was getting more use than I expected, but no ZILs to
be spotted.

I gather from t'internet and Twitter that many TOCs went to some
lengths to ensure last trains/connections were delayed to accommodate
over-running events, and locally my branch connection at Lewes was
held on a couple of occasions where in other circumstances it would
have been waved away.

A third class 460 (007) was re-deployed on GatEx to enable doubling-up
of 442 worked services. Will there ever be enough serviceable 442s to
see-off the 460s permanently from the Brighton mainline?

I avoided the Tube as far as possible but didn't hear any horror
stories, even from the Jubilee line which I had thought would prove a
weak link, as it does for most of the year.

I read this morning (Sunday Times) that the Aussies actually had more
state funding in place for their Olympic team than we did, which casts
new glory on our spectacular medal achievements. And well done John
Major for the National Lottery and the support that has bought for our
teams - another proposition that was ridiculed by the sceptics at the
time, of course.

The newspaper also reminded me that the advice of civil servants to
Tessa Jowell back in 2002 was not to put in a bid. Can we imagine any
circumstances in which the civil service (upper echelons) would favour
doing anything that might involve a bit of risk or some extra work?
Well, he gets a very bad press although I've always admired him (much
better than both successors), so well done to Tony Blair (and Dame
Tessa) for over-ruling the do-nothing 'management of decline'
merchants and mounting a successful bid that started it all.

One of my biggest regrets is that I persuaded myself that short term
issues at work and home would make volunteering too much of a
challenge. Looking back at what others have done over the last few
weeks, from the strange magic of the Torch Relay to the army (and the
real army....) of smartly dressed helpers all over London, I realise
how pathetic that was and is, and that I too was amongst the
do-nothing brigade. And aside from the great joy at our national
success, I suppose that's the lesson I'll take away from London 2012.

I'm sure there are many on here who did volunteer, or who worked long
hours in planning the transport arrangements, so well done to you all
- it was brilliant.

Chris