Neverending journey

Today I had to go to Manchester, where I was chairing a panel for a course at the University. I should have arrived by 1pm. It had been very stormy so I expected some disruption, but (in clickbait style) you won't believe what happened next.
My first train from Cardiff to Bristol was delayed so I missed my connection to Manchester.
No trains were going east from Bristol because a train had collided with a tree. They cleared this, only for there to be a points failure.
Rather than wait for the next direct train I was told to get one to Birmingham and change there. I got a delayed train there and caught one to Manchester, now, hoping to get in at 2.
This train got as far as just outside Stafford only to be told a signal was stuck. We reversed back to Stafford and waited while someone (presumably on a dolly cart) went out to unstick the signal. We set off again. At Manchester we couldn't get into the station because a train had stopped in front of us.
I eventually made it to the meeting at 3. We had a good panel session, and then I left at 4, to get the 4.30 train back. The previous train had been cancelled, so this one was very full. It did however leave, although it was some 30 minutes delayed by the time it got into Cardiff.
So in total, 10 hours of travelling for one hour of meeting. One of those days when getting out of bed was definitely a mistake.