Each morning thousands of rail users stare up at the illuminated timetable with bright eyes filled with hope and optimism until the voice of doom announces "the 8.21 service to Orpington has been cancelled" - we've all been there.

The disheartened traveller checks their smartphone for the latest excuse whilst letting out an exasperated sigh - all before the day has even begun.

Those poor souls behind Southeastern's Twitter account have a tough job deflecting the daily flow of complaints and questions from its social media savvy passengers, so here's a few of our favourites.

1. "Leaves on the line" has gone in straight at number one

Also known as 'Autumn' to the railway novices, it seems the Great British Weather has foiled us once again.

News Shopper:

In the 21st century we can do pretty much anything via our phones, create a library without a single paper book and yet we can't seem to build trains able to cope with a bit of foliage.

Thankfully Cambridgeshire-based engineering firm Mole Solutions believes it may have devised a process which could solve the problem.

Their proposal involves installing electromagnets and speed sensors onto train tracks to automatically slow the train down, thus eliminating the drivers need to drive slowly when fallen leaves form a slippery layer.

2. Is there anything worse than the disruptive passenger?

Commuters can be an angry bunch, but there's nothing more impressive than the wrath of the rail users when one of their own disrupts the service.

People will fly into an uncontrollable rage at the news of a disruptive passenger.

"JUST GET THEM OFF THE TRAIN", they scream, as the train cancelled sign flashes up on the board.

3. "A train fault" - that old chestnut

As the most tedious excuse of all time, "a train fault" seems to be the go to for the majority of delays.

It prompts a lot of tutting and vocal sighing, as we lambaste the broken train - who truly is the victim here - and resign ourselves to being late for work again.

News Shopper: A Southeastern train overshot Stonegate station in East Sussex by almost two and a half miles

4. The made up one

When all else fails and passengers won't stop tweeting, Southeastern lay the train jargon on thick leaving us mere mortals too flummoxed to respond.

Instead of googling what "inward stock" means, we can just assume it's just a cover for another pesky train fault.

News Shopper:

5. Signalling shambles aka delays, delays, delays.

Another regular on the excuse conveyor belt, "signalling problems" causes almost untold misery for commuters in the south east.

Cue crowds of distressed passengers frantically glancing from the board, to each other, to their hopes and dreams of getting anywhere on time slowing vanishing into thin air.

6. Yet another clumsy lorry driver

"That bridge looks a little low," ponders Dave in his articulated lorry. "What's the worse that could happen?" he thinks.

Well Dave, we'll tell you. You'll smash into that particularly low bridge, causing train chaos for the rest of the day.

News Shopper:

The ironic 'We Fit' lorry stuck under a bridge in Eden Park.

So it goes again, the line is closed whilst engineers assess the damage, the lorry is removed and Dave receives a rollicking from his boss.