foolonthehill

Quick query for those more in the know than me, if possible please. In relation to BA2286 last night (2100 12/3/18 GVA-LCY) which was diverted to SEN (London Southend) as it missed the curfew at City by a few minutes.

The delayed departure was initially caused a discrepancy between the onboard manifest and the gate count. (Given how clueless the person on the gate seemed when I passed, I would suspect an error there, but could be wrong)
Despite 45 mins of calling out names to check who was on board, they failed to reconcile, so had to return to stand and get some ground crew back on board.
Eventually we left an hour late, missed the landing slot and dropped in Southend to unanimous disappointed cries onboard - including, I assume, from the crew!
Long queues at understandably lightly-manned immigration desks, given the arrival of another flight just ahead of us.
A coach apparently available to City, but a queue of people still waiting when I bailed out and got a cab directly home at 2330.

My questions are thus:
- Would I have any sort of claim for a refund of my cab home, particularly on the basis that, had they dropped me at LCY, it would have been too late to get a train home from there? (I assume not)
- Would EC261 apply on the basis that the coach didn't make it to LCY within 3 hours of scheduled arrival (assuming I had taken it)?
- Does cancelling the journey part way through, by making my own way from SEN, stop the clock in terms of delay for EC261? ie is my delay 2hrs because I left their care at 2330, even if remaining passengers were (presumably) delivered to LCY after 0035, over 3hrs late?

Thanks in advance.