simoncox.com train times

London Bridge was packed this morning and the tube was worse. It took me three goes to get on a tube train - a wait of about 17 minutes this morning. The guy next to me sneezed twice before he blew his nose into his handkerchief. Germs everywhere...

Terrible mornings travel today. the 08:01 was cancelled so we had all those extra people get on the 08:09. I couldn't get on at first but due to the fact that the Victoria trains were up the spout as well there was another train in front of the 08:09 and I mean just in front, about 100ft, which meant I was able to squeeze into a carriage further up the platform much to the dismay of those inside. Of course when we got to East Croydon more people wanted to get on and the same at Norwood Junction.

I hate standing. It's not the effort but the fact that people are crammed up against you invading your personal space. You are much more likely to contact disease in these situations and if there was ever a disaster like a derailment, not unknown on the UK railways, then there is a massive chance you will cop it big if your standing up.

And I always end up next to the person who's had a ton of garlic in their dinner from the night before - I am assuming that they are not having it on their morning cereal, or some sweaty person, or a person who is shouting into their phone telling lies how they have been held up, or some mother has unwisely picked a packed commuter train to take her large sharp edged pushchair complete with loud occupant on for some mysterious purpose...

Tube wasn't too bad though.

Absolute chaos at East Croydon this morning. I managed to squeeze onto the 08:09 which I couldn't yesterday. The train was packed - not everyone could get on at South Croydon. So we trundle up to East Croydon and the doors open and people start to get off. Because the train is packed it takes a little longer for people to actually get off. Obviously the people waiting to get on have to keep out of the way as well. So everyone was surprised when after about 10 seconds the door closing alarm went off and they started shutting. People were still trying to get off - never mind those on a very crowded platform trying to get on. So the people standing next to the doors held them open - as I am sure they were doing in every carriage, while the people from deep in the train tried to get off.

At this point the platform staff started shouting at people to let the doors shut - they got louder and louder, shouting at the top of their lungs. The young lady holding one of the doors in our section started saying to the people trying to get on that she couldn't hold much longer, the mechanisms are very strong. Then the doors shut. We could hear shouting and swearing up and down the platform.

The train lurched forward an started to gather speed and then to our amazement slowed and stopped further up the platform and the doors opened...

It seems that the train may not have been in the station properly or that not all the platform was available. However there was no announcement to this affect from the driver - the same ginger haired driver from the train that was also late yesterday I noticed.

There was no communication with the passengers inside the train at all and because of the overcrowded situation there could have been serious injury. People were panicked thinking that they might not be able to get off at their stop - a very stressful experience.

Southern should be ashamed at this appalling situation.

08:09 arrived at 08:11 - Packed Arrived at London Bridge 08:35 - booked 08:30.

It really was like being in a cattle truck this morning.