simoncox.com train timestag:www.simoncox.com,2007:/trainblog//32007-03-25T03:45:05ZMovable Type 3.31Northern Line Charring cross branch shuttag:www.simoncox.com,2007:/trainblog//3.7812007-03-25T03:42:54Z2007-03-25T03:45:05ZI was at a model railway show today in Ally Pally but needed to meet up with Paula at Waterloo at 5pm to go and see the inaugural showing of 300 on the iMax screen. But I was almost scuppered by the Northern lines Charing Cross branch being closed. There was very little notice until I found a sign at Camden (long story) telling me it was sheet . This meant a journey down to...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
I was at a model railway show today in Ally Pally but needed to meet up with Paula at Waterloo at 5pm to go and see the inaugural showing of 300 on the iMax screen. But I was almost scuppered by the Northern lines Charing Cross branch being closed. There was very little notice until I found a sign at Camden (long story) telling me it was sheet . This meant a journey down to London Bridge and then along the Jubilee. I was half an hour late and Paula was not best pleased. When I did the journey plan at the TFL site it did not mention this vital piece of information.
Season ticket rise more than inflationtag:www.simoncox.com,2006:/trainblog//3.4612006-04-19T15:08:01Z2006-04-19T16:22:40ZI have just purchased my annual season ticket and it has gone up from £1,452 to £1,512. That's a rise of 3.968% - more than current inflation, more than my pay rise yet again. Where is this money going? Perhaps it is into the pockets of wealthy institutional investor shareholders. Meanwhile I got to sit down on the train less last year - despite a 3.3% increase in the cost of my annual season ticket...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
I have just purchased my annual season ticket and it has gone up from £1,452 to £1,512. That's a rise of 3.968% - more than current inflation, more than my pay rise yet again. Where is this money going? Perhaps it is into the pockets of wealthy institutional investor shareholders. Meanwhile I got to sit down on the train less last year - despite a 3.3% increase in the cost of my annual season ticket last year. I can see the pattern repeating again this year with even less space to stand in on the train which I am paying more for. I would move further out of town so I have a better chance of a seat but we cannot afford the housing further out now that the rail fair has gone up again. The rail companies claim they need to hike fairs to pay for investment in the railway. Yet government is constantly bailing them out whilst they are paying out large dividends to the shareholders. We are being fleeced yet again.
How to beat the pain of train traveltag:www.simoncox.com,2006:/trainblog//3.4472006-02-20T10:56:12Z2006-02-20T11:24:39ZIn todays Metro on page 14 there is a small piece titled "How to beat the pain of train travel". Basically a researcher, Jonathon Houdmont, is suggesting that the rail companies market rail travel in the same way that cut price airlines market their flights. Let me quote from the article: Although overcrowding contributes to stress, it is also caused by commuters feeling out of control, said the institute of Work, Health and Organisations at...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
Although overcrowding contributes to stress, it is also caused by commuters feeling out of control, said the institute of Work, Health and Organisations at Nottingham University. So if passengers - like those on cheap airlines - are told it's going to be busy but they will arrive on time, they are more likely to tolerate the conditions, added the report.
Erm - not me mate. The conditions I travel to work in are worse than is legally allowed to transport livestock to the slaughterhouse. If you tell me its going to be busy I'm going to say "no shit Sherlock!" and I am going to be rather upset that you think I am stupid. You want to lower my expectations then you lower the price of my ticket. Full bloody stop.
The cheap airlines offer an alternative and you get a cheaper price. I have an alternative for getting to work - the bus. It's a lot cheaper and would take me 2 hours to get to work as opposed to the 50 minutes it takes on the train and tube. I can't drive (the equivalent of a personal jet) so that not an option and cycling (the equivalent of a hang-glider) is too dangerous and will take as long as the bus. So I am already on the premium method of transport available to me. If BA announced to its passengers that the plane is very busy so they were going to make you stand all the way - you might get a tad upset but you would not lower your expectations as you paid for a safe seated journey.
Houdmont goes onto state:
You are stuck on a crowded train and you have been seriously delayed. You are late for work, your tired and in a bad mood. It means you may be less likely to perform well at work and, if this is happening to enough people, it has implications for the economy.
Well Houdmont - you cannot prop an economy up by hoodwinking the workers into thinking that their journey is tolerable. It don't wash. We don't fly bucket class 10 times a week - we do that twice a year perhaps and there is a big reward at the end of the flight not just a daily grind.
Perhaps the researchers in the green pastures of Nottingham should try commuting into London for a few weeks.
Who are these idiot researchers anyway?
(Actually Jonathon Houdmont is a Research Fellow - I think he's a silly fellow myself.)]]>
Jubilee shut this weektag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.4392005-12-27T17:54:21Z2005-12-27T17:57:53ZActually its good news for a change - but not for this week. the Jubileee line is shut so that an extra carrige per train can be added for 2006. When they built the Jubilee line extension they added extra long platforms and extra saftey doors allowing for expansion later on - whihc is now. This will allow a lot more passengers to use each train - or put anouther way we get a little...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
Actually its good news for a change - but not for this week. the Jubileee line is shut so that an extra carrige per train can be added for 2006. When they built the Jubilee line extension they added extra long platforms and extra saftey doors allowing for expansion later on - whihc is now. This will allow a lot more passengers to use each train - or put anouther way we get a little more space for a while. The line is back up and running first week of 2006.
Train guard turfs out fare dodgers - hurrah!tag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.4122005-10-05T19:53:58Z2005-10-06T20:23:56ZI got a different train home tonight because the next Caterham train was 15 minutes away and there was a fast to East Croydon at 17:30 - the East Grinstead service. And I really do mean different. It is one of the new trains that replaced the old slam door trains and they are very comfy inside. Mind you I had to stand as all the seats were taken. I happened to board in the...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
I got a different train home tonight because the next Caterham train was 15 minutes away and there was a fast to East Croydon at 17:30 - the East Grinstead service. And I really do mean different. It is one of the new trains that replaced the old slam door trains and they are very comfy inside. Mind you I had to stand as all the seats were taken. I happened to board in the centre of the train where the first class compartment was. Just before we left a young man jumped on and made his way into the first class compartment, where there were seats and sat down. Now I was brought up not top cheat etc. and I don't much care for the likes of those sitting in first class without the proper tickets or the means or willingness to pay for the extra comfort. I'm not casting aspersions but he did not look the type who would spend money on first class accommodation. However a small matter was about to arise that would send a message of hope about our society.
Suddenly this young burst out of the compartment and looked for somewhere to stand. I looked round and the train guard was asking for everyone's ticket. All but one passenger was then unceremoniously turfed out for not having the correct ticket - one man complaining bitterly about how the seats were not being used. Naturally they crowded into the area where I was trying to stand much to my annoyance but then the best bit happened. The guard approached the man in the first class compartment and asked him if he minded other passengers using the vacant seats. The generous first class passenger agreed and the guard came to the division door and asked if any of the passengers standing would care for a seat - but he made it very plain that the offer was not open to those who he had just ejected from first class for not having the correct tickets! Justice!!! Several of the ladies who were standing took up the offer of a comfy journey home.
Well done that guard!
Why you can't sit down on the traintag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3992005-09-21T12:50:44Z2005-09-24T09:31:23ZThis morning free Metro paper carried the headline "Why you can't sit down on the train". Apparently in the last 10 years we have had a passenger increase of 40% but only a 20% increase in services. However it has been apparent to me that to make 20% more train services Connex (the previous company that ran the services from South London) and Southern have done this without increasing the amount of stock - and...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
Metro paper carried the headline "Why you can't sit down on the train".
Apparently in the last 10 years we have had a passenger increase of 40% but only a 20% increase in services. However it has been apparent to me that to make 20% more train services Connex (the previous company that ran the services from South London) and Southern have done this without increasing the amount of stock - and to do this they have shorterned trains - thereby increasing passenger discomfort and more importantly putting our lives at greater risk.
The artical mentions that passenger Groups say some peak services operate at 50% above permitted levels of overcrowding. Who officially measures this? And what are the permitted levels?
Apparently we are reaching "third world levels" so expect passengers on the roofs soon.
The Rail Passengers Council are holding a public meeting:
The Health and Safety Commission’s (HSC) Railway Industry Advisory Committee (RIAC) will host its fifth public meeting on Wednesday 2 November at 6.30pm, at the Health & Safety Executive's London Headquarters, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London, SE1 9HS. The event is free and doors will open at 6pm.
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Four coachestag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3982005-09-19T09:33:03Z2005-09-24T09:31:23ZI arrived at the station in time for the 07:54 this morning and Southern only bothered to supply a train with four coaches. By the time it arrived at South Croydon it was fully packed so I could not physically get on - though a lot of people tried. When I say packed I do mean it - it is more like tube travel except there will not be another train in two minutes and...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
I arrived at the station in time for the 07:54 this morning and Southern only bothered to supply a train with four coaches. By the time it arrived at South Croydon it was fully packed so I could not physically get on - though a lot of people tried. When I say packed I do mean it - it is more like tube travel except there will not be another train in two minutes and the people looked physically in discomfort. What annoys me is that the records will show that Southern provided a train service for that time. It will not show that they provided an inadequate service.
Holidays over time for short trainstag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3972005-09-14T09:46:58Z2005-09-24T09:31:23ZSo the holiday period is over for Mr Average and his kids are back at school. this inevitably means more people travelling to work by train. In their infinite wisdom Southern have reduced the 07:54 from South Croydon from a comfortable 8 carriages to a 6 car bun fight. Last week I could get a seat easily - I could pick and choose and even people at Norwood Junction were getting seats. This week I...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
So the holiday period is over for Mr Average and his kids are back at school. this inevitably means more people travelling to work by train. In their infinite wisdom Southern have reduced the 07:54 from South Croydon from a comfortable 8 carriages to a 6 car bun fight. Last week I could get a seat easily - I could pick and choose and even people at Norwood Junction were getting seats. This week I can barley get on the train its so crowded. Hence I get to work hot sweaty and annoyed. My colleagues get short tempered answers from me and therefore they treat their customers badly who take it out on their kids who wreck the trains.
And I read in the Metro this morning that the Train companies, who have recently put the ticket prices up above inflation, are demanding and getting above inflation handouts from the government while treating their passengers worse than we allow animals to be transported.
Greedy grasping idiots the lot of them.
2 hour journey hometag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3872005-08-12T22:24:45Z2005-09-24T09:31:23ZI left the office tonight at 17:54 looking forward to a relaxing weekend. As I got to the ticket gates at Canary Wharf Jubilee line they shut half of them - very annoying. When I got onto the platform I could see why - it was packed. A train came in a few minutes later but there was no way I could get on. The next train wasn't advertised until the first one had left...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
I left the office tonight at 17:54 looking forward to a relaxing weekend.
As I got to the ticket gates at Canary Wharf Jubilee line they shut half of them - very annoying. When I got onto the platform I could see why - it was packed. A train came in a few minutes later but there was no way I could get on. The next train wasn't advertised until the first one had left and then it was not due for 13 minutes! Three minutes later at 18:17 it was still showing 13 minutes. Apparently a passenger had been taken ill somewhere. Probably hay fever.
So I decided to go and catch the DLR south to Green which which I did and arrived at 18:31 and got onto the mainline platform to find that the next train was at 18:46 but was delayed. at 17:41 I looked up to see that the 18:46 had disappeared from the screen and it was now showing the 19:01 - which was delayed. "Sod this for a game of soldiers" says I and promptly got onto a Bank DLR train.
At about 19:00 I was basically back where I started in Canary Wharf but I kept going through to Bank where I got the Northern Line down to London Bridge and arrived at about 19:20. And what did I find there?
Huge signal problems. I got onto platform 5 to get the 19:25 to Brighton and then they announced that the Hayes train would be going fro platform 5 so all the people on 4 had to cross over the footbridge. As they were doing that they announced the 19:25 from Brighton was cancelled and passengers could get a train from Platform 12 to East Croydon. Mayhem ensued as several hundred people tried to get up the stairs as several hundred people tried to get down them.
As it was there was no train on Platform 12. So I decided to get the Caterham train so I had a look at the departures board and there were no trains at all to Caterham - none and not even a cancelled sign. Loads of trains were cancelled and loads of people were wandering round aimlessly wondering what to do - some of them were passengers.
So I got the 19:30 Epsom Train to West Croydon and from there I said "sod it" and walked the last 25 minutes home arriving at 20:10 - thats 2 hours and 16 minutes instead of about 55 minutes of my life they have stolen again. Give it back!
Our bloody transport system is rubbish.
Tube drivers scared - RMT threaten striketag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3822005-07-27T08:03:37Z2005-09-24T09:31:23ZI cannot believe what I am reading about the tube driver union Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT). They are in talks with London Underground about safety of their drivers following the bombings and may ballot their members for strike action rewarding this matter. RMT - you utter bastards. Yes the drivers will be concerned but what about us passengers? What about us ordinary Londoners travelling around that are getting blown to itsy bitsy little bits....Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
BBCi.
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The longest daytag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3732005-06-22T13:07:49Z2005-09-24T09:31:23ZSo this mornings journey to work started off with the ticket office being shut. That's the first time I can ever remember it being shut at 8am. A couple of ticket inspectors were selling tickets in the street - almost like touts outside a concert shouting "Standing tickets for the 8:09". Only when I got to the platform the 08:01 was delayed till 08:12 and the 08:09 till 08:13. When the 08:01 did turn up...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
Independent and the Government have a little somethign to say. Hang on - I am already paying the full whack for my pre 09:30 journey and they want to charge me more? Yes we have known the trains are over 100% capacity - they have been well before the Clapham rail crash enquiry pointed out that they shouldn't be years ago.
The Londonist has a few choice words to say.
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Train companies not minting it (says train companies).
I despair.]]>
Train journeys 11.5 minutes late on average for 2004tag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3452005-04-01T10:28:24Z2005-09-24T09:31:23Z11.5 minutes late is not good news for anybody especially us the commuters. What worries me is that we are becoming complacent to this awful service because we have no real alternative (well I don't). Apparently it will be August 2006 before Network Rail achieves the 86.1 percent of trains running on time that was last achieved before October 2000. there were lots of promises from Network Rail when it was initially set up. After...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
11.5 minutes late is not good news for anybody especially us the commuters. What worries me is that we are becoming complacent to this awful service because we have no real alternative (well I don't). Apparently it will be August 2006 before Network Rail achieves the 86.1 percent of trains running on time that was last achieved before October 2000. there were lots of promises from Network Rail when it was initially set up. After a huge amount of Government money pumped into it all we have seen is deaths in horrific rail crashes and increasingly later running trains. Chairman of Network Rail Ian McAllister has stated that they are 'raising the bar on train punctuality' - I ask why were they allowed to lower it in the first place.
Cynical I may be but I have suffered, like all other rail commuters, years of neglect in the system and I will not now stand for the fake PR that's going to happen over the next couple of years on how they are improving the situation. Getting it back to where it was five years ago is not an improvement.
Platform height at South Croydontag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3392005-03-06T14:09:10Z2005-09-24T09:31:22ZWhen I get an off peak train I occasionally see a few seemingly underpaid old age pensioners battling against rheumatism and alzheimer's to hand out Customer Surveys (passenger questionnaires) along with free pens. I always fill these in and I always make mention of the disparity between the platform height and the train step at South Croydon railway station. Currently it is about 24" - the track having settled since the last ballasting. If you...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
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4 coach miserytag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3382005-03-03T17:14:26Z2005-09-24T09:31:22ZA measly four coach train this morning instead of the usual cramped six or comfortable eight - we were packed like sardines. Inevitably the train was five minutes late into London Bridge and there is a turnaround time of 4 minutes so it was at least a minute late leaving on the return journey - as the crowds waiting to get on can attest. A packed sweaty train full off flu carriers - health and...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
A measly four coach train this morning instead of the usual cramped six or comfortable eight - we were packed like sardines. Inevitably the train was five minutes late into London Bridge and there is a turnaround time of 4 minutes so it was at least a minute late leaving on the return journey - as the crowds waiting to get on can attest. A packed sweaty train full off flu carriers - health and safety must do something about this.
Chaos at East Croydontag:www.simoncox.com,2005:/trainblog//3.3352005-02-24T09:13:51Z2005-09-24T09:31:22ZAbsolute 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...Simonhttp://www.simoncox.com
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.