simoncox.com train times

Tonight was like going on a pilgrimage home. I got the 19:13 from London bridge having watched a very silly woman on the underground block the other up escalator with her "large bag on wheels" device. When a queue of about 20 had piled up behind her, with lots of people doing the 'head to the side' to see what the hold up was move, some chap tapped her on the shoulder and said "shift it" (or appropriate words to that effect - I couldn't actually hear, but whatever he said was short and effective...).

So the 19:13 train leaves on time and I am nodding off because it been a hard day but I keep waking up because I am worried about making those snorting, snoring noises in public. The train was going at a walking pace most of the way. It was obvious it was going to be late. People were getting stressed.
This service was booked as:
19:13 - 19:45 = 00:32

So we arrive at South Croydon at 19:58 - a full 13 mins late.
The driver gave some excuse about an earlier broken down train but as a passenger on the 19:13 my train was not broken down so why the delay. And why did a train break down anyway? They don't in Japan. I have often got fast trains from London Bridge to East Croydon only to find that the stopping services to South Croydon are 10 mins or more late in arriving at East Croydon. Why? Why not change the timetable to reflect the service we actually get rather than the service we are meant to have.

Rubbish, rubbish service again. It's a wonder no one has gone postal, as I understand the expression is, on one of the trains yet.

I just missed the 19:13 to Caterham and had to wait for the 19:40 fast to Brighton (Thameslink) so I moseyed over to platform 5 where at 19:30 they announced that the 19:40 to Brighton was re-routed away from London Bridge as were all Thameslink trains because of a signal problem at Blackfriers. That's OK I thought - I will just wait 3 minutes more and get the 19:43 to Caterham.

The announcer then recommended that passengers for East Croydon get the 19:43 Caterham train. The 19:43 comes from Charring Cross and is the first Caterham train of the evening that does not start at London Bridge and as it stops at all the intermediate stations on the way, Brockley, Sydenham and Forest Hill etc, it is usually fairly full before it gets to London Bridge. This was not looking good.

At 19:35 the announcer announced (as indeed announcers do) that the Caterham train would consist of only 4 coaches – normally eight. Absolute bl**dy classic.

So I decided to go and get the 19:53 Reigate train from platform 10 which was fast to Norwood Junction then East Croydon.
With 12 minutes before it was due to leave it was already packed – once again a 4 coach train though I’m not sure how many it is normally. All the corridor space was already crowded so I got into the guard’s van and over the next 5 minutes that got packed out as well. There must have been about 40 people crammed in the cage, with the bicycles. Cattle are treated better than this when they are exported. This train was 5 minutes late getting into East Croydon.

I got off at East Croydon and changed platforms to get the Caterham train to take me to South Croydon and I am sure it was the 19:43 that turned up, late of course, as it had only 4 carriages which were all empty… I got to South Croydon at 20:14. Unamused.

I got a cab home from the office's Christmas party last night. The driver said it would be about £45 but when we arrived he asked "how much you want to pay, £70, £80? He got £50 and a snarl.

Why don't they run the Caterham train later in the evenings in December?

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.

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!