portlock seagull
Why? Why us?
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,071
I think that's what you call 'game,set and match'!! So true.
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Southern railway train service tonight
- Thread starter rdigs24
- Start date
I think that's what you call 'game,set and match'!! So true.
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
My chauffeur drove me from Brighton station to the ground, very pleasant ride
portlock seagull
Why? Why us?
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,071
The amount of apologists for Southern on here is why our transport network is shocking. People are simply too prepared to put up with rubbish at high prices. It's therefore my public duty to point on Southern are charging for a SERVICE! 
Arkwright
Arkwright
Having waited for fifteen minutes to get served in The Kings Head in Lewes (no Harvey's), decided to get a train around 7pm to the ground. Two trains were short carriages and we were unable to board them.
Finally got the 39 which was slow and missed the first 15 minutes of the game. I never leave early (except the Palace play off game) but last night decided to leave with 87 mins on the clock and caught the 22.33 from Brighton to Croydon which was fine.
In general the service is ok, however I'm sure that everyone would agree the trains need to be eight carriages for the 90 minutes before and after the game and need to be stewarded better ensuring the trains are full.
Finally got the 39 which was slow and missed the first 15 minutes of the game. I never leave early (except the Palace play off game) but last night decided to leave with 87 mins on the clock and caught the 22.33 from Brighton to Croydon which was fine.
In general the service is ok, however I'm sure that everyone would agree the trains need to be eight carriages for the 90 minutes before and after the game and need to be stewarded better ensuring the trains are full.
Seagull over Canaryland
Well-known member
Attending evening games by train during the Amex era has always had a risk element especially when it coincides with the bigger fixtures. Lessons seemed to be learned after the first couple of seasons. However we still know it doesn't need much to screw the trains up - so always wise for fans to build in a reasonable contingency, especially if travelling from well beyond the Brighton area. The frequency of 'issues' once you enter Southern's twilight zone makes you feel for those who have to make the daily commute.
OK unforeseen technical issues can arise with the rail infrastructure, often Network Rail's problem. So not always Southern's fault. The tragic medical emergency after the game is another and very sad (RIP). We are reasonable people, it cannot be perfect because 'sh*t happens', but equally should be satisfactory 99% of the time.
However Southern do seem to be plumbing real depths of incompetence. Not just on football nights either, we know from other threads on NSC they are guilty of failing their core customers. So upsetting a few footie fans won't be a priority. It is one thing to to know you have a problem of your own making ('staff shortages' etc) but to compound it it by consistently failing to communicate effectively with the customers is pure contempt. I feel for the genuine Southern staff who stick their heads above the parapet. It is the unseen management who seem content to pre-plan for failure as a norm. There seems to be an institutional malaise and 'we've got your money we don't give a sh*t' about whether you actually get anything vaguely close to the service you've paid for.
The great work by the Albion to be 'PL ready' is at risk of being undermined on match days/evenings by tinpot Southern. If we do make it to the promised land it is quite reasonable to expect big crowds like last night will be the norm, especially with away fans from London clubs and beyond curious to taste the Amex experience. If Southern fail to deliver on a consistent basis then they are also undermining the transport strategy for The Amex with a potential knock on into the safety plans. Not all fans will shrug their shoulders - the more volatile types could kick off - or sadly others will just show apathy towards attending evening games. No one wants to see empty seats at The Amex.
I really hope someone senior at the Club seeks some answers from Southern. Even so I suspect we are fairly insignificant in the wider scheme of things. So maybe mobilise some political support to get some accountability.
OK unforeseen technical issues can arise with the rail infrastructure, often Network Rail's problem. So not always Southern's fault. The tragic medical emergency after the game is another and very sad (RIP). We are reasonable people, it cannot be perfect because 'sh*t happens', but equally should be satisfactory 99% of the time.
However Southern do seem to be plumbing real depths of incompetence. Not just on football nights either, we know from other threads on NSC they are guilty of failing their core customers. So upsetting a few footie fans won't be a priority. It is one thing to to know you have a problem of your own making ('staff shortages' etc) but to compound it it by consistently failing to communicate effectively with the customers is pure contempt. I feel for the genuine Southern staff who stick their heads above the parapet. It is the unseen management who seem content to pre-plan for failure as a norm. There seems to be an institutional malaise and 'we've got your money we don't give a sh*t' about whether you actually get anything vaguely close to the service you've paid for.
The great work by the Albion to be 'PL ready' is at risk of being undermined on match days/evenings by tinpot Southern. If we do make it to the promised land it is quite reasonable to expect big crowds like last night will be the norm, especially with away fans from London clubs and beyond curious to taste the Amex experience. If Southern fail to deliver on a consistent basis then they are also undermining the transport strategy for The Amex with a potential knock on into the safety plans. Not all fans will shrug their shoulders - the more volatile types could kick off - or sadly others will just show apathy towards attending evening games. No one wants to see empty seats at The Amex.
I really hope someone senior at the Club seeks some answers from Southern. Even so I suspect we are fairly insignificant in the wider scheme of things. So maybe mobilise some political support to get some accountability.
Wilka
Well-known member
It's ok the Albion delayed smashing Fulham for around 30 minutes to avoid anyone missing anything.
Still amazes me how some fans leave so late to get a train for night games. You're begging to be delayed. How often do we see this thread? I'm not condoning the actions of Southern in any way. They are an absolute disgrace. You need to plan for their incompetence and leave earlier than you usually do on an afternoon.
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Tom Hark Preston Park
Will Post For Cash
- Jul 6, 2003
- 70,161
Whatever the rights and wrongs of the thing, it IS a bit naive to just rock up to the station half an hour before kick off and expect to get straight on a train, when there is a near-capacity crowd expected. A good rule of thumb is to never under-estimate Southern's ability to f*ck up your day and plan accordingly. And as somebody posted earlier, four people in a cab to the ground from Brighton station cost them £4 apiece. Not ideal for sure, but preferable to missing a large chunk of the game shirley?
HantsSeagull
Well-known member
i am sorry you didn't make that clear.
Ernest
Stupid IDIOT
Jolly good, hope you waved to the GROOVY Gang in the QUEUE for the train
Last night was the second time recently that we've faced massive queues at Brighton station an hour before an evening kick off. On both occasions, rather than spoil our evening, we've strolled down trafalgar street at a leisurely pace, caught a (not crowded) 25 bus the other side of St Peter's church and got to the ground in good time for kick off.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
Naturally I did
Whitechapel
Famous Last Words
[MENTION=153]perseus[/MENTION] uses another football forum that I also use and he lies about train times every single home game. The reason for this; as you guessed, is that he's the fruitcake who came up with idea of building our new ground at Shoreham Airport, largely because he lives in Shoreham By Sea and didn't want to have to use public transport to commute to games. He often claims it takes him 1/2 hours to get back from home games when me and other Shoreham based posters have done it in 30-40 minutes. When questioned on it he completely ignores it.
Just do some simple maths though.The game ended at 9:40. On the other forum he posted he had just got home just before 12. So if we believe him, it took him 2 hours 20 to get home. Meaning he had 3 hours & 40 minutes to get to the ground. So if he got there in the 39th minute (8:24) he must have left before 5 o'clock. So why was he posting at 5:30 on here? He doesn't seem like the type to be able to work a smart phone enough to post links to tapatalk. Even if he is, there is no way that he left at 4:40 and was still at Brighton station after 20 minutes of the game like he's claimed. No chance. There's literally no way he's telling the truth.
BUT IT GETS BETTER.
He posted a match preview for the game 6 minutes before his "Just got home" post on this other forum. His preview even starts with a dig about the trains...
I'm pretty sure he forgot the game was on the Friday and he's just bashing the trains as a) it's what he always does and b) to cover up the fact he missed the game.
Tit.
Fans are going to complain when matches get moved to a weekday evening and there are train problems.
You do realise that many of us work on a Friday and rush around to get to the match.
Unless people complain, they will do nothing about it.
It's dangerous (like Hillsbrough). Railway stations are known to be even less safe than football stadia approaches.
Needs 8 o'clock kick-offs as people cannot leave work and get to the matches on time, all because of Southern Railway.
It's dangerous (like Hillsbrough). Railway stations are known to be even less safe than football stadia approaches.
Needs 8 o'clock kick-offs as people cannot leave work and get to the matches on time, all because of Southern Railway.
No, the last thing it needs is 8 o'clock kick offs.
Everyone rushing for the last trains to get home.
Fire drills every evening game at 70 minutes.
pasty
A different kind of pasty
This thread fills me with fear for Tuesday night. I normally manage to blag a WFH when we are playing at home midweek, but can't Tuesday so will be coming from London.
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
Got there at 6.30 at was in the ground at 7.30 must of been lucky.
Whoever made the decision to move a Saturday game to a Friday because of the Marathon on SUNDAY needs to take some of the blame.
Erm...