**** Official Train Commuters Discussion Thread ****

[lost in london]

I don't know if I can continue doing it - commute from Redhill has just turned into a sh*t storm every morning. The thought of standing for 45 mins on a packed train every morning for 4 years fills me with sadness.

Out of the blue my wife suggested last night getting a motorbike / scooter for doing the commute instead. Feels like it wouldn't be much quicker and I would probably die, but something to consider.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

First time the trains have been on time this year, only 12 days in mind.

 

[Beach Hut]

Result as only 5 minutes late

 

[Since1982]

Feels like it wouldn't be much quicker and I would probably die, but something to consider.

That made me smile - the gallows humour of a frustrated commuter. I'm Heading into London Bridge tomorrow from Hassocks, have to be at Houndsditch for 9. Already fearing the worst!

 

[Vegas Seagull]

No real dramas on the Worthing-ish train to London Bridge that gets in around 8:10. Probably a few minutes late, but nothing worth worrying about.

Aka LA to LB....(littlehampton)...this particular service must be one of the best generally, also one of the highest earners in the country, 800? (£20k in 2 hours?) Full by Hove of Commuter tix from there and even costlier more distant ones

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

*Awaits the borefest comment referencing Germany.

Wouldnt happen in Germany

 

[Scoffers]

My train from BH to Victoria was on time this morning. I was shocked.

 

[father_and_son]

Wouldnt happen in Germany

The sh*t train service or the binfest discussing it?

 

[Gwylan]

I've been commuting from Essex(innit) into Fenchurch street for a couple weeks while I'm over hear avoiding the s**t winter and it's not been that bad.
Trains on the C2C line are clean and on time and you get a seat. £320 a month for the pleasure which is a little hard to swallow but not the most expensive line.

My former boss used to do this: she moaned like hell about the service, I'd take it for granted that at least once a week I'd get "late in the office, train screwed up" message.

I don't know if I can continue doing it - commute from Redhill has just turned into a sh*t storm every morning. The thought of standing for 45 mins on a packed train every morning for 4 years fills me with sadness.

Out of the blue my wife suggested last night getting a motorbike / scooter for doing the commute instead. Feels like it wouldn't be much quicker and I would probably die, but something to consider.

I worked in Redhill a couple of times: I used to cycle in - it was only 26 miles from north London. Took a couple of hours and a cheap way to travel

 

[father_and_son]

Wouldnt happen in Germany

The sh*t train service or the binfest discussing it?

 

[RandyWanger]

My former boss used to do this: she moaned like hell about the service, I'd take it for granted that at least once a week I'd get "late in the office, train screwed up" message

I think she was using the trains as an excuse for oversleeping ;-)

 

[Arthur]

Time one of these was started to keep all information up to date plus the tales of torturous commuting inflicted on us.

Have a read of this on Southern Railway website tonight and take note if an Uckfield commuter as it looks like SR has given up on diesel train maintenance.

http://www.southernrailway.com

Uckfield - We regret that due to an unusual number of diesel units under repair, we will have to cancel the following Uckfield line train services tomorrow, Monday morning;
05:18 and 08:04 Uckfield to London Bridge
06:38 London Bridge to Uckfield
In addition the 07:08 Uckfield to London Bridge train service will be formed of less coaches than normal tomorrow and will therefore be very busy en-route into London.
A replacement bus has been arranged to operate from Crowborough to Haywards Heath tomorrow morning departing Crowborough at 05:00, Buxted at 05:10 and Uckfield at 05:20, further replacement buses will depart Edenbridge Town at 05:47 and at 08:38 serving Oxted only to help avoid severe overcrowding on the trains which are running.
Uckfield line tickets will also be accepted from East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Three Bridges tomorrow morning and on southeastern train services from Tunbridge Wells to London Charing Cross, note that southeastern are operating a reduced train service at London Bridge from Sunday 11th Janaury.

Wish I'd seen this thread last night, would have stayed in bed for an extra half hour. The 7:08 which is the busiest service in the morning ran with 4 coaches and was rammed from Crowborough. Couldn't be arsed with that first thing on a Monday morning so waited for the next one which was 16 minutes later arriving. Finally got into the office at 9:45.

Whilst I was waiting a woman came back into the ticket office and complained to the member of staff that she'd just taken her husband over to Tunbridge Wells and they wouldn't except his ticket as the above suggests and he had to buy a new one. It's quite frankly a flipping shambles at the moment. I can't recall the last time a train arrived on time.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

My colleague was affected by the Uckfield cancellation today.

Excellent idea for a thread Beachy.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Its particularly crappy the way they try to manage customer expectations so that you're supposed to be grateful when your train is 'only' 5 or 10 minutes late, and compensation only kicks in when its HALF AN HOUR late. Utterly shameful.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

No real dramas on the Worthing-ish train to London Bridge that gets in around 8:10. Probably a few minutes late, but nothing worth worrying about.

Thing is it is. A) because as an annual season ticket holder you cant claim unless half hr or more and believe me I would as I EXPECT them to be on time for £4400 a year. B) Those few mins a week add up you know, gross it up and I guarantee itll be a couple of days lost a year travelling due to those "few mins " late.

 

[Mr Bronson]

I'm a relative newcomer to the commuting game having only been doing Haywards Heath to London Bridge for little over two years. Due to timetable changes over those two years I get to spend an extra nine minutes a day on the trains. This equates to an additional thirty two hours a year I spend on the train before any delays. As my wife said to me I should consider myself lucky that ticket prices have risen by only 5% during that period considering how much more time I'm using the service.

On the plus side I get to read in relative peace and quiet.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Its particularly crappy the way they try to manage customer expectations so that you're supposed to be grateful when your train is 'only' 5 or 10 minutes late, and compensation only kicks in when its HALF AN HOUR late. Utterly shameful.

Is the RIGHT answer.

 

[Ernest]

If Network Rail and the companies such as Southern spent as much money and time on dealing and preventing delays as they do on things such as delay attribution then things might be a tad better for the commuters

 

[Badger]

Its particularly crappy the way they try to manage customer expectations so that you're supposed to be grateful when your train is 'only' 5 or 10 minutes late, and compensation only kicks in when its HALF AN HOUR late. Utterly shameful.

The worst is when the train roles in 29 minutes behind schedule, it used to make me want to SCREAM and THROW things around the carriage (of course I didn't, I'm too British for that). Once you realise you're over 20 minutes you start wishing for another little delay to get you over the 30 minute BOUNDARY, so it least you can get something back from the shower of s***..

 

[Bozza]

Sitting on the already-late 17:43 London Bridge to Littlehampton service and some worrying words come over the tannoy: "If there's a guard on the train, please make yourself visible."