SASTA - what an absolute shower

[Springal]

Signal failure at Purley.

The Key system has been down for DAYS meaning people cannot use their new season tickets and instead are having to BUY a standard day ticket to claim a refund on later (yeah right !)

So glad I don't have to do that shit regularly anymore

 

[Surrey Seagull]

Say what you like about Southern, but at least they haven't actually lost a train...unlike First Crapitall Connect! They seemed to resent having to run a train service and petitioned to stop some of their train service. So glad when they lost their franchise.

 

[Simster]

So after ten days or so where I've had to extend my travel time by going via Dorking (at no reduction in ticket price obviously), I arrived at the station to resume normal service.

And normal service has indeed resumed - my 723 from Redhill to Victoria was cancelled. For the 6th time in seven weeks. They really are f*king GASH.

 

[Beach Hut]

Glad I made the choice of the safe option today, you just knew what would happen this morning

 

[dazzer6666]

Glad I made the choice of the safe option today, you just knew what would happen this morning

Likewise. Junior is even going to be late getting to BHASVIC due to cancellations.

 

[Beach Hut]

Likewise. Junior is even going to be late getting to BHASVIC due to cancellations.

Mini won't be late for BHASVIC as Mum giving him a lift

 

[dazzer6666]

Mini won't be late for BHASVIC as Mum giving him a lift

I would have driven from B Hill but wouldn't be any quicker......

 

[rippleman]

When the railways were nationalised, they used to have a reserve roster. If a driver or guard called in sick or didn't turn up, a call was made to one of the reserves and a taxi then despatched from the station rank to go and pick up the reserve so the services could keep running.

The current management are obviously too thick to stick with a plan that actually worked.

A private company with absolutely no competition is never going to deliver a decent service; there is no motivation to do so when the train company is running a "closed shop". It's the old story of a private monopoly looking after its shareholders and stuffing the long-suffering customer at every opportunity.

The West coastway service just keeps on getting worse. Really crap service at the stations as well as actually on the tracks. Wheelchair users often have difficulty getting off the trains at Shoreham or Worthing after evening matches because the staff have all buggered off.

Privatisation has clearly not worked in terms of price or service. It was worth a try but I think government should admit it has failed and return the railways to public ownership.

 

[DavidRyder]

Isn't it possible to buy any ticket for any journey from any station though? Sounds like they just don't want peopple to get a 2016 ticket at 2015 prices.....

 

[Hastings gull]

When the railways were nationalised, they used to have a reserve roster. If a driver or guard called in sick or didn't turn up, a call was made to one of the reserves and a taxi then despatched from the station rank to go and pick up the reserve so the services could keep running.

The current management are obviously too thick to stick with a plan that actually worked.A private company with absolutely no competition is never going to deliver a decent service; there is no motivation to do so when the train company is running a "closed shop". It's the old story of a private monopoly looking after its shareholders and stuffing the long-suffering customer at every opportunity.

The West coastway service just keeps on getting worse. Really crap service at the stations as well as actually on the tracks. Wheelchair users often have difficulty getting off the trains at Shoreham or Worthing after evening matches because the staff have all buggered off.

Privatisation has clearly not worked in terms of price or service. It was worth a try but I think government should admit it has failed and return the railways to public ownership.

Just out of interest, do you really know that this roster existed as efficiently as you claim, and also do you really know that the present management is so thick? Not me being cynical -you may well work for the railways, for all I know. the reason I ask because I can still recall on several occasions the old Seagull Specials being stuck in North London whilst they searched for a driver!
I am not disputing your observations about the West Coastway line for one moment, and I am sure that you would have a point. I would, however, add that if a private company with no competition is unlikely to run an efficient service, as you state, than a state-run organisation with no competition is by the same token equally unlikely to run an efficient service.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

a state-run organisation with no competition is ..... unlikely to run an efficient service.

Deutsche Bahn is state owned, has effectively no competition, yet manages to runs an efficient service.

 

[Ernest]

When the railways were nationalised, they used to have a reserve roster. If a driver or guard called in sick or didn't turn up, a call was made to one of the reserves and a taxi then despatched from the station rank to go and pick up the reserve so the services could keep running.
.

No it didn't , certainly not on Southern Region, the job was kept going by overtime as the basic pay was so shit. Where the privatised firms went wrong was to pay everyone such wonderfully large salaries there was no need to work days off anymore for the majority of staff. This was the intention by the management but it came in 2 parts and they forgot the second part of ensuring enough train crew so that they wouldn't need to rely on people working overtime to get them out of the mess they were in.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

No it didn't , certainly not on Southern Region, the job was kept going by overtime as the basic pay was so shit. Where the privatised firms went wrong was to pay everyone such wonderfully large salaries there was no need to work days off anymore for the majority of staff. This was the intention by the management but it came in 2 parts and they forgot the second part of ensuring enough train crew so that they wouldn't need to rely on people working overtime to get them out of the mess they were in.

Is there an issue, or as big an issue, with drivers not turning up on the London Underground?

 

[alfredmizen]

Is there an issue, or as big an issue, with drivers not turning up on the London Underground?

Norman baker suck my lozenge is your man there , and i doubt there is.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Norman baker suck my lozenge is your man there , and i doubt there is.

I tend to agree. I don't ever recall issues like there is with the overground trains. And I don't ever recall arriving at an airport and being told the pilot hasn't turned up. Makes you wonder how/why it's allowed on the rail?

 

[rippleman]

No it didn't , certainly not on Southern Region, the job was kept going by overtime as the basic pay was so shit. Where the privatised firms went wrong was to pay everyone such wonderfully large salaries there was no need to work days off anymore for the majority of staff. This was the intention by the management but it came in 2 parts and they forgot the second part of ensuring enough train crew so that they wouldn't need to rely on people working overtime to get them out of the mess they were in.

I know for a fact that it happened! My dad worked on Brighton Streamline cabs for over 30 years.

Maybe you don't know as much about how the old nationalised railway system used to operate as you like to make out.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Is there an issue, or as big an issue, with drivers not turning up on the London Underground?

In my time living in the dirty old town, I can never recall staff shortages being used as an excuse on TfL.

 

[Ernest]

I know for a fact that it happened! My dad worked on Brighton Streamline cabs for over 30 years.

Maybe you don't know as much about how the old nationalised railway system used to operate as you like to make out.

No I only worked for them for 34 years so what would I know compared to a cabbie sat on a rank outside the station ?

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

. And I don't ever recall arriving at an airport and being told the pilot hasn't turned up.

I had that last year on a flight from Heathrow to Zurich. The passengers were all at the gate, the rest of the crew were there, we could see that the plane was ready and waiting. The only person missing was the pilot as he was flying in from Manchester and his flight was delayed! Not quite the same but it does happen.

 

[DavePage]

Have you tried a Mira? Way better than SASTA