Major train disruption at Brighton

[HawkTheSeagull]

I thought the delay was due to a massive points failure at Falmer.

To be fair, Network Rail staff could probably sort that out......rather than some League 1 strikers.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Disruption all night I would think. Train just pulled in to Barnham, presumably being driven. Now stuck at Barnham due to "no driver". Great place for shift change (yes I know it'd down to max hours etc but grrrrr)

 

[Ernest]

Disruption all night I would think. Train just pulled in to Barnham, presumably being driven. Now stuck at Barnham due to "no driver". Great place for shift change (yes I know it'd down to max hours etc but grrrrr)

Of course it is a great place to change drivers as that is where the depot is and the chance of a relief driver being on hand

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Of course it is a great place to change drivers as that is where the depot is and the chance of a relief driver being on hand

This. Also depends on whether the driver signs whatever route the train is due to take as well.

Should add, this is the FIFTH person under a train incident on the UK rail network today - sad.

 

[Guinness Boy]

This. Also depends on whether the driver signs whatever route the train is due to take as well.

Should add, this is the FIFTH person under a train incident on the UK rail network today - sad.

I have a mate on FB who works for Southern who said it was the second on Southern. Too sad that it was actually five across the network.

There's nothing you can do about jumpers and no one should blame the train co (or the victim for that matter but that merits a book rather than a thread). However, this genius shift change actually didn't work out with a relief driver. We sat and sat until the train was 15 minutes late. What was Southern's response? To prevent that train from stopping at the very stops it was supposed to be conveying disrupted passengers to, passengers who'd been advised to take that course of action by their guard.

This is why people give Southern grief. Not because people jump. Not because you have a shift rota and Union / European directives to keep. But because people who know better and pay over 4k a year for the "service" are constantly put behind spurious punctuality targets.

 

[kc1]

i have a mate on fb who works for southern who said it was the second on southern. Too sad that it was actually five across the network.

There's nothing you can do about jumpers and no one should blame the train co (or the victim for that matter but that merits a book rather than a thread). However, this genius shift change actually didn't work out with a relief driver. We sat and sat until the train was 15 minutes late. What was southern's response? To prevent that train from stopping at the very stops it was supposed to be conveying disrupted passengers to, passengers who'd been advised to take that course of action by their guard.

This is why people give southern grief. Not because people jump. Not because you have a shift rota and union / european directives to keep. But because people who know better and pay over 4k a year for the "service" are constantly put behind spurious punctuality targets.

spot on.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

I have a mate on FB who works for Southern who said it was the second on Southern. Too sad that it was actually five across the network.

There's nothing you can do about jumpers and no one should blame the train co (or the victim for that matter but that merits a book rather than a thread). However, this genius shift change actually didn't work out with a relief driver. We sat and sat until the train was 15 minutes late. What was Southern's response? To prevent that train from stopping at the very stops it was supposed to be conveying disrupted passengers to, passengers who'd been advised to take that course of action by their guard.

This is why people give Southern grief. Not because people jump. Not because you have a shift rota and Union / European directives to keep. But because people who know better and pay over 4k a year for the "service" are constantly put behind spurious punctuality targets.

Disruption has caused staff to be all over the place, you get spare drivers who wait to be used, but there is only so much you can do. The guard saying you would be stopping at all stops shouldnt have said that, especially if they knew the situation - but then information isnt the greatest during severe disruption. It probably isnt a shift change, but could be because the driver needs a legal break, is at the end of their working day or doesnt "sign" the route. Normally, the cover driver would be waiting but for whatever reason that hasnt happened. It seems you have been badly let down on the information front, something Southern and Thameslink want to improve so heres hoping.

Also, missing stops basically gets it to the final destination earlier, so the next service isnt as badly delayed, but in turn delays others, catch 22 really - either way they are screwing people over. And yes, its Southern and Thameslink's 2nd incident today, the other one was at Carshalton - other incidents happened at Newbury, Vauxhall and Kidsgrove (near Stoke), there were 2 at the weekend as well, 7 in 3 days is incredibly sad, yet there is only so much you can do to prevent it.

 

[British Bulldog]

I have a mate on FB who works for Southern who said it was the second on Southern. Too sad that it was actually five across the network.

There's nothing you can do about jumpers and no one should blame the train co (or the victim for that matter but that merits a book rather than a thread). However, this genius shift change actually didn't work out with a relief driver. We sat and sat until the train was 15 minutes late. What was Southern's response? To prevent that train from stopping at the very stops it was supposed to be conveying disrupted passengers to, passengers who'd been advised to take that course of action by their guard.

This is why people give Southern grief. Not because people jump. Not because you have a shift rota and Union / European directives to keep. But because people who know better and pay over 4k a year for the "service" are constantly put behind spurious punctuality targets.

Your absolutely spot on with that and trust me it's not just passengers who feel it, many staff feel exactly the same way.

 

[MissGull]

Wonder how many will have witnessed it at Preston Park?

Fortunately in all my years of train travel - although less frequent these days have never encountered it. Does cross my mind though when I'm waiting at a platform.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Wonder how many will have witnessed it at Preston Park?

Fortunately in all my years of train travel - although less frequent these days have never encountered it. Does cross my mind though when I'm waiting at a platform.

Dont do it, its not worth it. I am sure that any problems can be sorted and I am sure we will start scoring soon and climb up the table.

 

[Ernest]

Your absolutely spot on with that and trust me it's not just passengers who feel it, many staff feel exactly the same way.

As you know the problem is that all experienced railwaymen who knew how to deal with things like fatalities and keep the show on the road and get things back working after were got rid of to be replaced by managers from B & Q and Tesco's who at the first sign of disruption hide themselves away from not only the public but the staff too as they haven't a clue on what to do.

I would hate to pay £4k a year for a commute knowing that at least once a week I'd be late into or home from work and travelling on an overcrowded train with fellow sufferers

 

[Scoffers]

I got chucked off at Three Bridges last night when this happened. It was chaos, nobody seemed to know what train was going where, and that was just the staff. Another train stopped, everyone was chucked off, then it proceeded to go to Haywards Heath half empty when they changed their minds about where it was stopping at. The fee paying patrons were apoplectic with rage. One well dressed middle-aged lady went potty. The poor old platform staff took the brunt. I got fed up with all the miss-information and called Mrs Scoffers who dutifully came and picked me up

I'm not sure about rotas or directives, all I know is that when things go wrong, for whatever reason, no staff ever appear to know whats happening and people just get angry as a result.

 

[gregbrighton]

You see, this is what we get with franchises. Shit services, poorly trained staff but high prices. Amex catering: shit services, poorly trained staff and high prices. Do you see the connection?

 

[Danny-Boy]

I have a mate on FB who works for Southern who said it was the second on Southern. Too sad that it was actually five across the network.

There's nothing you can do about jumpers and no one should blame the train co (or the victim for that matter but that merits a book rather than a thread). However, this genius shift change actually didn't work out with a relief driver. We sat and sat until the train was 15 minutes late. What was Southern's response? To prevent that train from stopping at the very stops it was supposed to be conveying disrupted passengers to, passengers who'd been advised to take that course of action by their guard.

This is why people give Southern grief. Not because people jump. Not because you have a shift rota and Union / European directives to keep. But because people who know better and pay over 4k a year for the "service" are constantly put behind spurious punctuality targets.

The Arun Valley Chord which has been proposed would be a big help to enable non-stop running west of Brighton and on to London via the under-used Dorking-Horsham line. It would cross a flattish field; what is the hold-up? Not the unionds surely. The Arun Valley line now has new signalling which should help.

What worries me is all the staff driving who see the suicides upfront from the cab. In the old steam days they often did not know until they reached journey's end with a splat mark across the front buffers below the smokebox..

 

[Danny-Boy]

You see, this is what we get with franchises. Shit services, poorly trained staff but high prices. Amex catering: shit services, poorly trained staff and high prices. Do you see the connection?

And poor scoring by Albion players? It all adds up now..

 

[father_and_son]

I have a mate on FB who works for Southern who said it was the second on Southern. Too sad that it was actually five across the network.

There's nothing you can do about jumpers and no one should blame the train co (or the victim for that matter but that merits a book rather than a thread). However, this genius shift change actually didn't work out with a relief driver. We sat and sat until the train was 15 minutes late. What was Southern's response? To prevent that train from stopping at the very stops it was supposed to be conveying disrupted passengers to, passengers who'd been advised to take that course of action by their guard.

This is why people give Southern grief. Not because people jump. Not because you have a shift rota and Union / European directives to keep. But because people who know better and pay over 4k a year for the "service" are constantly put behind spurious punctuality targets.

THIS. I was on the same train(s) as you last night, travelling from LB to Portslade.

It seems that Southern (and I do think its so endemic at the company that this applies to ALL their staff - certainly every one I've ever had contact with) have forgotten that their entire purpose is to convey PASSENGERS from A to B, not just rolling stock! Last night typified this perfectly. Rather than use the service from Barnham to London (once the driver finally arrived) to actually help people get home they used it to hinder them... The response from a company that cared about its customers would have been to stop at EVERY station along the way, not skip even more!

 

[British Bulldog]

As you know the problem is that all experienced railwaymen who knew how to deal with things like fatalities and keep the show on the road and get things back working after were got rid of to be replaced by managers from B & Q and Tesco's who at the first sign of disruption hide themselves away from not only the public but the staff too as they haven't a clue on what to do.

I would hate to pay £4k a year for a commute knowing that at least once a week I'd be late into or home from work and travelling on an overcrowded train with fellow sufferers

That sums up one of the biggest problems on the railway these days, It's no longer being run by railwaymen.

 

[Ernest]

That sums up one of the biggest problems on the railway these days, It's no longer being run by railwaymen.

It's no longer being run by competent people either, the amount of delays I used to see caused by human error thanks to having people doing jobs they weren't competent to do was amazing and if the general public knew of this they would be even more angry.

Some delays are unavoidable but a lot are and that is why the travelling punters get so frustrated.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's no longer being run by competent people either, the amount of delays I used to see caused by human error thanks to having people doing jobs they weren't competent to do was amazing and if the general public knew of this they would be even more angry.

Some delays are unavoidable but a lot are and that is why the travelling punters get so frustrated.

This wouldn't happen in Germany

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's no longer being run by competent people either, the amount of delays I used to see caused by human error thanks to having people doing jobs they weren't competent to do was amazing and if the general public knew of this they would be even more angry.

Some delays are unavoidable but a lot are and that is why the travelling punters get so frustrated.

I do actually agree with this. I long for the days when you could ask any rail worked a question and they would passionately give you a detailed and accurate answer.