Nightmare Journey Thread

[Herr Tubthumper]

Left the Arcade Fire gig on Wednesday night at 11pm and got home at 1pm on Thursday 14 hours later. First train took 3 hours to get from London Bridge to East Croydon and was re-routed up and down the track 3 times. Spent an hour at East Croydon being drip-fed conflicting information from a variety of people representing a variety of areas of the rail service before being advised to board another train (at about 4am) which would limp back to Victoria where we would be 'looked after.' Spent the rest of the night sleeping in a 'specially allocated ' and cold train. At 9am feeling ignored and let down decided to hire a car and drive back to Hove.

I appreciate problems do happen but the way Southern reacted (or did not react) to the 100 or so stranded passengers was truly shocking. I'm fit, able and had some money in my pocket and whilst I felt abandoned and frozen to the bone I was able to look after myself. This was not the case for some older people and a very young couple who did not have any money to buy provisions. Both were let down very badly. And the Southern Area manager who breezed in at 9am could trump the BP fella for lack of PR skills. It also seems no one is empowered to take any decisions other than him.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Arcade Fire?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Arcade Fire?

Indeed. Did you go? I really enjoyed it. Brilliant show. I have a lot of admiration for that Win Butler chap, a brilliant mix of vision, ambition and creativity. Their performance was the only thing which kept me going on Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

 

[7:18]

I'm attempting Pendulum at Wembley Arena tonight...hope the same thing doesn't happen to me...any advice in terms of train times?

 

[pishhead]

Left the Arcade Fire gig on Wednesday night at 11pm and got home at 1pm on Thursday 14 hours later. First train took 3 hours to get from London Bridge to East Croydon and was re-routed up and down the track 3 times. Spent an hour at East Croydon being drip-fed conflicting information from a variety of people representing a variety of areas of the rail service before being advised to board another train (at about 4am) which would limp back to Victoria where we would be 'looked after.' Spent the rest of the night sleeping in a 'specially allocated ' and cold train. At 9am feeling ignored and let down decided to hire a car and drive back to Hove.

I appreciate problems do happen but the way Southern reacted (or did not react) to the 100 or so stranded passengers was truly shocking. I'm fit, able and had some money in my pocket and whilst I felt abandoned and frozen to the bone I was able to look after myself. This was not the case for some older people and a very young couple who did not have any money to buy provisions. Both were let down very badly. And the Southern Area manager who breezed in at 9am could trump the BP fella for lack of PR skills. It also seems no one is empowered to take any decisions other than him.

Thats a f***ing disgrace. They put you on a train to get some sleep? Surely they have a duty of care to provide adequate accommodation?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Left the Arcade Fire gig on Wednesday night at 11pm and got home at 1pm on Thursday 14 hours later. First train took 3 hours to get from London Bridge to East Croydon and was re-routed up and down the track 3 times. Spent an hour at East Croydon being drip-fed conflicting information from a variety of people representing a variety of areas of the rail service before being advised to board another train (at about 4am) which would limp back to Victoria where we would be 'looked after.' Spent the rest of the night sleeping in a 'specially allocated ' and cold train. At 9am feeling ignored and let down decided to hire a car and drive back to Hove.

I appreciate problems do happen but the way Southern reacted (or did not react) to the 100 or so stranded passengers was truly shocking. I'm fit, able and had some money in my pocket and whilst I felt abandoned and frozen to the bone I was able to look after myself. This was not the case for some older people and a very young couple who did not have any money to buy provisions. Both were let down very badly. And the Southern Area manager who breezed in at 9am could trump the BP fella for lack of PR skills. It also seems no one is empowered to take any decisions other than him.

That's appalling. Still, have to say I'm gobsmacked that you placed any trust in these buggers to deliver you home at 11pm at night with their disgraceful track record this week.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Thats a f***ing disgrace. They put you on a train to get some sleep? Surely they have a duty of care to provide adequate accommodation?

Yup, a train was set aside for everyone to sleep on. I lost track of the number of people who asked how Southern deal with standed passengers. It was easy to keep track of the response as it was generally 'I'm not really sure, you can submit a claim for a taxi or a hotel....but I cannot say it will get paid.....I'd hope the company are sympathetic'. I even pressed the area manager about this when he finally showed his face, and he fumbled a response along the lines of 'I cannot say at the moment, I'm dealing with the current situation at the moment, we will need to address compensation later.' I pointed out that giving a go ahead for compensation would help deal with the current situation....he turned away and addressed someone else. Surely a part of management is dealing with crisis and a bit of on-the-feet thinking (or maybe being pro-active and having a business plan in place in the first place which you can reel off in times of emergency)?

 

[Hissing Fauna]

Had the same thing on Wednesday after Fujiya & Miyagi. Got to Victoria at 10.30pm to be greeted by no trains, no information, staff scuttling away. Eventually someone from Southern said "Off the record, there's no trains until further notice". So phoned the band, got a cab back to the venue and jumped in their van for a lift. Result.
We got as far as Croydon before it got too dangerous to drive, and ended up paying a shocking amount to stay in a Premier Inn. Had to dig out the van in the morning, got home at 1pm.

 

[chimneys]

Sorry chaps, normally have Herr down as a wise old Seagull, but to venture to London on Wednesday night, during the much predicted snow armaggedon, and expect the trains to work, or for major assistance to be available when the same chaos must have been occuring all over the country?!

A significant element of contributory negligence M'Lord!

To quote Mr Weller- "You've made your bed! You'd better lie in it!"

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

That's appalling. Still, have to say I'm gobsmacked that you placed any trust in these buggers to deliver you home at 11pm at night with their disgraceful track record this week.

I really wanted to go to the gig, and my expectations of being delivered home without any fuss were low. But, Southern's response was a lot lower than I expected. As I mentioned, I can look after myself...a number of people on the train were not as able as myself and it's these folk who were well and truly let down.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Sorry chaps, normally have Herr down as a wise old Seagull, but to venture to London on Wednesday night, during the much predicted snow armaggedon, and expect the trains to work, or for major assistance to be available when the same chaos must have been occuring all over the country?!

A significant element of contributory negligence M'Lord!

To quote Mr Weller- "You've made your bed! You'd better lie in it!"

Please see my comments above.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Sorry chaps, normally have Herr down as a wise old Seagull

..and thank you (winks)

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Had the same thing on Wednesday after Fujiya & Miyagi. Got to Victoria at 10.30pm to be greeted by no trains, no information, staff scuttling away. Eventually someone from Southern said "Off the record, there's no trains until further notice". So phoned the band, got a cab back to the venue and jumped in their van for a lift. Result.
We got as far as Croydon before it got too dangerous to drive, and ended up paying a shocking amount to stay in a Premier Inn. Had to dig out the van in the morning, got home at 1pm.

Where were Fujiya & Miyagi when I needed them eh? This is a cool tale, trumps mine slightly.

Any news on their new long player?

 

[Hissing Fauna]

Any news on their new long player?

January. There's a few bits and bobs on their site to preview

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

January. There's a few bits and bobs on their site to preview

Thanks, I look forward to that.

 

[Barry Izbak]

I am told the train that left Victoria at 7pm is currently broken down somewhere between Gatwick and Three Bridges. No heating and everyone suffering. Obviously no information available.

What useless bunch of cnuts are responsible for this shambles.

Get a f***ing Diesel. Get up there and pull the f***ing thing into the station. Why is this not an option?

They better not leave them people on that train all night like they did that one at Orpington in the week.

Southern say they have sent an engineer out and they hope to get the train to the nearest manned station by 10.30-11.00 and then arrange a bus.

WHAT A USELESS BUNCH OF f***ing W A N K E R S

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Another f***ing ****ing stupid f***ing train journey last night. London Bridge train was late, missed my connection at East Croydon. Had to wait 40 mins for a train which then turned into a f***ing bus due to weekend engineering works.

 

[e77]

After reading that I am quite glad I didn't go to the Arcade Fire that night.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I heard an announcement at Haywards Heath this morning "The special service from Bristol has broken down between Redhill and Three Bridges and has now been cancelled. Please contact the operator for a full refund"

I'm not sure what it was but there were loads of pissed off looking people on the other platform.