The Pre-match trains tonight

[Blue Valkyrie]

Got in the queue at 6.20, left Brighton station at 7.

Simply no trains to get on.

Worst it's been since the rail horror show for Liverpool in the cup.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Left a full pint at the bar once I saw the queue at Brighton station in order to walk down to St Peters and get a sherbert. Terrible

Almost ditto, me and the boy walked down to get a bus (I thought we'd arrived at Bton Stn in plenty of time) once no bus turned up after about ten minutes and a couple of the "sorry..." buses sailed past I feared the same situation as the queue was growing. Got a sherbet, bought him the new shirt and saw kick off. In fairness the emphasis is on us, I think some complaing were still ordering another pint at 6.45

 

[Frutos]

Arrived at Brighton station at approximately 6:10, got on the 6:22 and got to Falmer about 6:35...seems like I got lucky and missed the chaos by a matter of minutes.

 

[n1 gull]

It was bloody awful

 

[redoubtable seagull]

Jeez, sounds horrendous!

 

[Hillian1]

First time in two seasons I've used the train after having a season ticket on seagulls travel.

Will be renewing on the coach this morning, bloody shambles.

 

[albionite]

First time in two seasons I've used the train after having a season ticket on seagulls travel.

Will be renewing on the coach this morning, bloody shambles.

Never known it that bad before, normally can turn up at 7 and get to the ground by 7:30.

Gave up queuing and got taxi to the ground, cost £11 and missed the new player intros but at least watched the start of the match.

 

[chaileyjem]

The delays were caused by a man coming off the train at Newhaven (i think)

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[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

We saw the queue at brighton station at 6.50 and just ran up the hill to catch a taxi before it got down to the station and the inevitable rush for them.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

Got to West Worthing for the 5.52 to Brighton, which was delayed, ended up on 6.02 to London. Connection at Hove arrived OK, and when we got to Brighton, got swept onto train almost immediately at Platform 6 (ie no silly zigzag queueing) and strolled into stadium just before 7. Think I got lucky, judging by others' experience.

Worst evening game trains I can remember was Leeds either last season or season before. Serious danger of suffocation with the numbers shoehorned into train at Hove. Genuinely scary. Think I unwittingly exchanged DNA with a few people

 

[Blue Goon]

There was obviously some issues tonight which were out of anybody's control but a challenging situation could have been handled a lot better. If the staff at Brighton station were properly trained and organised many of the knock on problems which resulted in the train delays could have been avoided. The carriage on the train I left on, just after 7 o clock had empty seats and nobody standing. There were loads of queue jumpers coming from within the station opposite where the snack bar and toilets are near the gate to the platform. But as already mentioned the staff were keeping their heads down, there appeared to be no management about and the old bill were non existent. Also as usual when trains were been filled up, people standing by the doors weren't moving down the carriages and then getting the arse when they were asked politely to let other fans on. It is alright to slag of the station staff but sometimes people need to look at themselves and think what can they do to help improve the situation and realise we are all football fans trying to get to the game.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Put this on an park and ride thread but more relevant to here-

... If the problem was just the number of people who want to get up to an evening game at a similar time, it is getting the the point that you just need to avoid the trains entirely; bus, taxi, or head up early to the Swan. Saturdays work better as there is less general travellers on the trains than during an evening rush hour, and people stagger their journeys more.

Definately some lessons for the club to learn- on communication especially. A couple of things the club could do- if they had some staff at Brighton Station that would be really good PR- they could communicate with queuing fans- explain when the trains are coming in etc, and also help with the queuing system if it gets manic.

Secondly, the best thing they could do to encourage train travellers from Brighton to plan their journey earlier is to improve the outdoor drinking options at the stadium. Many people in town are stood outside a pub with other fans and end up heading to the ground later because they are having a good time. The outdoor bar thing at the ground could work much better if it was bigger, opened earlier, didn't close until 10 mins before KO, had some seats..... etc.

Is it still a cordoned off area with railings and security? If so it doesn't make much sense to me- lots of people are walking around freely with cans of beer on the go before the match, and post match you are free to stroll around outside with beers bought from the concessions stands.. why does it have to be so regulated?

 

[Ernest]

Southern exists to make profits , there is none in the football traffic so that's why the service is not what it could. Obviously if the railways had been renationalised then you would have the spare crews and stock to step up services last night at short notice.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Southern exists to make profits , there is none in the football traffic so that's why the service is not what it could. Obviously if the railways had been renationalised then you would have the spare crews and stock to step up services last night at short notice.

Vote Corbyn!

 

[StonehamPark]

We arrived from Aldrington at about 18:25.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The delays were caused by a man coming off the train at Newhaven (i think)

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I tweeted the transport manager at 18.50 to let him know there was a problem with trains from Seaford, and he replied 'I'm told they're running ok. I'll chase and get back' (which he didn't)

 

[beorhthelm]

Southern exists to make profits , there is none in the football traffic so that's why the service is not what it could. Obviously if the railways had been renationalised then you would have the spare crews and stock to step up services last night at short notice.

havent you said in the past they are limited to the number of trains they can put along the line due to signals?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Was a bit shit. What also didnt help was earlier trains they didnt fill to capacity and let them go with NO standing passengers even as the queues were building.

So of course this built a backlog.

In effect they didnt help themselves.

 

[Albumen]

3 carriages at 6:20 from Brighton. Not rocket science is it?

 

[Ernest]

havent you said in the past they are limited to the number of trains they can put along the line due to signals?

Yes but if a train is delayed and the stock and crew are displaced there is no spare stock and crew to make the next run hence the gap in services, in the past in BR days someone would run up to the sidings grab a train and bring it out to replace the delayed stock and then no gap or backlog