Tonight's trains...

[Bold Seagull]

I think we need to learn to write to Southern each time we're aggrieved. Threads on here aren't going to achieve much whereas a few hundred complaints might force some action.

 

[spring hall convert]

A pie moan thread and a train moan thread. Nothing to moan about on the pitch or with the result?

 

[smiler]

Unless there's a sizeable element of walking or similar once you got back to Worthing, i don't know how that could be the case. I didn't walk down to Falmer Station until 10:30, and I was back at West Worthing station around 11:30.

I was on the same train as you from Brighton but I left directly after the final whistle and ran to the station. Waited 20 minutes at Falmer and 30 minutes at Brighton. The connections at Brighton after the game are the problem

 

[Peter Grummit]

Had a pint in the 7 Stars then wandered down at 1030 to get the train back to Lewes. Still people queueing to the top of the ramps! Ran back down to the Brighton trains, straight on, hopped off at Moulscoomb, straight over the bridge and into empty first carriage of 8 car to Seaford. At Falmer, wall of faces along the platform, but virtually no-one at the front of the platform. Our carriage had more than half the seats empty. But there were still long queues on the ramps. This was 70 mins after the final whistle. Bring back #shoutyman!

Truth is, #bhafctransport, having a London special for away fans always messes things up. And not marshalling people properly to fill the trains makes this twice as bad. Less stewards at the bottom of the ramps and more on the platform please!

PG

 

[worthingseagull]

Well we left at the final whistle and were back home in Worthing (included dropping off in Portslade too) at 10 past 10 - you guys all need to drive

 

[empire]

yes they were bad last night but not end of the world !!!!!!hey ho,we won,get a grip please

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Unless there's a sizeable element of walking or similar once you got back to Worthing, i don't know how that could be the case. I didn't walk down to Falmer Station until 10:30, and I was back at West Worthing station around 11:30.

I do have a fair walk from Durrington station when I get back.

 

[dazzer6666]

A pie moan thread and a train moan thread. Nothing to moan about on the pitch or with the result?

Bit disappointed with the chilly breeze, expected more protection in WSL. Barber OUT.

 

[CheeseRolls]

What a self skew eyed piece of crap that is. Did the game end before 9.30? I assume our Burgess Hill chum had to walk to the station at both ends? Unless you live in the South terminal at Gatwick, it will take more than hour and a half to get to Paris. No one queued for an hour, that's simply rot.

Leeds game a couple of seasons back, with the Balcombe Tunnel shut due to flooding. I managed to get from Paris to the Amex in four hours. This involved, a ticket change at Gare Du Nord, several miles of running to from stations and my missus picking me up from Gatwick Airport. I made it to my seat as the teams came onto the pitch, having run from somewhere near Stanmer Park. Plus there are NO direct flights from Gatwick to Paris. There are some drama queens about.

From the clubs perspective I thought the transport organisation last night was first class. Southern on the other hand could really do better, but there is nothing new there. Delays and frustration are all a part of the great train network, some are unavoidable, some are just pathetic. Last night the West Coast train, which was already late, sat at a signal outside Hove station. Okay if we have to wait to let the London train pull through, but no, along comes an empty Gatwick Express train, heading into the sidings to have the toilets emptied. Complete and utter crap.

 

[dazzer6666]

I was stood next to a copper on the 'QPR Special' last night going back to Lewes, and he said that there was some kind of incident on the West Coast line (v clear on his radio) so trains were being held up......may be why some of the Worthingites had a crappier trip than normal

 

[trueblue]

Park and ride again last night which is proving very successful for us on evening games. Do trains on the weekend without many problems, but find their attitude very strange. At other clubs, the trains properly service the football ground... with us, they let trains leave half empty even when there are people rushing to get on. I use the trains a lot during the week and the Saturday ones to Falmer most be their most punctual service! It's very annoying.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It can't be that hard to just line up trains to shuttle between Lewis and Brighton on a match day

The real problem would lie with the ferry crossing to the Outer Hebrides. They can't easily lay on extra boats.

 

[perseus]

Train Problems are Serious

Tonight was abysmal. Never known it that bad.

Does seem to me a problem that can be improved - if the will was there.

Worse than abysmal. It was like torture. Sardines for two hours each way. West Coastway is the worst bit.

It seriously made me think twice about making the trip again and I thought it was a great game, best under Oscar.

I think an official complaint is in order. Even worse for ordinary members of the public, e.g. the person next to me missed the last train to Chichester, arriving ten minutes before it was due to leave.

It is usually 20 minutes wait at Falmer and an 8 minutes crush to Brighton. This time the wait was 35 minutes at Falmer plus a further 35 minutes at Brighton. That is longer than the match itself, just getting back. The same time and crush getting to the match.

The only time the trains were any good is when the railways put extra coaches on for the holiday traffic.

Generally, the local trains are a disgrace. It is not only football fans that have to stand. One day it will be even worse. Often, the old trains make such a horrid noise I think they are going to break down. I hope it does not happen on the viaduct. Local fares for trains are better than the buses by a lot though. Better trains may mean higher prices.

QPR fans would be home before us and I only live 12 miles from Falmer.

PS: It also irks me that there are perfectly good trains sitting idly in the Hove Sidings.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

That's just tripe. I had a leisurely pint in the wsu, left at about 10, and was on the platform at 10:05 and could've walked straight onto a train to Brighton.

I really must shadow you after a midweek game some time, to savour this gentle stress-free stroll onto a train to Brighton 30 minutes after the final whistle of which you speak. Still sounds like complete horseshit to me. No offence

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Why do they put 8 carriages on Sat, when fans travel between 11-30 and 2pm, yet put 4 carriages on Tues between 5pm and 7-30pm.
Midweek games mean that many fans travel after work and at the same time.
Sort it.
Fans also need to get straight home after midweek games, but can stagger the journeys on a Saturday.
Not rocket science is it.

Maybe because they are using the carriages to get thousands of people home from London between 5pm and 7.30pm on Tuesdays?

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Always need to moan about something.....

Late running Network Rail train made trains run 10 minutes late, chuck in the extra QPR train which further adds issues and also fewer coaches owing to it being a midweek game - then you have big problems. Southern are at (near) 100% useage on weekday evenings and there are no extra coaches to use, it has been like this for 3 years now and it wont change anytime soon. The coaches are needed for peak-time trains and are prioritised for London services.

The empty train which ran through Falmer at 9.50 was the empty coaches being used for the QPR special, has this stopped and picked up those going to Brighton, it would have delayed trains behind it and also further delay trains going East. The QPR special ran just over 10 minutes late as it did.

Nothing like an exaggeration. It really isnt that bad, you will NEVER be straight onto a train 5 minutes after FT.

EDIT - There was also signalling issues in the Hastings area, and since a fair few Brighton services come from Hastings/Eastbourne - that delayed them into Brighton, which in turn delayed them coming back out.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I've just posted on the poll thread about transport but just to add that the cause of the big queue on the ramp last night was an all but empty QPR special timetabled for 10.10 that eventually left about 10.20 empty.

The biggest pain point for the trains is Coastway West. Brighton - Falmer - Brighton always fine.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Everybody gets on the first train that they're allowed to get on. I got on an Eastbourne train and changed at Lewes.

If only that were true. I travelled on a Seaford-bound train that left shortly after 10.35pm. There were lots of people who just remained standing on Falmer station waiting for an Eastbourne train. If they had got on the Seaford train, they would have found plenty of empty seats at the front and (when they got to Lewes) a waiting London - Lewes - Eastbourne - Hastings train that would have got them home much earlier than waiting at Falmer was ever going to do.

Train delays can be irritating. Self-inflicted delays are just plain stupid.

 

[Notters]

I really must shadow you after a midweek game some time, to savour this gentle stress-free stroll onto a train to Brighton 30 minutes after the final whistle of which you speak. Still sounds like complete horseshit to me. No offence

Im afraid it's true.

 

[BensGrandad]

The special for QPR fans was an 8 carriage train which left with nobody in the last 4 coaches. Could they not have locked the connecting doors so as to isolate the last four coaches and fill that part up with home fans then stop the train at Haywards Heath. I am sure that it would have been very popular. They could keep the front 4 coaches doors locked to stop oeople getting off that part of the train at HH. Is this possible and legal?