Trains home to Sidcup from Charing Cross are going to be 17.54, 18.01, 14, 23 and 37. That's actually one extra train over the same time period than there is now.
Right i'm off with my notepad to the end of platform 4 at london bridge!!
[cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]I'm considering driving to work in Camden because the commute is hell.
This morning - i think there was a train cancelled before my one (the fast new eltham to london one) as it was quite packed - although i have to stand up there was defo less room - so I'm quite tall and i make my way in and manage to get my hand on a post and then the train moves away. within 3 minutes and before we pull into the next station i am sweating so much due to the heater which is on the ceiling blowing hot air directly into my face. I nearly fainted. disgusting. last night the train home had heating on.
is it necessary? even if you get on a train when its not packed there is no need for heaters as people are usually wrapped up enough!
get on your bike Suze..
bike sadly is rusty with flat tyres in my back garden as i have no where to store it. was tempted to cycle from charing x cos i think from lee to camden is too far
[cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]I'm considering driving to work in Camden because the commute is hell.
This morning - i think there was a train cancelled before my one (the fast new eltham to london one) as it was quite packed - although i have to stand up there was defo less room - so I'm quite tall and i make my way in and manage to get my hand on a post and then the train moves away. within 3 minutes and before we pull into the next station i am sweating so much due to the heater which is on the ceiling blowing hot air directly into my face. I nearly fainted. disgusting. last night the train home had heating on.
is it necessary? even if you get on a train when its not packed there is no need for heaters as people are usually wrapped up enough!
get on your bike Suze..
bike sadly is rusty with flat tyres in my back garden as i have no where to store it. was tempted to cycle from charing x cos i think from lee to camden is too far
get a new sparkling racing bike and a cover, on your bike to work scheme, it'll pay for itself and get you fit, its doable on a good bike.
my bike is quite new - its just seen better days (it has been covered the whole time its been outside) and I can't afford to get it sorted and definately don't need a new one, just need to get this fixed.
also scared about driving to work because if i got a flat tyre i wouldn't know what to do.
Seriously, look around & you can probably find a "basic car maintenance for women" type 2-3hr course (usually run by a "friendly" RAC/AA man). My mum did one a few years ago & said it was really good (changing tyres, checking the oil, changing blown bulbs etc. etc.)
Wouldn't knock anyone bunking the fare these days. I've travelled by train in several European countries where the general cost of living is on a par with the UK, or more expensive in some cases such as Scandanavia. They pay a fraction of what we do and get a vastly superior service. I've also travelled by train in a couple of North African nations where much of the population live in poverty and struggle to afford to feed themselves - the trains still run on time though. Ever since the clocks changed a few weeks back to signal the beginning of winter my train from New Cross in the morning hasn't been on time once - sometimes it's a minute late, sometimes it's 10 minutes late, sometimes it's cancelled. Never an explanation, let alone an apology, same sh!t every year. It is an utter disgrace.
I do not agree that fare evaders contribute to rising fares. It's just an excuse the train companies use for putting the fares up every year. Bear in mind that most recent years the cost of train tickets has risen above the rate of inflation - does that mean that the number of fare evaders is increasing every year? I don't think so. It costs £16.60 for a peak time return ticket from Sevenoaks to London, you can drive for less than that! The train company's are robbing us every day, every month and every year. If you can get away with clawing back a bit of the money they've stolen from us then go for it. Just for the record I do hold a season ticket so I'm not trying to justify my own behaviour.
You South London folk have it easy - I pay £27.80 for a peak returnf rom Witham (nearest proper station) and that's 20 mins from where I live and costs a fiver to park there too.
My only other option is a 1 hour (traffic permitting) drive to Docklands.
We've worked out that my wife pays £3600 a year and doesn't get zone 1 in that - now where's the incentive to get the train these days!
In my youth I blagged from Swanley to Blackfriars for a few months as I couldn't afford the tickets and got caught 3 times. The fine was £10 then but I managed to give my mates name and address and they sent him the fine! Back then my all zones Gold Card was only £1360 and I used it all the time and even lent it to some mates for a small fee!
Where is the exit at Charing Cross ("up and then down the stairs" as you describe it) where you can exit from the platforms without going through the barriers?
[cite]Posted By: Si[/cite]VALLEY GARY, or anyone else who knows...
Where is the exit at Charing Cross ("up and then down the stairs" as you describe it) where you can exit from the platforms without going through the barriers?
Get off at the back of the train. Then every platform has some stairs that lead up to a bridge. Then You walk over the bridge and down the stairs. Leads you to Embankment. This exit is only open in the mornings until 9:30.
[cite]Posted By: Si[/cite]VALLEY GARY, or anyone else who knows...
Where is the exit at Charing Cross ("up and then down the stairs" as you describe it) where you can exit from the platforms without going through the barriers?
Get off at the back of the train. Then every platform has some stairs that lead up to a bridge. Then You walk over the bridge and down the stairs. Leads you to Embankment. This exit is only open in the mornings until 9:30.
U aint old bill are ya?
5/1 Valley Gary is behind bars by now....
Could Si be a pseudonym for Senior Investigator......
[cite]Posted By: Si[/cite]VALLEY GARY, or anyone else who knows...
Where is the exit at Charing Cross ("up and then down the stairs" as you describe it) where you can exit from the platforms without going through the barriers?
Get off at the back of the train. Then every platform has some stairs that lead up to a bridge. Then You walk over the bridge and down the stairs. Leads you to Embankment. This exit is only open in the mornings until 9:30.
U aint old bill are ya?
5/1 Valley Gary is behind bars by now....
Could Si be a pseudonym for Senior Investigator......
Just waiting for the warrant as we speak...
No, quite the opposite..! Number of times that there is a huge queue at Crayford (and the one machine will probably be broken and not fixed for days), and I struggle to get a ticket before my train. But if I can get out at Charing X without it then all will be well in the world again, and I can catch that train... Cheers Gary, will check it out. Shutting at half 9 is pushing it a bit for me though.
Having read this thread I am so happy that I no longer work in the City these days apart from one trip every 4-6 weeks to the office.
Working overseas most of the time can be a pain on occasions, but I will never miss the monotony (and expense) of commuting to London on a regular basis.
[cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]yep - i'm looking up how to do my CBT and thinking about buying a vespa.
I start the daily commute properly in january, after I finish at Uni. I live in Dartford, and am not looking forward to the it. I hate the trains during commute. Would a Vespa journey to W1 (Tottenham Court Road) be viable? I mean, it would take nearly an hour in the car - would it be quicker on a moped? And am I likely to die in the process?
I actually think the service I get is quite good for the money I pay. I travel from Thamesmead to Abbey Wood Station and then get a train to Cannon Street every week day and both train and bus is always on time. However, I do leave my house at 6:15am and don’t come home till 7pm so that might be why everything is running ok.
But, for all them people that are moaning about the service on Southeastern, just remember what it was like on Connex.
Comments
Only a matter of time. ;-)
Ill probably move onto bigger thefts in a few months. Using the trolleys in ADSA without putting a pound in. ;-)
Right i'm off with my notepad to the end of platform 4 at london bridge!!
bike sadly is rusty with flat tyres in my back garden as i have no where to store it. was tempted to cycle from charing x cos i think from lee to camden is too far
get a new sparkling racing bike and a cover, on your bike to work scheme, it'll pay for itself and get you fit, its doable on a good bike.
also scared about driving to work because if i got a flat tyre i wouldn't know what to do.
Seriously, look around & you can probably find a "basic car maintenance for women" type 2-3hr course (usually run by a "friendly" RAC/AA man). My mum did one a few years ago & said it was really good (changing tyres, checking the oil, changing blown bulbs etc. etc.)
I do not agree that fare evaders contribute to rising fares. It's just an excuse the train companies use for putting the fares up every year. Bear in mind that most recent years the cost of train tickets has risen above the rate of inflation - does that mean that the number of fare evaders is increasing every year? I don't think so. It costs £16.60 for a peak time return ticket from Sevenoaks to London, you can drive for less than that! The train company's are robbing us every day, every month and every year. If you can get away with clawing back a bit of the money they've stolen from us then go for it. Just for the record I do hold a season ticket so I'm not trying to justify my own behaviour.
got a punctured tyre in the car park and Paddy Powell fixed it for me - My Hero!
My only other option is a 1 hour (traffic permitting) drive to Docklands.
We've worked out that my wife pays £3600 a year and doesn't get zone 1 in that - now where's the incentive to get the train these days!
In my youth I blagged from Swanley to Blackfriars for a few months as I couldn't afford the tickets and got caught 3 times. The fine was £10 then but I managed to give my mates name and address and they sent him the fine! Back then my all zones Gold Card was only £1360 and I used it all the time and even lent it to some mates for a small fee!
Where is the exit at Charing Cross ("up and then down the stairs" as you describe it) where you can exit from the platforms without going through the barriers?
Get off at the back of the train. Then every platform has some stairs that lead up to a bridge. Then You walk over the bridge and down the stairs. Leads you to Embankment. This exit is only open in the mornings until 9:30.
U aint old bill are ya?
5/1 Valley Gary is behind bars by now....
Could Si be a pseudonym for Senior Investigator......
Just waiting for the warrant as we speak...
No, quite the opposite..! Number of times that there is a huge queue at Crayford (and the one machine will probably be broken and not fixed for days), and I struggle to get a ticket before my train. But if I can get out at Charing X without it then all will be well in the world again, and I can catch that train... Cheers Gary, will check it out. Shutting at half 9 is pushing it a bit for me though.
Working overseas most of the time can be a pain on occasions, but I will never miss the monotony (and expense) of commuting to London on a regular basis.
I start the daily commute properly in january, after I finish at Uni. I live in Dartford, and am not looking forward to the it. I hate the trains during commute. Would a Vespa journey to W1 (Tottenham Court Road) be viable? I mean, it would take nearly an hour in the car - would it be quicker on a moped? And am I likely to die in the process?
But what if you get a puncture?!
But, for all them people that are moaning about the service on Southeastern, just remember what it was like on Connex.
if its outside a regular covering of wd40 will help protect it