drove to O2 this morning from Battle. Took just 90 minutes. Will cost £11 in parking plus about £20 odd in petrol. Still no trains running. Absurb that I can't claim a penny. Out of pocket again Nathan, what do you say to that?
Why didn't you park for free at Sainsburys?
wanted to get in work asap and O2 car park is closer and as a one-off it's ok
Surely there werent obstructions on every single line operated by SouthEastern, especially as when people tweeted in asking what problems there were, SE bloomin' ignored them...
How long does it take to run a train all the way down a line to confirm this (the answer is actually only about 30-40mins from Dartford to Charing Cross via. any Metro line!!)
I notice they've started the subliminal shit as well - posters all over the place saying they're 'proud of being the safest rail operator in Europe' - designed to make you less inclined to moan when they cancel every single fucking train because of possible adverse conditions, instead of doing what they always used to - running trains early along the lines to see whether there are any problems. I've calmed down a lot in general over the past couple of years, but the simple fact that they have got us all over a barrel and continue f***ing us and getting away with it makes my shit itch.
Network rail are saying more than 15 trees fell overnight on the whole of the South Eastern network. Still awaiting an answer for the metro lines only?
They won't answer a question re track disruption on the metro lines overnight. Passing the buck to Network rail.
According to the BBC they were 'told' by Network Rail not to run a service until it was deemed safe. Robin Gisby is the pillock who made this decision, who's just about to pick up a fucking great bonus for his work.
Network rail are saying more than 15 trees fell overnight on the whole of the South Eastern network. Still awaiting an answer for the metro lines only?
Does that mean 16? Or 137 maybe? Who knows? Almost certainly not SouthEastern!!
Glad I don't often have to encounter this shite. The way they pass the buck to Network Rail is a clue to what is wrong with this ridiculous privatized railway. In Germany, Deutsche Bahn is a private company, but the state happens to own 90% of the shares. But DB owns the track as well as the trains. So no buck passing. And, although there are now quite few private operators on peripheral lines, they all have to fit into the national system in terms of tickets. Quite right too, if you want to go from Cardiff to Norwich you don't give a toss which company runs your train you just want the best price to get there. But somehow when it gets to a general election, transport never seems to feature. I've never understood that, in the country which invented the railway.
I am not sure its a case of "passing the buck". If Network Rail say, sorry you are not running trains tomorrow until we check every inch of the line, then they cant run trains! Would you blame Kings Ferry coaches if the Highways agency close a motorway and you was unable to get to the Valley for a game as you are stuck in a traffic jam?
It then becomes Southeasterns job to try to get the passengers who have tickets to wherever they need to get, either by getting TFL to take the tickets, arranging busses or even get taxis to ferry the passengers. The problem with arranging a bus service is that most bus/coach companies have their own services to run and normally run at near capacity and have very few spare vehicles to give to the rail companies. Even if they do have spare vehicles, they normally have to call in extra drivers, all of which takes time.
There was talk many years ago ( connex days ) that they would try to buy and run their own buses and would be able to use them should the train service grind to a halt, but as I understand it, they realised that if they were running buses as buses, they wouldnt be able to recall them and would still be having the same problems arranging them so ditched the idea!
Connex did actually have a bus operation for a few years. They ran a couple of routes for TfL, but I think the service was a shit as the trains. At least TfL have the bollocks to take contracts away for poor service...
In a similar vein, SouthEastern "have" a bus operation too - they're part of the Go-Ahead group which owns London Central, London General & Metrobus...
Just checking Twitter feeds for a journey I'm taking tomorrow and noticed that a train that leaves Tunbridge Wells for Charing Cross - 8.51 has been cancelled due to a 'train fault'. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? How can you find a fault on a train SIX HOURS before it's due to run and not be able to get another train in place?
I got to Cannon St. last night at 4:30 and was told no trains were running from there as all the drivers were out of position (So it seems they didnt even bother to re-align the timetables when everything was cancelled yesterday) took me two hours to get home in the end!!
So, what do they have in store for us on Monday morning.
Take your pick.
Inclement weather 5/2 Poor rail conditions 3/1 Trains/drivers in the wrong place 4/1 A gust of wind 25 miles off the coast of Felixstowe 6/1 Broken down train between Weymouth and Exeter 10/1 Curbishley 14/1 The wrong type of passenger (Sidcup line only) 20/1 Some other b*ll***s nobody else has thought of yet 25/1
So on Monday the card readers at Westcombe Park Station, they didn't have any card readers working. Each one said "not working" on it as well.
Get to London Bridge at the jobsworths are claiming that my girlfriend (doesn't affect me because I have a travelcard and it "assumes" the journey I took) needs to either buy a single or a one day travelcard.
He spouted some nonsense about terms and conditions and I just told him that it was absolutely ridiculous. Far from being sympathetic, he just shrugged. He's lucky I wasn't having a bad day because that's the kind of thing that would have made me exceptionally angry in some circumstances.
Severe weather is forecast this evening and tomorrow (Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 February) with high winds and more heavy rain predicted for the south east.
The safety of our passengers is our highest priority and the forecast weather, on top of the wettest January for a century, presents a risk of further flooding, landslips and falling trees. As a result, Network Rail has put in place a 40 mph speed restriction across parts of the Southeastern network. This will take effect from 11pm Tuesday night and until Wednesday evening.
We will work hard to provide the best possible service, however because of the speed restrictions, trains on Tuesday night and throughout Wednesday will run slower than usual and some will be delayed or cancelled at short notice.
Travelled in late this morning due to a hospital appointment. Got to Welling at 9.15, thinking I would have just missed the 9.13 to Cannon St. 10 minutes later I got on the delayed 9.04 to Charing Cross. One hour and twenty minutes later I got off at London Bridge. Apparently delays caused by signalling problems at Hither Green, Lewisham, London Bridge and Blackheath, depending on which announcement you believe.
Had a hospital appointment at Kings College this morning at 1015. Thought I'd get the o838 from Dartford rather than risk the 0908. Discovered before leaving home that the 0838 had been cancelled. Went to the station, bought ticket, got on 0908 only for an operative to get on and tell us all to get off as the train was cancelled and there was mayhem on the line. I therefore decided that there was no hope and went back to the ticket desk to get my ticket refunded. Ticket office staff were confused as their systems were telling them that the train was ok but those of us who had been "de-trained" were telling them otherwise. All very well mannered and cheery (me included!). Refund given I came home and rescheduled my hospital appointment (they were not quite so cheery). On a whim I checked the real time arrivals board on t'internet to discover that the train left a few minutes after I'd given up and arrived in Denmark Hill at about 1005, 15 minutes or so late. I'd have just made my appointment!. It just reduces you to tears sometimes......
Comments
It's a 2 min bus ride.
How long does it take to run a train all the way down a line to confirm this (the answer is actually only about 30-40mins from Dartford to Charing Cross via. any Metro line!!)
(I'll get me coat)
The way they pass the buck to Network Rail is a clue to what is wrong with this ridiculous privatized railway. In Germany, Deutsche Bahn is a private company, but the state happens to own 90% of the shares. But DB owns the track as well as the trains. So no buck passing. And, although there are now quite few private operators on peripheral lines, they all have to fit into the national system in terms of tickets. Quite right too, if you want to go from Cardiff to Norwich you don't give a toss which company runs your train you just want the best price to get there.
But somehow when it gets to a general election, transport never seems to feature. I've never understood that, in the country which invented the railway.
It then becomes Southeasterns job to try to get the passengers who have tickets to wherever they need to get, either by getting TFL to take the tickets, arranging busses or even get taxis to ferry the passengers. The problem with arranging a bus service is that most bus/coach companies have their own services to run and normally run at near capacity and have very few spare vehicles to give to the rail companies. Even if they do have spare vehicles, they normally have to call in extra drivers, all of which takes time.
There was talk many years ago ( connex days ) that they would try to buy and run their own buses and would be able to use them should the train service grind to a halt, but as I understand it, they realised that if they were running buses as buses, they wouldnt be able to recall them and would still be having the same problems arranging them so ditched the idea!
http://storify.com/ConMend/an-open-letter-to-southeastern-train-services?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=sfy.co-twitter&awesm=sfy.co_gZ8q&utm_campaign=&utm_content=storify-pingback
Take your pick.
Inclement weather 5/2
Poor rail conditions 3/1
Trains/drivers in the wrong place 4/1
A gust of wind 25 miles off the coast of Felixstowe 6/1
Broken down train between Weymouth and Exeter 10/1
Curbishley 14/1
The wrong type of passenger (Sidcup line only) 20/1
Some other b*ll***s nobody else has thought of yet 25/1
Get to London Bridge at the jobsworths are claiming that my girlfriend (doesn't affect me because I have a travelcard and it "assumes" the journey I took) needs to either buy a single or a one day travelcard.
He spouted some nonsense about terms and conditions and I just told him that it was absolutely ridiculous. Far from being sympathetic, he just shrugged. He's lucky I wasn't having a bad day because that's the kind of thing that would have made me exceptionally angry in some circumstances.
The safety of our passengers is our highest priority and the forecast weather, on top of the wettest January for a century, presents a risk of further flooding, landslips and falling trees. As a result, Network Rail has put in place a 40 mph speed restriction across parts of the Southeastern network. This will take effect from 11pm Tuesday night and until Wednesday evening.
We will work hard to provide the best possible service, however because of the speed restrictions, trains on Tuesday night and throughout Wednesday will run slower than usual and some will be delayed or cancelled at short notice.
Feckin' useless!