Southeastern train disruption (franchise to be taken over by Govt p191)

iaitch

MrLargo said:

cantersaddick said:

MrLargo said:

When you back in the ratrace @cantersaddick ? Must be soon now. I bet you're really excited frantically trying to find a Masters' Degree you can do to postpone the inevitable for a bit longer.

Less than 3 weeks now. Got 2 weeks travelling in Europe first, starting on Thursday so trying not to think about the commute until I'm back.

I'm going into the office tomorrow to meet my new team etc so guaranteed the trains will be up the wall.

Ah well, enjoy your travelling around Europe. I know we moan about it a lot on here, but the commuting isn't that bad once you get used to it, and the trains have actually been pretty reliable recently.*








*That last sentence is a complete work of fiction. Commuting is like being dragged slowly through the pits of hell every morning and evening. The trains have been an absolute joke recently - even on a nice mild day, no rain, no wind, no bright sunshine or intense heat, they still find an excuse for cocking everything up. I cry sometimes when I wake up in the morning. </blockquote

I imagine the closure of London Bridge, Waterloo East and Charing Cross for 8 days at the end of August will bring some issues?

man_at_milletts

Shag said:

They might be well behaved these kids but they can fuck off at rush hour . Same goes for buggies , pushchairs , OAPs with shopping bags , bicycles , tourists , rucksacks , ticket inspectors and bexleybeef people on the sidcup line

And not forgetting the sweaty arsed, hung over office workers, the vaccuous tarts putting on their war paint and the arseholes who haven't quite got the hang of how to use their earphones.

AFKABartram

I like the vacuous tarts

Sillybilly

AFKABartram said:

I like the vacuous tarts

Ah. The daily growler. Been spared recently. Carriage hasn't felt like a tarts boudoir for a while. Bet I get one tomorrow for saying that.

Fanny Fanackapan

cantersaddick said:

Shag said:

They might be well behaved these kids but they can fuck off at rush hour . Same goes for buggies , pushchairs , OAPs with shopping bags , bicycles , tourists , rucksacks , ticket inspectors and bexleybeef people on the sidcup line

This. And people with buggys etc are always the ones that insist on getting on the front carriage. Like can't you see it's busy. If you want to get a train at rush hour get on the back and you might have space. Someone once got on with a fucking ladder! A ladder! Like what reason would you have for taking a ladder on a rush hour train to Victoria and getting on the front carriage?

What !!!!!

Been married for nearly 47 years & didn't know you need a ladder for it !

Sillybilly

0821 delayed this morning on account of the driver having "to perform a manual procedure"

Phnar Phnar I hear you cry. We did chuckle. Especially as he had a very stereotypical voice which I can best describe as, well, trainspotterish

In reality, he was unable to see in his visual display whether the doors were shutting or not and as a result had to make his way down ten carriages to shut them manually. Bless him, it took him about three minutes to explain why he was going to have to do this but would try to do so as quickly as possible to minimise the delay to cries of "shut up and get on with it then". This was repeated at both Blackheath and Lewisham. Quite funny in its own way and very British.

Oh, and I was inevitably sat behind the daily growler (quite a modest performance involving only mascara).

cantersaddick

So middle of the day trains are much worse than commuter trains it seems. Yes you get a seat and there is (a slightly) smaller delay. But the people. The people. Screaming children, stinky sandwiches, loud ring tones and a ping every 10 seconds when someone receives a text. Shouting down the phone. Smelly fat people with builders bums on show. And somehow I've sat opposite a woman who has managed to take up all of the leg room meant for a 4 person table seat!

TelMc32

cantersaddick said:

So middle of the day trains are much worse than commuter trains it seems. Yes you get a seat and there is (a slightly) smaller delay. But the people. The people. Screaming children, stinky sandwiches, loud ring tones and a ping every 10 seconds when someone receives a text. Shouting down the phone. Smelly fat people with builders bums on show. And somehow I've sat opposite a woman who has managed to take up all of the leg room meant for a 4 person table seat!

Breaking you back in gently @cantersaddick

LargeAddick

Once again I leave my work early to get to an urgent Docs appt and the feckers cancelled my train.

1905

Sillybilly said:

0821 delayed this morning on account of the driver having "to perform a manual procedure"

Phnar Phnar I hear you cry. We did chuckle. Especially as he had a very stereotypical voice which I can best describe as, well, trainspotterish

In reality, he was unable to see in his visual display whether the doors were shutting or not and as a result had to make his way down ten carriages to shut them manually. Bless him, it took him about three minutes to explain why he was going to have to do this but would try to do so as quickly as possible to minimise the delay to cries of "shut up and get on with it then". This was repeated at both Blackheath and Lewisham. Quite funny in its own way and very British.

Oh, and I was inevitably sat behind the daily growler (quite a modest performance involving only mascara).

I was on this train, and it was very British in a 1970s union type of way. The guy was clearly a jobs worth and playing it exactly by the book. But as he was constantly reminding us; it was our lives and his livelihood that were in danger. God knows what this driver does in proper rush hour when everyone is hanging half out the train and forcing themselves in at the last moment?
However, it did prompt a little treacle to strike up a conversation, so all's well that ends well (not that I would be interested, in case Mrs 1905 is reading).

DaveMehmet

1905 said:

Sillybilly said:

0821 delayed this morning on account of the driver having "to perform a manual procedure"

Phnar Phnar I hear you cry. We did chuckle. Especially as he had a very stereotypical voice which I can best describe as, well, trainspotterish

In reality, he was unable to see in his visual display whether the doors were shutting or not and as a result had to make his way down ten carriages to shut them manually. Bless him, it took him about three minutes to explain why he was going to have to do this but would try to do so as quickly as possible to minimise the delay to cries of "shut up and get on with it then". This was repeated at both Blackheath and Lewisham. Quite funny in its own way and very British.

Oh, and I was inevitably sat behind the daily growler (quite a modest performance involving only mascara).

I was on this train, and it was very British in a 1970s union type of way. The guy was clearly a jobs worth and playing it exactly by the book. But as he was constantly reminding us; it was our lives and his livelihood that were in danger. God knows what this driver does in proper rush hour when everyone is hanging half out the train and forcing themselves in at the last moment?
However, it did prompt a little treacle to strike up a conversation

1905

hahahaha something like that Russ!

eaststandmike

cantersaddick said:

So middle of the day trains are much worse than commuter trains it seems. Yes you get a seat and there is (a slightly) smaller delay. But the people. The people. Screaming children, stinky sandwiches, loud ring tones and a ping every 10 seconds when someone receives a text. Shouting down the phone. Smelly fat people with builders bums on show. And somehow I've sat opposite a woman who has managed to take up all of the leg room meant for a 4 person table seat!

I feel your pain, I tend to nip in and out of London between 10 & 3 when I have too and yes you can get a seat but some of the people.

Glad I only do it once or twice a month.

man_at_milletts

Fanny Fanackapan said:

cantersaddick said:

Shag said:

They might be well behaved these kids but they can fuck off at rush hour . Same goes for buggies , pushchairs , OAPs with shopping bags , bicycles , tourists , rucksacks , ticket inspectors and bexleybeef people on the sidcup line

This. And people with buggys etc are always the ones that insist on getting on the front carriage. Like can't you see it's busy. If you want to get a train at rush hour get on the back and you might have space. Someone once got on with a fucking ladder! A ladder! Like what reason would you have for taking a ladder on a rush hour train to Victoria and getting on the front carriage?

What !!!!!

Been married for nearly 47 years & didn't know you need a ladder for it !

Now you know where you've been going wrong, Fanny.


You made me spit my tea out with that comment.

Fanny Fanackapan

man_at_milletts said:

Fanny Fanackapan said:

cantersaddick said:

Shag said:

They might be well behaved these kids but they can fuck off at rush hour . Same goes for buggies , pushchairs , OAPs with shopping bags , bicycles , tourists , rucksacks , ticket inspectors and bexleybeef people on the sidcup line

This. And people with buggys etc are always the ones that insist on getting on the front carriage. Like can't you see it's busy. If you want to get a train at rush hour get on the back and you might have space. Someone once got on with a fucking ladder! A ladder! Like what reason would you have for taking a ladder on a rush hour train to Victoria and getting on the front carriage?

What !!!!!

Been married for nearly 47 years & didn't know you need a ladder for it !

Now you know where you've been going wrong, Fanny.


You made me spit my tea out with that comment.

Our 2 kids were found under a gooseberry bush.....

cantersaddick

For those who have been eagerly awaiting the day is almost upon us!

Back to work on Monday.

Trying to buy an annual season ticket and blimey Southeastern's website is worse than their trains!

Has Southeastern introduces plastic tap in tap out cards similar to oyster yet or are we still on the stone age paper tickets that stop working after a week?

SuedeAdidas

Yup - contactless card payment is ok on Southeastern.

LargeAddick

canters - yes they have. You can apply for the SmartKey card on line but it is delivered to your local station and takes about 5 days to arrive. If you need one for Monday suggest buying a paper one and then going on line and transferring it over to a SmartKey.

cantersaddick

Thanks both. Yes if just found out about the key. Seems I'll have to start with the paper ticket first.

Have you used the key? Does it work? Any issues?

WSS

cantersaddick said:

Thanks both. Yes if just found out about the key. Seems I'll have to start with the paper ticket first.

Have you used the key? Does it work? Any issues?

I've got my annual ST on there and never had any problems at all.

cantersaddick

Bloody ell. 4 grand for the pleasure of being stuck in someone's armpit for 2 hours a day for a year. And that doesnt give me high spees or tubes.

Robbery.

cantersaddick

WSS said:

cantersaddick said:

Thanks both. Yes if just found out about the key. Seems I'll have to start with the paper ticket first.

Have you used the key? Does it work? Any issues?

I've got my annual ST on there and never had any problems at all.

Brilliant. Good to hear.

LargeAddick

cantersaddick said:

Thanks both. Yes if just found out about the key. Seems I'll have to start with the paper ticket first.

Have you used the key? Does it work? Any issues?

works just fine on both SouthEastern and London Transport

cantersaddick said:

Bloody ell. 4 grand for the pleasure of being stuck in someone's armpit for 2 hours a day for a year. And that doesnt give me high spees or tubes.

Robbery.

try £5,500 for me - you don't know how lucky you are

DaveMehmet

cantersaddick said:

Bloody ell. 4 grand for the pleasure of being stuck in someone's armpit for 2 hours a day for a year. And that doesnt give me high spees or tubes.

Robbery.

2 hours a day? You're not used to Southeastern and their track record on delays are you?

cantersaddick

LargeAddick said:

cantersaddick said:

Thanks both. Yes if just found out about the key. Seems I'll have to start with the paper ticket first.

Have you used the key? Does it work? Any issues?

works just fine on both SouthEastern and London Transport

cantersaddick said:

Bloody ell. 4 grand for the pleasure of being stuck in someone's armpit for 2 hours a day for a year. And that doesnt give me high spees or tubes.

Robbery.

try £5,500 for me - you don't know how lucky you are

Good to hear thanks.

Bloody hell that's steep. Where do you travel from? Should be the moon at that price.

My issue is that I have to cough it up before I start work or have a couple months on a monthly ticket getting worse value. My work doesn't do a loan for it and they were unable to process my request for a salary advance of 1000 to help with it because their admin is a shambles.

WillmoreTheRed

Always wondered if I switch to the smartkey can I still claim for delays on trains that I didn't get on

cantersaddick

DaveMehmet said:

cantersaddick said:

Bloody ell. 4 grand for the pleasure of being stuck in someone's armpit for 2 hours a day for a year. And that doesnt give me high spees or tubes.

Robbery.

2 hours a day? You're not used to Southeastern and their track record on delays are you?

Fair point. I was being generous!

cantersaddick

WillmoreTheRed said:

Always wondered if I switch to the smartkey can I still claim for delays on trains that I didn't get on

I've read online that it's supposed to happen automatically with smartkey.

I've also read reports that it doesn't happen automatically.

I think it's an area they tried and failed at. Surprised I am not.

MrLargo

LargeAddick

WillmoreTheRed said:

Always wondered if I switch to the smartkey can I still claim for delays on trains that I didn't get on

no you have to claim as with a paper ticket although it automatically fills in the smartkey number so you don't have to upload a copy of your ticket.

I travel in from Battle @cantersaddick