Southern performance figures

Postman · Post by **Postman** » 21 Jun 2009 20:03

Its delayed and cancelled at least 3 times a week. Any travel early in the morning is crap to be honest.

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 21 Jun 2009 20:21

I've done early shifts roughly every other week since last August, catching the 0601 to Sutton. It's been late about 3 times and never been cancelled.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » 21 Jun 2009 23:37

Barty wrote:
For any of the multitude of reasons that any train can be delayed. Held up by another train. Signal failures (peoiple stealing signalling cable). Engineering work over-runs. Passengers all trying to cram into the first door so they don't have so far to walk at London Bridge. People / dogs / sheep / cows wandering around near / getting killed on live rails. Car drivers who think they can get past level crossing barriers before they shut. Lorry drivers who think they can get under bridges they can't. Bus drivers who forget they can't get a double decker under a low bridge. Passengers pulling the emergency cord / being taken ill on trains or stations / fighting / refusing to pay their fare................etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc.

London Bridge is a nightmare to get through the barriers in the morning rush hour. There are usually three trains pulling in together with the overcrowded herds then all trying to get through the gates together. These used to be opened by the guards when they see the crowds swell, but this hasn't happened recently causing big bottlenecks.

My question is: (and considering that the trains are going to increase in length and that a lot of our services stop at platforms 15 & 16), do you think there is any chance that 'they' could build another exit at the rear of the station?* I work over by Tower Hill (as do lots of other LB bound commuters) and it is quite galling to get off the back of an 8-carriage train that pulls into platform 16. You basically alight quite close to Tower Bridge and then have to do a big loop to get through the gates!

*Have you or anyone got a contact address to make this suggestion?

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 22 Jun 2009 06:33

I've got two ideas for contacts Gaz.

As the train operator running the services you travel on into London Bridge, you could try Southern
http://www.southernrailway.com/main.php?page_id=674

Or, perhaps a better idea is to contact Network Rail, who manage London Bridge and would be the organization who would be in charge of the renovations to the station that you would like to see
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1346.aspx

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » 22 Jun 2009 10:20

Thanks Barty.

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 22 Jun 2009 11:25

You might also want to google "Thameslink 2000" or "First Capital Connect" and see how or whether the major alterations occuring at London Bridge will deliver the improvements you suggest as well.

It's not something I have delved into much.

Blushingsnail · Post by **Blushingsnail** » 22 Jun 2009 12:45

Gaz: the whole of London Bridge station will be rebuilt. Haven't found an official website but Wikipadia entry is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thameslink ... don_Bridge

(Actually have just found an official site but it doesn't show much:
http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/cms/pages/view/35 I'm sure I've seen detailed drawings somewhere, maybe on the planning application.)

We may be getting longer trains but there will be fewer of them: 4 trains per hour instead of 6.

Blushingsnail · Post by **Blushingsnail** » 22 Jun 2009 14:47

London Bridge station: the documents accompanying the planning application are still on Southwark's website: http://planningonline.southwarksites.co ... ey=9528244

The first document shows that the new concourse will have entrances on Tooley Street (next to the London Dungeon, on the other side from the Tube entrance) and (I think) St Thomas Street, plus an entrance from the Underground station.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » 22 Jun 2009 15:08

Very interesting - thanks for your research there, Blushingsnail!

I haven't been through all the app plans but this does seem to deviate from the skyscraping Shard of Glass they were on about!

Also, from the Wiki page you pointed out:

To alleviate congestion and improve circulation within the station, a new station concourse will be built. This requires the demolition of brick vaults between Stainer and Weston Streets, which will themselves become part of the new concourse (and therefore cease to be thoroughfares).[54] The space relinquished by the existing concourse will allow Network Rail to expand the adjacent bus station,[55] and new retail facilities will be built into the existing western arcade, which will be re-opened and extended to link the Underground station and Joiner Street.[56]

So it seems the new concourse is planned to run to Hay's Galleria already. Not sure there is any scope for additional exits further back up the track looking by the way they've set out the lines (and I think I recall reading that the Syd services will be through-services to Thameslink).

Cheers again.

bensonby · Post by **bensonby** » 22 Jun 2009 17:20

I get the 0524 several times a month to get to work and it's never been late/cancelled when I've used it...

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 22 Jun 2009 18:11

Seems poor Postman is suffering from a terrible case of bad luck, or of Commuter Lateness Memory - an medical condition where the individual finds it easier to remember occasions when his train has been late than the mor frequent occasions that it has been on time.

Don't worry, Postman, a lot of commuters are affected by this complaint.

Postman · Post by **Postman** » 22 Jun 2009 21:00

When my manager is moaning at me in my face, im guessing i would remember them times more often. The next time i get the 05.24 train that is cancelled i will contact southern and post there responce on here and print a copy out for him. Thank godness im going back to geting a lift on wednesday!

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 23 Jun 2009 09:38

Sorry, Postman, I suffered a bit of an attack of sarcasm in my last post

When the 0524 is cancelled next, please do what you suggested - contact Southern, and as well as that, post on here or PM me.

It won't stop your manager moaning, I do understand that, but if I can help you understand that maybe it wasn't "Southern's fault", you might feel a little less hostile about it.

Southern's recorded messages of apologies and reasons for delays and cancellations can seem a little sterile and patronising - perhaps I can explain them a little more thoroughly.

bensonby · Post by **bensonby** » 23 Jun 2009 14:48

as I said before though - it comes down to prices and balancing the service you get with what you pay for.

If I paid you Mr Barty to do something at a certain time then I'd expect you to do something at a certain time.... if you didn't then I'd expect a discount or refund and an apology.

This doesn't happen with the railways....which irks even more considering they are so expensive.

(yes, I know there are the byzantine CoC before you mention that one

)

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 23 Jun 2009 17:53

If you paid me to do something at a certain time but i couldn't because circumstances beyond my control prevented me from doing it, what would you then have me do?

Remember the two-fatality-day and the resultant train service chaos? Was it your fault that two people threw themselves on the track? No. But was it Southern's? Also no. Southern put posters up at affected stations a day or two after apologising and explaining. But Southern could not predict this would happen, nor continue running services while it was dealt with.

Barty · Post by **Barty** » 23 Jun 2009 17:56

By the way, here's a good laugh for you all - my train to work, the 1451 from Sydenham, was delayed by 13 minutes this afternoon due to a broken down preceding train!

Postman · Post by **Postman** » 23 Jun 2009 18:22

lol.. My train turned up and was on time!

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Southern performance figures