Train updates, news and information

[jet]

Its not the railways but its still un user friendly, this time good old BT.
Got a call from Bt yesterday, they actually ring you and put you on hold while you wait for them to speak to you.
"We are going to cut you off as you have not paid."
"Yes I have"
"No you havent".
"I paid on the 5th."
"We have not got the money"
"well I sent the cheques, here are the numbers"
" we have not got them, unless they are missing in the system"
"well I sent them"
"check with your bank if they have been cleared, if they have not ,cancel them and send payment or we will cut you off on the second"
Thats impossible, the bank is closed and if I check tommorrow and send new cheques they will not even be with you by the second"
"humph, we will give you till saturday"
"thanks for nothing"

Check with bank,
" cheques have not been presented, do you wish to cancel"
"yes"
"that will be £8 each"
"no thank you"

Back to BT
Explain the whole thing.
"thats allright sir, just send the cheques"
"where do I send them"
"its on the counterfoil"
"just give me the address"
BT give the address
"I take it that if I write the LN number on the cheques that will be okay"
" oh no sir we need the counterfoil"
"what counterfoil"
"the one with the bill"
"its with the original cheques"
" oh yes, we will send you a new bill"
" but you are going to cut me off"
" yes but when you get the new bill, ring us up"
"what for"
"to tell us you have got it"
"but this will take longer than saturday"
"we will give you 10 days"
" whats the number"
" its ******"
" thats the number I rang you on"
"of course thats where we deal with this type of thing"

an amusing tale, very appraised, straight from Victor Meldrew, but the thing is that after all this time the system is not clear, if I had not pre empted the likely things that would go wrong it would have been doomed to go wrong ( it may still) if I had just sent the cheques they would not have been recognised by the machine without the counterfoil ( which is somewhere in the post office system)
somehow I think this is not the end of it all.
regards,
jet

[jet]

easily beaten by the letter from yellow pages asking if I would like to get my free advert in before the latest edition is printed.
Followed of course by the new edition on my doorstep, sans mon advert
You have gotta be quick
surely its not just me is it, no surely not
regards,
jet
A prize of an evening with jet for any one who can relate a better nonsense

[John_fraser]

Our son received an appointment to see a chiropodist on the 10th April during school time. Fiona phoned up and left a message asking for another appointment, later in the day, to avoid having to take him out of school. A few days latter, having had no reply, she phoned back and managed to speak to a human being:

Fiona: Why haven’t you done anything about my son’s appointment?
Human: That’s not true. We got right on it and its now on the 25th, after school time
Fiona: But why haven’t I been told that?
Human: It’s our policy to only send appointments out two weeks in advance
Fiona: But that means I wouldn’t get the new appointment until after the 10th
Human: That’s right.
Fiona: So, on the 10th, I would have taken my son out of school and gone down to the hospital for an appointment that had been cancelled!

There then followed several minutes of my wife futilely trying to explain why this was a stupid policy.

[John_fraser]

At 8pm last night WAGN’s website said that trains from Moorgate too WGC were ‘On time.’ But Moorgate Station was closed and had probably been closed for the previous two hours – i.e. since the power cut.

On one level this is a bit “Annoying, but so what?” The inconvenience to me was minor, a few minutes walking in the wrong direction. Other people who walked further in the wrong direction – possibly in the rain - may feel more strongly. My main complaint, however, concerns the point of WAGN spending money on this site when it clearly not showing accurate or useful information. As WAGN receives a hefty subsidy from the taxpayer while continually failing to meet the targets set for it I think the money wasted on this useless site is disgusting.

[MikeL]

I've always found that if there are minor delays etc. then they update the web site, but as soon as anything major happens (like last night) when you really need the information, then they don't bother.

Absolutely useless.

[James Bentall]

If there are major delays on the railway, it is usually worth checking the natioanl railways site at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/realtime/fs_realtime.htm which is normally quite helpful. It does however cover the whole of the country so you sometimes have to look through quite a lot of information.

James

[toothfairy]

Thank God for the Labour Governments management of the NHS.

[Editor]

WAGN has announced that a special timetable will run from Monday 13 October, for trains from Welham Green and Brookmans Park, to London, during weekday peak times. Click here for more details

[John_fraser]

It must take years of experience to run a train line. To my untrained eyes, the trees are green and the lines are leaf free. But clearly this just shows my lack of experience in matters autumnal. For not only has the mass of invisible leaf littler clogging our lines meant the introduction of a “Leaf Fall” timetable, the fall of invisible leaves has been so great this year that all of the my trains since its introduction have been turning up latter than the times shown in the “normal” timetable. But I am sure that WAGN feel that they should be congratulated for keeping the trains running at all when there are six foot drifts of invisible leaves on the line.

In case you think I am being sarcastic, remember that astronomers believe that up to 90% of the universe is missing

http://www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/~dave/darkmatter/

Clearly they need to put their telescopes away and try walking down the East Coast Main Line. WAGN seem to have found the answer to one of science’s unsolved questions,

[Birch]

Frankly I'm pleased at the 'Leaf fall' timetable.  It now means there's a better chance of my train actually running on time. The Leaf fall timetable runs trains a few minutes earler than normal, which actually means they might, just might, actually turn up as scheduled for the normal Autumn timetable.  

Although Monday morning seems indicative of how the trains will probably run.....

WAGN ANNOUNCER:  Please note that the 7:53 train to Moorgate (formerly the 7:56) is running 2, I repeat 2 mintues late.

PASSENGER THOUGHTS:  Well, that's not too bad. It means that the train should be running close the normal timetable (feeling pleased).

ACTUAL EVENT: Fast train whizzes through station, fastish train whizzes through station.  It's now well past 7:55.  A slow train approaches station and looks like it should be our train at about 8:00 ish.  Passengers move towards train looking hopeful.  For some reason this train doesn't stop either.  Another fast train whizzes past.

Train turns up at 8:06. This is the scheduled time for the next train running to the normal Autumn timetable to arrive.  Passengers presume that 7:53 has been cancelled.

TRAIN DRIVER ANNOUNCEMENT: Apologies for the late arrival of your 7:53 train which has been delayed.

PASSENGER THOUGHTS: Typical.  

[Aidan Winwood]

It is nice to see that they are running the same ficticious timetable as last year - I have tried a variety of different trains this week to see if any of them would be running anywhere near to the LEaffall timtable and WAGN have done themselves proud by none of the trains arriving before their actual noraml times.

On the plus side they did actually advertise on a board when the timetable would be starting this year, as opposed to last years marketing plan involving 'letting eveyone find out for themselves after a week or so'.

[Editor]

BBC News Online says lasers may be used to help get commuters to work on time, if new technology to clear leaves from the track proves effective. Click here for story.

[James Bentall]

If regular commuters hadn't noticed - given the amazing amount of publicity WAGN have put up - The normal winter timetable resumes on Monday.

[Editor]

Trinity wrote, in another thread, about a daily commute to Richmond including 27 stops, which presumable doesn’t count the non-scheduled non-station stops along the way.

I'm getting thoroughly sick of commuting to Richmond every day by public transport. It works, but it is slow, smelly, fragile and, if you're daft enough to get the "Silverlink" Richmond-Highbury then the We Are Going Nowhere to BP, it is 27 stops.

I am lucky to work from home, but one of the occasional trips I have to make is to Kenton, near Harrow. This involves taking WAGN to Highbury and Islington, the Victoria Line to Kings Cross, and the Metropolitan line to Northwick Park (a total of 18 station stops one way). It could take about 90 mins on a good day, but two of the WAGN train I have gone for from Brookmans Park recently have been cancelled (08.08 three weeks ago and the 08.08 yesterday).

By the way, am I just unlucky with my choice of WAGN trains from Brookmans Park (of the last four trains I have gone for three were cancelled) or is this normal and other commuters have just become tired about mentioning such cancellations on the forum?

Anyway, getting back to the main point of this post, does anyone else have to go through a nightmare commuter journey each day? If so can anyone beat Trinity’s endurance test?

Perhaps the 'commute through hell' rating could be based on the one-way number of station stops plus duration of the journey one-way plus the number of changes involved. So mine to Kenton would be 18 station stops + 90 mins journey time + 2 changes = a score of 110.

Trinity's is at least 27 on stations alone, after the one-way journey time and number of changes are added I would guess Trinity would be in at the top of the 'commute through hell' league.

There won't be a prize for the worst 'commute through hell' story, but sharing it with the fourm might provide theraputic reward, and perhaps the winner might like to add 'Commuter Hero/Heroine' to their forum signature.

[trinity]

I see (according to "Metro") that some committee that is supposed to be looking into fixing the railways has decreed that trains aren't "overcrowded", they're merely "crowded".

Maybe the members don't use the trains much.

But this puts me in mind of We Are Going Nowhere, and their destination boards at stations. Once upon a time, these used to say "Due" for the timetabled arrival/departure time, and "Expected" when it was late.

These days they just use "Due" for when it is expected to show up. I notice this particular piece of marketty spin was introduced about the same time as they put in a new, Microsoft-based, system, but I digress.

I'm afraid that whatever "subtle aims" there might be to this word-play is lost on me. I just get the message that by resorting to the dictionary and playing such nonsense they're either:

1. Admitting defeat, or
2. Are engaged in some sort of displacement activity rather than doing whatever their job is.

Thus endeth the grump of the day.

[trinity]

Perhaps the 'commute through hell' rating could be based on the one-way number of station stops plus duration of the journey one-way plus the number of changes involved. So mine to Kenton would be 18 station stops + 90 mins journey time + 2 changes = a score of 110.

That is an interesting metric. It weights journey time far higher than
either of the other factors. This is doubtless valid for many people - and certainly for me journey time is important. It also weights number of stops higher than changes for the same reason - you go through minutes and stops faster, typically, than changes.

But I don't find journey time *irritating* as such. Here to Richmond takes 100 minutes door-to-door at best. Wasteful, yes (though I can sleep on the morning train), but not anything like as annoying as number of stops. Similarly, there are those who would prefer direct trains - where I will accept many changes (provided there isn't much float in between connections) in order to reduce number of stops. This is so even where it doesn't actually decrease journey time - as is the case on the Richmond-BP jouney since that is dependent on WAGN's schedule from Finsbury Park (extended float irritation is shown by my detestation of the "holes" in the BP service around 1630 and 1800).

So I would multiply number of stops by, maybe 3 and the number of changes by 2, and the add them to the time in minutes.

This gives you 148. My 27 stops, 1 change (assuming Silverlink) and 100 minutes is 183.

Anyone worse off, even temporarily ?

[Editor]

So, the calculation for the worst 'commute through hell' (based on one-way rather than return) goes as follows.

• Journey Time in minutes =
• Station Stops x 3 =
• Train Changes x 2 =
• Total =

[/b]
Anyone beat Trinity's 183?

[jet]

At risk of being impertenant.
Why not just drive to Kenton, 40 mins if you know the easy way.
Why live in BP and work in Richmond, is BP more attractive than Surrey.
Just seems like simple things being made hard?
regards,
jet

[Editor]

Why not just drive to Kenton, 40 mins if you know the easy way.

1: There are too many cars on the road already.
2: We are a one car family and it is usually in use.
3: Last time I tried (at the time I have to go) it took two hours with jams all the way.

[John_fraser]

I can beat it easily from a couple of years ago:

Train breaks down @ Haringey and they can’t move it. So they tell us to cross over and go back to FP, because they will have to route trains on the fast line past this station.

Cross over. Sit for 10 minutes on a train until they say that south bound trains are suspended for some reason that now escapes me.

Walk to Manor Park and get a train. This is taken out of service at Wood Green due to a defect.

Get a train that is supposed to be going to Cockfosters, but is stopped at Arones Grove, with no reason given.

Get a train to Southgate.

Get a Taxi home

150 minutes (2 ½ hours)
 42 (14 stops)
 14 (7 trains if you count the walk and the taxi as trains)
206

[jet]

As I plan so well and am so perfect, I never have a travel problem.
Always plan for at least 2 ways out of a problem.
Avoid motorways as if you are stuck you are stuck.
Avoid the rush hour, and if you can't, get a job more suitable to easier travelling.
There is more to life than chasing the buck, a lower paid but closer job is better than a higher paying far away job and its more time/tax efficient.
Perhaps then  commuters could leave the roads to  salesmen that have to travel.
regards,
jet

[sasquartch]

Have to admit that working in Welwyn Garden City ( a 20 minute drive each way on country roads through Essendon) is really so much better than commuting to Paddington (hour and a quarter each way all being well)
Yes, the money is better in London, but only just and I probably have 8 hours a week more at home and very low travel expenses.
Jet, I agree with you - there are far too many people travelling vast distances just to get to and from work.

[John_fraser]

Actually the commute into Moorgate isn’t that bad. On a normal journey it’s one hour door to door, I get a seat and I read a book. This is the only chance I get to read recreationally these days, so I see it as 10 hours reading per week.

[Mallow]

I spent 20 + years commuting on the train and then 2.5 years ago, after the Hatfield disaster,  I had had enough.  I bought a motorbike and can't believe I didn't do it earlier.  45 mins average to Oxford Circus and on a really bad day it can be as much as 50 mins but mostly less than 45.  It is cheaper and I get a seat every morning.  I actually don't consider that I commute, I just go for a ride on my bike every morning and end up in W1.

Your should try it, read my profile, if I can do it anyone can.

[supersonic]

David,

I agree with jet - drive to Kenton. It's a horrid journey by public transport.

I live in Harrow and drive to the office in Welham Green. An easy journey against the main traffic flow that takes me about 45-50 mins in the morning and a bit less in the evening, 35-40 mins maybe, unless I get caught up by inconsiderate, badly parked  $*%^&$£ truck drivers causing chaos, mayhem and traffic obstructions by the lorry park at Sth Mimms/Bignalls Corner. Don't start me on the lorry drivers - I mean if you think 4x4 drivers are inconsiderate..........

Anyway, back to the journey to Kenton  David if you post me here or message/email me letting me know where in Kenton you want to get to I'll happily sort you out a route.

rgds,
supersonic

[Editor]

Will do, thanks Supersonic.

[trinity]

At risk of being impertenant.
Why live in BP and work in Richmond, is BP more attractive than Surrey.

It is a temporary measure. Like most temporary measures this one has gone on far longer than it should have done. We were supposed to be moving to Cannon Street (more-or-less) mid-late January. But those who're supposed to be responsible for organising this sort of thing (predictably) screwed up. It is now supposed to be the end of February. But they haven't said which February.

Just seems like simple things being made hard?

I'll leave that to the railways.

[Alfred the Great]

Talking about reading whilst on the way to work, I had to commute for about six months many years ago, and I just got through so many paperbacks it wasn't true. And Mrs Great has commuted for nearly 20 years and was once so engrossed in her book (a Flashman book if I remember rightly......) that she got to Cuffley before noticing that she had forgot to change at FP!

BTW, anyone who wants an interesting and entertaining read and also to learn about Victorian history should read the flashman books by George Macdonald Fraser - the ladies might not like them much, and not really suitable for children!

ATG

[trinity]

Actually the commute into Moorgate isn’t that bad. On a normal journey it’s one hour door to door, I get a seat and I read a book. This is the only chance I get to read recreationally these days, so I see it as 10 hours reading per week.

Agreed, mostly. I sometimes fall asleep. But books, the Metro
crossword: this is why I'm less fussed about total time - despite the overcrowding it is typically possible to read.

[James Bentall]

Also agreed. WAGN aren't that bad - or maybe we've just got low expectations - the number of times when I've been seriously delayed by more than about 10-15 minutes this year can probably be counted on one hand, and to be fair the number of smaller delays is not as bad as it was last year. I think it does depend what train you catch - my 'normal' one - 7:03 is very rarely late, but my 'I want a lie in one' - 7:35 has only been on time about twice this academic year when I've caught it.

I cannot remember ever not getting a seat in the morning, and the evening it is rare not to as long as you board by Highbury and Islington.

I have a laptop so can work on the train or there's always the maths homework to mark!

All in all, I think things could be a lot worse.

James