Additional calls on Bedford - Elephant & Castle

[David Sinnett]

This morning's service also called at Luton Airport Parkway and West Hampstead Thameslink without any message from the driver. I thought the timetables had changed early but having checked there are no plans for these stops.
Mistakes or were they additional temporary planned stops?

 

[W230]

Mistakes or were they additional temporary planned stops?

Most likely a SSO (Special Stop Order) issued. When I've had them i'm told not to announce it as it's for passengers to be picked up rather than dropped off. Usually when there's been a cancelled service or two and people have to wait a while for a train.

 

[GoByThameslink]

Most likely a SSO (Special Stop Order) issued. When I've had them i'm told not to announce it as it's for passengers to be picked up rather than dropped off. Usually when there's been a cancelled service or two and people have to wait a while for a train.

This morning my train (0712 Bedford - Kent House) made an additional stop at Mill Hill Broadway and the driver did announce the additional stop when we stopped at St Albans, referring to a train cancellation. The focus of his announcement was us the passengers - effectively letting us know in advance that the stop was nothing to worry about. Unless the station staff had announced it, it is very unlikely there were travellers on the platform at St Albans (the 0712 is fast line from Bedford South) - it is a long time since I have been on a train that was routed by the fast lines and stopped at Mill Hill Broadway when both fast and slow lines are in use.

 

[Bald Rick]

This morning my train (0712 Bedford - Kent House) made an additional stop at Mill Hill Broadway and the driver did announce the additional stop when we stopped at St Albans, referring to a train cancellation. The focus of his announcement was us the passengers - effectively letting us know in advance that the stop was nothing to worry about. Unless the station staff had announced it, it is very unlikely there were travellers on the platform at St Albans (the 0712 is fast line from Bedford South) - it is a long time since I have been on a train that was routed by the fast lines and stopped at Mill Hill Broadway when both fast and slow lines are in use.

I was on this too. The 0744 semi fast had been cancelled (no driver), and a previous stopper also cancelled. Hence Mill Hill Bway was going to be short of a service, although what the folks of Radlett and Elstree got I don't know.

The driver was given the special stop order at St. Albans, and it was announced as such on the platform before the train arrived.

Driver was superb in his announcements. If only they could all be like that. I'm still waiting for any driver on any TL service via London Bridge to announce that they won't be calling there as of Saturday week.

 

[Abpj17]

There are some semi-slow/fast, especially in the peaks, that stop at St A, Radlett, Elstree and St P but not the London stations between them so they were probably ok

For the OP, it's pretty unusual not to announce the airport, because of the number of tourists/reminders about luggage.

Rick - there were, however, people at blackfriars giving out leaflets about the 'major' changes to come today

 

[Bald Rick]

.

Rick - there were, however, people at blackfriars giving out leaflets about the 'major' changes to come today

I know - I've been doing it myself. But leaflets at Blackfriars are not much help for passengers staying on the train to London Bridge, and the leaflets given out at London Bridge platforms 1-6 (like tonight) are aimed at Southeastern passengers.

In this age of endless automated announcements, there's nothing that quite grabs a passenger's attention as much as a gruff* driver's voice announcing that "from 20th December this train will not serve London Bridge"

* other drivers' voices are available on request.

 

[W230]

I'm still waiting for any driver on any TL service via London Bridge to announce that they won't be calling there as of Saturday week.

Oi! I have! You just haven't been on my train!

In response to the SSO though, I haven't announced the stops before because on the two occasions I've had them I've been asked specifically not to announce them!

 

[Bald Rick]

Oi! I have! You just haven't been on my train!

Let's see what the driver of 2T23 does this morning. (Although being a brand new Bombardier unit, perhaps the PA is broken...)

 

[Class2ldn]

On the new 387 it's announcing that they are not stopping at London Bridge from the 20th

 

[Bald Rick]

On the new 387 it's announcing that they are not stopping at London Bridge from the 20th

It did! My flabber was gasted!