C2C Fail Again

[Essexman]

Despite engineering work meaning trains to Upminster were only half hourly last night (with passengers for stations to Basildon changing to bus at Upminster) and West Ham playing at home, trains were only 4 coaches.

The 22.55 came into Barking with many already standing and the platform packed. It waited five minutes while people tried to squeeze in but many were left on the platform to wait another 30 minutes. The 23.25 was also very full put I think everyone got on this time.

Surely C2C could have run 8 coach trains.

 

[Ibex]

Despite engineering work meaning trains to Upminster were only half hourly last night (with passengers for stations to Basildon changing to bus at Upminster) and West Ham playing at home, trains were only 4 coaches.

The 22.55 came into Barking with many already standing and the platform packed. It waited five minutes while people tried to squeeze in but many were left on the platform to wait another 30 minutes. The 23.25 was also very full put I think everyone got on this time.

Surely C2C could have run 8 coach trains.

Forgive my ignorance but couldn't people just use the District line to Upminster rather than wait 30 minutes for another C2C service?

 

[Bungle965]

Forgive my ignorance but couldn't people just use the District line to Upminster rather than wait 30 minutes for another C2C service?

I imagine it might have been because off the convenience of being on a fast train rather than the stop start off the underground.
Sam

 

[theblackwatch]

In fairness to C2C, a lot of units were probably on planned maintenance at that time. What are they supposed to do - negotiate to alter all the maintenance staff's shifts, and then do the exams etc during the following morning peak, leaving those trains short-formed instead?

 

[RichmondCommu]

In fairness to C2C, a lot of units were probably on planned maintenance at that time. What are they supposed to do - negotiate to alter all the maintenance staff's shifts, and then do the exams etc during the following morning peak, leaving those trains short-formed instead?

You would hope that someone might pay attention to the West Ham fixtures list. I know cup replays are arranged at relatively short notice but you would assume that someone might have noticed that West Ham were at home on a particular night and adjusted their maintenance schedules.

 

[Essexman]

District Line wasn't much help. After a succession of Barking terminators an Upminster train came in but waited 10 - 15 minutes as there was no driver. Eventually it was announced that the driver was on a following train back at West Ham, so the existing driver said he'd take it forward as far as Dagenham East.

A lot of units may have been on planned maintenance but surely not all of the huge stock that aren't used off peak. And with the engineering works I think there were fewer trains running than normal anyway.

I have contacted C2C about short formations when West Ham are playing on several occasions and their standard response is that the look at events when planning - but clearly they often don't or don't manage to provide enough coaches.

 

[Expression357]

Despite engineering work meaning trains to Upminster were only half hourly last night (with passengers for stations to Basildon changing to bus at Upminster) and West Ham playing at home, trains were only 4 coaches.

The 22.55 came into Barking with many already standing and the platform packed. It waited five minutes while people tried to squeeze in but many were left on the platform to wait another 30 minutes. The 23.25 was also very full put I think everyone got on this time.

Surely C2C could have run 8 coach trains.

Half truths here.

More relevant is that strengthening was done, however, the game finished some 40 minutes later than expected and therefore the height of the spectator numbers landed at Barking later than what was planned. There is not an infinite resource when the rolling stock needs to be at the right depot for start of service and there's engineering work to dodge around.

 

[87015]

Half truths here.

More relevant is that strengthening was done, however, the game finished some 40 minutes later than expected and therefore the height of the spectator numbers landed at Barking later than what was planned. There is not an infinite resource when the rolling stock needs to be at the right depot for start of service and there's engineering work to dodge around.

Behave, football strengthening should be run of the mill as you well know this includes extra time. Go on, how unbalanced would an extra pair of round trips 8v4s have made Shoebury overnight? Perhaps they need another grad to look at fixtures??

 

[Class 170101]

Costs money. I suspect c2c have overbid for the franchise and so are trying to cut back where they can.

 

[306024]

Behave, football strengthening should be run of the mill as you well know this includes extra time. Go on, how unbalanced would an extra pair of round trips 8v4s have made Shoebury overnight? Perhaps they need another grad to look at fixtures??

Correct. No excuse not to cover the possibility of extra time and penalties. Out of 74 units, how few are actually running after 21.00. Maintenance is a complete red herring.

 

[Antman]

Forgive my ignorance but couldn't people just use the District line to Upminster rather than wait 30 minutes for another C2C service?

I would imagine many were travelling beyond Upminster?

 

[jopsuk]

5-10 minutes extra time is reasonable. Full extra periods plus a potentially lengthy extra time becomes really difficult to plan for. It's not the railway's fault the football is so unreliable.

 

[Essexman]

After sending four tweets to C2C I've finally got a reply. I suspect it is a standard reply and doesn't take into account the circumstances of being late evening and engineering work.

'We are using all our stock to it's capacity, which is why we are sourcing additional trains.'

 

[306024]

5-10 minutes extra time is reasonable. Full extra periods plus a potentially lengthy extra time becomes really difficult to plan for. It's not the railway's fault the football is so unreliable.

Yes it is really difficult to plan for, but not impossible. Just because it is difficult doesn't mean we should not bother. For example the plan for a cup game at Tottenham involved holding two trains at Enfield Town, with alternative paths depending on the state of the match.

The most important thing is to plan for public safety. The cost argument evaporates should a serious incident occur.

After sending four tweets to C2C I've finally got a reply. I suspect it is a standard reply and doesn't take into account the circumstances of being late evening and engineering work.

'We are using all our stock to it's capacity, which is why we are sourcing additional trains.'

At 22.00? They clearly haven't listened or understood your question. Hopefully they'll get their act together for when West Ham move to Stratford next season.

 

[Antman]

5-10 minutes extra time is reasonable. Full extra periods plus a potentially lengthy extra time becomes really difficult to plan for. It's not the railway's fault the football is so unreliable.

Unreliable? It was an FA Cup replay so it would be known in advance that extra time and penalties were a possibility. Yes it makes things more difficult but surely that is part and parcel of running a railway?

 

[306024]

Unreliable? It was an FA Cup replay so it would be known in advance that extra time and penalties were a possibility. Yes it makes things more difficult but surely that is part and parcel of running a railway?

Absolutely, although there was 8 minutes of time added on in the second half as three West Ham players became unreliable by getting injured

 

[Class 170101]

Unreliable? It was an FA Cup replay so it would be known in advance that extra time and penalties were a possibility. Yes it makes things more difficult but surely that is part and parcel of running a railway?

Three plans may be needed one for the end of the game at 90 minutes, one allowing for extra time and one allowing for penalties.