Incident at City Thameslink

[ralphchadkirk]

That's because anyone with any sense who wanted to travel further than Luton and has a season ticket had taken the civilised option of East Midlands Trains. The idea that FCC suddenly has to check with EMT before telling people to use their services is tosh. A season is not restricted to any one operator.

Most commuters have season tickets that include a travelcard or Oyster, therefore their tickets are already valid on LUL and London Buses, and as I have said, SWT and Southern don't yet offer a service to Bedford.

Because Box Photter, there are other people on the train. Control will organise it as best as the can for ALL passengers. It isn't all about you.

 

[The Box Photter]

I can see I'm not going to get any agreement, so I'll just shut up and keep paying for the season tickets.

 

[jon0844]

I just paid £3,400 for mine - but I can accept things going wrong in bad weather, especially when someone can take the time to actually tell me what has happened and why.

If you want to be upset, blame FCC for allowing the situation of running an emergency timetable long before the snow fell. Blame them for the way they treated the drivers.

I do spend a lot of time having a go at a lot of people, and being considered to be a right old whinger - and a grumpy old man long before my time - but I'm also fair. I can see the positives, and the situations where the fault lies somewhere else.

You have to look at things with an open mind.

 

[Evvy73]

For a slightly light hearted look at FCC commuting, check out this chaps blog: http://ronaldwild.blogspot.com/

It is titled "The commuting diary of Ronald Wild, aged 43 ½ - A tale of First Capital Connect misery".

Very well written and quite ammusing at times.

On a slightly more serious note it appears that the MP for North Bedfordshire is getting involved now: MP urges Government to sack First Capital Connect over 'commuting hell'.

This was also on the BBC site: Adonis criticises First Capital Connect rail services

 

[jon0844]

Ronald Wild might have written in an amusing way, but what a load of nonsense for assuming you could go north from St Albans (changing at Luton for EMT) via St Pancras.

Come on, nobody would EVER think that would they??

I didn't read on from where he started moaning about the distance between seats (the new rolling stock wasn't built for them and they inherited everything else) and when I saw 'First Crapital Con', I gave up.

If you're going to blast into the company and be taken seriously, do it in a more professional or subtle way. This doesn't look like something written by someone in his forties.

 

[Aictos]

Ronald Wild might have written in an amusing way, but what a load of nonsense for assuming you could go north from St Albans (changing at Luton for EMT) via St Pancras.

Come on, nobody would EVER think that would they??

I didn't read on from where he started moaning about the distance between seats (the new rolling stock wasn't built for them and they inherited everything else) and when I saw 'First Crapital Con', I gave up.

If you're going to blast into the company and be taken seriously, do it in a more professional or subtle way. This doesn't look like something written by someone in his forties.

Very True, if it was written by someone in their forties then no wonder the country is in the state it is.

Monday 11th January, 2010, evening

With FCC continuing to trumpet their own incompetence on their website throughout the day I weighed up the options for the journey home. Following my largely favourable (albeit post mad morning rush) experience on their Great Eastern route this morning I decided to head back on the same route, from Moorgate to Hatfield, via a change at Finsbury Park, and then travel from Hatfield to St Albans by bus.

Feeling rather pleased with myself I arrive at Moorgate to find the 17.25 waiting for me on the platform. Quite crowded, but find a seat towards the front of the train and off we set. Alight at Finsbury Park dead on time, and scuttle to the front of the platform to pick up the 17.41. This arrives a minute late and, oh dear, it is packed. The doors open and, predictably, nobody gets out. Not quite so good then. Clearly the trick with this route is to get on at St Pancras.


One, I was under the impression that NXEA ran services over the Great Eastern route out of Liverpool Street.

Two, If you're at Finsbury Park going north then your train can only come from Moorgate or Kings Cross and not St Pancras which is a different route altogether.

 

[jon0844]

If the train was that packed, you could always go BACK to King's Cross and get the train from there.

But, can I also ask the obvious question; besides it being all stations (I know, I do it every day from Old Street) why would you get off a train that is already going to Hatfield to get another train that goes to Hatfield? Yes, the other train is slightly quicker - but not by much considering the wait at Finsbury Park that lets the slow get a few stations ahead. Without checking, I'd hazard a guess that there's maybe 5 minutes in it at most.

Okay, he might have got on a Hertford North train but why didn't he just wait for the right train? At Moorgate, he'd be getting on at the starting station and could have any seat he wanted! Yes, it gets quite crowded by Finsbury Park, but most people will have alighted at New Southgate, Oakleigh Park or New Barnet. From then on, you'll usually be the only one on the train. If I go to WGC, maybe 5 or 10 people get off the WHOLE train!!

Using the Great Eastern (sic) route would have been a good idea before, and I am not sure why the author thinks that it is some magical idea. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would have used it if the TL side was down, just as people use the TL side when the GN side goes down. FCC even runs buses between the two branches in times of serious disruption, or you have local buses.

If you're REALLY in a rush, there are ample taxis available too.

 

[A60K]

To be fair, at least some of the original direction signs for the Moorgate branch installed by LT do state 'Great Eastern Electrics'!

On the other issue about not stopping at stations within the zones, what would someone like my dad do, as he travels sometimes from Cricklewood to Luton?

 

[The Box Photter]

Ronald Wild might have written in an amusing way, but what a load of nonsense for assuming you could go north from St Albans (changing at Luton for EMT) via St Pancras.

Come on, nobody would EVER think that would they??

I didn't read on from where he started moaning about the distance between seats (the new rolling stock wasn't built for them and they inherited everything else) and when I saw 'First Crapital Con', I gave up.

If you're going to blast into the company and be taken seriously, do it in a more professional or subtle way. This doesn't look like something written by someone in his forties.

I agree that some of Mr Wild's routing might be difficult and also that FCC merely inherited the trains it uses and also that the requirements of running through Snow Hill Tunnel meant that initially there was no additional stock available.

However; yesterday I used the SWT service from Hounslow to Brentford and was mighty impressed with the refurbishment job they've done on their class 455s. It looks to me like the job went back to bare metal with what appears to be some form of air-conditioning installed. Whilst the seats were quite firm, there were not uncomfortable and they lined up with the windows. They were also bright and well lit, and because the seats were largely suspended from the ceiling, easy to keep clean. Now, SWT inherited these trains, yet they seem to have spent considerably more than FCC has in refreshing the class 319s, particularly with regard to ventilation and seating.

Isn't the SWT franchise for the same duration as the FCC franchise?

 

[jon0844]

Didn't SWT get told it HAD to make those changes to the rolling stock to suit different usage needs? Wasn't it a condition of their franchise, and no doubt partly funded by a subsidy ahead of the payback later on?

FCC runs the same timetable (pretty much) as it ever did. It needed more capacity, so had to get the remaining 319s from Southern and then the temporary supply of 377s ahead of ALL NEW trains.

So, I think it's rather different - although I will say that FCC should have at least installed information screens and CCTV on the stock they have without. That said, at least under Elaine Holt, they did everything they promised to do. More recently, projects seem to be lagging behind, but they have had problems at management level - boy does it show.

The layouts within the various 319s vary a lot. There are some configurations where there's very spacious 2+2 seating and are totally different to others. The colours, flooring and lighting has made the trains very bright, airy and pleasant to be on - but that feeling obviously goes away when you're squashed in on a packed train.

If they can get back to running a full timetable and get all the rolling stock they need, it should be quite easy to get a seat and have a service that is more like the GN side, where the changes last year have created a pretty decent service from a TOC that had a very good reputation until the latter half of 2009.

Still now, I suspect nearly all of the complaints about FCC and demands to rid them of their franchise are exclusively TL route passengers.

 

[Aictos]

Still now, I suspect nearly all of the complaints about FCC and demands to rid them of their franchise are exclusively TL route passengers.

I suspect you won't be far wrong there.

 

[Z12XE]

To be fair, at least some of the original direction signs for the Moorgate branch installed by LT do state 'Great Eastern Electrics'!

If they were the ones which were visble at the end of the former Thameslink bays/West Bound Circle then they read "Great Northern Electrics"

 

[A60K]

If they were the ones which were visble at the end of the former Thameslink bays/West Bound Circle then they read "Great Northern Electrics"

Not those ones, no - I'm trying to remember exactly where they were now - possibly Highbury & Islington, possibly somewhere around the Northern/GN&C escalators and stairs at Moorgate. They were the original 1976 signs, and I guess they've all gone now?

 

[jon0844]

Highbury & Islington has the former NLL as well, could it be that line? That does (and did) go East.

Moorgate has more recently just said trains to Welwyn, and now it says Stevenage, which seems very confusing - why not just state the line (Great Northern) and then have a map that shows the destinations (updated to include Stevenage, not as they've done - which is show trains to WGC and Hertford North but say 'Stevenage' above the map).

 

[The Box Photter]

I think there may still be at least one sign in the ticket hall at Moorgate LU station directing passengers to "WAGN Services" or something similar via the staircase.

I'd have to agree with the comments about Elaine Holt, she usually under-promised and over-delivered, which is the best way to go and at least when the 377s were late, she fronted-up and told us passengers the truth. I think she gained a lot of respect for that.

Personally I found her pleasant and professional whenever our paths crossed and she was willing to rub shoulders with the enthusiasts, witness the Last Train From Moorgate shenanigans.

 

[jon0844]

I think the last of the signs have been changed now, with the 'Stevenage' nonsense that makes little sense.

Not many trains go via Hertford North to Stevenage and NONE that go to WGC are extended there. It's certainly not a station you'd expect to get to Stevenage from, and I'm sure changing at Finsbury Park for a semi-fast would always be a better move.

I wonder what Elaine thinks of what has happened to FCC since her departure?

Still, if the results of elections are anything to go by, people have short memories. If the trains on the TL side start running properly and season ticket holders get their book of free passes, I reckon most will forget all about it.

 

[mackenzie_blu]

Shall we re-name the thread?

 

[jon0844]

You mean signs at Moorgate and Elaine's thoughts about the running of FCC are NOT related to that incident at City Thameslink?

 

[barrykas]

Incidentally, the signs used to say either Great Northern Electrics or "British Rail (Eastern)"...And it's not that long ago that Highbury & Islington had signs referring to the "North London Link" and the sign by the stairs from the Northern Line concourse to the Victoria Line at King's Cross St. Pancras referred to Highbury still having an interchange with the Northern Line!

Cheers,

Barry

 

[mackenzie_blu]

You mean signs at Moorgate and Elaine's thoughts about the running of FCC are NOT related to that incident at City Thameslink?

For once its not related. Shocking I know!

Well least there appears to be some form of service today from the national rail widget.

 

[jopsuk]

on the off topic topic, spotted yesterday whilst hanging around for a train home at Kings Cross a GNER route map.

Finsbury Park has a huge "Great Northern Electrics" sign on the side of the station.

 

[Aictos]

Any chance the mods could clean up this thread and setup a new thread called Station Signage so we can all post happily away on it please?

 

[jon0844]

Feeling rather pleased with myself I arrive at Moorgate to find the 17.25 waiting for me on the platform. Quite crowded, but find a seat towards the front of the train and off we set. Alight at Finsbury Park dead on time, and scuttle to the front of the platform to pick up the 17.41. This arrives a minute late and, oh dear, it is packed. The doors open and, predictably, nobody gets out. Not quite so good then. Clearly the trick with this route is to get on at St Pancras.

As I just check my train now, I thought I'd check his blog story. I now realise there's no 1725 from Moorgate (a 1723 that gets to Hatfield 1806), or a 1741 FPK to Hatfield (you'd have missed the 1727 ex KGX). I'm assuming this blog entry was written about the recent problems, but perhaps it was the snow timetable (which I don't have to hand). The question remains; surely you'd have stayed on the train all the way to Hatfield than change a quarter of the way (if that), especially if you've got a seat and know there's a reduced service (so the train you're swapping to might be packed, it might even be cancelled).

Also, during the snow timetable, it was confirmed by staff that first class was declassified - so I managed to get a seat quite easily!

Perhaps this blogger might want to do a bit more research to avoid looking silly!