Information for GTR Southern passengers during strike (no DOO discussion)

[TheManBehind]

Perhaps when replacement buses run they should come with a warning, if you don't like buses and extended journey times then please travel on another day! I know people who will not travel on a replacement bus service, preferring only trains.

I rather enjoy a good replacement bus, big change of scenery and a more leisurely pace

Customers are customers but I've heard of people stuck Kate at night with hardly any information and pressing the help point did nothing. In fact I've seen people present both the help point and emergency buttons and get no response. They only pressed the emergency one because the help point didn't respond.

I hope not at my TOC! Most help points these days go through to National Rail Enquiries who are normally pretty good at answering (as call centres often are I suppose), very few operators still have staff in the control centre to answer help points.

Ive not used the Southern help points enough to know what they are like during disruption though.

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NRE, as I understand it. Information quality matches what the TOC itself puts out, so make of that what you will

 

[Wookiee]

You don't need to cancel it. SWT are accepting Southern tickets during the disruption.

Are they? They certainly were to begin with, but they don't show up as an alternative on NR now.

These are the only options currently advertised:

• Brighton and Hove Buses between Brighton and Shoreham-by-Sea (Route 2) and between Brighton and Eastbourne via Seaford (Route 12)

• Great Western Railway / Metrobus between Redhill and Reigate

• Stagecoach buses on route 700 between Brighton and Worthing

• Thameslink between Brighton and London Bridge

 

[bengley]

Are they? They certainly were to begin with, but they don't show up as an alternative on NR now.

These are the only options currently advertised:

• Brighton and Hove Buses between Brighton and Shoreham-by-Sea (Route 2) and between Brighton and Eastbourne via Seaford (Route 12)

• Great Western Railway / Metrobus between Redhill and Reigate

• Stagecoach buses on route 700 between Brighton and Worthing

• Thameslink between Brighton and London Bridge

Perhaps they're not now then.

 

[TEW]

They are, but it's not being advertised to prevent people buying cheaper Southern Only tickets from Southampton/Portsmouth when they never had any intention of using Southern services.

 

[Surreytraveller]

They are, but it's not being advertised to prevent people buying cheaper Southern Only tickets from Southampton/Portsmouth when they never had any intention of using Southern services.

More deceit from GTR, then

 

[TheManBehind]

More deceit from GTR, then

More likely at SWTs request, actually.

 

[Wookiee]

They are, but it's not being advertised to prevent people buying cheaper Southern Only tickets from Southampton/Portsmouth when they never had any intention of using Southern services.

I've never really been sure where I stand with this. My ticket is a 'via Barnham' one, but it would currently benefit me to be able to go to Clapham and go SWT to Havant or Southampton. Does the disruption allow me to do that or not?

 

[KeithP]

I've never really been sure where I stand with this. My ticket is a 'via Barnham' one, but it would currently benefit me to be able to go to Clapham and go SWT to Havant or Southampton. Does the disruption allow me to do that or not?

From where?

 

[Wookiee]

From where?

Oops! East Croydon.

 

[bengley]

New strike announced for 21st June

 

[infobleep]

This morning there was an apology for the 8.09 Victoria service being 5 cars from Haywards Heath instead of 10. This was a manual announcement. Then a Bedford service turns up and at the end of the automated announcement it says this service is reported as full and standing. It was but it was possible to board it. I always thought full and standing meant you might not get on.

Once this train reached Gatwick I then heard a manual announcement apologising for the short formation. So it seens this train was short formed too! You'd think that too could have been announced at Haywards Heath. In fact at East Croydon, where I got off, I saw just 4 carriages. Again only automated announcement about it being full and standing here but at least a manual announcement about an alternative due in shortly with more carriages.

At least they can't blame the short formations on staff sickness.

The screen at East Croydon clearly highlighted it was 4 carriages but I don't remember seeing that on the screens at Haywards Heath.

I went into Southern's Web Site, which I know doesn't include Thameslink services. It was a mobile friendly site. Then I clicked on a link and suddenly it put me on a non mobile friendly site. All I wanted to see was the disruption to Southern services. You'd think k they could provide that in a mobile friendly format. It's not as if they don't have a newish franchise.

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[maniacmartin]

Automatic announcements at Purley station this morning 'strongly advise' that passengers exit the station if their train is cancelled and keep checking the National Rail live departure board website, presumably to reduce station overcrowding. This is the not the best idea, given that LDB and RTT often aren't updated with details of cancelled trains lately.

 

[GodAtum]

It is getting silly. A lot of trains are short formed, late or cancelled. It's impossible to try to be on time to work, or get home on time

 

[maniacmartin]

So far the DOO Caterham/Tattenham trains have been pretty unaffected by these issues, but today was a total shambles at Purley station for DOO services.

At least one CAT/TAT train was cancelled. The next arrived late. Station announcements were made that it was in reverse formation, with the Tattenham section at the front and the Caterham section at the rear. No-one bothred to inform passengers who were already on board, and previous on-board announcements had stated that Caterham was the front part.

After 10 minutes sitting on the platform, they announced that the Caterham part was cancelled. A few minutes later it was announced that the Tattenham part was terminating short at Coulsdon Town. Also, Reedham (London) station was unstaffed, with a closed ticket office contrary to TSA Schedule 17 and the franchise commitment for all stations in London to be staffed from first to last train.

Earlier this week (after 9pm) I was at New Cross Gate station, planning to catch a direct Horsham train to Purley. They were all cancelled, but no-one had entered it into the IT systems, so they were all showing as on time in RTT etc and also on the platform screens, which slowly ticked the 'delay' forwards as time went by. It took me a while to work out what was going on, and when I did I informed a huddle of 3 London Overground (agency?) staff that the screens were all wrong. They were unable/unwilling to find out when the next train via East Croydon would actually arrive, and didn't bother making any announcements for other passengers. Obviously had I been told in advance which trains were going to be cancelled rather than left in limbo with false information I would have been able to plan an alternative route and arrive home earlier.

It really appears as if GTR don't care about communicating with their customers now. The battle lines are drawn and passengers are the collateral damage between Dft/GTR and staff/unions.


I will however commend the guard on today's 17:32 London Bridge to Horsham, Tonbridge and Reigate service, which was short-formed with the Tonbridge part cancelled. She gave very clear and detailed announcements and advice. Just the sort of person GTR probably want to get rid of.

 

[marcolau]

Hi, it's my first time of posting on this forum, and sadly I have to post a question on this confusing situation.

I had bought a ticket from SOU - BTN on 18 JUN, off-peak single (via Barnham), intending to travel late afternoon (I had a Advance ticket from CDF-SOU early morning. SOU is my stopover, and planned to visit there for the day).

Given the current situation, I had a look at the services operated today, and found not much actually operated.

Should I excess the ticket to any route permitted so that I can travel via Clapham for higher flexibility (excess was around £10 with railcard), or just catch the first available service out without visiting? I have yet decided because I don't want to give up Southampton unless absolute necessary.

Thanks for your advice in advance!

Cheers
Marco

 

[W230]

It is getting silly. A lot of trains are short formed, late or cancelled. It's impossible to try to be on time to work, or get home on time

We are having a lot of short formations across the TL side at present. Grumbling 319's, stroppy 377/387s etc along with the usual staff shortages, driver training for 700's and disruption on the Southern side. It can't be fun for passengers.

One thing that really 'grinds my gears' at present and is leading to more cancellations at short notice due to train faults is the refusal of Govia to let us ring Cauldwell depot when we have a fault. They know the 319s inside out but every time we have a fault we now have to contact Three Bridges who (understandably) haven't got a clue. I've tried ringing Cauldwell when stuck but they've been told they mustn't help and it must go through TB.

A typical phone call in the last few weeks during a 319 failure:

TB "what does MITRAC say?"

Driver " er...it's a 319 it doesn't have MITRAC"

TB "oh right. But what does it say...?"

DRIVER "is there anyone else there who might be able to help?"

Cue 5 minutes of shuffling paper.

TB "Ok ... pull the TIS [traction Interlock Switch] flag"

Driver "it's a motor fault. TIS won't help that and if I pull it i'm out of service"

TB "that's it, definitely"

Well you can work out the rest for yourself. Angry passengers dumped at East Croydon in the peak while the train ran empty still with the motor fault... The availability of a fitter on the phone has been a godsend for many drivers for ages but now we have a bloke in an office with some old traction manuals. Ridiculous.

 

[Deepgreen]

So far the DOO Caterham/Tattenham trains have been pretty unaffected by these issues, but today was a total shambles at Purley station for DOO services.

At least one CAT/TAT train was cancelled. The next arrived late. Station announcements were made that it was in reverse formation, with the Tattenham section at the front and the Caterham section at the rear. No-one bothred to inform passengers who were already on board, and previous on-board announcements had stated that Caterham was the front part.

After 10 minutes sitting on the platform, they announced that the Caterham part was cancelled. A few minutes later it was announced that the Tattenham part was terminating short at Coulsdon South. Also, Reedham (London) station was unstaffed, with a closed ticket office contrary to TSA Schedule 17 and the franchise commitment for all stations in London to be staffed from first to last train.

Earlier this week (after 9pm) I was at New Cross Gate station, planning to catch a direct Horsham train to Purley. They were all cancelled, but no-one had entered it into the IT systems, so they were all showing as on time in RTT etc and also on the platform screens, which slowly ticked the 'delay' forwards as time went by. It took me a while to work out what was going on, and when I did I informed a huddle of 3 London Overground (agency?) staff that the screens were all wrong. They were unable/unwilling to find out when the next train via East Croydon would actually arrive, and didn't bother making any announcements for other passengers. Obviously had I been told in advance which trains were going to be cancelled rather than left in limbo with false information I would have been able to plan an alternative route and arrive home earlier.

It really appears as if GTR don't care about communicating with their customers now. The battle lines are drawn and passengers are the collateral damage between Dft/GTR and staff/unions.


I will however commend the guard on today's 17:32 London Bridge to Horsham, Tonbridge and Reigate service, which was short-formed with the Tonbridge part cancelled. She gave very clear and detailed announcements and advice. Just the sort of person GTR probably want to get rid of.

Diverted, or did you mean Couldson Town?

 

[blotred]

I was on a short-formed Cat/Tatt train (the tatt part was cancelled, so it was only 4 carriages) yesterday during the PM peak - it was already 10 minutes late and the train after was cancelled.

At Balham when people couldn't board there was nearly a fight - tempers were fraying, people were shouting and swearing and getting very agitated.

It was a terrible sight to see.

Edit: I have already sent a letter to my MP about this incident as well as others - Not quite sure what else to do tbh.

 

[maniacmartin]

Diverted, or did you mean Couldson Town?

My apologies. I meant Town.

 

[FOH]

Victoria was apparently a mêlée after around 2050 with cancelled trains and then a fully loaded one that was then cancelled before departure as there was no relief driver for it at East Croydon. The mix of frustration and post-match alcohol consumption nearly led to fisticuffs.

 

[maniacmartin]

My other half was at Victoria around 22:00 when two fast trains via East Croydon were cancelled. The next train was (presumably wedged) the 2217 to Bognor Regis which left at 22:25 and arrived at Croydon at 22:42, and the train after that was also cancelled.

It's a shame that there were no announcements to direct people to the lightly loaded 22:15 stopper to Tattenham Corner, which arrived into Croydon only 5 minutes after the fast train, at 22:47. I'm told that this service was quite lightly loaded because it didn't appear go from the fast platforms or appear on the board thae board that shows the fast trains to Croydon. Directing people onto this slightly slower service would have alleviated some of the overcrowding.

 

[Stew998]

Victoria was apparently a mêlée after around 2050 with cancelled trains and then a fully loaded one that was then cancelled before departure as there was no relief driver for it at East Croydon. The mix of frustration and post-match alcohol consumption nearly led to fisticuffs.

I was waiting for the 2042 from London Bridge to Brighton which was delayed due to awaiting a member of train crew. Come 2055 I read the runes and decided to get the 2104 Uckfield service and change at East Croydon. That was only 4 cars and rammed, including well oiled football fans. The 2042 was still sitting there when we pulled out.

There were a couple of angry fellow commuters shouting at the announcements at East Croydon, mainly the bit where it said that "Southern are sorry..." which they definitely didn't believe.... This carried on when we boarded the 2133 to the South coast where the football fans were joined by some equally well oiled Ascot refugees.

I have to say that I haven't been too badly affected so far travelling from Haywards Heath to London Bridge. Some people do moan a lot and make a meal of it but at the same time it has to be said that some are definitely beginning to lose sympathy now and just want it sorted.

 

[Deepgreen]

Quite unusual in yesterday's afternoon peak to find the two Gatwick platforms occupied by Southern stock, with GX workings scattered around other platforms, albeit thinned out by cancellations. P13 had a seemingly stabled 10 car 377/6 rake, and P14 had the 1720 to Horsham via Epsom.

 

[387star]

Any reason why southern was not running through trains from portsmouth to vic this evening with a change at barnham required? Also the 8 car from bognor was making weird stops at purley coulsdon south etc

 

[speedy_sticks]

We are having a lot of short formations across the TL side at present. Grumbling 319's, stroppy 377/387s etc along with the usual staff shortages, driver training for 700's and disruption on the Southern side. It can't be fun for passengers. .

My thinking is that GTR/Government are trying to save money with all these short formations. Basically if they don't run a unit, they don't pay the leasing company for its use?

Also with all these breakdowns (apart from 319) am I right in thinking that GTR don't have any maintenance agreements with Bombardier on their 377's now, just their 378's?

 

[tsr]

Also the 8 car from bognor was making weird stops at purley coulsdon south etc

It quite often does on a Sunday. Stopping at Purley was particularly advantageous because it allowed passengers to connect with replacement buses on routes via Oxted.

 

[infobleep]

Who enters in this information in and what train could possibly be slower than one that runs between two stations with no other stations in between? I guess one could run at a lower mph. Not sure that anything has replaced it or at least not from what I can see.

To be fair National Rail Enquiries App lists it as a broken down train. If only we could run a railway without trains, then we'd save lots of money as there would be nothing to fail and fix! Lol.

2I05 0800 Redhill to Reigate
Southern service
This service was cancelled throughout due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS).
Show service information
WTTRealtime
LocationPlArrDepArrDepDly
Redhill [RDH]0800-
Reigate [REI]0804

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W73850/2016/06/20/advanced

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[Islineclear3_1]

I have an employee who usually gets the 06.13 East Grinstead to London Bridge. I know its a bit early to say at this moment in time but will tomorrow's strike affect the early morning trains arriving in London before 9am?

 

[maniacmartin]

Realtimetrains is showing that service as cancelled. The first train out of East Grinstead is scheduled to be the 06:54 to London Bridge

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Realtimetrains is showing that service as cancelled. The first train out of East Grinstead is scheduled to be the 06:54 to London Bridge

Thank you, I will keep an eye on that one.