I dont know what Southern have done to their information systems all they seem to do is change the system to make it even worse.
They used to have a system which appeared fairly reliable until there was a serious fault on the network. It could cope with incidents that affected single lines, but not one which affected all lines. However it could give early warnings of short trains, and except in the worst cases worked really well.
The last 2 changes which apparently are to ensure they are taking the same information as available on the Network Rail live train tracker have just meant that the information Southern can and are putting out is just total garbage, and invariably they can no longer warn of short trains.
Take this morning, the Southern Twitter feed is warning of electrical supply problems affecting the Uckfield and East Grinstead lines and that tickets are being accepted on South Eastern etc. So get wife and child out of bed to drive me to Crowborough station to see whats happening. et to Crowborough and station office shut, few people milling around and the customer information system helpfully shows the 7.20 train to London Bridge as "Delayed" with a note electrical supply problems are causing delays etc.
So get wife to drive me to Tunbridge Wells and whilst on the train up to London from their I check live train tracker to see the 7.20 from Crowborough left a whjole 2 minutes late. Thats not a delay.
The same thing happened 2 weeks ago in the snow, Southerns twitter feed was reporting the line was closed, and at the station the Customer Information System gave trains as Delayed, but both the 7.20 and 7.45 ran on time. The latter appeared on the display about 2 minutes before it arrived at the station. Having seen it going down to Uckfield I knew it was around hence being at the station in the first place.
So why cant railway companies get an information system that actually works? It must be the biggest irritant for passengers. Passengers know that their can be issues, defects, accidents, suicides etc that cause delays, but its the lack of accurate information that really annoys passengers.
The one benefit of this morning was that I was able to get the 7.20 from Tunbridge Wells so actually got me in earlier than the 7.20 from Crowborough. It also reminded why I dont pay the extra £1,500 to travel from there. I prefer the comfort of the Class 1713, which make it a lot easier to sleep!
They used to have a system which appeared fairly reliable until there was a serious fault on the network. It could cope with incidents that affected single lines, but not one which affected all lines. However it could give early warnings of short trains, and except in the worst cases worked really well.
The last 2 changes which apparently are to ensure they are taking the same information as available on the Network Rail live train tracker have just meant that the information Southern can and are putting out is just total garbage, and invariably they can no longer warn of short trains.
Take this morning, the Southern Twitter feed is warning of electrical supply problems affecting the Uckfield and East Grinstead lines and that tickets are being accepted on South Eastern etc. So get wife and child out of bed to drive me to Crowborough station to see whats happening. et to Crowborough and station office shut, few people milling around and the customer information system helpfully shows the 7.20 train to London Bridge as "Delayed" with a note electrical supply problems are causing delays etc.
So get wife to drive me to Tunbridge Wells and whilst on the train up to London from their I check live train tracker to see the 7.20 from Crowborough left a whjole 2 minutes late. Thats not a delay.
The same thing happened 2 weeks ago in the snow, Southerns twitter feed was reporting the line was closed, and at the station the Customer Information System gave trains as Delayed, but both the 7.20 and 7.45 ran on time. The latter appeared on the display about 2 minutes before it arrived at the station. Having seen it going down to Uckfield I knew it was around hence being at the station in the first place.
So why cant railway companies get an information system that actually works? It must be the biggest irritant for passengers. Passengers know that their can be issues, defects, accidents, suicides etc that cause delays, but its the lack of accurate information that really annoys passengers.
The one benefit of this morning was that I was able to get the 7.20 from Tunbridge Wells so actually got me in earlier than the 7.20 from Crowborough. It also reminded why I dont pay the extra £1,500 to travel from there. I prefer the comfort of the Class 1713, which make it a lot easier to sleep!
