Well Done Southern

[Minstral25]

All I can say is well done Southern - still running trains in appalling conditions, on complex junctions and on third rail. Absolutely Massive Effort Tonight!!

My journey home tonight took 4 and half hours (Dalston to Redhill) but I made it - even if the train got lost a few times.

Got to Victoria - nothing happening but I wandered to platform 15 and a train had a green light - Driver said he was going to Horsham calling at Clapham Junction and Dorking as nothing could get through East Croydon.. Thought Dorking is right way, can get FGW train to Redhill so got on found a seat and got comfy.

Train got to Wandsworth and went up hill to go down to Mitcham but there we stopped. Driver came on and said there was a points failure directly in front of us and they would have to reverse back to the main line - which he did!

Then he came back on and said he was going to East Croydon - which we did - at East Croydon he announced that he would stop additionally at Redhill (large Cheer in our carriage as I wasn't the only one thinking about Dorking to get home) and Gatwick.

Out we pulled and tottled down towards Purley - outside Purley we stopped to await a FCC train reversing back down the line in a shunt (later found out was because of a broken down train blocking the line at Coulsdon South) - then we pulled into Purley Station and the driver opened the door to let on stranded passengers from another train.

Sadly then he announced there was no Southbound service to Redhill and we would have to go to Gatwick and catch a train back - large groans - but he opened doors to let anyone off who wanted to stay at Purley even though he recommended against it.

Then a long slow trek to Gatwick - where we disembarked and rightly 10 minutes later a train appeared to take us back to Redhill. We had an eventful journey but we got home.

A splendid effort all round by Southern - a big Thank you to all their staff who must have worked so hard to help all their passengers and to all the railway staff of the other companies who are doing their best to help us all.

 

[asylumxl]

To add to this, as they run on the same lines, I want to say Well Done FCC aswell! (Rare occurence)

Having waited ages for a Bedford service with no luck, a train finally arrived, with the CIS displaying "Stand Back: A fast train approaching", which then stopped and opened its doors. It was in fact an unscheduled additional Bedford train!

It's nice to known that the rail industry can still improvise.

 

[westcoaster]

Some 1Txx' were running 160 late but still running and booked calls, east croydon was a mine field earlier, looking on p2 nothing was less than 90 late.

Also some lorol 9dxx's were running down the fasts as well.

 

[jd]

Are you guys serious?

I was supposed to take the 1638 CLJ-BAA - the 1538 and 1608 trains terminated past CLJ but short of destination, and the 1638/1708/1738 hadn't shown up by 1800, and the 1808 was no report, and the 1838 cancelled. I went to a starbucks in clapham and gave up checking the LDB at about quarter past six and went to dinner and drinks with a friend in London via SWT to Vauxhall and then the tube. Headed to VIC around quarter to 11 for the 2232 which was at that point expected at 2305. Ended up on the 2217 VIC-BAA via Hove which left at 2305, and has *just* got to Gatwick 63 mins late - was only 48 late leaving VIC!

The 2232 I headed to VIC for left at 2334 apparently.

I know it's not Southern's fault, but are you serious when saying they've done a good job!?!

 

[bengley]

This evening I was coming home from Seaford via Brighton. Obviously everything was tits-up, so I asked a member of staff if my Advance ticket for the 19:19 to Victoria would be accepted on any train. He said yes, so I got the first London bound FCC train to Bedford, got a whole carriage to myself on the 18:37 which ran fast to East Croydon. I decided to go to Farringdon and catch a Met from there, and to my luck, straight away a Rickmansworth train came. A short change at Rickmansworth for an Amersham and I was home within 25 minutes.

I think I actually got home half an hour sooner than I would have done had the train service been working properly!

 

[ungreat]

It really is bad out there right now so,please give the staff(we DO try) a chance and we WILL tell you whats going on...often we are the last to know!

 

[asylumxl]

I know it's not Southern's fault, but are you serious when saying they've done a good job!?!

Yes. What do you expect them to do when there's no extra capacity and very few opportunities to overtake? It can't be helped. But keeping customers informed is very important, and at least during my experience tonight, this was done very well.

It really is bad out there right now so,please give the staff(we DO try) a chance and we WILL tell you whats going on...often we are the last to know!

Agreed! At CTK this evening, dispatch staff kept having to walk all the way down the platform and ask the driver.

 

[Minstral25]

Are you guys serious?

I know it's not Southern's fault, but are you serious when saying they've done a good job!?!

Very Serious - They did brilliant.

Infrastructure failing in the conditions all around them. Trains failing too. But they still found ways to get us home. Kept a service going.

We had to go home to Redhill by going south to Gatwick and back up to Redhill. We got Home and a big thank you.

Same again today i suspect - Gatwick is closed - roads are blocked - hundreds of accidents - but I bet Southern will still keep going - slow, irregular but still going.

 

[Fincra5]

Southern did do very well. Yes trains were late and some were cancelled but they still managed to run a reasonable service, i managed to get to and from selhurst depot with no problems myself

Even today there are some planned cancellations and alterations but almost all trains (out of the vast amount run a day) are still running.

 

[O L Leigh]

Agreed! At CTK this evening, dispatch staff kept having to walk all the way down the platform and ask the driver.

Not always the smartest move. We're usually the last to know and are often reliant on platform staff to tell us what's going on.

O L Leigh

 

[Electrostar]

It took me 40 minutes to get from Clapham Junction to Victoria as there wasn't a platform free to take the 12-carriage train. Then it was off to the Southeastern concourse for more delays. Information from staff on both operators was forthcoming with regular updates, which is what you want.

National Rail and the operators' websites and NR app aren't coping. They show services as being on time when they haven't even left their departure station.

London Overground were quick to suspend ELL services between Dalston and West Croydon yesterday afternoon while Southern and SE dug in and continued. Does anyone know why LO curtailed services so early? New trains and new track couldn't cope?

 

[Minstral25]

I suspect LO realised that Southern had enough problems without adding their trains to the mix but I think a breakdown at Anerley last night made it worse. But that is why I ended up at Victoria to come home.

Sadly this morning not so good - stood at Redhill for just over an hour - no information to staff on trains coming in and one train arrived from London for Brighton, stopped and went no further. They announced signal failure at the station so I went home to get warm.

Even so there were staff trying very hard to tell passengers what was going on and clearing snow and laying grit all over the station.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Not always the smartest move. We're usually the last to know and are often reliant on platform staff to tell us what's going on.

O L Leigh

The staff at CTK (City Thameslink) really do do their best, I worked there and if John and 'Gibbo' are on duty, they really will do a lot to find out what is going on from any source they can.

In many cases I have personally seen (as station staff and driver), the drivers do actually know more than the station staff! they drivers know where they should be going (even if they can't actually get there), the platform staff have a display board that could be wrong, little contact with control (15 or more stations are trying to be in touch with three people who also have to organise things) and have trains turning up (and not always in the 'right' order).

In these conditions, even when things seem really badly organised, the front line staff are nearly always doing there best to get joe public home!

 

[GodAtum]

A friend of mine (a paramedic going on duty) even got to hop into the drivers cab as the train was completely full.

 

[bicbasher]

Well done to Southern this morning who despite a departures board full of cancellations managed to get an 8 car 377 out this morning packed full to the rafters of LOROL passengers up to London Bridge from Forest Hill.

 

[ushawk]

Perhaps Southeastern should take a leaf out of Southern's book - well done Southern for actually keeping on running a service through all the trouble.

Website was (and still is) well updated and the revised timetable is sensible.

 

[Minstral25]

Except I am very wary of the revised timetable - I've been past Redhill Station several times today having given up this morning after waiting over an hour to be told there was a signal failure - I haven't yet seen a train in the station other than a 455 dumped in platform 4

As a matter of interest a question to the rail guys on here - does you know where that 455 comes from as it is often in the bay late at night/early morning but as far as I know no 455's run normal services to Redhill (it's all Southern 377s and a couple of FCC 319s)

 

[ushawk]

Would probably come from Caterham id think.

And there was a broken down train at Gatwick this morning which caused long delays and a signalling problem between Redhill and Reigate.

 

[87015]

Radio says Southern have thrown in the towel and not running anything at all this morning.

 

[Class377/5]

Radio says Southern have thrown in the towel and not running anything at all this morning.

Sorry but your comment is a bit out of order. If you had any idea of what happened last night you'd know that the oppisite happened and due to some seriously bad weather conditions Southern were forced to suspend services down the Brighton mainline. They have worked hard to try and get something working but if you can't be sure that your not going to get passengers stuck between stations then don't send them.

They have a duty of care and its a case of at the moment (well when I was in work a few hours ago) that it they couldn't guarntee the safely of passengers travelling so they didn't run anything. Let's not turn a positive post into negitive because you don't know the facts. All too often we moan that this didn't happen and don't mention the good stuff enough.

The staff at CTK (City Thameslink) really do do their best, I worked there and if John and 'Gibbo' are on duty, they really will do a lot to find out what is going on from any source they can.

In many cases I have personally seen (as station staff and driver), the drivers do actually know more than the station staff! they drivers know where they should be going (even if they can't actually get there), the platform staff have a display board that could be wrong, little contact with control (15 or more stations are trying to be in touch with three people who also have to organise things) and have trains turning up (and not always in the 'right' order).

In these conditions, even when things seem really badly organised, the front line staff are nearly always doing there best to get joe public home!

Both of those two have moved on from City now but are back for the moment!

As for City staff chatting to the driver, well best to make sure what is happening so any infomation can be shared among the frontline staff. The more we know, the better service (and I don't just mean a train service) we can provide to passengers. As you rightly say!

 

[ushawk]

Hadnt really got a choice to cancel everything, had so much snow overnight so staff probably cant get in, then theres the usual snow risks to consider.

 

[crewmeal]

As usual the third rail system can't work in these conditions. Perhaps South East could have hired in a few Duffs with some good old fashioned Mk1/ II/III rolling stock to get things moving again.

 

[thefab444]

As a matter of interest a question to the rail guys on here - does you know where that 455 comes from as it is often in the bay late at night/early morning but as far as I know no 455's run normal services to Redhill (it's all Southern 377s and a couple of FCC 319s)

There's a couple of booked 455 workings at Redhill:

5P09 05:14 Redhill RES - Redhill
2P09 05:28 Redhill - London Victoria
5B15 23:10 Tattenham Corner - Redhill RES

 

[The Barlow Boy]

Went to Bath and back from Clapham Junction yesterday. No problems on the journey at all. Mind you, having a 1937 built loco hauling 1960s built stock virtually ensured it.

 

[cuccir]

As usual the third rail system can't work in these conditions. Perhaps South East could have hired in a few Duffs with some good old fashioned Mk1/ II/III rolling stock to get things moving again.

Why was the third-rail system brought in in the South East, when it clearly cannot operate in snow, and is demonstrably more dangerous to trespassers (I know maybe we shouldn't care too much about them, but it's probably better when they don't die)? I presume it must have been significantly cheaper than overhead wires?

 

[bicbasher]

Southern have managed to get a 2tph shuttle service to London Bridge via Forest Hill starting at East Croydon.

This is filling the gap where LOROL have stopped ELL services south of New Cross Gate.

 

[Fincra5]

Radio says Southern have thrown in the towel and not running anything at all this morning.

We tried to run services today. A shuttle service to Lewes was tried, and a 171 was out trying to clear the line. So we didn't give up that easily.

 

[Dolive22]

Could someone tell me what's likely to happen for Friday? I am involved with an event and one of the people we need is in Brighton and isn't really free to leave until Friday. I need to get them to St Albans, preferably SAC but I'm not picky, SAA, even Hatfield or Welwyn at a push.

A couple of points from reading the rest of this. I'm not sure 'throwing in the towel' is neccessarily a criticism. If I was up against a heavy weight world boxing champ I'd throw in the towel, doesn't make me a coward.

With the paramedic, is there some procedure for prioritising passengers and/or bending (ok, blatently flouting) rules in emergencies such as this?

 

[Fincra5]

Not sure, however if there isn't a fresh fall of snow and it is safe to do so the plan is the try and run the revisied timetable (thats the latest news).

 

[Dolive22]

Thanks Fincra5