Why do TOCs lie about delay times?

[Tomnick]

Indeed, it's far from ideal, but passing loops for unplanned occasional use only would be difficult to justify, I'd have thought.

 

[33056]

Somebody mentioned Switzerland, they have it about right IMO. Trains are always allowed plenty of time without it being excessive, also everything (and I mean everything, including busses, ships, cable cars etc) connects. Switzerland is the only place where I will take a two or three minute connection as gospel, they will also turf out a spare set if an international train is late from another country, so the Swiss section is still on time.

My favourite word over there is "Ersatzzug", subsitute train - which probably means you are getting something like this instead of an ICE or similar

 

[Smudger105e]

Somebody mentioned Switzerland, they have it about right IMO. Trains are always allowed plenty of time without it being excessive

They allow plenty of time? Us Brits can't get it right for you lot, either there's not enough time or too much time! How many ways do you want it?

they will also turf out a spare set if an international train is late from another country, so the Swiss section is still on time.

And how much spare stock, staff to operate and pathways do you honestly think are available in the UK, particularly in the South East corner? When I was a fitter in those parts, we had spare stock at starategic locations (Brighton, Three Bridges, Selhurst, Victoria etc) that was not used outside the morning and evening peaks, but stock costs money. Staffing cost money. Delays cost money. Do you want to pay even more for your (season) ticket to pay for this desirable spare capacity?

I don't know the figures these days, but when I was on the South Central, they incurred a fine of £83 for every minutes delay to a service, and also for every other service that the delay impacted on. If for example a Brighton to Southamton train was delayed at Brighton for 5 minutes waiting for an arrival, that would have been £415 charged by Railtrack, and if that delay meant it impacted on SWT services they would be charged £83 a minute for all those delays too! Hand on heart, would you delay a train by 5 minutes if your Company was going to have to pay perhaps £2000 for it?

 

[33056]

They allow plenty of time? Us Brits can't get it right for you lot, either there's not enough time or too much time! How many ways do you want it?

Give me the Swiss way any time, I would rather take a little longer and know that the timetable is robust than rush everywhere hoping that the odd minute dropped here and there doesn't snowball into a longer delay.

And how much spare stock, staff to operate and pathways do you honestly think are available in the UK, particularly in the South East corner? When I was a fitter in those parts, we had spare stock at starategic locations (Brighton, Three Bridges, Selhurst, Victoria etc) that was not used outside the morning and evening peaks, but stock costs money. Staffing cost money. Delays cost money. Do you want to pay even more for your (season) ticket to pay for this desirable spare capacity?

That is the problem. We are never going to have anything like the Switzerland unless the whole attitude towards rail and other public transport changes in this country and, lets face facts, it just isn't going to happen