A slightly better month – “only” 215 minutes of delays, on 19 days of travel. Delay Repay so far this year of £10.13 (Southeastern £ 5.80, Thameslink £4.33), with two claims against Southeastern outstanding.
Keith is a SRTA member and a regular commuter from Bat & Ball to London via Sevenoaks.
Week of 2 February 2015
I only travelled on four days. Total lateness 81 minutes, Southeastern 17, Thameslink 64
Monday 2 February ~ The 07.10 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks only 4 coaches rather than 8; the 18.00 Sevenoaks to Bat & Ball was also only 4 coaches instead of usual 8. The stock used for both of these services is the same so it was not unexpected. The 07.23 to Cannon Street had a few seats free this morning so I travelled on it. It would appear that due to this service usually being full and standing on arrival at Sevenoaks since the introduction of the current timetable many people who formerly boarded at Chelsfield are travelling on alternative trains. I was in a good position to observe how many people detrained at New Cross this morning; only 8.
Tuesday 3 February ~ The 7.17 slow service from Sevenoaks was cancelled this morning and the 07.23 was stopping additionally at Dunton Green and Knockholt to cover. On arrival at Sevenoaks the 07.23 was quite full and people were already standing. I opted to travel on the 7.28 and stand in relative comfort!
I travelled home on the 7.24 from Cannon Street which arrived 4 minutes late at Sevenoaks in time for the 18.00 departure for Bat & Ball but this service had been cancelled! I walked home from Sevenoaks because I needed to get home quickly and could not wait for the next train service.
Wednesday 4 February ~ I needed to be home earlier than usual this evening so I travelled on the 16.29 from Cannon Street which was only 1 minute late at Sevenoaks; I could not afford to waste 27 minutes waiting for the next departure to Bat & Ball so I had to walk home from Sevenoaks Station again.
Friday 6 February ~ Travelled to Dover Priory today; the return journey was not too good. I arrived at Sevenoaks on time then the 18.00 departure was cancelled again and the 18.18 was delayed and run to the timings of the 18.30 departure.
Week of 9 February 2015
Total lateness 60 minutes, Southeastern 26, Thameslink 34
Monday 9 February ~ The 07.23 arrived and people were already standing; there were a few centre of three seats but between large people so basically not usable. I opted to stand on the 07.28. The 17.24 from Cannon Street again arrived late at Sevenoaks and missed the 18.00 departure to Bat & Ball. The driver of the 17.24 advised that the slow journey was due to closely following a train from London Bridge to Lewisham and then another train delayed us on the approaches to Sevenoaks.
Tuesday 10 February ~ The 07.23 was a repeat of yesterday morning. The 07.28 was dispatched early at 07.27 and on arrival at London Bridge sat there for four minutes before departing for Cannon Street. The 17.24 from Cannon Street arrived seven minutes late at Sevenoaks at 18.00, fortunately 18.00 departure to Bat & Ball did not depart until 18.01; a close one!
Wednesday 11 February ~ I travelled to London later than normal today and the quickest route was direct to Blackfriars on the 08.46 departure which arrived in London one minute late. This train was only four coaches, very crowded with many people standing after Catford.
Thursday 12 February ~ My destination was Derby today and the best route to London was Bat & Ball direct to St Pancras. I travelled on the 07.56 departure and detrained one minute late at City Thameslink to validate my Oyster Card and then boarded the next available service to St Pancras. This journey is inconvenient to holders of annual season tickets only valid to London terminals travelling during the morning peak period because payment needs to be made for the journey from City Thameslink to St Pancras. A full price single railway ticket that can be purchased in advance of travel is £2.80 but the single Oyster Card fare is only £2.30. Therefore to obtain the cheapest fare you need to exit through the barriers at City Thameslink using your season ticket and then immediately return through them using your Oyster Card to continue to St Pancras! Why are there not Oyster Card readers on the platforms at City Thameslink station? However if you are travelling off peak the single train fare with Gold Card discount is only £1.85, not much more if a return ticket is required. Again the train from Bat & Ball was full with many people after Catford.
Friday 13 February – Announcement at London Bridge Underground Station Jubilee Line Westbound platform, “Do not obstruct the doors, let the train go, there is another two minutes behind. If you obstruct the doors you will end up on the naughty step, and you don’t want that do you”.
Week of 16 February 2015
Total lateness 36 minutes, Southeastern 17, Thameslink 19
Monday 16 February ~ I walked about half the length of the 07.23 to Cannon Street and found a seat. Many people were standing on the train though.
Tueday 17 February 2015 ~ There appeared to be a problem with the 07.09 departure from Sevenoaks to Kentish Town this morning because it was still occupying platform 4 at Sevenoaks when the 07.10 from Bat & Ball arrived at platform 3. The 07.23 to Cannon Street was full and people were standing on arrival at Sevenoaks; there were a few unusable centre of three seats unoccupied. I travelled on the 07.28 and found a seat; perhaps this was due to it being half term this week.
Wednesday 18 February ~ There was a problem with the 17.24 departure from Cannon Street the doors only opened on the first four coaches. The doors on the remaining eight coaches only opened shortly before departure. Most people waited in front of the closed doors along the length of the train; the experienced commuters walked to the front of the train boarded and walked back to the empty seats! The train made very slow progress through South London but surprisingly was only 3 minutes late at Sevenoaks.
Thursday 19 February ~ There were some seats available on the 07.23 from Sevenoaks so I travelled on this service for the first time in a long time; perhaps the seats were free due to it being half term.
Week of 23 February 2015
Total lateness 38 minutes, Southeastern 19, Thameslink 19
Monday 23 February ~ The 17.24 from Cannon Street was late again and missed the 18.00 connection to Bat & Ball. After people had boarded the 18.18 departure for Bat & Ball an announcement was made advising that the train would not be stopping at Bat & Ball due to equipment failure. Passengers were advised to travel to Otford and change trains there and come back to Bat & Ball! This would have resulted in arriving at Bat & Ball at 18.44; I walked!
Tuesday 24 February ~ Discovered yesterday’s equipment failure at Bat & Ball was the Driver Only Operation platform cameras and screens on the London bound platform. Therefore the train driver could not see if it was safe to depart. This morning there was a member of staff on the up platform dispatching trains. The problem was rectified by the evening.
Wednesday 25 February ~ The 07.23 to Cannon Street was full and people were standing on arrival at Sevenoaks. I travelled on the 07.28 but I had to stand; there were a few unusable centre of three seats unoccupied. Again there was a problem with the 17.24 departure from Cannon Street the doors only opened on the first four coaches. The doors on the remaining eight coaches only opened shortly before departure. Most people waited in front of the closed doors along the length of the train; as previously the experienced commuters walked to the front of the train boarded and walked back to the empty seats!
Saturday 28 February 2015 ~ The 18.22 from Victoria was cancelled; the 18.52 was delayed and missed the connection at Otford to Bat & Ball; one hour Delay Repay claim.