A better month – almost five weeks travel and only 166 minutes of delay! Delay-Repay Claims 1 January 2015 to 31 March 2015 inclusive = £22.07 (Southeastern £ 14.65, Thameslink £7.42).

Keith is a SRTA member and a regular commuter from Bat & Ball to London via Sevenoaks.

 

Week of 2 March 2015

Total lateness 34 minutes: Southeastern 24, Thameslink 12

• This was by recent form quite a good week only 34 minutes of delay experienced. Due to the 07.23 being very crowded again this week I mostly travelled on the 07.28 to Cannon Street; I got a seat on that train 2 out of 3 days.
• Monday 2 March ~ Travelled on the 08.56 departure from Sevenoaks; the female conductor undertook a ticket check. When she asked to see tickets a young woman sitting near me said, “You will have to wait until I have finished my important telephone calls”!!!!! I did not hear the reply.
• Friday 6 March ~ The 07.23 actually had seats available at Sevenoaks so I used this service today.

Week of 9 March 2015

Total lateness 70 minutes: Southeastern 9, Thameslink 61

• Due to the 07.23 being very crowded again this week I only travelled on it once on Friday when a seat was available.
• Monday 9 March  ~ A bad start to the week my chosen train from Bat & Ball was cancelled resulting in a 49 minute late arrival at Cannon Street – Delay Repay!
• Tuesday 10 March ~ The 07.23 to Cannon Street had one carriage locked out of use which added to the overcrowding on this service; fortunately it was one of the coaches with first class accommodation in it! The 1800 departure from Sevenoaks to Bat & Ball was only 4 coaches instead of the usual 8.
• Friday 13 March ~ I travelled home on the 18.06 departure from Cannon Street; surprisingly this trains left London Bridge with seats still available.

Week of 16 March 2015

Total lateness 31 minutes: Southeastern 23, Thameslink 8

• Monday 16 March ~ Due to being in the right place at the right time I actually got a seat on the 07.23 from Sevenoaks. One person detrained at Sevenoaks I was first to board the train and secured the one available seat where I was on the platform. The 18.06 departure from Cannon Street was very crowded this evening; first class was declassified at London Bridge.
• Tuesday 17 March ~ The 07.23 and 07.28 to Cannon Street were both full and standing this morning. A few unusable middle of three seats available.
• Wednesday 18 March ~ The 07.23 was full and standing this morning, a few unusable middle of three seats available. I travelled on the 07.28 an got a seat.
• Thursday 19 March  ~ Destination Brighton today so I travelled from Bat & Ball to Victoria changing at Otford. Arrival at Victoria was 8 minutes late; with the very generous times allowed for journeys to Victoria I am always surprised that the train services are frequently late on this route!

Week of 23 March 2015

Total lateness 20 minutes: Southeastern 6, Thameslink 14

• Wednesday 25 March ~ The 17.24 departure from Cannon Street was delayed by 3 minutes; the driver was experiencing problems with the doors again. On arrival at Bat & Ball the Information Screen was not working, the first time in quite a while. It was displaying “Welcome to South Eastern”; should this not now be “Welcome to Thameslink”?
  Week commencing Monday 23 March 2015 ~ I travelled on the 07.28 to Cannon Street everyday this week due to the 07.23 being full and standing.
• Thursday 26 March ~ On arrival at Bat & Ball this morning the Information Screen was still not working. the lift on platform 3 & 4 at Sevenoaks was out of service. There was also a problem with the Gents’ toilets. The disabled toilet was made available for use for all but if anybody closed the door on exiting it could not be reopened without a key. Why do the staff at Sevenoaks not make the facilities more accessible, preventing the door from being closed on exit, when either the Gents or Ladies toilets are out of use?

Week of 30 March 2015

Total lateness 11 minutes: Southeastern 6, Thameslink 5

• Tuesday 30 March~  The front our coaches of the 07.28 to Cannon Street were low density stock; no seats available at Sevenoaks any many people were standing on departure. The 17.24 departure from Cannon Street appeared to have door problems again; they were not released until 17.14. Very slow progress through South London but surprisingly only 3 minutes late arrival at Sevenoaks.
• Wednesday 1 April ~ The Information Screen at Bat & Ball Station was not working this morning; possibly due to mobile telephone technology problems based on the error message being displayed.
• Thursday 2 April ~ The day before Easter and not that many people were travelling on the 07.24 departure; seats for all at Sevenoaks and Chelsfield. Possibly also due to the train having no first class accommodation at all this morning; what a shame!

Other incidents and issues this month: –

• The toilets on the platforms at London Bridge Station are already closed pending demolition; this seems very premature considering the platforms will still be in use for about 16 months.
• The clock that was located on platform 1 at Bat & Ball Station has disappeared!