197 minutes of delay over five weeks.

Delay Repay Claims; total 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2015 inclusive = £34.15 (Thameslink = £11.41, Southeastern = £22.74)

Keith is a SRTA member and a regular commuter from Bat & Ball to London via Sevenoaks. Each month he gives his personal experiences and views.

Week of 1 June 2015

Total lateness 44 minutes: Southeastern 19, Thameslink 25

• Monday 1 June – The 07.23 to Cannon Street was crowded. I travelled on the 07.28: no seats available and hot.
• Tuesday 2 June – The 07.10 from Bat & Ball was 11 minutes late arriving at Sevenoaks this morning and missed the connection with the 07.23 to Cannon Street. Just caught the 07.28 which had no seats available, was very hot and departed 15 seconds early.
• Wednesday 3 June – 07.23 was too crowded but I got a seat on the 07.28 to Cannon Street. Cannon Street was chaotic tonight with many people waiting in front of the ticket barriers for their delayed trains caused by a freight train failure in the Charlton area. It was difficult to get through the crowd to platform 1 to my train. The 17.24 departure from Cannon Street had one four coach unit of low density stock in the formation. I had a good comfortable seat but it gave rise to overcrowding on this service. A very slow journey on the final approaches to Sevenoaks and I was becoming concerned about making a connection with the 18.00 departure to Bat & Ball; just made it!
• Thursday 4 June – The 07.10 from Bat & Ball was 11 minutes late arriving at Sevenoaks this morning and we watched the 07.23 to Cannon Street depart. The 07.28 was very crowded, I had to stand.
• Friday 5 June – Did not travel today. Listening to Radio Kent it was a good day not to be travelling on Southeastern!
• Saturday 6 June – My journey today was Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks and then on to Waterloo East on route to Farnham. The train from Sevenoaks to London was six minutes late departing Sevenoaks but only one minute late arriving at Waterloo East.

Week commencing 8 June 2015

Total lateness 44 minutes: Southeastern 26, Thameslink 18

• Monday 8 June – Both 07.23 and 07.28 crowded I had to stand today.
• Tuesday 9 June – The driver of the 07.23 missed the stop board again, a mad scramble on the platform to the doors. The 07.28 was busy, no seat for me. Trains were delayed on the approach to London Bridge due to signalling problems in the New Cross area.
• Wednesday 10 June – Both 07.23 and 07.28 crowded again I had to stand today. The 17.24 arrived just in time for the connection with the 18.00 departure to Bat & Ball tonight. I hurriedly boarded the train and realised that I was sitting on something solid; a lost mobile telephone.
• Thursday 11 June – The 07.23 was busy but a seat on the 07.28 to Cannon Street for me today! The 17.24 arrived at Sevenoaks more or less on time but the 18.00 departure to Bat & Ball was nowhere to be seen. It eventually arrived at 18.01 and departed at 18.03.
• Friday 12 June – The 07.10 from Bat & Ball was held on a red signal there for about 3 minutes. The 07.23 was very crowded but there were quite a lot of seats available on the 07.28 to Cannon Street even after departure from Sevenoaks.

Week commencing 15 June 2015

Total lateness 55 minutes: Southeastern 50, Thameslink 5.

• Monday 15 June – Did not travel today.
• Tuesday 16 June – Both 07.23 and 07.28 crowded I had to stand today. The doors on the 17.24 service were not released until 17.18 a mad rush to board the train and secure a seat followed. A slow journey arriving at Sevenoaks at 18.00. I just boarded the 18.00 departure for Bat & Ball which left Sevenoaks at 18.01.
• Wednesday 17 June – The Cannon Street services were very busy this morning possibly made worse by Charing Cross services being diverted to Victoria due to a train failure somewhere between London Bridge and Charing Cross and passengers being advised to travel to London Bridge and transfer to the Underground. Standing again on the 07.28 for me. I travelled home on the 17.45 from Cannon Street tonight. Train was busy and it just connected with the 18.18 departure for Bat & Ball at Sevenoaks.
• Thursday 18 June – Typical morning, both 07.23 and 07.28 crowded I had to stand again. I met some friends after work for a meal and a drink and intended travelling home on the 20.33 from Cannon Street. On arrival at Cannon Street there were significant delays, my train was expected at 20.57 due to a broken rail in Sevenoaks tunnel. The Sir John Hawkshaw, Wetherspoon’s new pub on Cannon Street Station concourse appeared to benefit!
• Friday 19 June – I travelled to Lewes from Bat & Ball via London Victoria today. No problems in either direction.

Week commencing 22 June 2015

Total lateness 33 minutes: Southeastern 11, Thameslink 22.

• Monday 22 June – The driver of the 07.23 missed the stop board again, a mad scramble on the platform to the doors and the member of staff dispatching trains on platform one did not seem to be amused about needing to walk approximately two coach lengths to be beside the driver’s cab to perform his duties. Fortunately it was not raining! Another morning where both 07.23 and 07.28 were crowded and I had to stand yet again. The 17.24 arrived late at Sevenoaks but in time for the connection with the 18.00 departure to Bat & Ball. However this train was cancelled due to a lack of staff tonight.
• Tuesday 23 June – Another typical morning, both 07.23 and 07.28 were crowded, I had to stand again. The 17.24 had one four coach unit of low density stock in the twelve coach train tonight. A comfortable seat for me but this caused overcrowding on this train.
• Wednesday 24 June – The 07.23 was crowded as usual but I managed to get a seat on the 07.28 easily today. My return journey was uneventful.
• Thursday 25 June – Did not travel today.
• Friday 26 June – Bat & Ball to Kings Cross and St Pancras to catch a train to Nottingham today. Due to Sevenoaks Station not having any Thameslink “Delay Repay” forms available I picked up a few as I passed through King’ Cross and St Pancras Station.

Week commencing 29 June 2015

Total lateness 21 minutes: Southeastern 8, Thameslink 13

• Monday 29 June – Returned from Nottingham this evening; no delays experienced.
• Tuesday 30 June – I did not travel at my usual times today because I was not working. However I did travel to Victoria to join a steam locomotive hauled special train to Chester and Crewe. No significant delays when you travel by steam!
• Wednesday 1 July – Did not travel today.
• Thursday 2 July – Still on leave but travelled to London late morning to visit the Sky Garden on the top of a building in Fenchurch Street. No delays to report.
• Friday 3 July 2015 – Still on leave but I travelled to Sheerness–On–Sea today. 11 minutes Of delay today, worst day of the week.
• Saturday 4 July 2015 – I went to Sittingbourne today; no delays to report.

Other news items that might interest readers:
Crowded trains! Metro newspaper headline 5/6/15 – “70% More rail users rammed into carriages” – Are they all on the services from Sevenoaks that I travel on!

Mind The Doors! There might be a problem with the doors on some Class 465 Networker trains, (2+3 seating, no air conditioning, hopper windows), whereby it appears that the doors can be opened after the driver has started the door closure process. However this does not allow enough time for passengers to detrain safely. According to initial investigations it would appear that this was the cause of an incident on the April 2015 when a woman’s bag was trapped in the doors as she detrained at West Wickham. Unfortunately she was dragged under the train as it departed and incurred injuries.

Window seat? There are posters appearing on Thameslink trains advertising American Express, it states; “Is getting a window seat the greatest challenge you will face today?” Perhaps an alternative version of this poster should be produced for Sevenoaks omitting the word “window”!