A total of 140 minutes delay: Southeastern 49, Thameslink 91. Better than recent months, especially on Southeastern.

Delay Repay Claims; total 1 January 2016 to 31 July 2016 inclusive = £66.60. Four claims outstanding one each against Southeastern and Southern and two against Thameslink.

Week of 04 July 2016

Total lateness 58 minutes: Southeastern 22, Thameslink 36

• Monday 04 July – The 06.24 departed Bat & Ball at 06.25 and arrived at Sevenoaks at 06.28. The 06.30 to Waterloo East could be seen just outside of the station and I hurried over the footbridge arrived on platform one just as the doors opened. I had to board in a different position to where I normally do, but fortunately I got a seat. The 16.13 from Waterloo East arrived on time at Sevenoaks this evening. Unfortunately Thameslink were having problems but no explanation was offered. The 17.00 departure from Sevenoaks did not arrive there until after the due departure time and finally commenced its journey to Bat & Ball at 17.13 arriving there at 17.16.
• Tuesday 05 July – The 06.30 from Sevenoaks to Waterloo East had been cancelled. This was attributed to the train being stuck behind the 06.10 from Sevenoaks which had failed due to a fault with the doors at High Brooms. The next service to Waterloo East was the delayed 06.43. This arrived at Sevenoaks at 06.49 and at Waterloo East at 07.17. When I arrived in my office a colleague who commutes from High Brooms was already in the office which surprised me. His version of what actually happened differed to that Southeastern were telling passengers at Sevenoaks earlier. The 06.10 did fail at High Brooms but due to a fire on the train. The passengers were ordered off the train and when it had been moved out of the station they boarded what would be our 06.30 departure from Sevenoaks. This train ran fast from Tonbridge to Waterloo East!
• Wednesday 06 July – A bad start to the day, Thameslink cancelled the 06.24 to Sevenoaks this morning. However, I suspect that it was another case of the train running late and it was cancelled for passengers south of Bickley because the train was diverted via Orpington to ensure that the return working to Luton departing from Sevenoaks at 06.42, (06.48 at Bat & Ball) ran to time.
• Thursday 07 July – Unfortunately Thameslink were having problems again this evening, the 16.30 departure arrived in platform three and then sat there with a “Delayed” notification on the information screen. The calling points commenced at Bromley South therefore the train was being routed fast via Orpington when it eventually departed. The 17.00 departure to Bat & Ball arrived at Sevenoaks late and then departed on time also arriving at Bat & Ball on time. At Bat & Ball the information screen at the station entrance showed just under half of the services over the next couple of hours as being cancelled; no explanation was offered.

Week of 11 July 2016

Total lateness 17 minutes: Southeastern 6, Thameslink 11

• Monday 11 July – On day one of Southern’s reduced timetable it was noticeable that the 0630 from Sevenoaks to Charing Cross was busier than usual. In the leading unit all four coaches appeared to have very few seats available for Sevenoaks passengers. In the rear unit there were enough seats for Sevenoaks passengers but on departure there were fewer than normal free for those boarding the train at Orpington. It will be interesting to see if passenger move to the Tonbridge end of Sevenoaks Station tomorrow morning. In the evening Thameslink were having problems yet again: the 16.21 to Bat & Ball was nowhere to be seen and after being reported as delayed disappeared from the departures board. No reasons for the problems was given.
• Tuesday 12 July – My destination was Manchester today. I commenced my journey from Bat & Ball on the 06.42 to Sevenoaks where it arrived one minute late. The 06.54 to London Bridge and Cannon Street was full with no seats available when it arrived at Sevenoaks therefore I waited for the 07.03 to Waterloo East which had seats available and arrived on time in London. As I made my way towards the Northern Line at Waterloo through the main station I noticed that there was imitation green slime hanging down from the roof to promote the new Ghostbusters film.
• Wednesday 13 July – I returned from Manchester today and travelled home from London on the 16.13 from Waterloo East. There were very few seats available at Waterloo East due to this train only being seven coaches today. The 17.00 to Bat & Ball was a Class 387 train: the rear unit was number 387127 I did not see the leading unit number. Some regulars on this service were not sure if it was their train because the stock was unfamiliar.
• Thursday 14 July 2016 – This evening the 17.00 service to Bat & Ball was formed of two Class 387 units, 387105 and 387126. This is for staff training purpose I have been told.

Week of 18 July 2016

Total lateness 46 minutes: Southeastern 15, Thameslink 31

• Monday 18 July – On arrival at Waterloo East this evening I was welcomed by the information screen showing passengers that the 16.13 was delayed. Eventually an announcement was made which advised passengers that there was a fault on the train that forms the 16.13 departure and that it was still at Charing Cross. The next service the 16.18 departure appeared and I boarded this train which was very full, no seat for me, it departed slightly behind time and was three minutes late arriving at Sevenoaks. Here Thameslink were having problems due to reasons unknown. The 17.00 departure was not expected to arrive at Sevenoaks until 17.02 and did not depart until 17.07.
• Tuesday 19 July – When I arrived at Bat & Ball this morning the 06.24 was shown as expected at 06.26, it actually departed at 06.28 and was four minutes late arriving at Sevenoaks where the 06.30 to London could be seen departing. I travelled to Waterloo East on the 06.43. In the evening the 16.21 service to Bat & Ball departed Sevenoaks five minutes behind time.
• Wednesday 20 July – Whilst I was waiting at Bat & Ball this morning the 06.16 departure to St Alban’s had not arrived and was shown as being expected at 06.22. The leading unit of this train was number 319444 which is called “St Alban’s”. It did not appear to be very keen to go home today! At Sevenoaks unusually the rear four coach unit of the 06.30 to Waterloo East this train was low density stock today: Sevenoaks passengers got a seat but very few Orpington ones did.
• Friday 22 July – My destination was Canterbury today: the 08.58 from Bat & Ball then the 09.44 to Canterbury West arrived there one minute late. On my return the 17.00 from Sevenoaks to Bat & Ball was formed of two Class 387 trains today. The Class 377 and 387 trains that are appearing on our Thameslink services seem to be causing some people concern as to whether they are the train they should join; they are standing on platform four looking at the train then the information screen and then back at the train. It would seem that they are looking for a familiar Class 319 train!

Week of 25 July 2016

Total lateness 19 minutes: Southeastern 6, Thameslink 13

 

• Monday 25 July – The 07.10 from Bat & Ball was six minutes late arriving at Sevenoaks today. Some of this was attributable to the train stopping short at Bat & Ball and then being repositioned before the doors were released.
• Wednesday 27 July – I travelled home on the 16.13 today which was again quite full and there were only just enough seats available for those boarding at Waterloo East. A one minute early arrival at Sevenoaks. Here the 16.30 Thameslink service was just arriving from the sidings South of Sevenoaks in to platform four. I boarded the train which departed at 16.43 arriving at Bat & Ball at 16.46. A bonus for me I was home seventeen minutes earlier than I should have been!
• Thursday 28 July – The rear four coach unit of the 06.30 to Waterloo East was low density stock today and there was just about enough seats for those people boarding at Sevenoaks and very few for Orpington passengers. It departed on time and arrived in London one minute early.
• Friday 29 July – Epping at the end of the Central Line in darkest Essex is my destination today to catch a bus to North Weald Station on the Epping & Ongar Railway. I packed my passport and commenced my journey from Bat & Ball at 08.05 on the late running 08.00 departure. Arrival at Sevenoaks was also five minutes late. The 8.27 departure to Cannon Street arrived there one minute late. I commenced my return journey on Southeastern at Charing Cross but not on the intended 16.15 departure which was cancelled. The 16.40 service ran to time, likewise the 17.30 deprture from Sevenoaks to Bat & Ball. However; I should have arrived there at 17.03, another Delay Repay claim.

Ticket trouble!

I travelled from Southwark to Ealing Broadway just before lunchtime on 6 July. As I approached my destination I realised that, instead of using my Oyster Card, through force of habit I had entered the transport system at Southwark using my Bat & Ball to London annual season ticket as if I was returning home from Waterloo East . On arrival at Ealing Broadway I approached a member of staff on the barrier line and explained what I had done and asked for advice. She asked if I had finished my current journey and when I replied “yes” very kindly opened the barrier and let me out of the station.

I would imagine that the cost of trying to obtain the £1.85 fare from me would not have been cost effective. I was careful to use my Oyster Card on the return journey to Embankment!

Incidents March-May 2016

I have been keeping a log of incidents that would be affected services in our area. It includes “beer keg on the line” (19 April) and a No-Speed High-Speed Train (19 May). You can read the whole list here.