A total of 238 minutes delay: Southeastern 82, Thameslink 156. The improvement in recent months has not been sustained.

Delay Repay Claims; total 1 January 2016 to 31 August 2016 inclusive = £79.90, two claims against Thameslink outstanding.

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 August 2016

Total lateness 61 minutes: Southeastern 7, Thameslink 54

• Monday 01 August – 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. There was a very enthusiastic Conductor on the train this evening asking to see Photocards as well as tickets.
• Tuesday 02 August – The 16.21 to Bat & Ball was cancelled due to signalling problems somewhere. The 16.30 departure ran to time. The main information screen at Bat & Ball station said that there were further cancellations later in the evening.
• Wednesday 03 August – A bad start to the day by Thameslink; the 06.24 to Sevenoaks was cancelled (I have my suspicions about what is really happening) and the next service was advertised as expected three minutes late. Eventually the 06.42 to Sevenoaks arrived at 06.47 and was five minutes late at Sevenoaks. The first service to Waterloo East was the 07.03. Another Delay Repay claim against Thameslink.
• Thursday 04 August – My destination is Egham today. I had intended to travel on the 08.24 departure from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks and then on the 08.31 or 08.47 departure to Waterloo East. However; I checked on the internet to see if my intended train from Bat & Ball was on time only to discover that it had been cancelled. The next service would have been too late for my purposes therefore I had to hurry up and ensure that I caught the 08.00 service.  I returned home on the 15.43 departure from Waterloo East which was on time at Sevenoaks. Unusually the 16.30 service to Bat & Ball was already waiting in platform four. So the 16.21 for service arrived in and departed from platform three.
• Friday 05 August – In the evening Thameslink were having problems again. The 16.30 departure to Bat & Ball was still in platform four and did not depart until 16.48, arriving at Bat & Ball seventeen minutes late. This was lucky for me because the 17.00 departure that I should have been on was cancelled.

Week of 8 August 2016

Total lateness 49 minutes: Southeastern 17, Thameslink 32

• Tuesday 09 August – I am doing voluntary work for the rest of the week working behind a bar at the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia therefore London Victoria will be my London terminus of choice. 08.27 Bat & Ball to Otford arriving one minute late, then 08.47 Otford to Victoria, on time. Home on the 21.52 Victoria to Otford on time, then 22.37 Otford to Bat & Ball arriving ten minutes late.
• Friday 12 August – 21.52 Victoria to Otford on time, then 22.37 Otford to Bat & Ball arriving seven minutes late.
• Saturday 13 August – Home on the 16.25 Victoria to Bromley South: there were four teenagers occupying seats in the first class area but the conductor did not bother to ask to see their tickets!

Week of 15 August 2016

Total lateness 27 minutes,: Southeastern 8, Thameslink 19

• Monday 15 August – Back in to the routine today. The 06.24 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks was on time today.
• Tuesday 16 August – A bad start to the day. The 06.24 from Bat & Ball was six minutes late arriving at Sevenoaks and missed the 06.30 to Waterloo East.
• Thursday 18 August – My destination was Worplesdon today. I started my journey on the 08.24 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks which arrived there one minute late. I continued my journey on the 09.29 departure to Waterloo East which was on time and then caught the 10.45 from Waterloo which also ran to time. Whenever I venture on to South West Trains services it always amazes me how long station dwell times seem to be; presumably a lot of recovery time built in to the timetable!
• Friday 19 August – The 06.24 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks was two minutes late this morning and the 06.30 to Waterloo East was already at platform one. I hurried across the footbridge and just boarded the train before it departed, arrival in London was two minutes early. I travelled home on a very busy 16.13 departure from Waterloo East.

Week of 22 August 2016

Total lateness 63 minutes: Southeastern 26, Thameslink 37

• Monday 22 August – A bad start to the day by Thameslink. The 06.24 from Bat & Ball was cancelled.The next service to Sevenoaks from Bat & Ball the 06.42 was running late and arrived four minutes late at Sevenoaks. The first train I could travel on to Waterloo East was the 07.03 departure. Another Delay Repay claim.
• Tuesday 23 August – The 06.24 from Bat & Ball was only a minute late arriving at Sevenoaks this morning. When I was crossing the footbridge from platform four to one an announcement was made over the station PA advising passengers that the 06.30 to Charing Cross would be departing from platform three this morning and would be fast to Waterloo East not calling at Orpington. I picked up a copy of the Metro and then did a U-turn and headed back to platform three. The 06.30 was five minutes late departing Sevenoaks and ten minutes late arriving at Waterloo East after a scenic journey via Swanley. This was due to a signal failure at Orpington, and a replacement bus service was being introduced between Sevenoaks and Orpington.
• Wednesday 24 August – Peterborough was my destination today. I commenced my journey on the 07.56 from Bat & Ball to St Pancras International which departed one minute late but was on time arriving in London. I then walked to Kings Cross and waited for the 10.03 service to Peterborough. Whilst waiting I amused myself watching the mainly Japanese tourists having their photographs taken at the entrance to platform nine and three quarters! My return journey was a few minutes late, just enough to miss the 16.40 and 16.43 departures from Charing Cross. When I arrived at Charing Cross station people were handing out bottles of cold water to anyone that wanted one. Having just crossed London in a hurry on the Underground system on the hottest day of the year this was much appreciated. I travelled home on the 16.57 and it arrived one minute late at Sevenoaks at 17.29. The 17.30 departure to Bat & Ball waited for those wishing to join this service and departed at 17.31.
• Thursday 25 August – The 06.24 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks was on time today. The 06.30 to Waterloo East arrived three minutes early in London. I travelled home on the 20.03 from Cannon Street. Whilst waiting for the train at Cannon Street I looked to see if there were copies of timetable number six available in the leaflet racks. It was the only one that was not on display!
• Sunday 28 August – The first day of the new timetable and Southeastern have not managed to have copies of timetable number six available for their customers at Sevenoaks Station.

Week of 29 August 2016

Total lateness 38 minutes: Southeastern 24, Thameslink 14

• Wednesday 31 August – Bridgnorth is my ultimate destination today. I had to walk to Sevenoaks this morning to catch the 05.40 to Charing Cross where it arrived one minute early. I travelled first class to and from Birmingham on Virgin Trains at £17 each way, (a promotional offer). I travelled between Birmingham and Kidderminster on London Midland services which were on time. At Kidderminster I transferred to the Severn Valley Railway for a steam hauled journey to and from Bridgnorth.
• Thursday 1 September – A trip to Hastings today. The 09.26 to Sevenoaks was five minutes late. I boarded the 09.36 to Hastings which arrived their four minutes early. The 14.50 from Hastings arrived at Sevenoaks three minutes late. Fortunately, the 16.00 Thameslink service to Bat & Ball was late leaving therefore a connection was achieved; three minutes late at Bat & Ball.

Bat & Ball issues

• I noticed this week that some of the non-slip surface at the top of the steps on both sides of the footbridge at Bat & Ball has been renewed.
• Many new “Mind The Step” warnings have been painted along the edges of both platforms at Bat & Ball Station. However  the step between train and platform is still greater than at most stations and can cause difficulties for those with mobility difficulties.
• Whilst I was waiting at Bat & Ball Station for the next service to Sevenoaks I sat on one of the seats on platform two. Much to my surprise something landed on my left shoulder then fell to the ground where it broke up into many small pieces. It was coats of paint that had been applied to the underside of the roof above the seat where I was sitting. This was many coats of paint that had built up over the years and was just smaller than an A4 paper size in area. I assume that the layers of paint just parted company from the rotting wood above. Fortunately it was not heavy!

Other observations

• On my travels I noticed a new Southeastern poster advising “No huffing or puffing”, reminding passengers that smoking and the use of e-cigarettes is not permitted. Hopefully a few of these will be displayed at Bat & Ball and Sevenoaks stations where passengers can frequently be seen using e-cigarettes and occasionally smoking.
• I wrote to Thameslink enquiring when they would be making their timetable effective from 28 August available because the Southeastern ones had been online for a few weeks. I have not received a reply yet but the timetable booklet is now available.
• Replies to correspondence and Delay Repay claims are currently taking an exceptionally long time from Southern, Thameslink and Southeastern.