A total of 159 minutes delay: Southeastern 26, Thameslink 133.

Delay Repay Claims: total 1 January 2017 to 31 August 2017 inclusive = £102.25
Southeastern £23.20, Thameslink £73.30, Virgin £5.75. One claim against Anglia 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 31 July 2017

Total lateness 45 minutes: Southeastern 3, Thameslink 42

• Monday 31 July – A later start than usual today. The 07.40 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks arrived six minutes late. I continued my journey to Waterloo East on the 08.47 service which arrived in London on time.
• Tuesday 01 August – The 06.24 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks arrived there two minutes late today. The 06.31 departure from Sevenoaks was already alongside platform one and I just managed to cross the footbridge and board the train before it departed. I travelled home on the 15.43 departure from Waterloo East which was on time at Sevenoaks following a slow passage though south London. The 16.21 to Bat & Ball was on time. This train was a new class 700 one and a couple of people on platform four were not sure if it was the correct train to board for Swanley!
• Thursday 03 August – My destination was Egham today. I started my journey on the 08.24 departure from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks which was two minutes late. The 08.31 to Waterloo East was three minutes late. I returned from Waterloo East on the 15.18 service which arrived at Sevenoaks on time. The 16.00 train to Bat & Ball was delayed, then passengers were advised that it would be running via Orpington fast to Bickley. There were problems at Swanley and a rail replacement bus service was organised. This took me to Bat & Ball but a half hour delay was experienced.
• Friday 04 August –The 06.24 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks arrived there one minute late. The 06.31 to Waterloo East was two minutes early this morning. I returned home on the 15.43 departure from Waterloo East which was three minutes early at Sevenoaks. The 16.21 to Bat & Ball was on time. However, for the second time this week the doors would not open. The train departed before anyone could detrain and a passenger then activated the emergency alarm. The train stopped with about half of it still adjacent to the platform. The driver walked back through the train and opened a set of doors to allow passengers on and off the train. According to the driver the train did not know where it was therefore the doors would not open. Presumably the train’s computer could not communicate with the GPS to establish where it was. Hopefully this will not be a regular occurrence!

Week of 07 August 2017

Total lateness 36 minutes: Southeastern 13, Thameslink 23

• Tuesday 08 August – I am doing voluntary work working at the Great British Beer Festival this week therefore my journey has changed to Bat & Ball to Otford or Bromley South and change on to a fast train to Victoria. The 08.27 from Bat & Ball was on time at Otford. The 08.47 to Victoria was one minute late. The 21.52 from Victoria to Otford was on time. The 22.37 to Bat & Ball arrived ten minutes late.
• Friday 11 August – The 11.33 Bat & Ball to Bromley South arrived on time. The 09.20 to Victoria was four minutes late. My return journey was on time at Otford and Bat & Ball.
  Saturday 12 August – The 08.46 Bat & Ball to Bromley South arrived on time. The 09.20 to Victoria was one minute early. I travelled home on the 21.22 from Victoria which was on time. The 22.07 from Otford arrived at Bat & Ball seven minutes late.

Week of 14 August 2017

Did not travel this week

Week of 21 August 2017

Total lateness 14 minutes: Southeastern 2, Thameslink 12

• Monday 21 August – The 06.24 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks arrived there on time today. This train is now formed of a Class 700 unit. It would appear the stop boards have been relocated on platform four at Sevenoaks station because when boarding the train at Bat & Ball in the usual place on arrival at Sevenoaks the train door was a not adjacent to the footbridge. A adjustment to my boarding position at Bat & Ball station is required, approximately two and a half coach lengths. The 06.31 departure from Sevenoaks was also on time arriving at Waterloo East. Fortunately, I checked my trains’ home on National Rail Enquiries Website at about 15.00 hours and I discovered that the 15.43 departure from Waterloo East had been diverted to Victoria on its inward journey due to signalling problems. Accordingly, I quickly closed down my computer and made my way to Waterloo East where I caught the 15.33 to Sevenoaks where it arrived on time. The “15.43 from Waterloo East” arrived at Sevenoaks from Victoria almost empty, I only observed two people detrain. The 16.21 to Bat & Ball was on time.
• Tuesday 22 August – I returned home on the 15.43 departure from Waterloo East which was on time at Sevenoaks. Unfortunately, Thameslink had cancelled the 16.21 to Bat & Ball. I completed my journey on the 16.30 service to Bat & Ball which was on time; but my journey was actually delayed by nine minutes due to the cancellation.
• Wednesday 23 August – My destination is Peterborough today. I travelled to St Pancras International on the 07.56 departure from Bat & Ball which arrived 09.10, two minutes late. I made my way to King’s Cross station for the 10.03 departure to Peterborough. Whilst waiting at King’s Cross I amused myself for a while watching the mainly Japanese tourists having their photographs taken at the entrance to platform nine and three quarters. My journey to Peterborough was on time but the return leg was thirty-two minutes late arriving at King’s Cross. A delay reply claim against Virgin Trains will be submitted! I returned from St Pancras International on the 16.58 which unusually for a Thameslink train arrived four minutes early at Bat & Ball.
• Thursday 24 August – Whilst waiting for the Bat & Ball train at Sevenoaks I collected some rail tickets I purchased online earlier in the day. Virgin East Coast are having a seat sale and I bought first class advance single tickets from King’s Cross to Edinburgh and return for £29.30 each way.

Week of 28 August 2017

Total lateness 64 minutes: Southeastern 8, Thameslink 56

• Wednesday 30 August – My destination is Bridgnorth via London Euston, Birmingham New Street and Kidderminster today. A bargain fare from Virgin West Coast for the leg of the journey from London Euston to Birmingham and return, £5 for an advanced single each way. However, the day did not start well with Thameslink. I intended catching the 06.16 from Bat & Ball to London Blackfriars then the District Line to Embankment changing to the Northern Line for Euston. My intention was to void possible delays and overcrowding on routes from Sevenoaks to London due to London Bridge, Waterloo East and Charing Cross stations being closed. The 06.16 was shown as being on time when I arrived at Bat & Ball station. This soon changed to expected 06.19, then the dreaded “Delayed”. The 06.24 to Sevenoaks arrived first and I boarded this intending to review options at Sevenoaks and possibly travel on the return working to Blackfriars. Soon after arriving at Sevenoaks the 06.13 departure, (06.16 at Bat & Ball), appeared from the sidings and passengers were advised that this would be the first train for Blackfriars. I boarded this service and soon after departure the lady driver apologised from the late running of the train and advised “that this was due to a delay in getting me from Orpington to Sevenoaks”. A delay repay claim for 15 minutes has been accepted. Whilst waiting for departure at London Euston a new Virgin customer service was experienced. Firstly, I received a text message advising that my train was nearly ready for boarding please wait on the concourse and that I would receive a text advising me which platform the service will depart from soon. Later, a second text was received advising me that the train was ready for boarding at platform two and that my seat reservation was in coach B seat 30. A slight delay was experienced waiting for a platform at Birmingham New Street but otherwise my journey from London to Kidderminster was fine. When I arrived back at London I made for Waterloo to travel on the 20.57 service direct to Ramsgate as far as Sevenoaks. This was routed via Denmark Hill where a brief stop was made presumably to allow the pilot man to detrain then we continued via Nunhead and Lewisham resuming the direct route to Sevenoaks just north of Hither Green.
• Thursday 31 August – I travelled to Bexhill today starting my journey on the 09.26 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks where it arrived four minutes late. The 09.52 to St Leonards Warrior Square was two minutes early. I intended changing on to the 11.17 to Bexhill but this train was formed of two coaches and was full. I decided to wait for the next service which was nine minutes later and had many seats available. It arrived on time at Bexhill. I started my return journey on the 14.24 service to St Leonards Warrior Square where it arrived on time at 14.31. However; as I crossed the footbridge I noticed a Southeastern train bound for Sevenoaks and London approaching, my initial thought was that perhaps I was mistaken and the train from Bexhill was running late. Accordingly, I hurried on to the platform and boarded the train just before it departed. It turned out that I had boarded the late running 14.31 service not the 14.44 that I was intending to travel on. I arrived at Sevenoaks at 15.27 and quickly crossed to platform four and just caught the 16.21 to Bat & Ball, it arrived there on time. This could have been a record time for a journey by train from Bexhill to Bat & Ball, one hour and nine minutes.
• Friday 01 September – I travelled from Otford to Victoria this evening bound for the Roundhouse to attend a gig by the Sisters of Mercy. Arrival at Victoria was one minute late. The return journey to Otford was three minutes late.
  Saturday 02 September – My destination is West Malling today. My intended service from Bat & Ball to Otford was cancelled therefore a half delay was experienced. However, I was due to connect with an hourly bus service from West Malling, accordingly the delay to my journey was an hour but I could only submit a delay repay claim for a half hour delay. My return journey was on time.

By the way, I have recently experienced three instances where tickets issued with a Goldcard discount will not operate the barriers at stations (including Canterbury West, Birmingham Moor Street and Sevenoaks). Has anyone else had this problem?