Our Bat & Ball correspondent, Keith Alderman, has now retired. However, when Thameslink allow him, he’s making good use of his Senior Railcard!
Delay Repay Claims; total 1 January 2018 to 31 May 2018 inclusive = £26.80
(Southeastern £19.80, Thameslink £7.00) One claim outstanding.
This month’s delays, total 72 minutes, Southeastern 37, Thameslink 35.
Friday 4 May – My destination is Bexley today. I commenced my journey on journey on the 09.26 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks where arrival was on time. Southeastern were running late, the 09.43 departed at 09.49 and was also six minutes late arriving at London Bridge at 10.13. I boarded the 10.32 service from London Bridge, this train was about three minutes early arriving there but one minute late at Bexley. I returned home on the 15.09 departure from Bexley. This train was very slow in the St John’s and New Cross areas and arrived at London Bridge five minutes late at 15.47. I just managed to board the 15.50 departure to Sevenoaks. This train was my usual ride home before I retired, but in those days, I joined it at Waterloo East.
Wednesday 9 May – I took advantage of a very good offer from Virgin Trains today, £5.00 each way between London Euston and Birmingham New Street. I used these bargain tickets as part of a journey from Bat & Ball to Kidderminster and return. The return fare between Birmingham and Kidderminster was £5.15. Again, my return journey between Bat & Ball and my departure station in London cost more than my return journey north of London!
My ultimate destination was Bridgnorth using the Severn Valley Railway. I commenced my journey on the 06.42 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks where it arrived two minutes late missing the connection with the 07.49 to London Bridge. Accordingly, I travelled on the 06.54 departure which arrived two minutes late at London Bridge. I used the Northern Line to transfer to London Euston, then travelled on the 08.43 Virgin service to Birmingham New Street. After arriving on time, I walked to Birmingham Moor Street station and boarded a train for Kidderminster where it arrived on time. From Kidderminster I took a Severn Valley Railway train to Bridgnorth.
At Bridgnorth station I entered the Railwayman’s Arms for a glass of lunch. The Railwayman’s Arms has a feature that always amuses me when I see it. On the wall a sign is displayed that advises customers how many pints of real ale were consumed on the premises in the previous week. On this visit the sign was as follows, “Last week you lot drunk 2,628 pints”. It should be remembered that preserved railways require three different brown liquids to function, depending on the time of day, oil, tea and real ale! My return train to Kidderminster was hauled by a Southern Region West Country Class locomotive, number 34027, named “Taw Valley” which pleased me.
Wednesday 16 May – My destination is Bristol today. On this occasion the best fare was two Advance Singles; Bat & Ball to Bristol Temple Meads £11.95 and the return leg for £13.70. I commenced my journey on the 07.40 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks where it arrived two minutes late. Much to my surprise, at Sevenoaks station copies of the new timetables commencing on the 20 May 2018 were available; including number six which is the most appropriate one for Sevenoaks passengers travelling to London, but has in the past has been very difficult to obtain at Sevenoaks station. My Advance Single ticket was only valid on the 08.12 from Sevenoaks to London Bridge. Accordingly, I sat on a seat on the platform and watched four trains depart for London Bridge. I could have travelled on the 08.00 departure from Bat & Ball but if this was late or cancelled I would not have been able to reach London Paddington in time for my train to Bristol. The 08.12 service to London Bridge arrived there six minutes late at 08.41.
In the past, when I needed to travel to Paddington station, I usually travelled to Charing Cross and then changed on to the Bakerloo Underground line. Occasionally, I travelled to Elephant & Castle and changed on to the Bakerloo Underground line there. However, it would now appear to be quicker to travel from London Bridge on the Jubilee line and change on to the Bakerloo line at Baker Street for Paddington. Possibly this is due to the excessive recovery time built in to the journey between London Bridge and Charing Cross.
Due to the delay on Southeastern, and that there was overcrowding at London Bridge Underground station which resulted in access to platforms being temporarily restricted, I arrived at Paddington station at 09.20 where my train to Bristol was due to depart at 09.30. The 08.12 service from Sevenoaks was not a suitable connecting service in my opinion. Ten minutes is barely enough time to locate and board a train at Paddington, especially if you need to walk towards the front of the train to where your reserved seat is. The 09.30 service from London Paddington should have been formed of an Inter-City 125 High Speed Train but it was replaced by two Class 800, “Intercity Express” trains. Accordingly, none of the seat reservations shown on passenger’s tickets were valid. No announcements were made about the type of train being changed therefore it was chaotic as passengers searched for their non-existent seat reservations. Poor customer service Great Western! A slow journey until after Acton, the mainline was not in use due to emergency track replacement being undertaken. Arrival in Bristol Temple Meads was on time.
I commenced my return journey on the 14.41 departure by travelling from Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway. This train was running seven minutes late and I was concerned that it would not connect with the 15.03 service to London Paddington. When leaving Bristol Temple Meads, Merchant Navy class locomotive number 35028, “Clan Line”, could be seen reversing in to the station to haul the return leg of a luxury dining train to London. Fortunately, I arrived at Bristol Parkway in time to catch the train service back to London. A four minutes late departure, and two minutes late arriving at London Paddington. I caught the 17.06 departure from London Bridge arrival was one minute late at Sevenoaks. The 18.00 service to Bat & Ball was on time.
Wednesday 23 May – A trip to Cambridge today. I intended to commence my journey on the 09.21 from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks. However, before I arrived at the station I spotted a rail replacement bus service stationary at the bus stop on Otford Road close to Bat & Ball traffic lights. I asked the driver if it was a replacement for the train service to Sevenoaks and he told me that it was. Why was this bus not using the official rail replacement bus stop outside of Bat & Ball station? Accordingly, it is likely that many passengers may not have been aware of this bus. On arrival at Sevenoaks the bus stopped on the main road and did not enter the station forecourt. Interestingly, the train I had intended to catch from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks ran to time, I saw it arrive at Sevenoaks and it had not been diverted via Orpington!
Thursday 24 May – My monthly day trip to London to meet up with former colleagues for a meal and some real ale therapy today. I set off earlier than I needed to because I wanted to do a couple of things in London before meeting up with my old work mates. I travelled on the 11.21 service from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks where it arrived one minute early. Thus, proving that the new timetable has been padded with recovery time. Ever since I have used the railway services Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks has been, in most of cases, a three-minute journey. Why do new class 700 trains require four minutes to accomplish this journey? Three minutes is still allowed for the return journey! I used the 11.29 service to London which was three minutes late departing Sevenoaks and six minutes late arriving at London Bridge. At London Bridge I transferred to a Thameslink service to Finsbury Park to travel on the recently reopened lines to Blackfriars and from St Pancras International to the East Coast main line. When I arrived at Finsbury Park I travelled back to London Bridge on the first available train to London Bridge. Mission accomplished, in just over the hour. All Thameslink trains were running late! I then travelled on the Northern line to Old Street. After meeting up with my former colleagues in the City of London I returned home from London Bridge on the 19.07 departure which was very crowded, arrival at Sevenoaks was on time. The 19.52 to Bat & Ball was also on time.
Wednesday 30 May – Another trip to Kidderminster and the Severn Valley Railway to Bridgnorth. The steam hauled service to Bridgnorth was a couple of minutes late and on arrival a glass of lunch was taken in the Railwayman’s Arms on the station. Above the bar the usual sign advised customers of how many pints they drank last week; 2,191 pints on this occasion. I arrived back in London five minutes late and after transferring to London Bridge travelled home on the 21.09 service which arrived at Sevenoaks two minutes late. Here I discovered that Thameslink had cancelled the 21.52 service to Bat & Ball. Another Delay Repay claim submitted. Since the recent Thameslink problems started, with trains being cancelled and replacement buses being provided, I have not noticed any information about replacement bus services displayed at Bat & Ball station.