Plan your Journey? No, just take your chances, says Thameslink
Thameslink can’t even organise any Plan B properly.
Currently the Live Departure Boards website just gives this blunt, unhelpful and unapologetic message from Thameslink:-
“Rail replacement buses may be in operation on this route to supplement Great Northern and Thameslink train services. Please note there is no specific timetable for these buses and you are required to speak to station staff for additional information”.
“No specific timetable for these buses“? Thameslink are part of the Go Ahead Group, which is primarily a bus company. It’s hard to blame Network Rail – or indeed Chris Grayling – for the inability of a bus company to timetable its buses.
“Please note there is no specific timetable ..“? Why not “We are sorry but there is no specific timetable …”
“You are required to speak to station staff …”? There seems some confusion about who is the paying customer and who is the servant here. Why not “Please speak to station staff …”
With all Saturday’s cancellations it’s just pot luck whether you even get there at all – and Thameslink seemingly could not care less.
I was told by Thameslink on Twitter that buses were in operation due to engineering works between Sevenoaks and Bromley South today. But trains have been running today! Madness.
The following question comes to mind; how do we speak to staff about replacement bus services at the unstaffed stations, Bat & Ball for example?
So the website directs me now to trains from Orpington to Catford only, not from Sevenoaks. Convenient, but is the Catford loop line dead?
Thanks, Keith – we were about to ask the same question!