Our Bat & Ball correspondent, Keith Alderman, has retired. However he’s now making good use of his Senior Railcard! This month’s delays (from five days travelling): total 43 minutes, Southeastern 37, Thameslink 6. Delay Repay Claims; total 1 January 2018 to 31 … Continue reading →
The 2018 fares have just been announced. An annual Standard Class season ticket from Sevenoaks to Charing Cross or Cannon Street, currently £3,380, will increase to an eye-watering £3,500. As usual, Sevenoaks commuters are being gouged. Similar length commuter journeys … Continue reading →
As most readers will know very few Thameslink service on the Sevenoaks route are due to have first accommodation. So standard class ticket holders may occupy the first-class areas on the class 700 trains. I have discovered that it would … Continue reading →
There’s a problem with tickets issued with the Goldcard discount for holders of annual season tickets. It seems that the ticket barriers are programmed not to open automatically with them. Instead the customer is expected go to the ticket barrier staff to have their ticket and their card inspected. That’s inconvenient and wastes time.
The assumption of the rail companies seems to be that a customer using a Gold Card discounted ticket is a criminal until proved otherwise.
That’s a strange way for a business to treat its most loyal customers.
Continue reading →I discovered a ticket purchasing problem when I tried to buy an advance single from Waterloo to Ryde Esplanade and the same type of ticket for my return journey. National Rail Enquiries offered a £20.80 fare each way. However, when … Continue reading →
The Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association has responded to the Consultation Paper on the 2018 Franchise.
Our recommendations for the next Franchise include: