New found levels of incompetence. Trains. Rubbish.

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Chris Akabusi

Active Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
181
Location
Sheffield
Car
Mercedes CLC
Thought i'd share my story from the weekend with you all, as i still can't quite believe what i heard.

Me and Mrs Akabusi spent a few days in London last week, due to return to Sheffield on the 17:55 from London St Pancras.

We boarded said train and at about 18:20 an announcement was made that the train was delayed for the foreseeable future and we needed to get off an board the train to Leeds which was leaving in 10 mins.

In the confusion i hopped off to ask if what i had heard was correct and why only now, 25 mins after we should have departed had it been delayed.

I was told the reason for the delay was that there was no driver for the train!

How in the hell, did someone only realise some 25 mins after we should have been on our way!

Anyway, in the meantime the train to Leeds had become so full that there wasn't physically enough room to get on the train, with many others left of the platform.

We were therefore told to wait for the next available driver to turn up, who was some 150 miles up the line coming into the station.

In the meantime all trains heading to Nottingham and Melton Mowbray were canceled due to a derail in the area.

This meant that all passengers would now have to board our driverless train. We though the best thing to do would be to get back on board and make sure we got seats.

Needless to say, when it was time to depart, a mass of hysterical people boarded the train with people acting like animals to get a seat.

I still can't believe that it took 20 odd mins for someone to realise there was no driver!

anyway, thats my rant of the day done with :wallbash::wallbash::D:D
 
Always remember the railways are run for the convenience of the staff, not the passengers.

I hate the term 'customers', no doubt dreamed up by a spiky-haired yoof in white plimsoles.
 
Its exactly because of that sort of public transport chaos that i dont use trains anymore,definitely worse since privatisation. Besides which, i can drive to the north of Scotland hours quicker than i can get there by train,simply because of how many times i would have to change trains,with all the wasted time sitting about on draughty stations.
 
Compare this to Japan, if the Bullet train in Japan is more than 3mins late you get a full refund.
 
I forgot to add we were originally due into Sheffield at 20:20, eventually getting in at 23:25
 
You forgot to tell us how much the tickets were too? That's always a killer I find with 2 or more people travelling.

Having said that when I visit friends in London I nearly always go by train from Leamington Spa. So far it's always been on time, not too expensive (for 1 person) and means I can drink more than 1/2 a shandy.
 
I went into London twice this week (to visit and collect a visa from the Chinese visa people) and the train was outstanding. This was from Gatwick and Redhill BTW.

It would have taken me three times as long to drive and I wouldn't have been able to park on Holburn Viaduct.

You win some you lose some.......
 
I went into London twice this week (to visit and collect a visa from the Chinese visa people) and the train was outstanding. This was from Gatwick and Redhill BTW.

It would have taken me three times as long to drive and I wouldn't have been able to park on Holburn Viaduct.

You win some you lose some.......

Neither can the train ;)
 
You forgot to tell us how much the tickets were too? That's always a killer I find with 2 or more people travelling.

Having said that when I visit friends in London I nearly always go by train from Leamington Spa. So far it's always been on time, not too expensive (for 1 person) and means I can drink more than 1/2 a shandy.


Tickets were £60 odd pounds each return, so not too bad.

The service used to be excellent, but since it's changed to East Midlands Trains, service has been crap.

Prior to Christmas i went to London from Sheffield. 15 mins before i train was due, we were notified it would not be stopping at Sheffield.

Needless to say we missed our train and we instructed to head to Chestefield
 
I've been commuting for years now in and out of Central London. This last few weeks have been the pits.

1. Platform alteration - we all rush over 2 mins before train is due. Their mistake, it was on our original platform - we all trundle back over the footbridge to catch it - train had been and gone!!!

2. Last night stuck on Underground for 1 hour 25 mins due to train failure MILES AWAY.

3. Listening to announcements on platform "Metropolitan Line is running a good service". We were in fact sat at a red light and hadn't moved for 10 minutes.
 
Thought i'd share my story from the weekend with you all, as i still can't quite believe what i heard.

Me and Mrs Akabusi spent a few days in London last week, due to return to Sheffield on the 17:55 from London St Pancras.

We boarded said train and at about 18:20 an announcement was made that the train was delayed for the foreseeable future and we needed to get off an board the train to Leeds which was leaving in 10 mins.

In the confusion i hopped off to ask if what i had heard was correct and why only now, 25 mins after we should have departed had it been delayed.

I was told the reason for the delay was that there was no driver for the train!

How in the hell, did someone only realise some 25 mins after we should have been on our way!

Anyway, in the meantime the train to Leeds had become so full that there wasn't physically enough room to get on the train, with many others left of the platform.

We were therefore told to wait for the next available driver to turn up, who was some 150 miles up the line coming into the station.

In the meantime all trains heading to Nottingham and Melton Mowbray were canceled due to a derail in the area.

This meant that all passengers would now have to board our driverless train. We though the best thing to do would be to get back on board and make sure we got seats.

Needless to say, when it was time to depart, a mass of hysterical people boarded the train with people acting like animals to get a seat.

I still can't believe that it took 20 odd mins for someone to realise there was no driver!

anyway, thats my rant of the day done with :wallbash::wallbash::D:D
Irrespective of this incident what is perhaps most sad is the fact the Leeds-London service used to be BRs flagship service, virtually always full, on time and a joy to travel on.
 
Neither can the train ;)

True! But I have to admit I'm not your regular public transport user, I get straight in a black cab when I get to the station as I'm usually in a rush to get in and get beck.
 
1. Platform alteration - we all rush over 2 mins before train is due. Their mistake, it was on our original platform - we all trundle back over the footbridge to catch it - train had been and gone!!!

I'm a commuter for most days during the week, I get this more often than I'm on time into the office... from my local train station that has 6 platforms to choose from.. it feels like that 70s show Runaround..

Add to this the number of trains I've been on that don't even stop at one of the designated stops - occasionally we're lucky and told:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I've just been told we've now got the go-ahead to go straight through to London Bridge, we will not be stopping at Lewisham, I repeat we will not be stopping at Lewisham"

..as if they're doing us a massive favour...

Finally, by the time the trains get to my station from deepest Kent, they're packed already, and often no-one can get on.

but...spare a thought for these guys:

now...where are my car keys...
 
Picture the scene, Paddington 1969. "Does this train stop at Trowbridge" "Yes Sir" board train and settle in seat. Ticket collector comes round and says we don't stop at Trowbridge you'll have to carry on to Taunton and catch the Plymouth train, sigh. Get on Plymouth train that is jammed with holiday makers heading for south coast and a few miles later there is an awful bang and the window I'm standing by fills with dust accompanied by tremendous vibration and being tossed around the aisle like a rag doll.
After what appears to be a lifetime the train stops and I open the connecting door that I had been bouncing off to see the train in 3 parts, the front part that I was on had come off the tracks but stayed upright but the other 2 parts were on their sides further back.

The blokes, me included, rushed back and started to help passengers from the overturned carriages until the emergency services arrived. After queuing for the only pay phone for miles I contacted my cousin who was an hour away to collect me. Meanwhile the steward decided that all the beer had been destroyed in the crash and was doling it out, it was a very hot day, while we waited for our transport. Fortunately there were no fatalities and the cause was a track that had become distorted during the hot weather. Oh yes, it was Friday the 13 June 1969. :eek:

Finally got to my Aunts and was unpacking my case when I realised that my holiday money had been stolen while I was helping the other passengers. :wallbash:

All this because a poxy porter misinformed me.

The section behind me

event127.jpg
 
Meanwhile the steward decided that all the beer had been destroyed in the crash and was doling it out, it was a very hot day, while we waited for our transport.

Thats my kind of Steward.........:thumb:



.
 
Goodness, I must be living a charmed life down here in SW London. I think the trains have improved out of all recognition in the last 10 years: more punctual, cleaner, less vandalism, better information.
 
It would make much more sense for me to use the train when I travel into London but I just can't do it.

I live 7 miles from the station so why the hell would I want to get out of the car and spend the next 3 hours cooped up with the peasants when my car is so comfortable?

Plus it's cheaper, even including CC and £40 parking for the day!
 

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