How not to run a train service (1 Viewer)

Otis

Well-Known Member
So this is a tale and a half.

My train from St Pancras was supposed to be at 15.50

Train was already in and on platform 13 when I got there. Couldn't get on it though. Doors were closed and it was in darkness.

Waited 20 mins on the platform (piles of passengers now queuing up) and they announce on the tannoy with just 3 mins to go until departure, "sorry, the train on platform 13, the 15.50 to Faversham is delayed. This is due to no drivers. Drivers are expected to arrive at the station at 16.05."

That buggered me up for my connecting train, but that's by the by.

Then they came on and said "the train to Faversham will depart at 16.02."

Considering there were still no drivers and it was now 16.03, I thought they did mighty well there.

Then a further announcement 1 mins later said the drivers would arrive at 16.07.

2 mins later, an automated announcement piped up with "the train on platform 13 has now been cancelled. The next train to Faversham will be at 16.20 from platform 11."

So everyone buggered off to platform 11. There were hundreds of passengers by now and they all rushed off with great haste.

1 minute later, a human announcer came on and said "Please ignore that. The train to Faversham on platform 13 has NOT been cancelled. I repeat, not been cancelled."

So swathes of people then came back from platform 11 onto platform 13, only for another automated announcement one minute later to say "the train IS cancelled."

The human announcer then came.on and said yes, it is cancelled.

This was followed very swiftly by an automated announcement stating "to all passengers. Don't forget, football's coming home"
🤦😂

Next announcement says to go to platform 11 and get the next train from there. Everyone rushed like mad over to platform 11.

It was now really heaving.

As the train pulled into the station, literally into the station, an announcer came on and said "there has been a platform alteration. The train to Faversham that was supposed to on platform 11, is now departing from platform 13"

So we were all on platform 11 and we saw the train pull into platform 13. Everyone was running to get over to the other platform.

It was absolute madness and at that point I gave up, because there was no way everyone was getting on that train.

As people started piling on, another announcement, adding insult to injury stated "sorry but there are no toilets available on this train."

🤦

Just caught the next one and that is late too and again I think I will miss my connection.

What a mess.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
So this is a tale and a half.

My train from St Pancras was supposed to be at 15.50

Train was already in and on platform 13 when I got there. Couldn't get on it though. Doors were closed and it was in darkness.

Waited 20 mins on the platform (piles of passengers now queuing up) and they announce on the tannoy with just 3 mins to go until departure, "sorry, the train on platform 13, the 15.50 to Faversham is delayed. This is due to no drivers. Drivers are expected to arrive at the station at 16.05."

That buggered me up for my connecting train, but that's by the by.

Then they came on and said "the train to Faversham will depart at 16.02."

Considering there were still no drivers and it was now 16.03, I thought they did mighty well there.

Then a further announcement 1 mins later said the drivers would arrive at 16.07.

2 mins later, an automated announcement piped up with "the train on platform 13 has now been cancelled. The next train to Faversham will be at 16.20 from platform 11."

So everyone buggered off to platform 11. There were hundreds of passengers by now and they all rushed off with great haste.

1 minute later, a human announcer came on and said "Please ignore that. The train to Faversham on platform 13 has NOT been cancelled. I repeat, not been cancelled."

So swathes of people then came back from platform 11 onto platform 13, only for another automated announcement one minute later to say "the train IS cancelled."

The human announcer then came.on and said yes, it is cancelled.

This was followed very swiftly by an automated announcement stating "to all passengers. Don't forget, football's coming home"
🤦😂

Next announcement says to go to platform 11 and get the next train from there. Everyone rushed like mad over to platform 11.

It was now really heaving.

As the train pulled into the station, literally into the station, an announcer came on and said "there has been a platform alteration. The train to Faversham that was supposed to on platform 11, is now departing from platform 13"

So we were all on platform 11 and we saw the train pull into platform 13. Everyone was running to get over to the other platform.

It was absolute madness and at that point I gave up, because there was no way everyone was getting on that train.

As people started piling on, another announcement, adding insult to injury stated "sorry but there are no toilets available on this train."

🤦

Just caught the next one and that is late too and again I think I will miss my connection.

What a mess.

What a shambles, this country is a joke.
 

Flying Fokker

Well-Known Member
So this is a tale and a half.

My train from St Pancras was supposed to be at 15.50

Train was already in and on platform 13 when I got there. Couldn't get on it though. Doors were closed and it was in darkness.

Waited 20 mins on the platform (piles of passengers now queuing up) and they announce on the tannoy with just 3 mins to go until departure, "sorry, the train on platform 13, the 15.50 to Faversham is delayed. This is due to no drivers. Drivers are expected to arrive at the station at 16.05."

That buggered me up for my connecting train, but that's by the by.

Then they came on and said "the train to Faversham will depart at 16.02."

Considering there were still no drivers and it was now 16.03, I thought they did mighty well there.

Then a further announcement 1 mins later said the drivers would arrive at 16.07.

2 mins later, an automated announcement piped up with "the train on platform 13 has now been cancelled. The next train to Faversham will be at 16.20 from platform 11."

So everyone buggered off to platform 11. There were hundreds of passengers by now and they all rushed off with great haste.

1 minute later, a human announcer came on and said "Please ignore that. The train to Faversham on platform 13 has NOT been cancelled. I repeat, not been cancelled."

So swathes of people then came back from platform 11 onto platform 13, only for another automated announcement one minute later to say "the train IS cancelled."

The human announcer then came.on and said yes, it is cancelled.

This was followed very swiftly by an automated announcement stating "to all passengers. Don't forget, football's coming home"
🤦😂

Next announcement says to go to platform 11 and get the next train from there. Everyone rushed like mad over to platform 11.

It was now really heaving.

As the train pulled into the station, literally into the station, an announcer came on and said "there has been a platform alteration. The train to Faversham that was supposed to on platform 11, is now departing from platform 13"

So we were all on platform 11 and we saw the train pull into platform 13. Everyone was running to get over to the other platform.

It was absolute madness and at that point I gave up, because there was no way everyone was getting on that train.

As people started piling on, another announcement, adding insult to injury stated "sorry but there are no toilets available on this train."

🤦

Just caught the next one and that is late too and again I think I will miss my connection.

What a mess.
Send it to a newspaper. This will make great Sunday chill out reading. Dad’s Army was made of farces like this!
 

no_loyalty

Well-Known Member
So this is a tale and a half.

My train from St Pancras was supposed to be at 15.50

Train was already in and on platform 13 when I got there. Couldn't get on it though. Doors were closed and it was in darkness.

Waited 20 mins on the platform (piles of passengers now queuing up) and they announce on the tannoy with just 3 mins to go until departure, "sorry, the train on platform 13, the 15.50 to Faversham is delayed. This is due to no drivers. Drivers are expected to arrive at the station at 16.05."

That buggered me up for my connecting train, but that's by the by.

Then they came on and said "the train to Faversham will depart at 16.02."

Considering there were still no drivers and it was now 16.03, I thought they did mighty well there.

Then a further announcement 1 mins later said the drivers would arrive at 16.07.

2 mins later, an automated announcement piped up with "the train on platform 13 has now been cancelled. The next train to Faversham will be at 16.20 from platform 11."

So everyone buggered off to platform 11. There were hundreds of passengers by now and they all rushed off with great haste.

1 minute later, a human announcer came on and said "Please ignore that. The train to Faversham on platform 13 has NOT been cancelled. I repeat, not been cancelled."

So swathes of people then came back from platform 11 onto platform 13, only for another automated announcement one minute later to say "the train IS cancelled."

The human announcer then came.on and said yes, it is cancelled.

This was followed very swiftly by an automated announcement stating "to all passengers. Don't forget, football's coming home"
🤦😂

Next announcement says to go to platform 11 and get the next train from there. Everyone rushed like mad over to platform 11.

It was now really heaving.

As the train pulled into the station, literally into the station, an announcer came on and said "there has been a platform alteration. The train to Faversham that was supposed to on platform 11, is now departing from platform 13"

So we were all on platform 11 and we saw the train pull into platform 13. Everyone was running to get over to the other platform.

It was absolute madness and at that point I gave up, because there was no way everyone was getting on that train.

As people started piling on, another announcement, adding insult to injury stated "sorry but there are no toilets available on this train."

🤦

Just caught the next one and that is late too and again I think I will miss my connection.

What a mess.
But…I thought you were the train guru 😉
 

pitts head

Well-Known Member
Off to All Points East on Friday (The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Walkmen). Supposed to be coming back Saturday.
The trains are on strike. National Express (Wankers) have bumped up the prices for the Saturday.
I need to be back in Cov for Saturday.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Just thinking...... On a train now from Maidstone to London Victoria.

My step daughter has a friend in Cowdenbeath.


Screenshot_2023-08-19-18-20-11-85_92e36c93b7a83c216395820e33dd8e5c.jpg

And I just realised that if she ever goes up to visit this friend on the train, her ticket is going to say Mad Cow. 🤪
 

OffenhamSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
Wouldn't have guessed from your posts that you'd be eligible for a senior railcard. Also (just having checked) didn't know *I* can get one next year!! (Bus pass now not available until state pension age, 66 - had missed THAT particular change)
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Wouldn't have guessed from your posts that you'd be eligible for a senior railcard. Also (just having checked) didn't know *I* can get one next year!! (Bus pass now not available until state pension age, 66 - had missed THAT particular change)
Available from 60 for the senior railcard.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Sometimes I like to wallow in my own numptyness.

It's a long story, so won't bore you all with the details, but I am just wondering if this is some kind of record.

These tickets below are all advance singles and all for between 09.30 and 2pm today and all pretty much at the same times, or with an overlap on the times.

I have tickets for ...

Folkestone Central to St Pancras 10.10

Maidstone East to Victoria 10.27

Maidstone East to London Bridge 10.13

Euston to Nuneaton 12.46

Euston to Coventry 11.56

Rugby to Coventry 14.05

The latest of the trains gets me into Coventry for just after 2

Has to be up there amongst the world records hasn't it?

🤪
 

napolimp

Well-Known Member
This thread was disappointing, I thought you were going to explain the best way to run for a train service.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
You'd be better off running to be honest.
So many trains are delayed and cancelled. It could well prove to be quicker.
 

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