Trains cancellations - latest

[Earl Aelfheah]

It's crazy, the bus is all good and well, but in rush hour it's barely quicker than walking into town. Not really good enough.

[MarkE]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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> It's crazy, the bus is all good and well, but in

> rush hour it's barely quicker than walking into

> town. Not really good enough.

For what it's worth, at just before 8am the 40 took around 45 minutes from the Picturehouse/Police Station stop through to Monument.

In the past when I've taken it, it's been an hour +/- 10 minutes, so this was around the quickest experiences I've had. It helps a lot that the works at E&C are 'finished' these days. I was expecting it to be horrendous, but it was manageable.

Am going to run in tomorrow, and then try walking up to Peckham Rye and taking the Thameslink from there, just to compare experiences, and then settle on a regular plan come the end of the week.

[bil]

Hi lpool

If the line is under TfL it is likely to become a London overground line. These are much better managed than the existing Southern service.

[Earl Aelfheah]

It would be great if it were to come under TFL. The sooner the better.

[Jeremy]

bil Wrote:

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> These are much better managed than the existing Southern service.

Maybe. But not really a fair comparison, as it's not directly impacted by the dysfunctional London Bridge.

[Earl Aelfheah]

That's true Jeremy, but the current problems are far broader than what's happening at London Bridge and are in no small part down to management failures.

[lpool]

bil Wrote:

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> Hi lpool

>

> If the line is under TfL it is likely to become a

> London overground line. These are much better

> managed than the existing Southern service.

If/when London Overground takes over Southern metro service it could take several years to match current Overground services and require huge investment. Southern metro is a much more complex set up than the current Overground.

[dirac]

I'd be fully up for it being taken over by TFL/nationalised. I am probably wrong, as there's is always a catch, but wouldn't that also mean it would be only one fare to go from ED to central, as opposed to having to scan out of the train and into the tube? Kinda like that in Canada Water? That seems too good to be true, so I guess it wouldn't happen.

[Jeremy]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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> the current problems are

> far broader than what's happening at London Bridge

> and are in no small part down to management failures.

I'm sure you're right, just saying that should the line be brought under TfL, you can't expect the service to become miraculously reliable - they'd be many factors out of their control. Pretty much what lpool said. And TfL also have their share of industrial disputes, closures, etc.

[Lowlander]

Well the 1808 from London Bridge train still has seats. Only 5 minutes late in leaving.

[KidKruger]

Now why might that be ?

[spider69]

What did Ronald Reagan do when the Air Traffic Controllers played up?

It worked

[DulwichFox]

Could be worse.. .

Wait till they get these trains

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/85/61/1856165_29dbf6b3.jpg

DulwichFox

[bil]

Well a couple of years to improve is better than what we have now. To my recollection this service has been poor for years!

In any case, just because a line is complex doesn't mean that it will take years to improve. The current London Overground is an orbital but in the past there were several lines and each were previously run by different operators; It's all now under TFL. I used to use 3 of the lines (services to Euston, the gospel oak line and the Richmond/stratford line) they were pretty unreliable especially the gospel oak line.

[Bic Basher]

BBC London News report at Victoria and ED station.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_bN3wufOP4

[Sally Eva]

Full details of the Bike train tomorrow (Weds July 13th) are on the What's on section. To take part from Denmark Hill meet Liz Eden at 8.10am outside the cafe in Windsor Walk. Text her to let her know you are coming on 07814 515 715

[James Barber]

The four week timetable seems at best optimistic.

Southern have said they are introducing Driver Only Operated (DOO) trains in remaining parts of the network that don't have them at the end of August.

We only have this type locally. So I'd be amazed if the temporary timetable doesn't extend beyond that. I hope I'm wrong.

My understanding is that the revised timetable is to eliminate any driver overtime and hurt them in their pockets as a counter to the huge increase in odd sick days designed to not fall fowl of illegal strikes. Clearly both sides of this dispute have forgotten who pays for them all - customers/tax payers.

It is a power struggle. The problem appear to be pain now for longer term reduced operating costs reducing the need for fair rises. The RMT cite loss of jobs and safety reduction. It does seem odd that so many DOO trains can operate here and aboard without obvious issues. To fight this they're involving all RMT staff hence the impacts on our area.

But introducing DOO trains should just be about sensible negotiations between Southern and the RMT. RMT must appreciate the writing is on the wall. Southern must understand the damage to customers. Both appear not.

What Southern should do as a minimum is provide buses to supplement the huge reduction in timetabled trains locally.

[d.b]

Just read a very thorough and interesting summary of the issues. Basically the issues go way beyond Driver Operated Only trains or staff shortages, that is one of many problems (and is a handy excuse since the blame can be cast onto the unions).

http://www.londonreconnections.com/2016/railway-roulette/

[Lowlander]

d.b Wrote:

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> Just read a very thorough and interesting summary

> of the issues. Basically the issues go way beyond

> Driver Operated Only trains or staff shortages,

> that is one of many problems (and is a handy

> excuse since the blame can be cast onto the

> unions).

>

> http://www.londonreconnections.com/2016/railway-ro

> ulette/

Good article. Good website overall for transport issues in general.

Could be that this emergency timetable lasts for quite a while.

[rch]

I strongly suspect that there's more going on with this mess than meets the eye.

I sat on the planning committee for the London Bridge Station application, upon which I revolted and voted against because it was abundantly clear that the all organisational issues would cause chaos because they hadn't been planned properly.

From memory, one of the "advantages" cited in the track reconfiguration was that London Bridge Station would no longer be a final destination... instead, it would be a through stop on a longer rail journey - I seem to vaguely remember that the line would be extended to run from Brighton to somewhere like Peterborough?

The advantage of this reconfiguration was said to be that train frequency would be increased to something like every 3 minutes...

So, my guess is that the Govia takeover and the argument about the drivers' contracts is in preparation for a major change in the service when the new station opens...

As I said, all this is from memory, but someone like Caroline Pidgeon or Helen Hayes would be able to get their hands on the best person to get information out of.

[lpool]

Thameslink services will run through completed London Bridge. Unfortunately there tends to be no escape from disruption when redeveloping a station. Hopefully in 3 years time we will all be wondering what the fuss was. Euston re-build for HS2 has the potential to make our woes seem fairly mundane if it goes ahead.

[Fjgb]

How about an East Dulwich forum express minibus from ED station to LB?

[Jeremy]

Fjgb Wrote:

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> How about an East Dulwich forum express minibus from ED station to LB?

I thought the same thing (or even a coach), but sharing minicabs would probably be cheaper.

[Strawbs]

Morning all, got to Peckham rye station this morning expecting to cram on to the 8.01 and there was a mystery 7.50am (delayed til 7.58) Blackfriars train (thameslink) that arrived, in all my years of catching a train from there it has never existed, it was brilliant, busy but exactly what is needed at that time of the morning.

I cant see it listed for tomorrow on any train apps so I wanted to see if anyone knew if this might be a new regular train, a one off, or potentially a new train in place whilst southern try to slowly kill us all?

Thanks! xx

[urbanfox]

Helen Hayes raised this issue at a debate on rail compensation

Response from Minister Claire Perry:

Commenting on the choice of services withdrawn in teh emergency timetable ?Where there were alternative services where people could actually make an alternative journey on an additional service .. that those were the services that would be withdrawn temporarily in order that 85% of service could run?

?I was not aware that the replacement bus services were just an invitation to take a bus journey so I will take that up because I had reviewed carefully the planning of alternative provision and had been told it was satisfactory?