Massive train timetabling amendments
Discussion
rs1952 said:
V8 Fettler said:
I have to use a train later this week for the first time this year, hopefully the last time this year.
Please let us know how you get on No cheating, mind, and exaggerating the delays - we can check...
Flying Phil said:
As this timetabling change has been introduced to improve rail travel for more people, it would be nice to have some comments from anybody who has now got better times/more frequent trains/no longer standing?......
I do. 
Although I tend to drive in, I now have a direct train rather than having to change - which makes train all the more appealing for regular use.
CardinalBlue said:
Flying Phil said:
As this timetabling change has been introduced to improve rail travel for more people, it would be nice to have some comments from anybody who has now got better times/more frequent trains/no longer standing?......
I do. Although I tend to drive in, I now have a direct train rather than having to change - which makes train all the more appealing for regular use.
It has also made it less intuitive to sort split tickets for the route. I split at Wolverhampton and Stafford.
Europa1 said:
blueg33 said:
My regular journey from BHI to ALT I split at Wolverhampton and Stafford.
For those of us that don't speak fluent National Rail, your journey from where to where?
blueg33 said:
The abbreviations make online booking much faster. All of the apps and websites recognise them. Very useful for large cities that have a number of stations.
But, remarkably, self service ticket machines, at least those at GWR stations, apparently don't.From time to time I travel to Oldfield Park (OLF) between Bath and Bristol. Not being in the list of "usual" destinations at my home station, I have to use the "station finder" facility. Enter "OLF" and nothing happens. Enter "OLDF" and the machine then starts to suss iut where you might be wanting to go...
rs1952 said:
blueg33 said:
The abbreviations make online booking much faster. All of the apps and websites recognise them. Very useful for large cities that have a number of stations.
But, remarkably, self service ticket machines, at least those at GWR stations, apparently don't.From time to time I travel to Oldfield Park (OLF) between Bath and Bristol. Not being in the list of "usual" destinations at my home station, I have to use the "station finder" facility. Enter "OLF" and nothing happens. Enter "OLDF" and the machine then starts to suss iut where you might be wanting to go...
I travel by train a lot (much better for accessing major cities than car), I now book all tickets through East Mids Trains, if you go to Topcashback, you get 1% back on the cost plus there is no credit card fee. For long trips (3 hrs plus) with Virgin or Cross Country I book using their websites as you can select your seat
anonymous said:
[redacted]
methinks that Mr TinRobot may not have been completely serious in his post 
Lest we forget:
DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.
I agree with the fitted ironing boards comment, and so do many others. On a railway forum I subscribe to someone reported that they have taken to taking their own cushion with them. Someone else made the suggestion that this move to fitted ironing boards on new stock may have contributed to the first reduction in passenger numbers in 25 years. I think they might have a point.Such is progress...
I have commuted every working day for about 14 years from Surrey to London Victoria. Well over 6,000 journeys.
I appreciate that not everyone would benefit from the changes. Unfortunately my commute is now noticeably worse than I can ever recall.
The old 0704 from Redhill used to get me in to Vic at about 0735. That train doesn't exist any more. Instead there is now an 0646 and an 0715. Both are now stopping services. I am now forced to get the 0646 in order to arrive at Vic at a sensible time, so that's me getting up nearly 20mins earlier.
Evening is not ideal, either. The 1749 from Vic no longer exists. There's now a 1739 (I can't get to Vic in time to catch that) or an 1809. So that's another 20mins lost for me, or 40mins in total every single working day. May sound minor but it's a lot when my work/life balance is already right on the limit. This week I have tried a few times to jump on the first train to Croydon and change there but it's worked out to be more stressful and little/no time has been saved due to cancellations of trains from London Bridge.
The trains seem to be travelling more slowly and the lines seem more congested in the morning.
I really hope there are some amendments in due course. This is nearly as stressful as the early days of the driver's strikes.
I appreciate that not everyone would benefit from the changes. Unfortunately my commute is now noticeably worse than I can ever recall.
The old 0704 from Redhill used to get me in to Vic at about 0735. That train doesn't exist any more. Instead there is now an 0646 and an 0715. Both are now stopping services. I am now forced to get the 0646 in order to arrive at Vic at a sensible time, so that's me getting up nearly 20mins earlier.
Evening is not ideal, either. The 1749 from Vic no longer exists. There's now a 1739 (I can't get to Vic in time to catch that) or an 1809. So that's another 20mins lost for me, or 40mins in total every single working day. May sound minor but it's a lot when my work/life balance is already right on the limit. This week I have tried a few times to jump on the first train to Croydon and change there but it's worked out to be more stressful and little/no time has been saved due to cancellations of trains from London Bridge.
The trains seem to be travelling more slowly and the lines seem more congested in the morning.
I really hope there are some amendments in due course. This is nearly as stressful as the early days of the driver's strikes.
I thought it was pretty bold of Chris Grayling to accuse the train companies of failing passengers, considering it is his department's civil service that have foisted trains with fewer plugs, fewer tables and less comfortable seats on passengers on the route I use. Oh, and procured the less-comfortable-than-its-predecessor IEP on the GWR and LNER.
V8 Fettler said:
Have there been any sackings yet?
They can't afford to sack anybody - they've got nobody to put in their place... Here is something copied and pasted from a rail related closed group forum that I subscribe to, posted at 1849 tonight so 22 minutes ago:
Paul said:
Finally back at Flitwick. Most memorable moment was overhearing the control radio on platform staffs radio at Bedford.
"I can't find any drivers"
"this is getting silly"
Followed by great excitement as they reinstated a cancelled train and fished it out of the sidings as they had found a driver at Luton to take it to London, announced it then discovered the train they reinstated was max 8 car and the one they fished out of the sidings was 12 car. Meanwhile an 8 car was sat in the country end siding....
"I can't find any drivers"
"this is getting silly"
Followed by great excitement as they reinstated a cancelled train and fished it out of the sidings as they had found a driver at Luton to take it to London, announced it then discovered the train they reinstated was max 8 car and the one they fished out of the sidings was 12 car. Meanwhile an 8 car was sat in the country end siding....
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