Greater Anglia Good and Bad Discussion

[Dave1987]

Shout to the bottom. If you want a conversation lets have one.

Why is medocrity on GA ok?

What is wrong with wanting newer trains to replace 30 yrold stock which by Mr Burles admission is not to standard?

What is wrong with campaigning for improved services as Mr Edwards and many others do?

What means railway companies special they can do wrong?

I assume you are either a rail enthusiast or employee.

There is nothing wrong with wanting newer trains, just like quite a few other lines want new stock rather than cascades or refurbished trains. But to say that a fleet that would perfectly ok with a really decent refurb needs scrapping is crazy. If GEML gets a completely new fleet then great but it will cost a vast amount of money which is what I was pointing out before.

There is nothing wrong with Mr Edwards campaigning for improvements, its the way he goes about it that is completely wrong. And his apparent hatred of Abellio is rather unjustified unless he has had previous dealings with the company.

Abellio have many faults but the hate groups on Twitter blame them for ridiculous things and a lot that isn't their fault.

And as usual with the anti AGA groups anyone who disagrees must be an enthusiast...........

 

[Angliarailuser]

Not really joined up logic but never mind.

So how would you go about improving things?

 

[jon0844]

I'd be seeing about securing some spare stock (perhaps the 317s and 321s from GTR when the 700s arrive) so you can have spares to send off the older trains for a total refurb. All new seats, like the demonstrator, easy clean vinyl flooring, new lighting, power sockets, Wi-Fi, accessible toilet, new PIS and new traction. Bang, another 10-15 years.

Then order a new fleet of trains and retain some of these refurbished trains to strengthen services (make more 12 car) and cascade the rest to those poor souls who you must think don't deserve new trains every 10 to 20 years. People who, in reality, would be quite happy just as most HST users are on their 1970s trains that look and feel almost brand new.

You can't replace every train on the network this often and pay what you pay. Whatever you're paying would sky rocket, and from an environmental point of view it's incredibly inconsiderate to scrap trains that can last 30 or 40 years easily - and are designed to.

What would people think of 1960s stock still being used quite successfully around the world?

 

[Dave1987]

Not really joined up logic but never mind.

So how would you go about improving things?

Firstly sort out the real major problem on GEML, the infrastructure. Network Rail really needs to pull its finger out and sort out the track. Even a brand new fleet cannot stop the infrastructure delays that are very common on GEML. Also start closing level crossings, and get the track in a suitable state so the linespeed can be 100mph or even 110mph all the way from Liverpool St to Norwich. Sort out the major bottle necks around Shenfield and Colchester. All those would improve GEML.

 

[AM9]

Not really joined up logic but never mind.

So how would you go about improving things?

Why should a commuter and secondary regional line like the GE be treated any different to other similar lines that have MKIII outer-suburban stock?

 

[Darandio]

Not really joined up logic but never mind.

So how would you go about improving things?

Have more information available to the general public in order to make them realise that TOC's aren't really in control of the rolling stock as much as they think they are? A kind of eye opener.

They can therefore direct the hate campaigns and belittling to somewhere that it might actually matter....

 

[Angliarailuser]

The stock issue is true. Ge have never been treated as a main line.
Whilst the indifference of TOCs remains criticism will continue.

 

[jon0844]

I use two TOCs regularly and can't see a massive indifference. I do think people are trying too hard to find faults with everything and it's taking over their life with all objectivity out of the window.

 

[Angliarailuser]

Have a look at the carnage on GEML tonight.

 

[jon0844]

When I walked through Liverpool Street station half an hour ago I didn't hear any announcements about problems?

 

[Darandio]

I see a raft of on time departures, what am I missing?

 

[Angliarailuser]

2 Ips cancelled 1715 Sov late
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Plus my train shortformed to 8.

Good service.
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1745 Shen Cm too full for anyone to board
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Darandio none so blind...
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And Darandio I travel with a 1st class annual season. This morning I had to move a GA member of staff from 1st class to sit down.

You may say posh git travelling first

I would say I pay 7k per year for this garbage.

Driving to central London is not an option.

A raft of departures?

 

[Darandio]

Darandio none so blind...

Not blind if most of that cannot be seen anywhere, it was you who said to 'take a look'.

 

[Angliarailuser]

And you who failed.

 

[Darandio]

Indeed, that most likely means I either work for AGA or at least service their stock.

 

[Domh245]

2 Ipswich services cancelled? - 1Y30 1738 Cancelled due to cancellation of inbound working, problem with doors.

1715 Liverpool St. - Southend Victoria - yup, 9 late upon departure and loosing time all the way, eventually arrived 17 late

1745 Shenfield service is TfL Rail - not really at home on the Greater Anglia thread.

 

[Angliarailuser]

It is apologies. They are curtently as bad as Abellio

 

[380gk]

Your vendetta against AGA is pretty shocking.

You can't just make generic comments without fact checking them and going into a bit of a strop when people don't agree.

And no, I don't work for AGA.

 

[Angliarailuser]

I am an Abellio customer who received an apology for poor performance from their MD in person last night.

If you paid £7200 for no service would you be happy?

Vendetta? No!

Criticism of service yes and it will continue until improvement.

 

[dk1]

On a lighter note, i did like this photo with the comment 'Identity Crisis'

 

[george.h]

On a lighter note, i did like this photo with the comment 'Identity Crisis'

View attachment 22548

Why would the green box be having an "identify crisis" LOL
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...And Darandio I travel with a 1st class annual season. This morning I had to move a GA member of staff from 1st class to sit down.

Did you demand to see his first class ticket? You should have

 

[TheEdge]

2 Ips cancelled 1715 Sov late

And you wonder why people here find it hard to take you seriously when you classify 2 cancellations and a delay in an evening peak of over 100 trains to be "carnage"....

 

[Saint66]

If that's carnage, you should see Thameslink in the peaks! And that's without major disruption to the core!

 

[Angliarailuser]

Oh and the Shenfield comment was a Chelmsford service.

Tfl run there now?

 

[george.h]

And you wonder why people here find it hard to take you seriously when you classify 2 cancellations and a delay in an evening peak of over 100 trains to be "carnage"....

The day of the great "Broken down train North East of Chelmsford" fiasco, now that WAS carnage. "Content free" platform announcements, nobody seeming to know anything, one empty train that went through Stratford towards Chelmsford WITHOUT even stopping (and no explanation - tempers would have been calmed if some said "faulty train being taken out of service").

Then of course there were the standard "Take the first available train to Shenfield....." announcements - and then do what? Stand there while every single train for hours goes past with passengers clinging to the roof and no chance of getting on? Nope. Better to stay put. They still always trot that useless bit of advice out though.

I think it took me almost 3 hours that evening to get from Stratford to Chelmsford....

At least AGA did admit that their contingency plans didn't work, though most of us on the platforms at Stratford doubted they had any that day...

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Oh and the Shenfield comment was a Chelmsford service.

Tfl run there now?

Yep, they're called TfL Rail and took over the old "Metro" services as from 31st May. Though on their About Us webpage they think only Shenfield is outside of London. Brentwood is on the moon or somewhere.... See my previous post a few pages back (page 62'ish) about this.

 

[Dave1987]

You may say posh git travelling first

I would say I pay 7k per year for this garbage.

Driving to central London is not an option.

No this IS an argument I hate. No one forces you to work in London, live out in the country and commute. That is your choice to do so. No one forces you to travel by train each day. You could get stuck in the massive jams on the A12 & M25 each day. You choose to commute and commute by train. Why not get a job closer to home instead, or live in London?

 

[AM9]

No this IS an argument I hate. No one forces you to work in London, live out in the country and commute. That is your choice to do so. No one forces you to travel by train each day. You could get stuck in the massive jams on the A12 & M25 each day. You choose to commute and commute by train. Why not get a job closer to home instead, or live in London?

More to the point, a delay is going to affect a passenger with a 1st class ticket the same as one with a std. class one other than the possibility of getting a seat when a train eventually does turn up.* Why do those who spend more on their tickets think that it entitles them to less delays?

* If it's that bad, they should declassify 1st class.

 

[VauxhallandI]

No this IS an argument I hate. No one forces you to work in London, live out in the country and commute. That is your choice to do so. No one forces you to travel by train each day. You could get stuck in the massive jams on the A12 & M25 each day. You choose to commute and commute by train. Why not get a job closer to home instead, or live in London?

And this is the retort I hate. Essentially due to the way this country works lots of people don't really have a choice but to work in London but cannot afford to live in London.

Yes there are other jobs outside London but if you are trying to maximise your career for your and your dependants greater good then they are not viable options.

One cannot build your life around a railway decision but that doesn't mean you can no longer have any thought s on its performance. If they run long distance services then they should be measured upon them.

 

[Bald Rick]

And this is the retort I hate. Essentially due to the way this country works lots of people don't really have a choice but to work in London but cannot afford to live in London.

Oh come on. There is a choice. There are millions of people, including millions of families, who live and work in London and don't get paid much. Unless you believe that everyone who lives in London is paid a fortune.

The choice is between

1) living in a smaller house / flat in certain parts of inner London with a short trip to work
2) living in a larger property and /or in a nicer area, further out, with a longer trip to work.

So the choice being made is about quality of life. And part of that choice is around the journey.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Oh come on. There is a choice. There are millions of people, including millions of families, who live and work in London and don't get paid much. Unless you believe that everyone who lives in London is paid a fortune.

The choice is between

1) living in a smaller house / flat in certain parts of inner London with a short trip to work
2) living in a larger property and /or in a nicer area, further out, with a longer trip to work.

So the choice being made is about quality of life. And part of that choice is around the journey.

And move their extended family with them and their support network, friends too. All for the railway.

I'm told most of the country doesn't have many jobs?

There are lots of things to take into considerations to make such a drastic decision.