Southeastern.......Let me at 'em!

[blakey1152]

As I work lengthy 12 hour shifts when I am on the night shift I will usually catch the 16:57 train from Slade Green to Sidcup (arriving at 17:15)

And to aid my journey I will check the trains progress using the National Rail app after it leaves Cannon Street as if its severely delayed or cancelled I will opt for the bus to work and still make it on time.

So yesterday......
I tracked the train and it lost a customary 3 minutes at Charlton (waiting for the semi-fast) and was 5 minutes late at Abbey Wood - still not a problem as it has a few minutes padding at Crayford anyways.

So i've headed off to the station, tapped in and waited for the train to show up and now its 7 minutes late - still not a probem.
Got on the train..and waited..and waited nearly 10 minutes pass and I'm now getting a bit concerned then the announcement was made
"This train is terminating at Slade Green...because its the wrong kind of train!"

I'd love to know the real reason for cancelling the train at Slade Green as although the train was a 5 car instead of the usual 8 car I don't believe that the wrong kind of train is a reasonable excuse by any means!!!

Was told I could travel via Dartford but a quick check on my phone revealed that the next train to Dartford was at 17:18 which although there was a train to Dartford behind the cancelled Sidcup line service it would not have got me there in time for it.

Sadly, the service via the Sidcup line seems to have gotten a lot worse of late as last time I wanted to use the reverse service (18:36 Sidcup to Slade Green) that too was cancelled.

I'm seriously thinking of giving up buying a Travelcard and going back to using just the bus if SET can't get their acts together.

Needless to say I arrived very late at work as I had to take the bus and was not a very popular man that night as it put me in a right miserable mood.

Chris
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I should add that waiting for the next Sidcup line train was not an option as there is a 53 minute gap between the 16:57 and the next train at 17:50!

 

[westcoaster]

Maybe that type of unit was not cleared for the route it was deputising on.

 

[Class377/5]

As I work lengthy 12 hour shifts when I am on the night shift I will usually catch the 16:57 train from Slade Green to Sidcup (arriving at 17:15)

And to aid my journey I will check the trains progress using the National Rail app after it leaves Cannon Street as if its severely delayed or cancelled I will opt for the bus to work and still make it on time.

So yesterday......
I tracked the train and it lost a customary 3 minutes at Charlton (waiting for the semi-fast) and was 5 minutes late at Abbey Wood - still not a problem as it has a few minutes padding at Crayford anyways.

So i've headed off to the station, tapped in and waited for the train to show up and now its 7 minutes late - still not a probem.
Got on the train..and waited..and waited nearly 10 minutes pass and I'm now getting a bit concerned then the announcement was made
"This train is terminating at Slade Green...because its the wrong kind of train!"

I'd love to know the real reason for cancelling the train at Slade Green as although the train was a 5 car instead of the usual 8 car I don't believe that the wrong kind of train is a reasonable excuse by any means!!!

Was told I could travel via Dartford but a quick check on my phone revealed that the next train to Dartford was at 17:18 which although there was a train to Dartford behind the cancelled Sidcup line service it would not have got me there in time for it.

Sadly, the service via the Sidcup line seems to have gotten a lot worse of late as last time I wanted to use the reverse service (18:36 Sidcup to Slade Green) that too was cancelled.

I'm seriously thinking of giving up buying a Travelcard and going back to using just the bus if SET can't get their acts together.

Needless to say I arrived very late at work as I had to take the bus and was not a very popular man that night as it put me in a right miserable mood.

Chris
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I should add that waiting for the next Sidcup line train was not an option as there is a 53 minute gap between the 16:57 and the next train at 17:50!

They actually announced it as a wrong type of train? Was it a human announcement I take?

Strange they'd cancelled it for a 376 as they run them units to Sevenoaks from City Thameslink before now.

Only reason I could think it is is the wrong train was presented and needed to be somewhere while still on this service as it was cancelled to save other cancellations. (Not that I know what happened but it's a sensible maybe this happened).

 

[OxtedL]

That explanation (train not being cleared) feels unlikely in SouthEastern land, and definitely can't apply to the train in question, but seems consistent with the description of events.

I note that this is a loop service. Do these have a change of driver at any point?

 

[blakey1152]

They actually announced it as a wrong type of train? Was it a human announcement I take?

Indeed it was!

 

[island]

Could it possibly be that the train was going to go over its maximum journey time for a unit without toilets? 5-car would be an Electrostar with no toilets, whereas 8-car would normally be a Networker with toilets. I seem to recall that Electrostars can't run journeys longer than 57 minutes.

 

[causton]

Could it possibly be that the train was going to go over its maximum journey time for a unit without toilets? 5-car would be an Electrostar with no toilets, whereas 8-car would normally be a Networker with toilets. I seem to recall that Electrostars can't run journeys longer than 57 minutes.

Is this an actual rule? If it is, make the train wait for a couple of minutes and give it a new headcode!
I never knew this was an actual rule though, I thought it was just guidance...

 

[island]

I've no idea whether it's a rule, guidance, or something I heard off someone down the pub a few months ago.

 

[Urban Gateline]

I've no idea whether it's a rule, guidance, or something I heard off someone down the pub a few months ago.

It'd seem a silly rule too, as most stations have toilets, so a passenger could technically break their journey if they needed the loo, provided they have a ticket allowing BOJ, but you would've thought people would plan better and use the loo before a long train journey (same principle with a long car journey!)

 

[466.networkers]

Don't forget only the Class 376 5 car Electrostars don't have toilets.
All the other Class 375s have at least one toilet per 3/4 car unit.

 

[OxtedL]

Don't forget only the Class 376 5 car Electrostars don't have toilets.
All the other Class 375s have at least one toilet per 3/4 car unit.

When they remember to empty them. I have seen many frustrated people over time get caught out on a 4-car electrostar with both toilets locked out...

Although this is of course incidental, I don't think toilets will be an explanation for this situation.

 

[Class377/5]

Could it possibly be that the train was going to go over its maximum journey time for a unit without toilets? 5-car would be an Electrostar with no toilets, whereas 8-car would normally be a Networker with toilets. I seem to recall that Electrostars can't run journeys longer than 57 minutes.

It's not a rule. It's a guideline. Better to have a 376 than cancel a service really.

 

[MarkyMarkD]

It'd seem a silly rule too, as most stations have toilets, so a passenger could technically break their journey if they needed the loo, provided they have a ticket allowing BOJ, but you would've thought people would plan better and use the loo before a long train journey (same principle with a long car journey!)

Obviously you don't have a small child! 57 minutes is plenty long enough to be stuck on a train without toilets - in fact, 15 minutes is too long sometimes!

 

[Urban Gateline]

Obviously you don't have a small child! 57 minutes is plenty long enough to be stuck on a train without toilets - in fact, 15 minutes is too long sometimes!

No, I don't have children, but really, 57 minutes is too long? If the child went to the loo at the station before boarding, you're saying they can't last an hour without needing to go again? I feel sorry for the parent that has to constantly get up and take them to the loo!

 

[Smudger105e]

No, I don't have children, but really, 57 minutes is too long? If the child went to the loo at the station before boarding, you're saying they can't last an hour without needing to go again? I feel sorry for the parent that has to constantly get up and take them to the loo!

I have a 4 year old grandson, and when he needs to have a wee, he has to have a wee. And if its a poo the priorities are exactly the same, he can't hold it for any extrended period of time. Young children are still learning the feelings associated with their bodily functions, and don't like having a wee when 'I don't need a wee now, Grandad'

 

[MarkyMarkD]

Agreed, LF. The problem isn't that they can't go 57 minutes between performances, but the fact that they don't know 5 minutes in advance that one is on the way!

We have had some very uncomfortable Southeastern journeys when we realise we don't have any toilets.

Of course, it is quite right that we could in an emergency get off at any station to use the facilities ... unless it was late at night and the station ones were locked (which seems to often be the case).

 

[Southern]

Could it possibly be that the train was going to go over its maximum journey time for a unit without toilets? 5-car would be an Electrostar with no toilets, whereas 8-car would normally be a Networker with toilets. I seem to recall that Electrostars can't run journeys longer than 57 minutes.

Cannon Street - Sidcup via Woolwich clocks in at 58 minutes and is regularly worked by 376's. There are plenty of alternatives that take around half an hour, with an occasional change at London Bridge so I can't see many customers making the point to point journey via Woolwich. The only other workings by 376 that run over that time are a few services to/from Gravesend, although these probably have more to do with getting the right amount of carriages where they need to be in the morning/evening peak. The fact that they don't have toilets could be the reason that they aren't booked beyond Gravesend in passenger service, though.