Getting people back on trains as lockdown eases.

[nedchester]

1) Go to lner.co.uk/reserve on your phone (assuming it has an Internet browser). I believe you can make at least 2 different reservations on the same e-mail address if you want some flexibility.

2) Go to the ticket office before 6pm

3) Go to any other ticket office earlier in the day. You can't have *that* many choices of routes after 6pm from Retford that you won't have some idea of earlier in the day... You could even "over book" the seat (e.g. reserve to Peterborough even if you end up getting off at Grantham)

4) I'm sure if push came to shove, a quiet word with the Train Manager on arrival would do the trick "I want to travel, but can't make a reservation from the ticket office as it's closed"

Plenty of options really.

Or just get on the train and sit down. Chances are there will be no bother.

 

[yorksrob]

I have this issue too. I am planning to visit a friend in Dorset in six weeks, travelling from London with SWR and there are still no advance tickets available for weekends. I suspect I may end having to pay a full price ticket.

Indeed. They're obviously planning to run something from Finsbury Park. I wonder how much of this is the ridiculous "do not travel" messaging.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Indeed. They're obviously planning to run something from Finsbury Park. I wonder how much of this is the ridiculous "do not travel" messaging.

None of it is, that I can assure you.

 

[Bikeman78]

People have had over a year of being conditioned to "minimise contact", "keep distance" etc. Most people have not experienced anything "crowded" for a very long time, and some people will find that a difficult psychological barrier (as many people will associated public transport with being crowded from pre-Covid times). Even I'll feel a bit strange on my first packed train some time in the future.

Don't dismiss how uneasy some people will genuinely feel about this (even if that feeling is unfounded)

I must say I was quite happy sitting on a wedged out 313 into Brighton recently. It will be interesting to see what happens when the work from home instruction is dropped.

 

[yorksrob]

None of it is, that I can assure you.

That's reassuring to know at least.

 

[dk1]

I must say I was quite happy sitting on a wedged out 313 into Brighton recently. It will be interesting to see what happens when the work from home instruction is dropped.

Those who’ve locked themselves away from civilisation will be wetting the bed thinking about it lol. Imagine too the moans & groans on Twitter that their lives are being put at risk by the unscrupulous & nasty train companies packing them in.

 

[bramling]

Ive not used public transport this year but I regularly drive past Southeastern car parks on both the SEML and Hastings lines, you are lucky if there are 25 cars in car parks with 100s of spaces. Id suggest theres very little recovery in London commuting.

This is about right. Whilst some off-peak trains (especially weekends) are now getting to the point where they’re back to normal loadings, the peaks haven’t recovered at all.

1812 King’s Cross to Peterborough yesterday - left King’s Cross with about 8 people in the front carriage of an 8-car train. Normally this would have been a 12-car, and whilst not crush loaded it would have been most/all seats taken. And of those 8, certainly a couple were 365 enthusiasts!

Having said that, I did see some standing during the morning peak on LU yesterday, however this hasn’t been completely absent at times on LU, even during the first lockdown. Early morning in particular has always been quite busy. 0830 less so.

 

[Jimini]

I’m on the 1528 Cheltenham Spa service from Paddington now and it’s nicely wedged. Almost feels normal again!

 

[dk1]

Catering staff On the 11:00 Norwich to Liverpool St & 13:30 return today reported business was brisk & loadings where like lockdown had never happened. Plenty escaping for the bank holiday weekend no doubt.

 

[Bikeman78]

I’m on the 1528 Cheltenham Spa service from Paddington now and it’s nicely wedged. Almost feels normal again!

Roughly what proportion of seats were taken do you know? Since April 12th I've been on Pad-Swansea and vice versa with around 50% of seats occupied.

 

[Hadders]

1812 King’s Cross to Peterborough yesterday - left King’s Cross with about 8 people in the front carriage of an 8-car train. Normally this would have been a 12-car, and whilst not crush loaded it would have been most/all seats taken. And of those 8, certainly a couple were 365 enthusiasts!

There would have been nine in the front carriage yesterday had my plans not been thwarted. You're right that pre-covid this train was never that busy. You're spot on about the 365 enthusiasts, suspect there'll be more of them over the next couple of weeks!

 

[Jimini]

Roughly what proportion of seats were taken do you know? Since April 12th I've been on Pad-Swansea and vice versa with around 50% of seats occupied.

I’d say about 80% of seats, plenty of couples and families travelling, loads of luggage at the ends of each carriage. Probably worth noting that the Cheltenhams are usually only 5-car units at the moment (as was yesterday’s).

 

[johntea]

On a Northern service yesterday there were several guards (on the same service) doing a thorough ticket check which I haven't seen since pre March 2020

Also I worked out I'll be a bit gutted in a few weeks when the timetables get some extra services, as it'll become more difficult for me to have a delay of over an hour for some free tickets Yesterday an evening peak service was cancelled due to a train fault but the next service an hour later was only 'comfortably' busy rather than 'sardine' busy so numbers are increasing but there isn't a big bang...yet!

 

[nlogax]

Waverley absolutely rammed today, reminiscent of pre-pandemic spring weekends. Helps of course that most southbound services were delayed or cancelled due to signalling woes towards Berwick. Queues everywhere.

 

[Freightmaster]

I worked out I'll be a bit gutted in a few weeks when the timetables get some extra services, as it'll become more difficult for me to have a delay of over an hour for some free tickets

First world post Covid problems

 

[dk1]

Cambridge station was as if not busier than a normal Saturday this afternoon. Many trains are running in full & standing. Outside The Old Ticket Office was turning people away & all available seating around the Station Plaza & it’s outlets taken. Lots of groups of people going into the City too topping up with alcohol in Sainsbury’s.

 

[Ianno87]

Cambridge station was as if not busier than a normal Saturday this afternoon. Many trains are running in full & standing. Outside The Old Ticket Office was turning people away & all available seating around the Station Plaza & it’s outlets taken. Lots of groups of people going into the City too topping up with alcohol in Sainsbury’s.

I didn't go to the station, but city centre was heaving. Life is back.

 

[Deafdoggie]

The trouble with all this, is that it is leisure travellers - which the railway has always done its best to avoid- not commuter traffic. The railway is going to have to change its attitude to leisure travellers if they are to be its new business

 

[Ianno87]

The trouble with all this, is that it is leisure travellers - which the railway has always done its best to avoid- not commuter traffic. The railway is going to have to change its attitude to leisure travellers if they are to be its new business

What "attitude" is that exactly?

 

[Deafdoggie]

What "attitude" is that exactly?

Engineering works at key leisure times, removing through day-tripper/holidaymaker trains, lesser service levels on Sundays.
The attitude is that leisure travellers pay less so they can be inconvenienced. They ignore the fact that these travellers pay more per trip, and may make more trips. Instead, favouring the daily commuter, who is now a dying breed.

 

[LowLevel]

Liverpool was heaving this afternoon. Strange to see a cafe culture of sorts outside the Irish bars on Ranelagh St but nice though! Trains were busy too.

To at least some degree I'd hope that people dipping their toes again for leisure will, if they have a nice experience using the train, lead to some of them deciding to return once offices etc reopen.

 

[dk1]

I didn't go to the station, but city centre was heaving. Life is back.

So good to see. Just need M&S to reopen now.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Ive not used public transport this year but I regularly drive past Southeastern car parks on both the SEML and Hastings lines, you are lucky if there are 25 cars in car parks with 100s of spaces. Id suggest theres very little recovery in London commuting.

Why would people? I bet half the cars you've seen one day will not be there the next working day or at least the next working week. People will enjoy working from home especially in the South East, and only going into London for work on odd days/weeks.

 

[Hadders]

Definitely more commuters going into London this week. I took the 07:02 from Stevenage to St Pancras on Thursday morning and around 100 passengers got on.

My office has been the busiest it has been as well, and was at full capacity (albeit reduced capacity for social distancing). Was a really nice atmosphere tbh.

Still a log way to go but bodes well.

 

[DelW]

Ive not used public transport this year but I regularly drive past Southeastern car parks on both the SEML and Hastings lines, you are lucky if there are 25 cars in car parks with 100s of spaces. Id suggest theres very little recovery in London commuting.

Likewise on the Portsmouth line. Car parks which would normally be full by 8am (including some where spaces were only available to a select list of season ticket holders) now have half a dozen cars in them at most. Parking ticket revenue must have virtually disappeared. I doubt it would even be worth anyone's while travelling out to check if the few cars there actually have tickets?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Engineering works at key leisure times, removing through day-tripper/holidaymaker trains, lesser service levels on Sundays.
The attitude is that leisure travellers pay less so they can be inconvenienced. They ignore the fact that these travellers pay more per trip, and may make more trips. Instead, favouring the daily commuter, who is now a dying breed.

Spot on and Sir Peter Hendy same few months ago but as to whether industry will ever get the leadership to implement such a change in direction remains to be seen but ultimately a railway not being used won't last long in its current format.

 

[Kite159]

Likewise on the Portsmouth line. Car parks which would normally be full by 8am (including some where spaces were only available to a select list of season ticket holders) now have half a dozen cars in them at most. Parking ticket revenue must have virtually disappeared. I doubt it would even be worth anyone's while travelling out to check if the few cars there actually have tickets?

Although these days SWR's parking parasite uses ANPR cameras in some car parks to ensure people pay up.

 

[philosopher]

Spot on and Sir Peter Hendy same few months ago but as to whether industry will ever get the leadership to implement such a change in direction remains to be seen but ultimately a railway not being used won't last long in its current format.

The big problem for the railway industry is that they do not really know yet to what degree the commuters will return. Reorienting the railways to leisure and shift workers who have to work on site would only really make sense if office commuters do not return.

 

[paul1609]

Although these days SWR's parking parasite uses ANPR cameras in some car parks to ensure people pay up.

Southeastern has recently changed contractor and all the car park ticket machines have been removed. You can only pay in the station or by app.

 

[Kite159]

Southeastern has recently changed contractor and all the car park ticket machines have been removed. You can only pay in the station or by app.

Same with SWR, TVM for daily tickets or mess around with an app, ensuring you select the right car park etc.

Hoping the contractor parasite doesn't have a "you didn't follow the steps correctly, have a £60 invoice because we need more money for the directors Christmas holiday.

Although I did laugh when at Ockley station today, a station which has a tiny car park and no Sunday service. But will charge £1.50 for parking on a Sunday