Greater Anglia.. run by idiots?

[silverfoxcc]

Yesterday, they decided to shut the Lea Valley line for some reason.

This meant that the bulk of the footbsall traffic was put on the Enfield Town line. Not only that they ran some 4 car!!! FFS trains after the match. surely someone with a brain cell that isnt frozen would have had the nous to schedule something on a day Spurs are away. After all they know about the fixture list Waaaay back in June last year

Speaking as a traveller... pillocks all of them. Also what is to get them to get the Stansteds making an extra stop at Northumberland Park to relieve the London bound Traffic? It isnt rocket science, they do manage to put the extra stop in for the Northbound trains prior to the match

 

[chappers]

Yesterday, they decided to shut the Lea Valley line for some reason.

This meant that the bulk of the footbsall traffic was put on the Enfield Town line. Not only that they ran some 4 car!!! FFS trains after the match. surely someone with a brain cell that isnt frozen would have had the nous to schedule something on a day Spurs are away. After all they know about the fixture list Waaaay back in June last year

Speaking as a traveller... pillocks all of them. Also what is to get them to get the Stansteds making an extra stop at Northumberland Park to relieve the London bound Traffic? It isnt rocket science, they do manage to put the extra stop in for the Northbound trains prior to the match

Possessions are planned circa 2 years in advance, way before the fixture lists come out

 

[EM2]

I believe some overhead came down at Angel Road, hence the line closure.
And who decided to show the match on TV and so move it to the Sunday? I bet it wasn't Greater Anglia.

 

[455driver]

After all they know about the fixture list Waaaay back in June last year

Yeah obviously the railway never plans maintenance in advance is it!

Speaking as a traveller... pillocks all of them.

Thats a bit harsh, not all travellers are pillocks, just the self important ones that havent got a clue how things actually work! :roll:

 

[Dave1987]

Yesterday, they decided to shut the Lea Valley line for some reason.

This meant that the bulk of the footbsall traffic was put on the Enfield Town line. Not only that they ran some 4 car!!! FFS trains after the match. surely someone with a brain cell that isnt frozen would have had the nous to schedule something on a day Spurs are away. After all they know about the fixture list Waaaay back in June last year

Speaking as a traveller... pillocks all of them. Also what is to get them to get the Stansteds making an extra stop at Northumberland Park to relieve the London bound Traffic? It isnt rocket science, they do manage to put the extra stop in for the Northbound trains prior to the match

Are you aware how far in advance NR plan these line closures?? The FA have far more ability to move matches around the railways than the other way around. Just like last year when the FA moved the kick off to the FA cup final back to 17.00 for live television coverage even though it had already been agreed prior to be an earlier kick off so all the fans from the North could get back up before the WCML closed for engineering works. The FA moved the kick off time but you cannot just change the times of engineering work that has been planned for months and months! Maybe you should be asking your football team why they could not organise the football around the railways. They seem to be able to rearnage kick offs for television coverage pretty easy. Blaming GA though is a lot easier isnt it. Anyway Im going to stop now before I say something I shouldn't. Needless to say GA is not run by idiots!

 

[455driver]

Needless to say GA is not run by idiots!

But obviously has quite a few travelling on their trains!

 

[captainbigun]

Needless to say GA is not run by idiots!

I think that depends on which level of the company you're looking at! People on the ground, clearly not, they just have to deal with what's thrown at them. Further up the foodchain, umm, I think there are some challenges.

 

[SWT_USER]

Not their fault there was a possession but their fault for only running 4 car trains I suspect.

 

[Monty]

Not their fault there was a possession but their fault for only running 4 car trains I suspect.

If a formation is running short it is normally because they (the TOC) have no spare stock to play with, most of the heavier maintenance jobs done over the weekend. I find it obsurd that people honestly expect the railway to cater to the needs of the premier league, something that I mention is hardly practical when you consider the number of fixtures that take place across the country. Train planners simply do not have the time or the resources to make sure that each weekend every area that has a fixture is supplemented with extra services or carriages.

On a personal note the OP needs to man up and wind his neck in..

 

[Dave1987]

I think that depends on which level of the company you're looking at! People on the ground, clearly not, they just have to deal with what's thrown at them. Further up the foodchain, umm, I think there are some challenges.

"Speaking as a traveller..... pillocks all of them"

That sentence would seem to suggest the OP thinks everyone at GA is a pillock which is totally unfair.

 

[spurs4life]

Hang on did any one go to a football match this weekend. I did I had to walk for thirty minutes in the snow and ice because once again Tottenham fans got screwed over. This is not an isolated case this happens every game at home be it over or underground trains not running and arsenal have a game called off every time there train service is not running.

 

[chuckles1066]

If a formation is running short it is normally because they (the TOC) have no spare stock to play with

Why?

Above inflation fare increases every January, punters are entitled to ask where all that extra revenue is going.

 

[SWT_USER]

If a formation is running short it is normally because they (the TOC) have no spare stock to play with, most of the heavier maintenance jobs done over the weekend. I find it obsurd that people honestly expect the railway to cater to the needs of the premier league, something that I mention is hardly practical when you consider the number of fixtures that take place across the country. Train planners simply do not have the time or the resources to make sure that each weekend every area that has a fixture is supplemented with extra services or carriages.

On a personal note the OP needs to man up and wind his neck in..

Strange, SWT seem to manage well when there's an event at Twickenham by rescheduling maintainance, don't see why GA can't do the same - especially as there was a possession on another part of the network I'd have thought there'd be more stock available than usual.

 

[Dave1987]

My experience with football fans is not a pleasant one. Several when they have had a few to drink after the match think its a good idea to sit on the edge of the platform with their legs over the side. When you tell them how dangerous that is and to get up you just get a mouthful of abuse and get told to "f*** off" and "I will do what ever I feel like doing" etc. anyway most football matches are at the weekend which is when most engineering work takes place. The railway doesn't run just for the convenience of football fans.

 

[Wath Yard]

I find it obsurd that people honestly expect the railway to cater to the needs of the premier league, something that I mention is hardly practical when you consider the number of fixtures that take place across the country. Train planners simply do not have the time or the resources to make sure that each weekend every area that has a fixture is supplemented with extra services or carriages.

The Premier League couldn't care less whether supporters make a seamless journey to/from the ground or have a 5 hour nightmare as long as they go to the match and spend their money. So what you are actually saying is you find it absurd that fare paying passengers expect a public transport company to transport them (the public) to where they want to go because it might be a bit inconvenient for the company's employees.

 

[ushawk]

Hang on did any one go to a football match this weekend. I did I had to walk for thirty minutes in the snow and ice because once again Tottenham fans got screwed over. This is not an isolated case this happens every game at home be it over or underground trains not running and arsenal have a game called off every time there train service is not running.

Blame the league and Sky TV, engineering work is planned 2 YEARS in advance and football fixtures are planned around work, if games are put on days of engineering work then it is down to the league who organise fixtures.

If anyone is "screwing you over" then its the league and Sky TV by moving games to Sundays where work is already planned.

With Arsenal, its because of the location of the stadium - and they have had only TWO postponements because of transport (last 2 years due to tube strikes on Boxing Day).

Yesterday overhead wires came down at Northumberland Park which of course messed the remaining line up.

Oh, and the works are NOTHING to do with Greater Anglia, Network Rail plan and so the work for a network which is safe and reliable. The only thing GA can be held for is short formations, although there probably is reasons for that.

 

[Monty]

Strange, SWT seem to manage well when there's an event at Twickenham by rescheduling maintainance, don't see why GA can't do the same - especially as there was a possession on another part of the network I'd have thought there'd be more stock available than usual.

Twickenham is but one venue though, and in reality we don't run too many extras on a rugby day anyway. SWT is perhaps fortunate that it does not have too many large footballing fixtures to cope with.

 

[spurs4life]

Don't get me wrong there are allot of plonkers from football matches but if the rail company is not there to provide a service for events like football or concerts then why bother running trains.Which would be good for me as I would not have to got too work.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

My experience with football fans is not a pleasant one. .

Like all groups there are good and bad. Would you have made the same sweeping generalisation (like the OP did in the first place) about people because of their race, colour etc ? I think had you said something like 'My experience with Somalis is not a pleasant one' it would be deemed as unacceptable.

 

[SWT_USER]

Twickenham is but one venue though, and in reality we don't run too many extras on a rugby day anyway. SWT is perhaps fortunate that it does not have too many large footballing fixtures to cope with.

White Harte Lane is but one venue too though, that's my point! I know SWt don't run many extras but they do run all their trains as 8 coaches - which is what GA should be doing when demand dictates.

 

[87015]

Blame the league and Sky TV, engineering work is planned 2 YEARS in advance and football fixtures are planned around work, if games are put on days of engineering work then it is down to the league who organise fixtures.

In theory its two years out, but it is far from certain at that stage - major blockades excepted. A TOC can still refuse standard possessions up to about 24 weeks out.

The Tottenham service is usually one the TOC is on top of, extra trains and 8 cars are the done thing so can only presume something went a bit awry this time, perhaps to do with the GE block stopping stock movements, not sure if access was available via Temple Mills? There is certainly plenty of spare capacity in the 315/317 fleet at weekends.

 

[Monty]

The Premier League couldn't care less whether supporters make a seamless journey to/from the ground or have a 5 hour nightmare as long as they go to the match and spend their money. So what you are actually saying is you find it absurd that fare paying passengers expect a public transport company to transport them (the public) to where they want to go because it might be a bit inconvenient for the company's employees.

Please don't put words in my mouth, I'm saying it's not practical for train planners to look at all the football fixtures when they are published and diagram extra coaches or run extra trains for each matchday.

White Harte Lane is but one venue too though, that's my point! I know SWt don't run many extras but they do run all their trains as 8 coaches - which is what GA should be doing when demand dictates.

My point is that SWT may only have to cope with one venue, what is GA to do happens when Spurs, Norwich and Ipswich all play at home? If we had Racing at Ascot, Rugby at Twickenham and Tennis at Wimbledon I reckon things would go south pretty quickly.

 

[aspierail]

I find that rather harsh to say that Greater Anglia is run by idiots its not.

 

[87015]

Please don't put words in my mouth, I'm saying it's not practical for train planners to look at all the football fixtures and diagram extra coaches or run extra trains.

Most will, although it will also have an element of TOC policy from higher up involved in what they are allowed to do. In most ex-NSE areas where strengthening weekend services with spare stock is generally not a problem there is little excuse for not doing it - and most do.

 

[ushawk]

Just thought id throw it in that Southern always have alterations to serve football matches where possible for football at Crystal Palace (additional services/stops at Selhurst and Norwood Jct) and at Brighton (additional services between Brighton and Lewes/Eastbourne and longer trains where possible).

This weekend will be fun with Brighton being at home to Arsenal in the FA Cup - theres a blockade between Three Bridges and Wivelsfield/Lewes !!

 

[Dave1987]

Like all groups there are good and bad. Would you have made the same sweeping generalisation (like the OP did in the first place) about people because of their race, colour etc ? I think had you said something like 'My experience with Somalis is not a pleasant one' it would be deemed as unacceptable.

My apologies my post should have said "My experience with some football fans has been an unplesant one".

Most of them are very well behaved on the railways, a bit loud, but well behaved.

 

[6Gman]

Don't get me wrong there are allot of plonkers from football matches but if the rail company is not there to provide a service for events like football or concerts then why bother running trains.Which would be good for me as I would not have to got too work.

The rail company is there to:

a) meet the obligations of its contract (franchise) with the government;
b) provide a return to its funders.

You - I - others - might think it should be there to meet the needs of football fans (by strengthening services to/from Northumberland Park), hikers (by running Sunday trains to remote stations) or railway enthusiasts (by using unusual power over obscure lines) but that's not the world as it is today!

 

[spurs4life]

So you think thousands of people travelling on the train will not bring revenue one goes hand in hand.So who would use our trains then.

 

[barrykas]

Greater Anglia had two issues to contend with yesterday...Firstly the overhead line problems around Angel Road, which was followed by a passenger taken ill on a train on the Chingford branch.

The first of these issues resulted in Cambridge, Stansted and Hertford East services being diverted via Seven Sisters, and the second resulted in running out of trains because units interwork between the Chingford branch and Enfield Town/Cheshunt.

In the normal course of events, the plan for a match at White Hart Lane calls for 8 car trains both before and after, but if the stock's not available because it's stuck on the Chingford branch...

 

[YorkshireBear]

So you think thousands of people travelling on the train will not bring revenue one goes hand in hand.So who would use our trains then.

Football fans often destroy the trains around me. So yes thousands of people create revenue but by taking a train out of service for the next day, and the repair costs. This makes up more then the extra revenua especially if the revenue missed is peak time. WHy should people who act like this deserve a service for them.

Speaking as a lifelong football fan who has caught the train to many matches around the country.