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How bad was your journey today?

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tothetrains

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29 Jan 2017
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A lot of people are angry at TOCs like northern and govia for the masses of timetable changes. As I'm sure you're all aware, there have been some problems this morning due to the changes (northern rail mostly).
How bad was your journey today? Was it really that bad?

Interested to hear, as most of twitter is just saying the same thing (like people begging chris grayling to strip arriva of the franchise, like he actually cares about the quality of people's journeys).
 
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jamesthegill

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26 Dec 2013
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Missed my intended first train because I'm an idiot and forgot about the timetable change (that's on me), fortunately had a backup connection and got to work as scheduled. Looking forward to my journey home!
 

Andyh82

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Many people on Twitter are complaining about the timetable change itself, and having to adjust to a different time train, not the cancellations.
 

yorksrob

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Nothing untoward for me. I caught the same train as usual, although I do now have a later option which I might try at some stage.

Are Northern's problems more an extension of the pre-existing Lancashire issues ?
 

tothetrains

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Hard to say. I think the issues are the result of a number of problems that came to the forefront when they tried to do all their proposed changes at once.
 

josh-j

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14 Sep 2013
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About 10 minutes late in both the morning and evening but no biggie for me - was still at work on time, and in a new(er) train than before - with more people talking about train issues than usual!
 

AM9

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Other half had an easy journey up to City Thameslink and back. There were several cancellations between 07:00 and 08:00 but apart from one around -7:25 apparently it all went quite smoothly.
The BBC, usually eager to get a cheap headline on travel problems summed the day's issues by saying that many were complaining that their usual train didn't run and nobody told them of the changes. Those interviewed that did actually bother to check seemed to say that it went OK. There was also yet another showing of the the tired report about 'poor' Harpenden commuters who now had less trains than before the changes. Somehow, these adjustments were completely life-changing for them, so they claimed.
 

theironroad

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Well of the 4 trains I've taken today, 3 were less than 5mins late arriving with n connection issues. The 4th one (3rd leg) was 20 late due to a train breaking down, but luckily I had ample connection time to let 4 so all in all a good day.
 

Bald Rick

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Train turned up on time, departed on time, arrived on time. Both up in the morning and down this evening.
 

6Gman

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A lot of people are angry at TOCs like northern and govia for the masses of timetable changes. As I'm sure you're all aware, there have been some problems this morning due to the changes (northern rail mostly).

Timetable changes shouldn't cause problems. Unless they've been poorly planned and/or implemented.
 

GodAtum

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A lot of people are angry at TOCs like northern and govia for the masses of timetable changes. As I'm sure you're all aware, there have been some problems this morning due to the changes (northern rail mostly).
How bad was your journey today? Was it really that bad?

Interested to hear, as most of twitter is just saying the same thing (like people begging chris grayling to strip arriva of the franchise, like he actually cares about the quality of people's journeys).

Unfortunately I am looking for another job as the timetable change is unsuitable for my working pattern.
 

cuccir

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Selfishly better despite delays! Morning commute I ended up on a late running retimed service, actually earlier than my usual target two trains. The retiming has put this train 8 minutes before the one I'm normally heading for so I suspect I'll get it more frequently.

Afternoon my intended train (a new service) was cancelled but I had checked in advance and was able to get away for what was my previous normal train - which now runs 3 mins earlier with the only stop removed!

So in both cases people around me were delayed but I probably had one of my quickest commutes.
 

Ianno87

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0654 Cambridge to London Bridge. On time, plenty of seats at Cambridge. Had to wait time at both Finsbury Park and Cambridge.

Intended return was 1716 back Cambridge - was cancelled so hopped to St Pancras then over the road to Kings Cross in plenty of time for 1742, which arrived about 4 minutes late.
 

island

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Got in 6L in the morning, and got caught up in the lightning mess at HGR in the evening, getting home about half an hour late.
 

bramling

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Hertfordshire / Teesdale
Other half had an easy journey up to City Thameslink and back. There were several cancellations between 07:00 and 08:00 but apart from one around -7:25 apparently it all went quite smoothly.
The BBC, usually eager to get a cheap headline on travel problems summed the day's issues by saying that many were complaining that their usual train didn't run and nobody told them of the changes. Those interviewed that did actually bother to check seemed to say that it went OK. There was also yet another showing of the the tired report about 'poor' Harpenden commuters who now had less trains than before the changes. Somehow, these adjustments were completely life-changing for them, so they claimed.

Had I been travelling in to work today, looking at RTT my journey would have been delayed by 36 minutes, being affected by two cancellations. I suspect it would have been crowded too. In total today the journey would have been 74 minutes compared to 32 minutes under the old timetable.

It's not about "poor commuters" moaning about their train time changing, but about the industry's failure to deliver. It's bad enough that this shambles has happened, but what makes it far worse is the way the management seem completely disconnected from reality - only hours ago was Charles Horton saying there would be "minimal" impact today. That level of incompetence is simply breathtaking.

It's worth noting that little went wrong today, so all an industry planning shambles of the highest order. Even the usual suspects can't seriously defend that.
 

Kendalian

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30 Mar 2016
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249
Went to Buckshaw as usual. Old train 0729 new train 0736 so 5 minutes longer in bed. So far so good.
Got to station. Not many cars in car park, bad sign. Many passengers in waiting area, bad sign.

0708 cancelled, 0736 cancelled, 0757 cancelled, 0815 cancelled....on it went.

Caught the "0715" at 0745. From RTT that was the first train from Buckshaw to Manchester since 0615.
The next train was the 0858 which actually left at 0930.

Coming home, had seen the 1701 and 1731 from Piccadilly were cancelled. Arranged to leave early to catch the 1705 from Victoria which in fairness ran ok.

Monsoon hit Manchester about 1630, got pi$$ed wet through walking to station. Suit now dried, shoes still wet.
I blame Arriva for me getting soaked. Nothing else is their fault :E
 

lordbusiness

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17 Dec 2014
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Seemed to have picked it up a bit as the days gone on 82% ppm currently. Northern still struggling at 64%.
 

thejuggler

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8 Jan 2016
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1,186
This morning normal. Service was showing one minute late, but it caught up. Extended wait at a red light awaiting access to platform, but nothing major.

Return 5 minutes late which slipped further due to what appeared to be a faulty 158 unit. Only 2 of 3 units working effectively so line speed couldn't be reached.
 

RAPC

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30 May 2010
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293
Caught the "0715" at 0745. From RTT that was the first train from Buckshaw to Manchester since 0615.
The next train was the 0858 which actually left at 0930.

I was doing the journey to Manchester from Leyland this morning. First train I could be on due to nursery drop off was the 07:52, which was cancelled along with everything until the 09:54. I popped home for a bit and came back before 9 to check what was happening. Ended up popping off to get a coffee for myself and pick one up for the gentleman burdened with being in the ticket office today. Came back and with about 3 minutes notice the 08:52 was reinstated and due to arrive 32 mins late on platform 2. Obviously it then arrived on platform 4 and the few of us still at the station had a jog over the footbridge. As it was showing canceled until late on, we picked up hardly anyone until Bolton. It was also 6 carriages, so presumably an attempt at getting some stock in position. Ended up 1 hour 45 late in to Manchester.

On the way home tonight, was due to be on the 5:34 from Oxford Road, but it was cancelled along with the next 3 services. Seeing this, I went earlier to Victoria but they sent me back to Oxford Road as they had apparently asked for a stop order for the 18:04 Barrow service to include Leyland. Oxford Road staff sorted it when I was there and Leyland was added. Only problem was that the booked 4 carriages rocked up as a 158 and only about 10 people made it on. Hopefully someone else benefited from the Leyland stop. Ended up on a slightly delayed 19:34 from Oxford Road that got me back just over 2 hours late to Leyland.

Pretty shambolic day, but I made it in both ways. I can just about cope with the early cancellations, it's the hope that is dashed at the last minute for the late cancellations that kills you.
 

WestRiding

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21 Mar 2012
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Too many trains, not enough track. On Huddersfield Panel today in York ROC, Transpennine Express has been shocking, nearly every train late. Sheffield Panel alongside me, just does not work put simply. The infrastructure just cannot cope.... Again, nearly every train is late. Ironically the only train I have had on time so far was 4M90 Bio-mass from Drax to Liverpool.
 

Failed Unit

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Big delays both ways but more seats than expected.

Left on time this morning but very late into London on great northern as a combination of the train sent into st Pancras rather than kings cross and multiple cancellations prevented me going to Moorgate. Journey took 1 hour longer than last week.

Return 45 mins longer. Cancellations and slower journey time.
 

Chrisgr31

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This mornings Southern train was exactly 15 minutes late in to London Bridge, having been 20 minutes late at East Croydon. Delay caused by a passenger being taken ill on a train at South Croydon I believe. Came home on a new train in the timetable which is earlier than my usual one, was lightly late due to late train in front. Service much as normal really
 

KingJ

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23 Dec 2012
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197
No changes to my timetable on the Southeastern Mainline, but picked up a 17 minute delay this morning due to a train fault at Orpington, and a 21 minute delay this evening due to lightning knocking out track circuits and/or signals at Hither Green.

To be fair, neither of those delays is the fault of the timetable change but with the evening incident triggering an unusual diversion down the Hayes line and via Bromley South, these aren't quite the new journey opportunities I was expecting!
 

700007

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Near a bunch of sheds that aren't 66s.
Poor journey today. Tried to get the 1405 ThamesLink service to Horsham from Finsbury Park only for it to be delayed and arrive about 10L. Following it's arrival, it just sat there as the relieving driver to take it into the Canal Tunnels had not turned up and our driver only signed London King's Cross.

Twenty minutes later we were diverted into London King's Cross and expected to make our own way to wherever it was we were going. Note in this time a number of Moorgate 313s had been diverted to King's Cross too due to drivers not turning up and a few other ThamesLink services. Unfortunate shambles.
 

Tom B

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27 Jul 2005
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I made a couple of short Northern journeys - there were some cancellations owing to staff shortages on the way out. On the return, there was a 5 minute delay, which was either because of a defective train or "congestion", depending on whether you believed the excuse from the station P.A. or the guard!
 

Dr Hoo

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10 Nov 2015
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Hope Valley
Some random travelling about today:
GTR Rainham-Woolwich-St Pancras excellent and punctual trip.
Virgin West Coast Euston-Preston good run with excellent on-board service.
Northern in complete collapse around Preston but did manage a late return electric run to Blackpool North.
Unable to board wedged Northern 158 with defective air-con on one of the very few services Preston-Bolton-Manchester that was actually operating.
Caught Transpennine 'non-stop' via Golbourne but significantly delayed signal to signal from Eccles through to Piccadilly.
Considerable disruption noted at Piccadilly but Hope Valley only delayed by around 10 minutes - nothing unusual.

A friend contacted me to say how pleased they were with the augmented Hope Valley local service.
 

_toommm_

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Managed to travel a total of 1 and a half miles in just under an hour and a half due to the 15:52 Stalybridge to Piccadilly train cancelled, meaning it took me 3 hours to get from Ashton to Sheffield.

Harassed by Northern ticket bods at Meadowhall as I had to travel on the train an hour after the train I was booked to on my advance ticket due to said delay. They don't normally bother checking TPE trains so cheers to them.

Then my train home from work was infinitely delayed at Doncaster waiting for train crew. All in all a very delay repay type of day.
 

Bald Rick

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Ditto, but then my GA trains haven't changed so that doesn't really count.

Wait until 2019...

As a TL commuter my trains changed comprehensively. Let’s see what happens tomorrow, and in a couple of weeks when it all settles down.
 
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