InfoBleep nerdy trip reports

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It is going well on the trains tonight.

I just missed the delayed 18:00 Guildford to Waterloo. It was 10 minutes late. I could have caught it if I ran but I was actually wanting the 18:19 and that was showing as only 4 minutes late. There was also a 17:49 but there was a wall of silence as to why it was delayed. Wlel at least there was online.

The station confirmed it was due to awaiting a member of train crew. So I went to platform 3, only to find the train was now 10 minutes late.

Eventually a train pulled into platform 5, so I rushed round. Station staff then started making calls to find out what it was. They told us not to board it as it was awaiting a member of train crew. Oassenge s for Clapham Junction and Woking were told to remain on the platform for the 18:34 and passengers for Waterloo told to use platform 3. So I went back in good faith.

Whilst I waited I saw the 17:49 depart with absolutely no announcement. I guess a guard suddenly turned up out of nowhere and it needed to go. It eventually got into Waterloo 34 minutes late.

As for my train. It departed 5 minutes after that one and ended up in Waterloo some 18 minutes after that one. We were 20 minutes late. If only I'd remained on platform 5.

I needed to be somewhere at 19:30. No chance now. Our guard took a long time to tell us what was going on and when he did, he didn't sound confident at all. I assume they train guards in public speaking. I'd hope they would.

 

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Something very rare happened this evening.

They changed the platform at the last minute at Woking for a 10 minute delayed train to Portsmouth. Was due to be platform 5 but became platform 4 just as it was almost pulling in.

The platform change wasn't the rare bit. The rare bit was that they held the train to allow the remaining few passengers coming across the bridge to board the train.

Well done for doing so though. I will thank them in Twitter. Only fair.

The change was due to a engineering train passing through platform 5 heading up. Obviously if the down train had been on time that wouldn't have happened but then if it had been on time, I wouldn't have been on it as I wasn't meant to connect onto it from the train I arrived on.

 

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There was a burst water main last night in the Surbtion area. This meant the closure of one of the lines in the area. The slow up line between Surbtion and New Malden.

In what appears to be a testament to the lack of stopping trains that pass through Surbtion in the morning, relatively few slow trains through Wimbledon have been cancelled or had their stops removed.

Had the problem occurred north of New Malden it would have been far worse.

It has lead to some unusual stopping patterns. The 7:03 and 7:32 -Guildford to Waterloo services ran fast from Hinchley Wood to Wimbledon. That doesn't happen often. The only reason the 7:16 and 8:03 services didn't do this was due to the fact they already use the fast line

Then the 8:02 Woking to Waterloo is running fast from Weybridge to Surbtion. This isn't quite so rare but the fact we are stopping at two signals outside Surbtion is for quite some time, to let fast trains passed us, is. We need to switch to the fast line just bedore Surbtion.

We had plenty of time to stop at Walton-on-Thames, Hersham and Esher but I was right in assuming the platforms at Surbtion are so rammed, they feel the need for this train to have more space than usual. Otherwise why skip them, given we were late into Surbtion.

As it turned out the platforms were busy but not so rammed at the doors to the station had to be closed. I've seen it far far worse than this. There were people by the station doors though.

The 8:17 Woking to Waterloo was starting today at Surbtion. That is unusual.

As all trains from Hampton Court were cancelled, and the last Guildford to Waterloo via Cobham services stop at Surbtion or New Malden was the 6:02, it led to some large gaps to reach New Malden, Raynes Park, Wimbledon, Earlsfield, Clapham Junction or Vauxhall. After the 7:15 to Waterloo left at 7:22, the next expected train to stop at Wimbledon or Clapham Junction was the 8:57.

It seems the x57s will be the slow trains that stop at Surbtion and Wimbledon but of course in the morning high peak no trains from Woking stop at Wimbledon.

Still there was ticket acceptance on local buses to Kingston. That doesn't always happen during strikes so it's a useful alternative. Still no ticket acceptance from Claygate or Hinchley Wood but passengers could double back via Wimbledon as down Waterloo to Guildford via Cobham services were stopping additionally at Raynes Park, New Malden and Berrylands, in addition to Surbtion.

 

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Running a fast train 1 minute before a stopping train at Woking, where the stopping train has to cross the path of the fast train is a recipe for minor delays

The 7:33, 9:33, 10:33 and 11:33 from Woking to Waterloo all left late yesterday. Only the 8:33 was on time but even that departed West Byfleet two minutes late so probably left towards the end of 8:33.

However it was only the case yesterday due to engineering works South of Southampton Airport Parkway. This is causing fast trains to depart at different times to ususal and thus these minor delays will be unavoidable.

In fact at West Byfleet the only x37 trains not to run late were the 21:37 and 22:37. With the 21:37 the train from Southampton Airport Parkway was late and the stopping train was allowed to leave Woking first. With the 22:37 that started from Guilford at 22:20 and was allowed to pass through Working Junction before the train from Southampton Airport Parkway. That train was timetabled to depart 22:35, so 3 minutes later.

The issue wasn't occurring with the x03 as there wasn't a fast train then.

I was kind of think yesterday would be an easier day for every train I get to be on time. Alas even my first train was late by 2 minutes. However if it has been in time then they would have closed the doors and I'd have missed it.

Not so Friday night though. I got on a train before the doors closes but the train still left a minute late. That was a very short delay considering the mutiple track circuit failures and other issues. I was on a Guildford to Waterloo via Cobham service and alighting at Hinchley Wood.

I was attending a lovely singing evening about a 3
29 minute walk from Hinchley Wood and 23 minute walk from Surbtion. Buses did run but I'd just missed one from Hinchley Wood and there wasn't another showing as running in the next 30 minutes.

So in order to get their on time, I started running. I got to the bus stop where I would have got off. In the opposite direction came a bus. Thus going to Surbtion wouldn't have been any faster.

Then a bus came along in my direction. The one that wasn't showing up in my app as running. Thus that wasn't any faster.

A bus setting off at the same time as myself will usually be faster, except if their is heavy traffic. However soon as you have to wait for a bus, then walking or running gets to be just as quick.

On my return I went to Surbtion by foot as there would be more options from there. I Caught a late 35 minute running train to Woking. After this I had a choice of trains to Guildford. So I got the 23:43 to Portsmouth & Southsea. Just as it was pulling into the station they announced a platform change. I thus legged it round and got the train. I wasn't certain if they would hold it. It left at 23:55. At one stage it had been due at 23:47. Just goes to show how most of the time the estimates towards Woking go up and up.

I wonder if their would be away of better estimating the arrival time. I can only assume there is no monitoring point between West Byfleet and Woking. Perhaps they could use predictive technology to help. X trains in front mean it won't arrive until x time.

The 23:43 had departed Waterloo 3 minutes late and was 6 minutes late at Clapham Junction. By West Byfleet it was 9 minutes and then it lost a further 3 minutes.

In contrast the actual 23:55 to Portsmouth, left Waterloo on time and was on time right up to West Byfleet and only departed Woking 3 minutes late.

If trains are departing Woking 3 minutes late then only might expect trains at West Byfleet to also be 3 minutes late.

 

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This morning the train I caught, 7:26 Haywards Heath to London Bridge left 3 minutes late.

At Gatwick Airport, according to National Rail Enquiries, it arrived on time.

The OBS said that the signalman had let a train from platform 1 go first and now give the signal to the Gatwick Express.

Now the train on platform 2 was a stopper via Redhill so that shouldn't impact on us.

The Gatwick Express train was due to leave at 7:44, some 3 minutes after us.

If we we e on time then surely we should have left first.

I suspect we weren't on time and if we were, the time allowed for people to board the 7:26 was way too short.

Well I check Real Time Trains and we arrived at 7:41, so a minute late. Being a minute late into Gatwick Airport mean we had to depart there 6 minutes late. Well we didn't but the signaller felt it was the best course of action all round, which is fair enough.

The train of course made up less lost time than it did between Haywards Heath and Gatwick Airport. There it was 2 minutes. Here it was just ¼ minute.

When I got out at East Croydon I picked up a late running 8:04 to Clapham Junction. I got into a carriage that had a first class compartment. I decided to stand half in and half out whilst I checked whether the service had first class. Thanks Real Time Trains for making this information so easily accessible on a mobile. Unless the TOC apps provide this info, I'm not aware of an official source that is mobile friendly. Still I could fire up my laptop I guess! Haha.

Now the 7:58 fast to Victoria has no first class but this is the 8:04. Sure enough it had first class so I made a quick exit.

O wonder how many of the people boarding at East Croydon know its first class? Possibly more than those boarding the 7:58 who don't know that isn't first clsss.

Of course if no one does anything to stop them standing in their, they wont cease to do it.

There was one seat free and had it been standard class I'd have asked the person if I could sit in.

I felt yhere was more things to hold onto in the first clsss area but that's irrelevant. One a standard class ticket one shouldn't be in their unless it's declassified.

From Tattenham Corner it's felt first class isn't needed but from Redhill and Reigate it is.

Once at Clapham Junction, some 5 minutes late, I thought about getting a train to Basingstoke. I could see the stopping services had delays. So I walked down to the subway and checked the trains from Clapham Junction.

As I got to the bottom I could see the 8:12 to Weymouth was delayed. Surely so would the train to Basingstoke be delayed. Yes it was. So bavk up the stairs I went and I boarded the delayed 8:12 to Guildford via Cobham.

I then checked to see what the problem was. It was another track circuit failure. This time in the Clapham Junction area and not all trains could stop at Clapham Junction. Still passengers were being allowed to travel via Waterloo, unlike the times when trains regularly don't stop at Clapham Junction due to so many trains running and passengers are not allowed to travel via Waterloo.

Interestingly the problem was just lsitee as a note above the live departure boards and said it would continue until 12. No doubt someone is writing the disruption page as I type. I think this warrants such a thing but I won't tweet them as its probably a new issue and they need to be given a chance to do their work.

As I got to the platform again in came the stopping service to Guildford.

Now at many stations if one arrived on one platform at 8:18 and the connecting train was timetabled to to depart at 8:19, you wouldn't bother going to the other platform. After all the doors close 30 seconds before deapture don't they? However I know that in the working timetable the train to Basingstoke is due to depart at 8:20 and if I arrive at 8:18 and don't see it, which is highly likely, I can get to the next platform in time to join it. 8:19 arrival and one needs to check the live departure boards more closely.

Eventually the the Basingstoke train had stops removed, as did an Alton train. So I wouldn't have been on it.

Once at Surbtion the station was full of students exiting. I remembered to not go to the bus stop outside Waitrose and chfck the bus times.

There was 2 K1s due in not car apart, K4 and 465. A 71 was due 4 minutes later. I boarded the 465. As we got to the Waitrose stop, I could see that 2 71s were due in 1 minute. No regularisation of the service then.

I got into Surbtion at 8:35 and didn't leave on the bus stop until 8:44. Shows how congested a busy station can be one can walk quite far in that time or run even further.

It takes about 25-30 minutes to walk to Kingston and so that is a third of that time. I got to the town centre at 8:51, so some 16 minutes after. I'd arrived. That still represented a faster journey time than walking at least.

After over an hour there still isn't a proper disruption notice linked to National Rail Enquiries. Perhaps there is a fault and they can't do it. The note on the live departure boards is rather long, as departure board notes go. It says delays are 15 minutes when they are long in mutiple cases.

 

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I get the impression the guard on my train (7:32 Guildford to Waterloo via Cobham) doesn't agree with South Western Railway control today. On top of that the train was further delayed at Surbtion and I was expecting the mini shambles to occur but I couldn't prevent it in advance. Even staff there weren't happy with what happened.

Due to delay creep, I've not yet found the cause of the initial delay, we were 7 minutes late leaving Effingham Junction.

As a result control decided to remove all the stops between Surbtion and Waterloo. Only it wasn't updated online. I don't know why. However it also wasn't updated on the station boards so everyone was trying to get on a Surbtion.

I decided to do a public service and let one of the staff on the platform now. They didn't seem pleased by this but at least they received my words better than the last time I did this when the person didn't want to know. That was to do with loudness of guard on the train though.

Of course this lead to a further delay as passenagers who got on had to get off and the platform staff had to speak to the guard. I hope the lost time is less than if it had been allowed to run to said stations, without the station delay.

To think they want to run more trains on the fast line. How is that possible if they keep switching slow line trains to the fast line?

The guard make regular announcements about this whilst on the train and said each time it wasn't the decision of himself or the driver to cause a delay to lots of passengers but control and it was out of their hands.

He even said passengers for Vauxhall and Clapham Junction could change at Waterloo. That's great news and not something I hear often if at all when thus train has the stops removed. Others had to wait for the 8:31.

I was expecting a shambles at Surbtion once the train wasn't listed as cancelled online and it happened. Control told the guard but no onlne systems have been updated. No idea why though.

I did alert National Rail Enquiries about this at least. They responded with a thanks but the stations haven't yet been removed. I also asked South Western Railway Help what led to the delay. Hopefully I'll get a response at some point today. I'm sure they are busy though.

Interestingly another train from Hampton Court was cancelled but wasn't show online as cancelled until some time after it had left. I wonder if the two are linked. Is their a staff shortage today or some other reason.

Normally cancelled stops appear in apps, such as the official one, rather quickly. In the Hampton Court case the inbound service was shown as cancelled but not the outbound one until some time after.

Needless to say the 8:31 only has 8 carriages so it isn't great when the 8:11 from Surbtion is cancelled. That of course has 10 carriages. As expected the 8:31 is running late.

Of course anyone to tries to claim for a delay today will have it rejected as the system says the train didn't miss out the stops.

 

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So yesterday's 7:32 did indeed run fast. It switched to the fast line after New Malden. No idea if it stopped at New Malden. They were not to run fast from Surbtion but maybe if the train was held at a red signal the guard applied some common sense
I'd hope they wouldn't get into trouble if they did. Alas if it did stop there it was no use to me as I wasn't on the train. It certainly would have saved me some time though.

The 7:32 Guildford to Waterloo only departed Horsley 3 minutes late today and was 3 minutes late departing Hinchley Wood but only 1 minute late departing Surbtion. It even got to New Malden only 2 minutes late. It was 6 minutes late at Wimbledon mind you but at least they didn't remove any stops.

I wasn't on it. I didn't even make the 8:03, which amazingly departed Hinchley Wood on time. Maybe the leaves are not an issue today.

Alas I aimed for the 8:22 Guildford to Waterloo via Wokiny. Thus was delayed due to signalling issues delaying a member of staff. So much so that I ended up on the 8:34 via Cobham, which had a delay creep of 4 minutes.

Still if the leaves are not causing problems this time won't lose any more time at least and they shouldn't need to cancel stops.

I had wondered if they might run the 8:22 fast to Surbtion but today they decided to run it to Weybridge and then run it fast to Waterloo. So it was a good job I didn't stay on it, as this info wasn't known about u til after the 8:34 had left.

Apart from the signalling issues between Havant and Guildford, delay trains up to 30 minutes, there was also multiple track circuit failures between Woking and Basingstoke, which is linked to on Twitter but isn't currently showing on Journey Check. I've made them aware so it might get updated. There is also further multiple track circuit failures Woking and Surbtion. This one is on Journey Check at least. They will be making repairs to lessen the issue tonight. They don't say they will fix it though.

Then there was the signing issue between Andover and Basingstoke.

So it's going well today.

Interestingly if my train had bee. I. Time into Hinchley Wood I could have caught a K3 to Kingston. As my train was 4 minutes late it wasn't possible. However, maybe due to the track circuit failures, when I got to Surbtion we arrived 3 minutes late, despite no delayed train immediately ahead. So which bus did I board? Only the K3.

Something extremely rare is happening right now though. The 8:15 Waterloo to Haslemere is temenating at Farncombe, assuming the online departure boards are correct. Its currently at Guildford, having arrived 37 minutes late.

 

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You know things can't going well then due to delay creep your fast train is being overtaken by slow trains.

The guard is remaining tight-lipped and their nothing online to acknowledge the up to 15 minute delays.

Delays greater than the 16:04, which was delayed leaving Guildford by 3 minutes due to congestion.its largest delay was only 6 minutes. Half the average delay of some of the fast trains.

That 16:04 train departed Clapham Junction just 3 minutes late and if I'd run fod a bit longer I'd have caught it from Surbtion. However I was aiming for the 16:46, which should be fast. I. E. Faster than the service that stops at two intermediate stations and was estimated to be running 1 to 4 minutes late (it kept changing and to be fair the 3 to 4 minutes wasn't estimated. It just became that due to slow running).

It isn't the first time that the stopping service has been faser and nor will it be the last. We arrived some 10 minutes late.

Apparently, having asked SWR Twitter help staff, it was due to an earlier signaling failure. Whether that was the one in Winchfield I don't yet know.

Anyway at the time I counted 4 fast trains stopping at Clapham Junction with 10 to 15 minute delays and none had a reason given. That number has increased and if you count those not stopping at Clapham Junction it would be even higher.

This prompted me to tweet SWR and ask if they could prioritise trains that are more delayed when giving out reasons than those which are less delayed.

I don't know if it is practical but to me it makes sense. Which would you rather know? Why a train is running 6 minutes late or why a train is running 15 minutes late? I guess for many it will be which ever train they catch but more generally I'd rather know about the one that is the delayed the most.

 

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Something very rare occurred today. I got a seat in declassified first class on the 7:41 Thameslink branded Haywards Heath to Bedford service.

This is usually full up by Haywards Heath and with trains to and from Hastings, Eastbourne, and Seaford not running today, due to engineering works, I'd have expected train to be even busier. It probably was but surprisingly there was a spare seat.

If everyone on the train today sat down, then I doubt if have got a seat at all. Someone did look through the door but clearly didn't see the nice aisle seat was free. I however ventured in. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

Usually I stand in the vestibule, purely because it's declassified and to stand in it, wpere it not so, would break the terms of a standsrd class ticket. I do this because I still find it ludicrous that so many first class compartments run declassified on Govia Thameslink Railway services. Some maybe surprised by the quality of the first class of course, which isn't much better than standard class or the same, bar head covers and window stickers.

Once I got to East Croydon everyone was running down the ramp to the platform as a line of us headed up. I did break out of the line and try to head up a bit faster. I mean surely there isn't anything wrong with us forming two lines going up, it is a wide ramp.

I find during such circumstances it is helpful to put my left or right arm out in front to tell people I'm here. I would be less inclined to do this, were not everyone in the opposite direction taking up almost the whole width of the ramp.

I eventually boarded a train at East Croydon that had come from East Grinstead. It was busy in the section where I boarded. I was by the first class branded area and I think it was the rolling stock where first class isn't any better than standard class. As we boarded some people spilled into this branded first class area. As this was happening there was an announcement along the lines of: would passengers boarding please move further down the carriage to allow other passengers to board.

Whilst this was happening and I was boarding, I was looking up the service on the excellent Real Time Trains, to check whether the first clsss was declassified. It wasn't.

There no way was I going to spill into first class then. Some of the people who did though, even sat down. Well there wasn't any room in the other direction to spill to. Perhaps I should ask Southern customer services what they think of people spilling into the first clsss areas.

It's a bit like asking them what they think of people smoking on the platforms of unmanned stations! Not much one can do about it.

Perhaps they could modify the announcement to say, would passengers please move further down the carriage to let others on board but not into first class if you don't hold a valid first class ticket.

It surely makes a mockery of first clsss if lots of standard class passengers are using it. There agian with so many services running with declassified first class, surely that already makes a mockery of it anyway.

South Western Railway trains were disrupted from Clapham Junction due to a breakdown down trains signalling problem and congestion. Not unexpected,


I just missed a fast train so boarded a stopping service that was also running late. I then boarded a bus. As I got towards Kingston it could see a 371 was 4 minutes behind our 57. However 2 bus stops ahead it was only expected to be 1 minute behind. Stupidly I decided to get off. It was of course 4 minutes behind when I got off. I got a K3 a minute or 2 later instead.

 

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Interesting journey this morning. The 7:19 was late departing Guildford owing to the 7:07 being late. That was late due to a passenger being taken ill. I hope its nothing too serious. Being part of the strike timetable it was rather busy. It was only 3 minutes late though. My quest today was the rather unique 7:33 Woking to Waterloo service. I guess it's not unique so if it runs for a month and there is also a 7:03 and 8:03. What is its so called uniqueness? It stops at stations between Surbtion and Waterloo. I'm wishing to alight at Wimbledon.

The 7:18 is however usually a busy service anyway, so one shouldn't be surprised to find it busy. Tere was congestion at Woking and rather unusually the signaller let the 7:33 depart on time. I'm sure they had good reason to do so. So I'm not criticising them for this in any way.

The 7:29 semi-fast service had been 4 minutes late departing Brookwood and was late into Woking. It wasn't so busy that you'd struggle to get on, so at first had no idea why it lost time to Brookwood. It seems they only allow half a minute to a minute for passengers to board and passengers obviously needed long than that.

As a result of a delayed 7:25 from Salisbury using platform 1, it couldn't use platform 1. It was decided the 7:18 Guildford to Waterloo service, which also departs Woking at 7:29, should be first to use platform 2. Thus this 7:29 departed Woking 10 minutes late. It couldn't use platform 4 as the 7:47 stopping service to Waterloo was sat there.

Even after we left Walton on Thames this train had space to stand without beng squashed and this was in coach 6 of 12.

I had no idea what it woukd be like at Surbtion and given our 10 minute delayed start, we were only now catching up with the train I missed.

I shall have to keep an eye on the 7:33 to see how often it departs before the 7:29 fast service. Today was unusual with someone being ill.

As we neared Surbtion we switched to the fast line and overtook a stopping service. How lucky was that. It wasn't the 7:33 though but the 8:01 from Hampton Court. We arrived into platform 2, thus blocking the cast line, assuming there were any trains not far behind us.

To my surprise there was plenty of space on the stopping train and I boarded 2 coaches from the back. I guess many people had boarded the previous train, no doubt with not everyone being able to board and reminder joining this train.

The train wasn't super packed until we got to New Malden. Some people actually alighted here. Which shows how useful getting from Surbtion to New Malden by train is. I say this because often the stop is cancelled on some services due to late running.

This changed everything. Did I go to Wimbledon or did I get out at New Malden and catch a bus? I decided I had time at Wimbledon to make the connecting train. I based this on trains ahead and not on the live deapture board prediction for my train, as I know with delays, this is often inaccurate.

Passengers were spread along the platform at Surbtion as if it was 10 carriages. It was of course only 8 long. Not sure if it's usually 10. The 8:31 is usually 8. I'm sure there are trains sat in the sidings at Guildford. Why they could join any of them to these carriages I don't know.

Might be worth asking ones MP when they are next sitting, so they can ask SWR why. I don't have much faith in asking myself, given previous experiences.

Now I'd asked a member of staff at Woking what train to get and they suggested the 8:03. When I saw the 7:29 was delayed I ignored their advise and in this case I was right to do so. Why did I bother asking them, if I was going to ignore them, you ask? Perhaps I was hoping there was something I'd not thought of. I actually didn't know about the delayed 7:29 either. I wonder if they did. It was a fast moving situationnor should that be slow, given the congestion.

As we're pulling into Wimbledon, an empty 455, again only 8 carriages long, pulled up. Why is that on the fast line I thought. Turned out it was a additional 8:17 from Wimbledon. It had been shown as delayed. It was due from Hampton Court.

Passengers were advised to not board the train I got off but that one. As I was heading off towards the footbridge stairs, a member of platform staff said to another release the people. Hurry up and relaaee the people, there is a train on platform 6. These were people queuing down the stairs.

This train was of course blocking the fast line. So the people came onto the platform and some even boarded that train. The rest had to wait for the next stopping service as the train had left.

They had all the gates open for passe gers to sue to reach the platform. There was no funneling to certain gates, as they do during Wimbledon for down fast trains.

Now I clearly heard staff say this train was all stations to Waterloo. However that is not what National Rail Enquiries App is reporting.

It has Hampton Court as no report and Earlsfield and Clapham Junction as cancelled. If that is actually what happened then anyone wanting Earlsfield or Clapham Junction but have been pleased. Unusual to have a train do Wimbledon, Vauxhall and Waterloo. Rather rare stopping pattern.

The train clearly had no one on it from Hampton Court so no idea where it started from. It was empty.

The following screenshot shows the depstrue board details from the NRE app.


At least two fast trains came through Wimbledon under caution signals, as they weren't travelling that fast. So two or more trains werr delayed by this train.

I then boarded a fairly lightly loaded train that went via Sutton and up north through Central London.

Update: Real Time Trains shows rhat the 8:17 from Wimbledon did start at Hampton Court and it departed at 3 minutes late at 8:03 instead of 08:00. Why there was no one on it when it came into Wimbledon I don't know. Maybe no one from Hampton Court was allowed on it or maybe they had all boarded the 7:54 and thus no one was left to board this one. It passed Earlsfield without stopping and was in Clapham Junction for less than a minute so clearly didn't stop. It did stop at Vauxhall though. It didn't run yesterday.

There were other trains that didn't run today due to shortage of train crew so but additional services ran elsewhere too.

 

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Some days I wish I could see into the future. I was planning to get the 7:18to Woking. I'd figured out this train would be delayed and it was. Would I make the 7:33 at Woking though. I'll take the risk as there are delays on the North Downs Line to Dorking and beyond signalling issue. Sure enough I made the right call as the 7:08 to Dorking departed Guildford 50 minutes late.

I arrived at Woking around 7:30 and a train was departing platform 1. I asusmeed it was the 7:29 semi-fast service but didn't look it up.

I headed for the 7:33. It in fact wasn't the 7:29, that was running late due to congestion at Woking. Still the 7:33 only left a minute late so I made the right call or so I thought.

Alas I didn't. On route the signaller or someone else decided to hold our train so the swmi-fast train could overtake us.

This made us 7 minutes late by the time we got to Weybridge. There was one silver lining though. I could photograph the beautiful sunrise as it waited at Byfleet and New Haw or crawled along at heritage line speed or not slower. Safety is paramount though so I wouldn't want us to be doing things that were dangerous.

Then the 7:29 had been meant to use platform 2 at Surbtion but the signaller or someone else decided it should use platform 1, I assume as to not delay fast line trains. This however delayed both the 8:01 stopping service to Waterloo and us.

Of course the signaller decided the 8:01 should depart first too. Perhaps as that has tight turn around at Hampton Court, it was decided it needed to go first.

So it seems I was better to delay us for faster trains to go ahead and better to delay us for slower trains to go ahead. I guess either way someone loses out. Today it was us.

They really could do with another line through Surbtion heading north. All to often fast trains using platform 1 or slow trains using platform 1 delay other trains.

We left Surbtion 12 minutes late but of course got further delayed into Wimbledon, stuck behind the 8:01. We arrived 19 minutes late. I guess we should be grateful they didn't remove the stops. Not enough trains running to be able to do that but that doesn't stop them with the 8:11 Surbtion to Waterloo having stops removed.

I see one service to Hampton Court had stops removed. This being the 8:12 from Waterloo. Maybe that's why they falt the 8:01 had to go first, it that too might have stops removed on its return service.

I had hoped to made the 8:15 from Wimbledon but at this rate I might not even made the 8:25 and then there is a 30 minute gap. I'm going to have to let it at Wimbledon. Had I been on the 7:29, I could have caught the 8:01. It's my fault for not checking but another time a different signaller might make the 7:29 wait for the 7:33 to go first, so you can't win as you don't know what they will decide to do. Last week I was on a delayed 7:29 that didn't last the 7:33 at Surbtion as that had left first.

I was in the rear most carriage but had been sitting down. Now we were on less than 90 seconds before my connecting train should depart. I didn't check how it was doing but I'd probably have needed to do thay prior to Raynes Park as reception in these parts isn't always great. Checking prior to Raynes Park on a train that keeps stopping me may not provide much guidance on arrival times, bar the fact you are now thinking you could miss the connecting train and have a 30 minute wait.

Before we pulled in I stood up and waited slightly closer to the exit. We stopped and a lady moved her arm off the hand rail. Past her I went into the platform I was close to the exit stairs and managed to reach it with 3 or so people on front. It pays to be in the carriage nearest the stairs, especially at Wimbledon.

These people weren't in any hurry but I ma abed to get through them and rush over to platform 9. I got there less than 30 seconds before the doors should close. Phew.

Alas no train. It was on time and due though. It eventually left a minute late.

It then preceeded however to get stuck at Wimbledon Chase and depart their 6 minutes late. I wasn't so bothered now I'd made this train.

Ww were delayed due to the 8:15 Wimbledon to Sutton being delayed due to a late train in front of that one.

The driver was very good and kept us informed. So refreshing when that happens.

On the train to Wimbledon however there was jus one announcement from the guard as we nearered Surbtion but nothing else and no reference to our delays. Maybe they don't care. I don't know if they are a contingency guard or a regular one working for whatever reason.

Either way an acknowledgement of our delays would have been nice.

 

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Got the 8:19 this morning from Guildford. It looked as if it might even be on time but I might have used my back button in my phone and thus looked at an older departure summery board for Guildford.

It actually departed Godalming 3 minutes late but then I hadn't notice the delayed train to Reading. The 8:13. This departed Guildford 7 minutes late due to delay creep.

Thats enough to delay any train, even without a strike timetable, although to be fair, the 8:19 may have cleared the junction first, had more trains been running, and delayed the 8:13 further, rather than the other way round.

Boarding was tight but I got on at least. A member of station staff said another train would be along shortly. They added it was currently at Whitly.

It was now 8:25 and the next train was due to depart at 8:37. Although National Rail Enquiries App said it was only expected to be a minute late from Guildford, it was 5 minutes late at Whitly.

I later checked and it departed Guildford some 4 minutes late. So the gap was 16 minutes between trains. Is that short?

Once we nearer Woking we slowed down A there was the usual congestion there no chance to make the 8:30 to Surbtion. But what of the 8:33 or 8:36. Either could be held or have departed.

We got in about 8:35/36 and my National Rail Enquiries App said the 8:36 was expected to be a minute late and the 8:33 had already left.

Thus I legged it as best I could to platform 1 as who kmows when the signaller will get the 8:36 go. As I got to the platform there were announcements say that were more room o. The 8:36 than the 8:26. Nothing to say there was no need to run as the 8:26 was being delayed so you will have time to catch.

I needn't have run as it so happens but if I'd missed the train, it would have been a 30 minute wait for a stopping train. So a 46 minute or so delay, assuming the next train was on time.

The 8:36 has passing in it's timetable. They allow it 13 minutes to reach Surbtion. The 8:30 is only allowed 10. This may be due to regulating the trains or knowing the 8:36 is likely to be delayed.

 

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There were long queues at Wimbledon this morning. This was the first time I'd seen such queues during the current strike. Not that they probably didn't exist before, just that I didn't come across them. I had to leg it to make a connecting train which as it so happens, didn't have it's doors closed 30 seconds prior to departure. Thus I was able to board it, once others finished getting off and it still left on time.

This evening I decided to get the 18:52 from Clapham Junction towards Portsmouth. Last Tuesday I'd got this train and found there was more spare towards the back of the train as it departed Guildford. I had expected the fromt to be less busy, hence I boarded there but it was rammed to fairly rammed all the way to Guildford and upon leaving it, it remained so. So much for people not bothering to go to the front of the train. Perhaps that's just a thing that Reading commuters on the Great Western mainline do.

The strike isn't long enough for South Western Railway to provide passnger usage figures and info on which carriages are busy in the services running. It would be useful if they could but the trains aren't modern enough for real time figures and it wouldn't be worth modelling it. Not that I dislike all their current trains. Far from it.

Saying that about passenger info though, it was out of date on their Web Site when I checked earlier in the year. It refers to the timetable from December 2016 to May 2017. There were additional trains and retired times rains since then and they were referring to the old ones. I did ask if it would or could be updated but nothing has been done. Not to worry because they say they will regularly update it to help you. As say they will do thst, it must be true! Reminds me of our current Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

We’re basing our guide on averages of how busy your train has been between December 2016 and May 2017, and we’ll update this regularly to help you plan your journey

https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/how-busy-is-my-train

I did actually try to use it just now but it wasn't loading the stations on my mobile, so didn't work.

Perhaps the Web Page was the idea of someone who has since left. Who knows.

 

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So today my train from Haywards Heath is on time. Great I shall board it I thought. The back portion hadn't arrived and it's 3 minutes until we depart. I'm sure that will lead to a slight delay. That's ok.

It turned out to be 7 minutes! That's delay creep for you. The back portion had departed Plumpton on time. I've did some digging and a fast Gatwick Express service, which skips Haywards Heath was late due to reports of an obstruction on the track. This meant the Ore train couldn't pass Keyner Junction as soon as it should, in order to arrive into Haywards Heath at 7:40. It was 5 minutes late in as a result of that. Interesting that although it was 5 minutes late in, it was 7 minutes late out. I think I know why.

Alas the obstruction reports were short lived it seems as it didn't affect the 7:47 to Bedford, beyond the fact it got into Haywards Heath a minute late. It was probably held up by the rear portion of my train being late.

Now that stops at two additional stations between Haywards Heath and Gatwick Airport, compared to the Victoria service. So I had to debate, which train do I get.

Surely they would hold that one, so we don't get held up behind it. Alas no. That train departed and got into Gatwick Airport on time. In fact because that train departed a minute late, we may have been further delayed in departing, as there obviously needs to be a set headway between trains. Hence us departing 7 minutes late, rather than 5 minutes.

On top of that we were then further delayed due to a points failure at Balcombe tunnel and congestion at Gatwick Airport. Perhaps the Bedford train just avoided the points failure and got lucky at Gatwick Airport by arriving in between different sets of congestion. If the earlier Gatwick Express had not been delayed, I wonder if our train would have just avoided the points failure. It's possible.

As it turned out, there wasn't any advantage on the Bedford train as the next Clapham Junction train from East Croydon today was ours.

Needless to say the train I'd hoped to get, a stopping to Woking, which was cross platform at Clapham Junction, departed on time. It's actually quite rare for one of those to do that but then perhaps not so in the period just after Christmas day. It has lead to a change in my plans but at least I didn't need to run for my alternative train, as that was running late!

So given all of this and the fact that on Friday and Saturday the 17:41 from Berrylands to Woking train, although delayed, arrived into Surbtion before 17:49 Surbtion to Guilford was due to depart, I wen to Berrylands this evening. I was closer to that station than Surbtion. I decided there was a reasonable chance I'd make the unofficial connection as the other two evenings the connection was held to allow the Woking train to depart first.

However the Woking train was 6 minutes late departing Berrylands and I thus missed the unofficial cross platform change.

It seems that this evening the trains were more popular. Perhaps more people went into work today and/or went shopping. The Woking train lost 3 minutes between departing Earlsfield and departing Wimbledon.

It will be interesting to see how delayed it will be tomorrow. Not that I'll be on it.

I had wanted to get one of the rare Waterloo to Guildford semi fast services between Surbtion and Guildford. It's calling pattern was Waterloo, Clapham Junction, Surbtion, Effingham Junction and Guildford. How often does that calling pattern occur? I suspect it's extremely rare. I have a vague memory of it may be having occurred before but I can't be certain. Anyway I missed my chance.

I was on it this morning but only between Clapham Junction and Surbtion and that isn't so uncommon at that time of the morning in that direction.

Still travelling by train when it involves connections is a game of chance. Sometimes you win and other times you lose.

At least there wasn't a long delay between trains as a stopping service was due to depart at 17:57. That surprisingly only departed Surbtion a minute late. Perhaps less passengers would travelling now.

Of course by the time this train got to Cobham, it was now running with a 5 minute delay. It was fairly empty so I could only put the delay down to the rail conditions. These didn't affect the 450 as that only arrived into Guildford a minute late
However maybe they allowed that additional time to reach Guildford.

It transpired that there was a silver lining. My eventual destination was closer to London Road (Guildford) Station than Guildford Station and I didn't have to walk up a hill. Going via Guildford Station still would have been faster but it was something at least.

 

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Signalling problems between Gatwick Airport and Three Bridges today. Fine I thought its in the down direction so I'll be fine.

Alas I www partly right. Yes the signalling problems don't affect the service I was on but alas their was a delayed train from Bognor Regis that was booked to stop at Three Bridges. Now the train I was on was booked to pass through Three Bridges. Alas both of these events were booked for platform 2 and as they were just slightly ahead of us on route to Three Bridges we got delayed.

So much that the 7:44 non stop Gatwick Express was able to overtake us.

The train from Bognor developed a fault at Gatwick Airport or continued with its faults from earlier, if that was the reason for the delay in the first place.

Thus I missed my intended x26 bus. I probably missed it by 4 minutes. Given today's earlier weather, I'm surprised it departed so close to its booked time. I've been on a train going to Cambridge that is due in at 8:01 to East Croydon and made the X26 before now. In fact I missed another bus too, 407, as they left at similar times, abet from totally different bus stops, not near one another. Cue a 15 minutes until another 407 bus came along. That's the variability of traveling on public transport. You never know quite what will happen next.

Of course it doesn't help that there are so many tall buildings and poor O2 mobile data reception when you need to look up bus times. I wonder if 5G will go through buildings more easily.

The X26 should be faster than the 407 at it is but I should only get to my destination 20 minutes later than planned, which shows the X26 is only 5 minutes faster than a bus which can stop at a lot more bus stops.

 

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So after a week how well are two of the retimed evening servuces between Woking and Portsmouth running?

Not great, assuming the intention was to speed up people's journeys.

The 17:56 and 18:58 Woking to Portsmouth servuces have been retimed to 17:55 and 18:55 respectively. This meant there was no longer an official connection off the 17:39 and 18:40 services from Surbtion to Woking.

Adding 23 minutes and 16 minutes into the journeys respectively, assuming all the trains are on time. The train 23 minutes later also stops at Surbtion, thus meaning there is no time saving to be had.

I strongly suspected however that the trains would rarely depart on time, given the train to Alton in front, especially the 18:53, now reimred 18:52, is often late. The average delay for the 18:53 was 7½ minutes according to Recent Train Times. The average delay for the 18:52 is currently 8½ minutes. That says it all to me.

Sure enough most evenings the connections were both made. On Wednesday evening [8 January] the 17:55 arrived into Guildford on time. However it departed Woking 3 minutes late as the signaller shifted the Surbtion arrival on to platform 4. So a same platform connection, for a rare change.

A week ago tonight [Monday 6 January], the 17:39 was 22 minutes late into Woking and missed the now unofficial connection onto the 17:55. This however also occurred in the past from time to time, so it wasn't a new thing caused by there being less time to make one's connection.

Just that now one couldn't claim compensation. I don't feel not paying compensation was the reason for the retiming but equally I can't think of a good reason for it.

Take tonight. The 17:15 and 17:18 Waterloo to Portsmouth services were late. Thus I'd have expected the 17:39 to be late from Surbtion and thus 3 minutes late into Woking. However it was only juat under 2 minute late into Woking at 17:52

However when I got off the train I saw 17:53. Now I didn't see the seconds and if the 17:55 was on time I could have as little as just over 30 seconds to make it before the doors closed, if the time was close to 17:54, as the doors close 30 seconds prior to departure

So I rushed over the footbridge only to discover the 17:51 to Alton was only just pulling in, over 3 minutes late. How that was late and we were on time I have no idea. That seems rather rare to me, especially as trains ahead were also delayed.

Soon I saw the Portsmouth train was due 17;57 and then after a time it changed to 17:59. We left at 18:00.

All they seem to have achieved with the changes is to cause me and others to run across a footbridge for a train that will probably be delayed anyway but we can't be sure of that.

 

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An unusual recent occurred today. A member of platform staff explained to someone that out, 8:07 Guildford to Waterloo service would be late so the delayed 7:54, Guildford to Waterloo could travel via Cobham as it usually does.

I saw some school children run for the train I was on, incase it left. They weren't to know it wouldn't. They would have been on the 7:54 and the next trakn after this isn't until 8:34, by which time they would have got to their destination on foot faster.

Even the guard eventually said something about a red signal but could t hear what they were saying. Sound system old and not great.

I wouldn't be surprised if the delay is power related issues but if so, why no such issues as big as this yesterday?

Once the 7:54 was gone we had to wait for an incoming arrival and eventually we departed 5 minutes late.

Unless they cancel stops prior to Surbtion, there are no other stops that can be cancelled, as the train runs fast from Surbtion. Again the guard made some announcement that couldn't be heard once we were on the move.

 

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For the second time this week I would have been able to catch the 18:52 to Alton, having arrived in on the delayed 18:52 from Waterloo. The train to Alton is the one in front of the 18:55 to Portsmouth Harbour.

In fact tonight once I got to platform 4, they announced the Portsmouth Harbour train would be departing from platform 5.

That's the platform it use to depart from! How about they return there more regularly and change its departure time back to 18:58!

Tonight it isn't a 442 on the 18:55 but a 444. I can't remember which one has more seata but there are people standing in the asiles in coach 7

This train had been due to depart at 19:01 at one stage but it actually departed 19:07, so 12 minutes after it was timetabled too. It even departed Waterloo on time. Late running train at Clapham Junction and congestion at Woking due to power supply issues for trains heading to Waterloo was the reasona given.

It's good that the guard is apologising for the delay. No such thing on the preceeding train but that isn't unusual for the train to Basingstoke.

As we got near Guildford we ground to a halt. Eventually we moved forward. The issue was a train to Gatwick Airport was suing platform 5. In platform 4 was a train for Haslemere, being held so we could overtake it and departing platform 3, some 9 minutes late was a train to London Bridge. I assume that has to clear a certain amount of track before a train can proceed. I say this because the trains don't actually cross one another's paths in this circumstance, so it must be signalling safety related.

The 18:30 departed Guildford at 19:19, as opposed to 19:05. Not bad for a train that was on time when it departed Waterloo. No delay repay due though.

Still passengers on the stopping train to Haslemere will be due some. They had only been 12 minutes late into Guildford but now it would be much longer. I now see its actually awaiting a member of train crew. Although it's just left Guildford 27 minutes late. Perhaps the member of train crew was on my train. They didn't remove any stops from the service.

 

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Twice this week the 7:55 arrival from Hilsea into Woking has arrived into platform 4. This train goes to London. Once in a week at that time is rare but twice is super rare.

Just so happened I was on the train both times. Lucky me.

As for the 17:55 and 18:55 departures. Only once this week have the trains from Surbtion not allowed one to connect. The issue was caused by a late running stopping train to Farnham.

This occurred occasionally prior to the timetabling changes making it an unofficial connection. So in the main, despite there not being an official connection now, in most cases one can make the train.

I wonder if they have more chance of making the trains than people off the 07:55 arrival from Hilsea into Woking have trying to catch the 08:00 to Weymouth service. This is an official connection too.

 

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A rare arrival and departure of a train on time occurred today. The 7:45 Guildford to Waterloo arrived into Woking at 7:55 and departed at 7:57. That must be the first time I can remember that happening. I'm sure it's happened before but it's super rare.

I was thinking perhaps the 8:02 Woking to Waterloo might also depart on time. Alas I think stattsiclsly the odds were just too great. A non stop train came through Woking and it had to depart at 8:03. Oh well one of the two I guess isn't bad.

I can only assume the reason for the on time arrival and departure of the first train was due to less trains running due to the derailment at Eastleigh.

Interestingly the 7:45 was made up of a 10 car 444. Never seen that before. Normakkt it's a 12 car 450. I bet all the regulars were delighted. Now given the doors would be in different places to usual, I'm surprised it departed Guildford on time, let alone Woking.

It also wasn't too busy. Perhaps less people travel on Wednesdays. I got a seat with a table in something like the 3rd carriage from the front. Shame I needed to alight at Woking, as getting a table seat on a 444 in the morning is unheard of normally on the Portsmouth Direct. Getting a seat can be unheard of too.

As for the evening trains from Surbtion to Woking at 17:39 and 18:40, last night the 17:39 got into Woking at 18:09.

The train to Portsmouth departed at 18:39. In fact a late running train to Haslemere departed at 18:15.

Simikar thing occurred on the late running 18:40 too.

Even on Monday it was possible to get the 17:55, despite the 17:39 being delayed. Same for the 18:40 too.

Al as of yet the 17:55 and 18:55 Woking to Portsmouth Harbour services have no left on time. On the days its not been possible to catch them, it wouldn't have been any different under the previous timetable, when those trains departed at 17:56 and 18:58 respectively.

I shall keep monitoring them.

 

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I thought about getting the 7:12 Guildford to London Bridge service today. At around 6:45 it was still running but by 7:12 it was cancelled due to a late running train in front of this ones.

That term also covers trains that ran earlier rather than just a train physically in front of it.

So which train delayed it? Only the 7:06 arrival from London Bridge, AKA the same rolling stock.

Not that it made it to Guildford of course. It terminated short at Effingham Junction. It's crime? Being 3 minutes late into Effingham Junction.

Last week it was just 2 minutes late and they allowed it to run to Guildford, despite there being disruption affecting Guildford. There it got held up by a late running fast train that needed to use the line via Cobham, due to signalling issues at Woking.

Today no such issue, yet they cancelled it. The train has only run from Guildford 83% of the time in the last 100 days. The cancellation rate of 17% is in contrast to the 6:39 and 19:02 services which are just 3% each. 17% equals 11 services. 3% equals 1 service.

Of those 11, 5 ran from Effingham Junction. So just under half of the cancellations only covered the Guildford section.

Interestingly the evening service from Guildford had an additional cancellation of Effingham Junction. So on that day they decided not to terminate short at Guildford but skip stops instead.

In other news, still it's been possible to make the 17:55 and 18:55 services at Woking when coming off the 17:51 and 18:53 arrivals.

Last night the Basingstoke train arrived late in at 18:57. No doubt the boards said the 18:55 was due in at 18:58, just like it use to be. So one rushes over the footbridge, as fast as they can.

Train arrives in at 18:58½. The doors won't be closing 30 seconds prior to departure then. By now you've done your sprint.

You board the train and wait and wait some more. Surely it needs to get going. It's late. Don't they wish its time to be sped up. Isn't that why it has a departure time of 18:55?

Alas it can't go as the Basingstoke train needs to clear the junction. It finally left at 19:00½.

I admit the gap between the two services was 3½ and using platform 4 did ensure it didn't wait outside Woking Station. However it's yet to leave at 18:55! They might as well just kept the departure time to 18:58 whilst still changing the platform.

Today I boarded the 7:35 Guildford to Waterloo via Cobham service. It wasn't delayed by the 7:46 departure from Effingham Junction to Waterloo via Epsom and was thus able to not Akio stations on route to Waterloo.

Update: I just missed the 213 bus at New Malden and when I checked on the train the next due in 10 minutes. Once at the bus stop it was 8 minutes away and I could see the bus in the distance. I therefore decided to walk to New Fountain roundabout. Maybe I'll get an X26. As I was walking I noticed the 213 was in traffic.

What would happen if I can for the bus? I'd missed it at one bus stop so I'd need to pick it up at a second.

I could cross at the roundabout itself. I'd need to go down a side road a little. So this I did. I got there just as the doors ww to closing but this is a bus, so the driver reopened them.

Myself and another boarded the bus. After I did so and we pulled away, I saw an X26 behind. Oh well that doesn't go to my stop I can't besure it will be faster. It did actually overtake us before Worcester Park Station, such is life. If I'd got out I could have boarded it at Worcester Park Station but no idea it it would have been faster end to end.

So the X26 has 3 bus bus stops between the New Fountain roundabout to where I get off and the 213 many more. Yet by Cheam Btoadway or North Cheam, it was only 4 cars ahead. So much of it being an express bus!

However had I gone to Wimbledon which I'd dismissed without checking, I could have got toe 8:25 because today it was running late. That would have been slightly slower than the bus but hardly anything in it andI'd have preferred it.

I was only on ok concerned in checking the bus times. Also therr are lots of blackspots between Surbtion and New Malden, so you try to o judge when to look up the train times.

 

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Interesting train times for 4 services in and out of Woking this evening.

The 17:39 from Surbtion arrived at 17:51 into Woking. The 17:55 towards Portsmouth left at 17:56½. That is 5 minutes between the services.

Woking has an official minimum connection time of just 5 minutes. How about they retime the 17:55 back to its old time of 17:56.

I suspect it was right time more often when it departed at 17:56. Its not departed at 17:55 so far, since the new timetable. I expected this to occur.

Then there was the 18:40 Surbtion to Woking. This arrived at 18:54¾. Just before the 18:55 should have left towards Portsmouth.

Not to worry. Today the signaller decided it should depart from platform 5, so it didn't delay the Weymouth train. It eventually arrived at 18:59½ and departed at 19:01¼, so more than 5 minutes later than the arrival from Surbtion. The train was late leaving Waterloo for some reason, which is unusual as it's usually on time departing Waterloo but picking up the delay on route.

 

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A couple of unusual things happened today.

The X26 arrived into Wallginton Green 5 minutes ahead of schedule. Given it was between 8 and 8:30 that was unusual.

It then got held up in traffic between Carshalton High Street and Sutton.

Then later on I was at Clapham Junction awaiting the 13:52 to Portsmouth and Southsea. I actually boarded the late running13:22 to Haslemere. It was delayed due to awaiting a member of train crew. Although not a very common experience that wasn't unusual. What was usual was that despite being about 30 minutes late, not a single stop was removed.

In made trains such as the 13:52 run late. No idea why they did this. I don't mind but it was rather unusual. Clapham Junction is usually the first to go when delayed.

 

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This morning because the 8:08 from Waterloo arrived into Guildford on time, it delayed the 8:07 departure to Waterloo by 2 minutes. The 8:08 was only on time due to the 7:58 to Waterloobdeparting 7 minutes late and that was only Kate due to a signalling issue affected the 7:54 fast to Waterloo. That departed 8 minutes late they use to run those via Woking during delays but now they just delay the stopping trains instead.

It's interesting that running that train via Woking is deemed not to be as good as via Cobham, yet North of Surbtion, they put stopping trains that are delayed into the fast lines. Between Basingstoke and Clapham Junction, there are 4 fast lines!

This evening I had a choice of trains from Clapham Junction to Victoria.

A fast train was due 2 minutes but it switched to 1 minute.

I went to the top of platform 14 stairs and a stopping train was due in 2 minutes andt hen 1 minute.

Thus is changed to 1 minute after the fast train. However once it changed to 1 minute in fame the stopping train. It left firet.

Now if given it switched from 2 minutes to 2 later you'd expect it to arrive and depart second but no.

 

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Something happened on Saturday evening that I don't think has ever happened in my travelling memory.

I got two trains that not only turned up on time but arrived at their destinations early. Usually when getting two trains one is late.

There have been some occasions where two or more trains are on time but that is in itself super rare. Probably happened less than 20 times since 2010, when I more regularly took trains to different places.

The trains in question were the 20:09 Guildford to Dorking and the 23:44 Dorking to Guildford.

I don't know if theit early arrival was due to them being timed for class 769 rolling stock but the services currently using 165 or 166 class of rolling stock, which is faster. However, whatever the reason, I've not experienced it before in living travel memory.

This goes to show how hard it is to have a right time train service. I'm not criticising anyone here. Just the facts.

 

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So how did the 17:55 and 18:55 services do yesterday? Well the 17:55 was canceled due to a train fault. So those getting the 17:39 from Surbtion and heading to Worpolesdon and beyond, might as well got the 17:48 Surbtion to Guildford via Woking service

As for an hour later. The 18:40 from Surbtion departed 5 minutes late departing Surbtion. It made up ¾ of a minute by West Byfleet but then lost ½ minute between there and Woking. This did occur in the past of course.

As for the 18:55, by West Byfleet it was only 1¾ minutes late. By Woking though it arrived 3¾ minutes late.

It arrived in 1858¼, where as the train from Surbtion was 1858¾.

Now this meant a good chance of missing the Portsmouth train. In fact if the Portsmouth train were on time, you'd not make it as the doors would close 30 seconds before departure. No such things happen on late running trains.

So now it hindered on how long people would take to disembark both trains. In order to get the best chance, one needs to be in carriage 10 of the train from Surbtion.

Well the train to Portsmouth took longer to deal with than thr Basingstoke train by ¼ of a minute and it didn't depart until 1859¾. Thus it would be posible to just make the train if you run.

Incidentally the train from Surbtion departed at 1900 and the signaller make the Portsmouth train wait south of Woking Station got the other train to pass.

Whether holding the Portsmouth train on the station platform for longer would have slowed the non-stop Weymouth train down I don't know. However it would have given passengers more time to board it and given it was going to be held up south of Guildford Station anyway.

 

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Something unusual happened tonight. The 18:24 Clapham Junction to Haslemere turned up at 18:24. Doesn't usually arrive that early.

As for the 17:55 and 18:55 deaptures from Woking to Portsmouth. The 17:55 departed at 17:56¼. The train in from Surbtion arrived at 1755¼. Whether one would have made the 17:55 I don't know. The train didn't depart on time so I doubt they closed the doors 30 seconds in advance.

Incidentally the Surbtion trisn left at 17:56½ and the signalman decided to hold the 17:55 departure south of Woking Station. So much so it was 3 minutes late passing Woking Junction. If only they had held it at the platform itself! The reason for the hold up to the Surbtion arrive was that the 17:50 Waterloo to Woking service was running some 13 minutes late and they had t decided to do any skip stopping to speed it up. Thus the train got held up behind it.

Thus kind of thing occasionally occurred when the 17:55 was the 17:56. Only if that were the case now, delay repay might have been due.

As for the 18:55. Well that just departed at 18:58. The arrive from Surbtion was at 18:54. So enough time.

 

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I was typing a message on Twitter this morning in relation to the 7:54. At which point I realised I should get a move on and get the 8:22.

No issue though as the 8:19 is late. Alas today it was do late they decided to let the 8:22 go on time. That's quite rare at the moment.

8:02 was cancelled from Guildford owing to a train fault. This meant a lot of people on the footbridge

Eventually the 8:19 was patched into platform 3. Hence the need fr the 8:22 to depart as that was blocking the platform. The 8:02 was blocking platform 5. Who knows what the fault is but hopefully it can be moved.

When I no doubt checked the 8:19 it said it was 3 or 4 minutes late as the system assumes it will make up time.

Of course it didn't. By Godalming it was 7 minutes late. I had to decide whether to get the 8:3& via Cobham to Surbtion or this late trisn via Woking and change. This is a nicer train than a 455/455 as it is a 442 but then this will have the contents of the 8:02, minus those getting off at Guildford and those who might have boarded the 8:22 stopping service and changed at Woking, actually a faster route today than waiting for this.

However its a Friday so everyone got on board and of the carriage I wa sin, nearest the footbridge, there are spare seats!

I'll now have a wait at Woking itself for a connecting train.

Their was a prerecorded tanoy announcement at Guildford about s broken down train in the Woking arar but nothing on the live departure board on the National Rail Enquiries App and trains didn't look too delayed. By like by this point though as I'd boarded the train it would be a bit late to change my mind.

As we paused at Woking Junction and slow moved forward, someone asked if I could move so they could get up. Fine.

As they did so I noticed people in the vestibule with the trolly too. I then sat back down again in the seat in front. Soon two people took the seats vacated clearly they didn't wish to be separated as there was enough seats. Even table seats!

As we pulled into Woking I got up. I wasn't in a hurry to leave as I now had a gap before my next train. The train departed Woking 15 minutes late.

Also worth noting by next train isn't until 8:58. So a wait of 16 minutes.

I departed Guildford at 8:30, just 4 minutes before the 8;34 to Surbtion via Cobham. That train and the 8:58 are timetabled to depart Surbiton at the 9:11 and 9:10 respectively.

Goes to show how slow the 8:34 is. In it's defence though the 8:34 isn't held up into Surbtion as the 9:10 deapture uses platform 2. Although the 9:10 departure should arrive at 9:09. What often happens is that the 8:34 arrives in at 9:09 and the 9:10 arrives in at 9:10.

 

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So no problems for anyone coming off the 17:51 and 18:52 arrivals from Surbtion into Woking and wanting unofficial connections to Portsmouth Harbour on Friday evening.

One currently has more chance of making these unofficial connections than getting the 8:22 from Guildford to Wimbledon, the Wimbledon stop be cancelles more often that these connections are not made.

This evening the 17:20 Waterloo to Exeter left three minute late. This caused the 17:23 to also depart 3 minutes late.

It arrives into Surbtion with the Woking stopping service arriving along side it. Sensibly, the signalman held the Woking stopping service to allow the bow 7 minute delay service to depart.

Of course passengers off the Surbtion train couldn't possibly know this so some did run to board the 17:44. It is an official connection. When two trains turn up at Surbtion in the evening, peek, you always get congestion.

The question now was would I and others made the train to Portsmouth. The Alton train had gone by, it too running late. The Portsmouth Harbour train was hardly delayed.

On balance I expected to be able to make the connection. As we pulled into Woking, slowly it seemed, I could see the Alton train had already left. But t was 17:58 and on platform 4, it said the train to Portsmouth Harbour was due in at 17:58.

Ok so now it was time to leg it as the train could arrive at any minute.

I got to the platform at 17:59, as did someone else. No train yet. At 18:00 the train arrived. It was still expected at 17:58 at this point. The two photos show the expected time of 17:58 at 17:59 and 18:00 respectively. It then switched to the train being due. We left at 18:01, 3 minutes after it was expected.



It took 5-10 minutes to upload those and 3 or 4 attempts at that all due to 98% mobile phone coverage. The 2% covers a wide area it seems.

 

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Something very rare happened this morning. A train left early. A minute early. T'was rgw 7:35 Guildford to Waterloo.

This is probably the 4th or 5th time it's happened to me in the last 10 years. Everyone is human so these things happen I did report it though as it might be useful feedback to the guard the person who I spoke to thought they might be looking at their card the old fashioned way but I don't know what that means.

I guess this is repay for the guard opening the doors again on a train yesterday after I turned up when they had just closed. On that occasion there was disruption south of Guildford and the platform had two members of staff on helping with the dispatch. Today it was just a guard working alone.

I was only talking to a friend yesterday about trains leaving early as they thought a train they caught had left 2 minutes early. It hadn't. It was just another train running 12 minutes late! With the train they eventually got running 5 minutes late but roughly at the time the next train after the one they intended to get should have left.

I wasn't hurrying to the station thus morning as I felt I had time to get to the station before the train leaves. I was walked along the footbridge when I heard a guards whistle and thought that's rather loud. Surely it can't be my train, so I quickened my pace a little.

I then saw the door buttons were illuminated and thought oh it's another platform. In hindsight it couldn't have been though as the 7:33 to Portsmouth was cancelled due to overrunning engineering works and no other trains were due to depart then

As I got to the doors the lights were out. I pressed on the button several times but the train pulled away. On a platform that is staffed, you'd usually get someone shouting stand back if you get too close but not today.

I had planned to travel to New Malden.

The alternative would normally would be the 7:45 to Woking for the 8:02 to Surbtion, followed by the 8:31 but alas today the 7:45 was cancelled owing to an IT systems failure at Fratton. A more unusual reason for a delay. Online it just says staff shortages. So I assume some diagram wasn't printed or given out to a member of staff

The 7:37 and 7:54 services skip Woking. The 8:02 wouldn't get you to Woking in time for the 8:17 to Surbtion but that connects with nothing useful at Surbtion anyway. The 8:07 via Cobham runs fast from Surbiton and wouldn't connect to New Malden anyway. This would leave the 8:22, which departs 47 minutes later! As it turns out the 7:54 was running with 11 minutes of delay creep by the time it reached Guildford and the 8:02 was running 15 minutes late owing to making extra stops because a train was cancelled.

Instead I'm taking the 7:58 via Epsom and travelling a different way to my destination. Owing to the such hefty delay it didn't delay the 7:58. It did however delay the 8:08 arrival from Waterloo, which today arrived on time and in turn delayed the 8:07, which departed 2 minutes late. It is always late leaving when the 8:08 arrives on time. The only way it departs on time is if the 8:08 arrives early, is cancelled or is more heavily delayed. I'm referring to the passenger timetable here of course. Not the working timetable. In that I think you'll find the 8:06 arrived 2 minutes late!

Interestingly if I was wishing to go to Wimbledon the system says instead of arriving at 8:20, I'll get there at 8:53 cause this route I'm now taking is slower, not to mention the fact the train departs some 23 minutes later. So this service is 10 minutes slower.

Still I'll get 10 minutes of declassified first class later in my journey that I wouldn't have got, had I got out at New Malden.

Now the 8:45 from Epsom is delayed due to trespassers on the line. Still with it's 18 minute delay, delay repay will be due.