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Post by robbierunciman on Apr 29, 2008 23:18:18 GMT
problems at CHX tonight due to points failure at Chelsfield. just as I was getting annoyed that the 19h00 had been cancelled, they had one of their creative moments. 'Mike tucker' advised passengers to catch the 18h53 for 7 oaks and change at Orpington - where we caught what had been the inbound 19h00. got in to Ashford at 20h30 - not too bad.
victory from the jaws of defeat.
What amazed me was some of the people on the train who, after hearing the announcement, still opted to change at london bridge.
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Post by heofgreatwisdom on Apr 30, 2008 8:59:08 GMT
Even more amazing is the fact that there are no points at Chelsfield!
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Post by Richard Trevithick on Apr 30, 2008 9:21:39 GMT
HeOGW - I was thinking exactly the same thought regarding the points! Indeed, there are none between Orpington and Sevenoaks! I suspect the problem was at Chiselhurst, which has multiple sets. It's good that somebody was able to offer some positive advice though to minimise the impact on peoples journeys, are things perhaps slowly improving? Let's hope SET management are reading this and offer MT a little something in appreciation of his commitment to customer service... As for the annoucements, my living counterparts suggest that the majority of passengers ignore them. Many is the time that they've given advice over the PA and over half the train has done the complete opposite (presumably because they apparently know better). I suspect these are the ones who whinge most. It is also reported that there are some ignorant individuals who will actually start shouting down their mobile telephones even louder so they can still be heard above the PA! On a similar theme, the ones most likely to run around in blind panic following an aircraft accident are those who prefer to do anything but pay attention to the safety briefing after boarding. Richard
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Post by lenhamite on Apr 30, 2008 14:15:40 GMT
I think the problem here is that I didn't make myself very clear. I didn't mean that three trains were cancelled, but that there was a total of almost three hours between the departure of the 17:52 from Dover to Ashord International and the time that the sole replacement bus left for Ashford at around 20:40hours. In the interim, as you say two trains were cancelled. If a train arrived before the bus left, we were already seated on the bus and were not told about this, although staff did explain that the departure of the bus was delayed pending arrival of a train from somewhere else ( my hearing did not allow me to hear where) and the possibility of more passengers who wanted to get to Ashford. With regard to what was happening at Folkestone, I was not aware of any of this, and the staff at Dover were not unhelpful, but did not appear to be in possession of any information above what was shown on the departure boards. With the issue of my hearing, I could have missed somethiing that was said over the loudspeaker system, but I did make the effort to ask the staff for help. Someone did come around and ask my destination, but did not return as promised to update me when the bus arrived.
You are correct about the catering franchise but one wonders why it is no longer deemed possible to provide hot drink vending machines for when the catering facilities are closed. I have been travelling to work by rail for 13 years now and it seems relatively recently that these ceased to be available. With regard to waiting rooms, in the four years I have been travelling to Dover, it has always had a waiting area separate from the buffet. Prior to last year's refurbishment, this was a small and well heated room off platform 1. These days it is a much larger area elswhere and the minimal amount of heating provided isn't really adequate for its purpose. At Ashford International, as you say, the waiting areas are part of the buffet facilities, but the waiting areas can be cordoned off from the buffets themselves and are available whether the buffet is open or not. Unfortunately the doors are permanently locked open and the heating, according to the catering staff, hasn't worked in years.
It never occurred to me to go into the Priory Hotel and I wouldn't have gone further afield in case of missing the train or replacement bus. Valid thought for another time though.
Ros
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Post by sirhenryivatt on May 1, 2008 11:06:18 GMT
Good afternoon all.
The 06.19 RAM-CX was 9mn down by the time it reached FKW this morning. This was due to a signalling fault at Walmer. The home starter ( one of the few remaining semaphores ) on the "up" was stuck in the "on" position.
The annoying fellow who gets on at Deal every day and works at the A.M.O. was of the opinion that the operating cable had been fouled by avian droppings.
And how was your day?
I remain, as always, Yours &c.,
H.A.I.
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Post by heofgreatwisdom on May 1, 2008 14:38:17 GMT
My dear Sir H. I have spoken this day with my colleagues at A.R.S.E.S (Anti-Railway Seagull Embelishment Society) who assure me that this mornings "drop" on the 06-19 was a mistake. The avian in question has been severely reprimanded and his breakfast of chip butty, carrot pizza and mushy peas, withdrawn until further notice. I suggest you keep a watchful "eye" on future movements!!
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Post by lordbarne on May 2, 2008 9:20:39 GMT
Am I alone in being cynical about the SET daily performance statistics? For the 1st May the SET website claims that of the 1812 trains to be run all 1812 actually ran - they then proceed to list six trains which did not run. I wonder which number will be official history?
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Post by sirhenryivatt on May 2, 2008 13:45:58 GMT
My dear heofgreatwisdom,
Thank you for your most informative feedback - it obviously worked as there were no problems this morning. I also took a later train which meant I couls slumber peacefully without the risk of being wokin by the oaf from the A.M.O., although I believe he now works in a different department further up the line.
It's a shame he can't get a transfer so that he travels in the opposite direction in the morning, then I wouldn't have to suffer his incessant drivel!
I wish you, my dear chap, and all our other correspondents and guests, the compliments of the weekend, and remain, as always,
Yours &c.,
H.A.I.
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Post by genehuntisking on May 7, 2008 7:24:16 GMT
Am I alone in being cynical about the SET daily performance statistics? For the 1st May the SET website claims that of the 1812 trains to be run all 1812 actually ran - they then proceed to list six trains which did not run. I wonder which number will be official history? I suspect this was a typo error, rather than any attempt to massage the figures, otherwise why list the cancellations immediately below? I'm afraid this one probably belongs in the "c*ck up" file rather than the "conspiracy" one. The "conspiracy" file is freely available to the general public, its found under "December 2007 timetable changes" where trains get ever slower. Still, got to make those St Pancras trains look like an improvement somehow. I am told that one day fairly recently the recently retimed 17.34 Charing Cross - Margate shot into Tonbridge no less than 6 minutes early, although it staggered into Margate 4 late after the usual "Planet Thanet" factor came into play. Ever felt the additional time was put in the wrong place?! Incidentally when I originally typed in "c*ck up", spelled in full it auto corrected it to "thingy up". Has someone been watching too much Blackadder where the turnip was shaped like a thingy?!! The Gene Genie
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Post by lordbarne on May 7, 2008 9:39:52 GMT
[Incidentally when I originally typed in "c*ck up", spelled in full it auto corrected it to "thingy up". Has someone been watching too much Blackadder where the turnip was shaped like a thingy?!! On the subject of Blackadder, I sometimes think that one of his other utterances can be applied to a bad day of commuting - "The path of my life is strewn with cowpats from the devil's own satanic herd."
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Post by sirhenryivatt on May 8, 2008 10:29:01 GMT
Good morning Ladies and Gents, What happened to yestarday's 15.23 CX - RAM? It arrived 18mn down at DVP. True to form, there was no apology or expalanation. Answers, please, on a postcard to the undersigned, who remains, as ever, Yours &c., H.A.I.
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Post by genehuntisking on May 8, 2008 13:26:11 GMT
Good morning Ladies and Gents, What happened to yestarday's 15.23 CX - RAM? It arrived 18mn down at DVP. H.A.I. Believe it or not problems in the Robertsbridge area. Following overnight engineering works between Tunbridge Wells and Bopeep Jn, the line reopened (late) on Wednesday morning and with a track circuit failure at Mountfield. This remained a failure all day yesterday, trains losing on average 5 - 8 minutes being talked past the signal and cautioned through the section (which also contains two level crossings). On top of this 14.47 Hastings - Charing Cross had an AWS defect on the unit where the driver got two wrongside indications in sucession in the same area, and stopped to report that, eventually getting under way from Robertsbridge nearly 25 late. On arrival at Tonbridge (due 15.48) the driver gets off and works 15.58 Tonbridge back to Hastings (15.15 from Charing Cross) which was delayed in the platform at Tonbridge for nearly 20 minutes, with 15.23 Charing Cross - Ramsgate sat on the signal behind. Seemingly it came to light there was no driver for the Hastings train after the Ramsgate was allowed up a blind alley. So I'm afraid there it sat until the Hastings train left. For the uninitiated the AWS gives two sorts of audible warning to the driver, a bell rings on green signals, while on any cautionary aspect (red, yellow or double yellow) a horn sounds. Occasionally the AWS malfunctions, the most common is usually caused by a relay sticking and causing the horn to sound when the bell should. This is not a problem (assuming it is only a one off) as the indication given to the driver is more restrictive than the signal aspect (i.e. indication given for a caution signal when signal green) and is deemed a "right side failure". However yesterday I believe the bell sounded when the horn should have done, or there was no audible indication instead of a horn, which is deemed a "wrong side failure" (i.e. the AWS is not telling the driver of a caution aspect), and is taken a lot more seriously. In this case the train continued to Tonbridge and was taken out of service there, and the relevant cab is not driven from until the train is tested back at depot (usually Ramsgate). In this case the 14.47 Hastings - Charing Cross usually forms 16.46 Charing Cross - Ramsgate, and this started at Tonbridge with the defective cab on the rear, and the stock was taken out of service at Ramsgate. Apologies if the AWS explanation is a bit "Janet and John" style for some of the more railway educated on this group. Despite another overnight possession last night, the line was handed back this morning (late again, this time 45 minutes) with the relevant track circuit still a failure and trains being talked past the signal again. Hopefully the trains will behave today, or Sir Topham Hat may have to brick some up in a tunnel! The Gene Genie
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Post by heofgreatwisdom on May 8, 2008 18:35:59 GMT
It really is a breath of fresh air to have someone from the "other" side who knows what they are talking about. Thank you TGG and please keep up the excellent work.
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Post by sirhenryivatt on May 9, 2008 9:45:31 GMT
Good morning Ladies & Gentlemen.
Thank you, genehuntisking, for your most comprehensive explanation.
I wish all our correspondents a pleasant weekend.
I remain, as always, Yours &c.,
H.A.I.
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Post by sirhenryivatt on May 21, 2008 12:13:47 GMT
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen.
There were some right old shenanigans yesterday morning. The 06.19 RAM-CX was stopped when a guard was assaulted at Sandwich.
The following train around the coast - 06.59 RAM-CS - was sent across the branch, and passengers for stations around the coast were advised to take the 07.19 RAM-CX.
It was then decided to hold the 07.19, and couple it to the following train making it an eight car unit, forming the 07.27 RAM-CX, with the additional stop at Minster. This service left approx 4mn down.
And how was YOUR day's travelling?
I remain, as ever, Yours &c.,
H.A.I.
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