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Post by clemenslary on May 27, 2008 9:31:57 GMT
Evil south eastern trains have changed the 6.55 (victoria service from rochester) to a 6.50 for some reason as I learnt today when it was pulling away, any ideas why?
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Post by genehuntisking on May 27, 2008 12:27:07 GMT
I suspect because running the railway (like a lot of other industries) is all about "figures" and achieving "targets".
I read recently that "performance" on Britains Railways in the shape of the PPM figures is the best ever. Given a target so big that even Emile Heskey could hit it, this hardly comes as a surprise.
Take the 06.29 (as it now is) Ramsgate to Cannon St via Ashford, allowed 13 minutes Paddock Wood - Tonbridge, a start to stop average of 24.23mph. Remember this is a dead straight piece of line, with maximum line speed of trains and stock of 100mph.
The 17.20 Cannon St - Ashford with stock built in the 1990s now departs Tonbridge at 18.03 with stock built in the early 1990s. 15 years ago it left Cannon St 4 minutes later and got to Tonbridge 3 minutes earlier with stock 25 years older. Progress?
The fast trains from The Medway Towns to Victoria regularly arrive 3-4 minutes early at Bromley South. Similarly on a good day the Coastal trains from The Medway Towns for Cannon St can fly through Swanley up to 5 minutes early, only to dawdle along further up.
Charing Cross - Hastings "fast" trains off peak are booked to stand at Tunbridge Wells for 5 minutes. No wonder they are rarely "late" arriving at Hastings. Hastings - Charing Cross on one of the stopping trains off peak takes as long now with 375 stock as it did with Hastings DEMUs built in the mid 1950s.
I think you will find that this is a country wide happening, rather than unique to South Eastern. It allows government ministers to show how "well" the railways are running. I find it rather dispiriting.
To try and finish on an upbeat note, I pass on this story of Gwyneth Dunwoody speaking to Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly :
RK : What we are not doing now is committing ourselves to knowing what the answers are going to be having done the work.
GD : I accept that Secretary of State, but where are the questions? I long ago gave up expecting answers from government departments, but I do occasionally like to see the questions.
The Gene Genie
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Neil
Junior Member
Posts: 54
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Post by Neil on May 27, 2008 13:03:53 GMT
Take the 06.29 (as it now is) Ramsgate to Cannon St via Ashford, allowed 13 minutes Paddock Wood - Tonbridge, a start to stop average of 24.23mph. Remember this is a dead straight piece of line, with maximum line speed of trains and stock of 100mph. The Gene Genie Must admit this one has thrown me. It's shown on the shiny new timetable as 6.32 departure. 6.29 is down as the departure at leaves on the track time!! |
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Post by chapelwood on May 27, 2008 14:17:10 GMT
Evil south eastern trains have changed the 6.55 (victoria service from rochester) to a 6.50 for some reason as I learnt today when it was pulling away, any ideas why? This seems to be a consequence of the decision to cut out the Swanley and St Mary Cray stops from the 0615 (former 0612) Ashford - Victoria (via Maidstone East), presumably because it was getting overcrowded with all the people who have moved into Kings Hill and join the train at East Malling. This resulted in a conflict, in the Swanley area, with the 0649 from Gillingham (0655 Rochester), which has been retimed 5 minutes earlier, presumably to avoid the conflict. It also helps to space out the trains from Rochester (and stations to Farningham Road) a bit more evenly at this time in the morning. But the change should have been publicised better - the timetable on the Southeastern website and the national printed timetable both show the original times, and the only information about it that I can find is buried away in the Sotheastern site. |
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