Brighton Station Pre Match Last Night

[HawkTheSeagull]

And you come on here defending mediocre,at best,service from the train company every time this topic comes up.the service is poor and the excuses for it even weaker.

It isnt great, but im giving reasons - not excuses - as to why the issues happen. If you dont happen to like them or accept them - then thats your problem !!

Is there capacity at the ground, and enough buses locally, to have another P&R facility ?

There would be enough space for a pick up at the Amex for another P&R if they were to move where bikes/mopeds are parked at present. Should also add that non-stop trains to Falmer MUST be checked before leaving Falmer, all available space needs to be used. For stopping trains, fair enough space needs to be left, but "fast" trains shouldnt be leaving with plenty of space on board.

Will there any spare rolling stock when the new Thameslink trains come into service

Should be, Southern are due to get a load of coaches from FCC when the deliveries start coming in, its a while off yet.

Some rail person must read this so I'll repeat occasionally until they move towards the easy solution
At Wembley the Stadium overground train has 8 or 12 carriages and SITS waiting on the platform as the match finishes and fills up. 10 yards behind it waits another that moves in and fills up again...no schedule required and non stopping to Marlylebone

They are scheduled but are relaxed, it also helps as the train depot is right next to Wembley on a train line which isnt THAT busy. Pretty sure that company has a fair bit of stock too.

 

[perseus]

No. The issue will be that Southern only have a limited number of carriages and they prioritise (quite rightly) their daily customers.

Extra trains for evening football matches could, no doubt, be acquired, but the costs would be horrendous, to say nothing of the costs of providing the land and track to park them on, for the 355 days a year that they would be doing nothing. The only way I could imagine this happening would be if the Albion agreed to pay the capital costs. I'd rather the money was spent on strengthening the squad. Or buying gold-plated cutlery to be given away with the pies.

Can I assume you do not go by train.

Longer trains are put on for holiday traffic or some other reason.
West Coastway is the worst bit though, or it is already the final straw for some. Staff might be more tricky for more frequent trains.

It is quicker and less crowded to get a train from Victoria nowadays than from Falmer.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The failure that I saw last night was post-match, when two Lewes-bound trains were allowed to leave Falmer with masses of space available on the trains (not just standing room, but unoccupied seats) at about 10.30pm, while there was still a long queue of people being denied access to the platform. I tried to have a conversation about this with the stewards who were controlling the gate and with one of BTP's Community Rail Officers, but they all adopted that glazed-eye stance of pretending to be unaware that someone was trying to speak with them. When I spoke with the conductor on the train, he agreed that there was plenty of space, but said (quite rightly) that there was nothing he could do, if the people controlling things at Falmer get it wrong.

They did get it wrong, and a lot of people were unnecessarily delayed. All it would take to avoid this happening is to have one intelligent member of staff whose sole job is to monitor the availability of space on the train and communicate effectively with the people controlling the access gate to the platform. This isn't difficult on the Lewes-bound platform at Falmer.

This has happened a few times after evening games. I have tried to say something myself but the staff don't want to know.

It's even worse when a 'Special' train is laid on for London based teams.

Edited to add I left work at 5.20, bought something to eat in M&S on the station, & caught the 17.45 train to Falmer without any queue. There were fans walking OUT of the station, as Lush has posted, obviously heading to the pubs.

 

[portlock seagull]

Perseus's comparison with London Victoria is one I make too.

Fans / authorities ought to head up and see how crowded trains get up there, including the underground and yet it all sorts itself out daily. I'm sure crowd control causes problems at times - left to own devices, millions pack the trains themselves largely without incident. If there's one thing actually worse than being travelling like cattle, it's being controlled like cattle!

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Perseus's comparison with London Victoria is one I make too.

Fans / authorities ought to head up and see how crowded trains get up there, including the underground and yet it all sorts itself out daily. I'm sure crowd control causes problems at times - left to own devices, millions pack the trains themselves largely without incident. If there's one thing actually worse than being travelling like cattle, it's being controlled like cattle!

But in London, the majority of those using trains at peak times have been doing it for long periods of time so know what to do and how to do it. For Albion matches that is completely different as a lot of people using trains arent usual users so arent familiar with how it works - which was obvious when you look on Twitter last night at the complete lack of understanding and common sense. With some, common sense really does go out the door when they walk through the station entrance.

I agree there is a line between over-staffing and under-staffing though. Last night was under-staffed by under-trained staff. Add in some police officers who actually give a shit could sort things out a bit. Again, an issue is if you just leave people to it, you will always get the idiots forcing people onto trains and pushing/shoving - thats how fights start and people get hurt.

 

[Billy the Fish]

But in London, the majority of those using trains at peak times have been doing it for long periods of time so know what to do and how to do it. For Albion matches that is completely different as a lot of peoplïe using trains arent usual users so arent familiar with how it works - which was obvious when you look on Twitter last night at the complete lack of understanding and common sense. With some, common sense really does go out the door when they walk through the station entrance.

I agree there is a line between over-staffing and under-staffing though. Last night was under-staffed by under-trained staff. Add in some police officers who actually give a shit could sort things out a bit. Again, an issue is if you just leave people to it, you will always get the idiots forcing people onto trains and pushing/shoving - thats how fights start and people get hurt.

I cant accept any of that, it's just myth and stereotyping.

 

[Bry Nylon]

With some, common sense really does go out the door when they walk through the station entrance.

> insert comment about railway employees here <

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

> insert comment about railway employees here <

No comment

 

[papajaff]

That's where you went wrong.

Thank you, you are brilliant.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Can I assume you do not go by train.

Longer trains are put on for holiday traffic or some other reason.
West Coastway is the worst bit though, or it is already the final straw for some. Staff might be more tricky for more frequent trains.

It is quicker and less crowded to get a train from Victoria nowadays than from Falmer.

I was told that the 6.30am money train from LA to LB of 12 carriages, that is 800 odd full & standing after Hove, has it's only other trip of the day doing the return leg when it then has 10 hours kip after a 10 hour daytime siesta...hard life

 

[Bwian]

Thank you, you are brilliant.

Isn't he just?

50 minutes to complete a 7 minute train journey with a stroll to our seats should be simple were it not for the total incompetence of the fecking railway companies.

 

[Ernest]

The problem is building a ground and then extending the capacity knowing of the poor transport logistics in getting crowds to and from there

 

[Ernest]

Things that could be done is have marshals at each end of the platforms at Falmer to ensure the last 2 coaches especially on Brighton bound trains are used fully. For nights like last night have a special service between Brighton and Lewes running shuttle trains with the normal services starting and ending at Lewes, that way you would have more time to utilise all capacity.

It won't be done , which is the problem

 

[e77]

I was told that the 6.30am money train from LA to LB of 12 carriages, that is 800 odd full & standing after Hove, has it's only other trip of the day doing the return leg when it then has 10 hours kip after a 10 hour daytime siesta...hard life

When I get off that train at LB it becomes a Horsham service.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Things that could be done is have marshals at each end of the platforms at Falmer to ensure the last 2 coaches especially on Brighton bound trains are used fully. For nights like last night have a special service between Brighton and Lewes running shuttle trains with the normal services starting and ending at Lewes, that way you would have more time to utilise all capacity.

It won't be done , which is the problem

Not just the rear coaches - the front can be empty too, doesnt take much for a staff member to check either. Getting an extra 30 or so on a train can make a difference if spread over 5 trains for example.

Issue RE Lewes would be the reversals there, can only be done on 1 platform other than that it is shunting around outside the station. Also - could Lewes cope with more people swapping platforms - also, where would the Eastbound services start/terminate ?

On a side note, I see an online news website has taken a lot of comments from NSC, myself included.

 

[kingcole]

I traveled home on the 4 minute delayed 2145 last night (having witnessed the final whistle followed by s sprint from ESL) and in the front carriage just over half the seats were occupied and not one person was standing in the aisles and there was also plenty of space in the door vestibules.

Pretty disgusting.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Things that could be done is have marshals at each end of the platforms at Falmer to ensure the last 2 coaches especially on Brighton bound trains are used fully. For nights like last night have a special service between Brighton and Lewes running shuttle trains with the normal services starting and ending at Lewes, that way you would have more time to utilise all capacity.

It won't be done , which is the problem

They need a few more like the bloke at the gate of the Lewes platform who bawls instructions at the top of his voice so loud they can probably hear him in Lewes! He's got a gob on him but he does a good job. A few more like him are needed.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Can I assume you do not go by train.

Longer trains are put on for holiday traffic or some other reason.
West Coastway is the worst bit though, or it is already the final straw for some. Staff might be more tricky for more frequent trains.

It is quicker and less crowded to get a train from Victoria nowadays than from Falmer.

No you can't assume that. I do and I did travel by train yesterday. No problem at all, between Lewes and Falmer; underoccupied trains post-match between Falmer and Lewes (leaving a long queue at Falmer at a time when normally there is NO queue).

"Holiday traffic" is different. Yesterday was a working evening in May. There's little that can be done to conjure up extra rolling stock when it's being used to the full elsewhere on the network. But there's a lot that can be done (on any day) to improve the marshalling of people at stations.

 

[um bongo molongo]

There are no extra coaches on midweek evenings !! This topic comes up after EVERY evening midweek game. Coaches are near 100% being used for peak time commuter services, but alas some fans think these should be cancelled so football can come first - try telling that to those that pay thousands each year !! There arent much more at FT either as coaches are often parked up in other depots for morning peak services, IE up in London. If you had the choice of a 3/4 car train or nothing - what would you rather have ? We should be lucky anything ran at all last night with Southern running very close to not having enough staff at all !!

ALL transport to the Amex was busier than usual last night, for the first time in the Amex era ALL P&R was full up, even Race Hill for the first time. It was obvious this was going to happen with more people, yet some still try leaving for the Amex under an hour before KO and try and blame it on the transport !!

How about "stop pocketing millions in profit and buy some more rolling stock to provide some spare capacity"? Or are we supposed to be thankful that these feckwits managed to lift their heads up from counting their 6 figure bonuses long enough to operate a couple of 3 carriage trains?

 

[Deadly Danson]

It really is a combination of factors. The stewarding has to be better at both Falmer and Brighton but so many problems on the railways are caused by bone headed people - the stampede last night seemingly being a case in point. If both authorities and public used a bit more common sense the whole situation would be vastly improved. Some of the things I see the public do on a daily basis on the railways beggers belief.

Realistically there's never going to be much more rolling stock available for evening games - I wonder whether it's worth the club or even Southern using rail replacement buses as additional shuttles between Falmer and the station? Although I guess they need to be on standby for other rail problems.