Bye Bye First Capital Connect

[beorhthelm]

Is this the best you can come up with? Give me the Deutsche Bahn and a few days of strikes over the 365 days of misery the UK rail bods inflict on England any day. In fact, make that 364 as of course trains don't run on Xmas day.

as someone who uses the UK rail ~240 times a year, i reckon theres no more than 30 days of "misery", of which the majority seem due to be jumpers or extreme weather. yes, that leaves a dozen too many misery days, but i wonder what happens on Deutsche Bahn when someone jumps in front of a train, theres a foot of snow or a storm throwing trees down on the lines? does the system just ignore these obstacles, not stopping to pick up pieces, have drivers jumping from their cab with shovels and chainsaws to maintain service?

 

[studio150]

I think you're confused. That's the problem I have on southern trains.

Not confused I was commenting on the Southern Trains into London. I suspect that the ones you have difficulty with are the 3 carriage trains that operate on the East and West Coastline service.

Clearly any new trains need to be designed fir the comfort of the users.

 

[Mungo_Jerry]

as someone who uses the UK rail ~240 times a year, i reckon theres no more than 30 days of "misery", of which the majority seem due to be jumpers or extreme weather. yes, that leaves a dozen too many misery days, but i wonder what happens on Deutsche Bahn when someone jumps in front of a train, theres a foot of snow or a storm throwing trees down on the lines? does the system just ignore these obstacles, not stopping to pick up pieces, have drivers jumping from their cab with shovels and chainsaws to maintain service?

I've commuted to london for years and the delays are in the vast majority of cases down to:
1/ jumpers
2/ signal problems (shorthand for "bunch of gypos have robbed the cables again")
3/ weather

The trains are still uncomfortable and overcrowded though.

 

[Plake]

Pleased that FCC have lost their franchise. Utterly crap service. Spent years being tortured by them in flea ridden ancient rolling stock whilst the Southern trains glided past with their air conditioning blasting.

 

[Gwylan]

but i wonder what happens on Deutsche Bahn when someone jumps in front of a train, theres a foot of snow or a storm throwing trees down on the lines? does the system just ignore these obstacles, not stopping to pick up pieces, have drivers jumping from their cab with shovels and chainsaws to maintain service?

About 15 years ago I travelled across Germany in a blizzard: I was was up to my ankles in snow just walking to the station. The train ended up running two minutes later and the guard sounded almost in tears as he apologised for the late running.

Contrast that to Southern which, just this week, was revealed to have the worst performance of any train operator with just 54% of trains running on time.

 

[Ernest]

About 15 years ago I travelled across Germany in a blizzard: I was was up to my ankles in snow just walking to the station. The train ended up running two minutes later and the guard sounded almost in tears as he apologised for the late running.

Contrast that to Southern which, just this week, was revealed to have the worst performance of any train operator with just 54% of trains running on time.

Regardless of Herr T's rubbish the German trains are just as unreliable as British trains and in places have worse timekeeping

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Regardless of Herr T's rubbish the German trains are just as unreliable as British trains and in places have worse timekeeping

If you keep repeating something it doesn't make it correct you know. Do you honestly think anyone believes this? I use the public transport regularly here and can hand-on-heart say it's much much better in every single aspect from price, simple ticketing, punctuality, comfort and the actual staff are very helpful. I have asked you to provide figures* but you never do.

* - I mean overall annual figures not some isolated incidents.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

About 15 years ago I travelled across Germany in a blizzard: I was was up to my ankles in snow just walking to the station. The train ended up running two minutes later and the guard sounded almost in tears as he apologised for the late running.

Contrast that to Southern which, just this week, was revealed to have the worst performance of any train operator with just 54% of trains running on time.

This. I get a tram to work when it's too cold or icy to cycle. These keep going in blizzards and -14 temperatures. In fact the only thing which has delayed me was a road accident blocking a tram track. Otherwise they persevere.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Regardless of Herr T's rubbish the German trains are just as unreliable as British trains and in places have worse timekeeping

Or is this, finally, a line of humour?

 

[Ernest]

If you keep repeating something it doesn't make it correct you know. Do you honestly think anyone believes this? I use the public transport regularly here and can hand-on-heart say it's much much better in every single aspect from price, simple ticketing, punctuality, comfort and the actual staff are very helpful. I have asked you to provide figures* but you never do.

* - I mean overall annual figures not some isolated incidents.

Go on then post the German punctuality figures to back up your arguments , as for staff being helpful I travelled all over Berlin on the S Bahn and U Bahn and didn't see anyone because they don't have staff do they ?

 

[El Presidente]

Go on then post the German punctuality figures to back up your arguments , as for staff being helpful I travelled all over Berlin on the S Bahn and U Bahn and didn't see anyone because they don't have staff do they ?

I know a girl from Berlin who loved it up the U Bahn

Regards

EP

 

[Ernest]

If you keep repeating something it doesn't make it correct you know. Do you honestly think anyone believes this? I use the public transport regularly here and can hand-on-heart say it's much much better in every single aspect from price, simple ticketing, punctuality, comfort and the actual staff are very helpful. I have asked you to provide figures* but you never do.

* - I mean overall annual figures not some isolated incidents.

http://www.thelocal.de/20110428/34677

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

I know a girl from Berlin who loved it up the U Bahn

Regards

EP

As do you apparently - http://www.thelocal.de/20140911/u-bahn-sex-pair-shock-berlin-commuters

 

[Deadly Danson]

If you keep repeating something it doesn't make it correct you know. Do you honestly think anyone believes this? I use the public transport regularly here and can hand-on-heart say it's much much better in every single aspect from price, simple ticketing, punctuality, comfort and the actual staff are very helpful. I have asked you to provide figures* but you never do.

* - I mean overall annual figures not some isolated incidents.

Just to add I was recently in Germany and all three ICE trains I travelled on over a few days were delayed.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Go on then post the German punctuality figures to back up your arguments , as for staff being helpful I travelled all over Berlin on the S Bahn and U Bahn and didn't see anyone because they don't have staff do they ?

You're the one who needs to find some evidence as you're the one who keeps challenging accepted knowledge. Shall we have a £50 wager for REMF on this? If you can demonstrate to me that over say the last 5 years, in the general (ie across the country), the UK rail service is as good in punctuality, price and comfort as the Deutsche Bahn I'll donate. If you can't you donate. I'll give you one week from now

 

[Rookie]

Not fussed who runs it but will the Blackfriars/City Thameslink rush hour trains still avoid central London and take an extra 20 minutes on a good day?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

http://www.thelocal.de/20110428/34677

That article is over 3 years old and concentrates on 3 services on the ICE. There is the rest of the ICE, the CE and the RE. If this is the best you can come up with I'm happy.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Not fussed who runs it but will the Blackfriars/City Thameslink rush hour trains still avoid central London and take an extra 20 minutes on a good day?

Yes, and all Thameslink services will be avoiding London Bridge from the end of the year for FOUR years as its being rebuilt.

 

[Bladders]

That article is over 3 years old and concentrates on 3 services on the ICE. There is the rest of the ICE, the CE and the RE. If this is the best you can come up with I'm happy.

Didn't you say over last 5 years?

 

[Bladders]

Bit of a myth that trains on the continent are near perfect , I've had to catch the train from Nice to Monaco quite few times this year and they're always late , shabby and covered in graffiti . The 377's on Southern are much nicer