Commuting - how BAD is LONDON Bridge this TIME?

[ThePompousPaladin]

Getting off seemed quicker and easier, i havn't gotten on during rush hour, so seemed the same as ever

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Major teething problems with new signalling equipment installed over the Xmas and New Year break - no idea what exactly is wrong, but along with the issues with overrunning work at Christmas - Network Rail have more explaining to do. Southern have been forced to implement an emergency timetable with some trains cancelled due to the issues.

At least Thameslink have been diverted away from London Bridge which minimises some disruption and these services are the best alternatives at present from Blackfriars, City Thameslink or Farringdon.

Disruption is expected tonight as well, avoid London Bridge.

 

[Frampler]

Avoiding London Bridge is all well and good (I've been using Waterloo myself as it's a bit nearer to the office) but if the trains are all leaving late, they are going to delay everything on the Brighton mainline, including trains from Blackfriars and Victoria. The simple reason being, there's only so much track and it can only take so many trains per hour.

I think last year was probably the worst for delays in all my years of commuting, but I'm sure 2015 will top it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Have a read of http://www.amazon.co.uk/Martin-Harbottles-Appreciation-Dominic-Utton/dp/1780743726 if you haven't already (won't win any literary prizes but a decent enough little read). It's fictional but the author has clearly commuted in his days as you can certainly draw comparisons with a lot of his gripes and the responses from the train company MD.

The "we don't recognise a train being late until it's more than 30 minutes" line he trots out every response is very much a bug bear of mine especially if the Evening Standard to be believed when they say the TOCs get compo when the train is > 5 mins late. Why do we the paying customer only get to claim > 30 mins??

I honestly can't remember the last time I got a train and it arrived on time either way on my daily commute. Usually it's only a few minutes but do that twice a day 5 days a week and you can easily lose a couple of hours of your life a week. From 3 journeys this week I've already wracked up 45 mins and the worrying thing is I don't see that as being too bad.

Oh and [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION] We know......It wouldn't happen in Germany! Bore off!

Wouldn't happen in Germany!

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

For the last few years travelling to any London club has been a bridge to far

 

[Weatherman]

I can do everything from my sofa that I can from my desk in Moorgate.

A day when I'm in London: up at 5:45, leave home at 6:30, get on a train at 6:50, arrive at London Bridge at 8:10 (if I'm lucky), walk to office arriving about 8:35, leave the office around 17:00, get the 17:40ish train, get back to West Worthing at 19:10 (if I'm lucky), get in the front door around 19:30. 13 hours or my time for around 8 hours work.

A day when I WfH: up around 7:00 and straight on my laptop, work through until it's convenient to jump in the shower and continue. I'll probably walk my won to school (taking 10 minutes) and I will go and get him in the afternoon (another 10 minutes). I'll work through until I've got done what I want - sometime between 5 and 6, although I'll keep going if required. 9-10 hours work for 10-11 hours of my time.

Everyone is a winner with the WfH option.

9-10 hours work a day ? you're f-----g mad

 

[dwayne]

The furthest away south from London I would entertain living is Haywards heath. I don't know how people do it. A few years a go I bought a big-ish flat in central London. 40 minute commute to east London without fail every day.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You're probably right - it's about the life you and your family have become accustomed to. However, for somewhere as expensive as Brighton the salaries are poor compared to not just London, but other cities of similar stature.

You are lucky though that despite being based in London you never need to go there!

A lot of office based jobs can be carried out as efficiently at home though. I do not think it is luck, it's more bosses being open minded and having 21st century thinking and technology.

 

[Arthur]

Not that it'll achieve anything but if you fancy venting your anger at the FOURTH night on the bounce of signalling problems you could sign this petition

[tweet]553236656040734721[/tweet]

 

[Tricky Dicky]

9-10 hours work a day ? you're f-----g mad

Certainly not unusual in the City. I had years of getting in the office before 8 and leaving at 6, often without a break, and being on-call all the rest of the time. If I worked at home, I usually started at 6 and worked through til 6 if not later depending what I was doing

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Its amazing how trains run at all in the London Bridge area considering the huge Crossrail scheme being developed,its undersood that this project will be completed within three years,it will seem like ten years for those suffering commuters.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Not that it'll achieve anything but if you fancy venting your anger at the FOURTH night on the bounce of signalling problems you could sign this petition

[tweet]553236656040734721[/tweet]

For some reason I can't see that but I will sign immediately if someone provides a link. Last night was a complete shambles again. Left office at 5.30 in Tower Hamlets. Home 8.20 via two tubes, two trains and cab. Absolute effing joke.

EDIT - I can now, just took its time. Signing......

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Certainly not unusual in the City. I had years of getting in the office before 8 and leaving at 6, often without a break, and being on-call all the rest of the time. If I worked at home, I usually started at 6 and worked through til 6 if not later depending what I was doing

**** that.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

**** that.

Does that happen in Germany?

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

The trains at the moment are an absolute shambles, I keep expecting the train to turn up at the station and all the doors to fall off and the driver ejected via a spring. Clown car jokers couldn't run a knees up in a brewery.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Does that happen in Germany?

No, it wouldn't.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The trains at the moment are an absolute shambles, I keep expecting the train to turn up at the station and all the doors to fall off and the driver ejected via a spring. Clown car jokers couldn't run a knees up in a brewery.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Network Rail have a lot of questions to answer - just why has this happened despite "thorough" testing before lines reopened.

There is no question the work needed doing but they have royally cocked this up. Remember Network Rail are a PUBLIC company too....

 

[LamieRobertson]

You could triple my salary and i wouldn't take a job that involves commuting to London