[Travel] F**K SOUTHERN FAIL. Help?!

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Absolute f***ing nightmare.

They cancelled my last train home tonight. 22:46 from London Victoria to Seaford (changing at Lewes - it’s the Hastings service).
I was there 20 minutes early. Nobody knew what they were doing at the station. I could’ve gone to Brighton but was told there was only a 4 minute connection to get the last #12 bus home, otherwise it would’ve been a 2 hour wait for a night bus as I’ve known from experience. I asked if they’d provide a taxi to Seaford, they said no, quote, “we don’t do that kind of thing”.


Given my options were either a paying a taxi home (I’d guess £300-400 - if I could even find anyone), sleeping in the station until thrown out, or a hotel, I’ve gone with paying for the cheapest closest hotel (Comfort Inn, Victoria - £185.97) which I’ll be fighting tooth and nail to be refunded to me.

Luckily I had money available to pay for the hotel room otherwise I’d have been sleeping rough.

I’m incredibly pissed off that they can just do this and get away with it. They are legally required by the terms of service to provide reasonable and timely transport home on a valid ticket and they point blank refused to do this or offer assistance of any kind.

Anyway, in hotel now, boiling hot, starving hungry and very stressed out. Incredibly anxious and having a panic attack.


I’m off work and have no responsibilities tomorrow thankfully - but the big joke is I’m now going to have to buy ANOTHER ticket to get home.

Advice/help/anything useful would be appreciated. If you reply like a cock or try and be funny I’m simply going to block you .

Sorry to hear that. My son was in the same boat last year and ended up spending hundreds of pounds on a taxi to Canterbury. He had to be at work the next day.

If I ever go to anything in London (rarely these days) I book a hotel.

I hope your day perks up. Best wishes, HWT.

 

[atomised]

To be honest with the stress and anxiety of the situation and the constant conflicting advice on what to do (they kept telling me to go to Haywards Heath for some reason and pressing the “Emergency Help” button), and they said they couldn’t guarantee anyone at Brighton would help me.

So yes, in hindsight and based on advice here you’re quite right I should’ve gone to Brighton. But please remember it was a very stressful situation and I struggle with anxiety as it is. I’ve got different staff telling me different things and after an hour of this I wouldn’t have been okay to travel to Brighton anyway.

But yes I take on board the advice for the future. What I don’t accept is blame - this is solely 100% Southern’s fault, they broke their terms of carriage and didn’t care.

IF they refuse the reimbursement I’ll fight it to the bitter end. But I’ve kept a good paper trail with names and times of everyone I’ve spoken to and even a screen recording showing the hotel was the cheapest available at the time within walking distance.

you've done all you can to be fair. no blame at all on you. you were placed in a difficult stressful situation by their incompetence

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Go to your M/P with everything written down plus any tickets and receipts. Had similar yesterday with AWC and last minute cancellations and the station staff knew but no public announcement. Bring back Virgin Trains.

We have never had them down our way. In any case our main issue is the crap Victoria infrastructure and the total lack of contingency. The main reaosn for cancellations is unavailability of staff (due to the fact that staff have been cut to save money).

Let's hope that rem]nationalization may help. It waill tale a while, though.

(Incidentally how much goodwill would be created for how much actual cost if the company made a hotel and compensation standard for people like the OP?)

 

[Vicar!]

It's a shocking service these days. Thankfully there are now overnight National Express coaches to Worthing from Gatwick, so I am pretty much covered providing I can get to Gatwick. In the old BR days you could get a taxi docket to get you home. Since privatisation that has gone to the wall.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

This is not related to JC Denton's experience, but is relevant. Last September, I went on an architecture tour of Weymouth. I found a nice pub in Dorset to stay overnight. However, having been tailgated all the way back from Billingshurst after taking my mother to an appointment, I decided I couldn't face the drive. I therefore looked up train options. The best one was to stay in Southampton, travelling from Three Bridges, then getting another train to Weymouth. This was very convenient, as there was a direct train, taking about an hour and 40 minutes, and it's a lovely run down the Arun Valley. However, I checked on left luggage facilities at Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth Stations, and there aren't any. This meant a second night in Southampton, as I didn't want to carry my bag all around Weymouth - a bit annoying, but it meant I got a decent break; okay I could have asked the hotel to keep my bag, but that would have meant taking the train back to Southampton, walking/taxi-ing to the hotel and then back to the station; not Southern's fault, as those stations come under South Western Railway. It was a good trip, and the journey home was equally enjoyable.

Recently, I was reading an article in a railway magazine about the changes Southern have made to the West Coastway timetable. They have axed the direct Southampton service in the Arun Valley and redirected it to Portsmouth Harbour. The reason given is that the unit used to go to Southampton often had to be turned back early and was also regularly late. The article said that those wanting Southampton could change at Barnham, to the enhanced Brighton to Southampton service, as Barnham had waiting rooms and coffee shops. Fine, except that they have timed the Southampton service to run six minutes from Barnham before the Arun Valley train gets there, so you have to wait 24 minutes to get that train; the journey now takes over two hours. It is actually quicker to go from Three Bridges to Clapham Junction and then get a South Western Railway service, but that costs almost twice as much. The only alternative is to go to Haywards Heath, which I can equally easily use as Three Bridges, and change at Brighton. It seems to me this decision has been taken purely for operational reasons. When will the rail companies realise that if you want people not to travel by car, you have to make it as easy as possible? It used to be possible to get a direct Haywards Heath to Bournemouth service. Now you have at least two changes, hardly convenient if you are travelling with bags.

 

[jordanseagull]

I have just checked and I think an Uber would have cost you between £170-200 - and you'd actually be home rather than in a London hotel. They would be responsible for reimbursing that, as they did when I faced a similar situation at Stansted airport a few months back. Fully take on board all your various personal circumstances, though.

 

[Audax]

When will the rail companies realise that if you want people not to travel by car, you have to make it as easy as possible?

When they're nationalised, and no sooner. As long as they are being run by private companies whose only goal is profit / dividends to send overseas, they don't care about whether or not they're encouraging people to leave their car at home.

 

[chaileyjem]

For others who might be in a similar boat. I had this a few times when i used to park at Cooksbridge or Plumpton . Often late train service to these stations were cancelled or there were very big delays . I would always get to Haywards Heath - or Three Bridges at worst - where nearly always i could then speak to station staff there who (at least 5-6 times in my long commuting history) helped with onward taxis if there were no further trains/long delays OR even arranged for trains to Lewes to do extra stops at Plumpton/Cooksbridge and drop me off even if not scheduled to do so.

Hence get as far you can to a station like Haywards Heath or Brighton where there is likely to be more options to get back to various Sussex end stations.

PS: but of course its very stressful and Southern don't help my reassuring you of your options which if you're stuck etc is not helpful.

 

[studio150]

I spent years ss a commuter to London. I always followed a piece of advice I had in the early days and generally it lessened the aggro: go as far as you can, as soon as you can.

No use now, but for future situations, I hope it helps. For now I hope you're feeling less upset this morning and try not to let it ruin another day.

Always followed this in my commuting days, I think my record was 5 trains from LB home, due to issues on the line.

The other alternative was going to the pub for an hour then returning to the station (obviously not a great idea if going for th elast train).

 

[chaileyjem]

I did this many times. Sleeping at Gatwick is more comfortable and warmer and you blend in amongst those waiting for early planes.

ok when you're in your teens/twenties . ! and yep likewise. Did this multiple times. the young people would call this a good hack these days , film it and it would get a million views on TikTok ha ha.

 

[dstanman]

Well it will not get any better under labour's Great British Railway plans

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Worst case scenario there’s always this option that runs through the night, Victoria coach station is just down the road

Experience wise, a total lottery as to the clientele but a last ditch option if there’s doubt about recovering cab or hotel costs

 

[tstanbur]

This is not related to JC Denton's experience, but is relevant. Last September, I went on an architecture tour of Weymouth. I found a nice pub in Dorset to stay overnight. However, having been tailgated all the way back from Billingshurst after taking my mother to an appointment, I decided I couldn't face the drive. I therefore looked up train options. The best one was to stay in Southampton, travelling from Three Bridges, then getting another train to Weymouth. This was very convenient, as there was a direct train, taking about an hour and 40 minutes, and it's a lovely run down the Arun Valley. However, I checked on left luggage facilities at Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth Stations, and there aren't any. This meant a second night in Southampton, as I didn't want to carry my bag all around Weymouth - a bit annoying, but it meant I got a decent break; okay I could have asked the hotel to keep my bag, but that would have meant taking the train back to Southampton, walking/taxi-ing to the hotel and then back to the station; not Southern's fault, as those stations come under South Western Railway. It was a good trip, and the journey home was equally enjoyable.

Recently, I was reading an article in a railway magazine about the changes Southern have made to the West Coastway timetable. They have axed the direct Southampton service in the Arun Valley and redirected it to Portsmouth Harbour. The reason given is that the unit used to go to Southampton often had to be turned back early and was also regularly late. The article said that those wanting Southampton could change at Barnham, to the enhanced Brighton to Southampton service, as Barnham had waiting rooms and coffee shops. Fine, except that they have timed the Southampton service to run six minutes from Barnham before the Arun Valley train gets there, so you have to wait 24 minutes to get that train; the journey now takes over two hours. It is actually quicker to go from Three Bridges to Clapham Junction and then get a South Western Railway service, but that costs almost twice as much. The only alternative is to go to Haywards Heath, which I can equally easily use as Three Bridges, and change at Brighton. It seems to me this decision has been taken purely for operational reasons. When will the rail companies realise that if you want people not to travel by car, you have to make it as easy as possible? It used to be possible to get a direct Haywards Heath to Bournemouth service. Now you have at least two changes, hardly convenient if you are travelling with bags.

For future reference, worth checking this service out which is a bit like Airbnb for luggage.

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I used it near Victoria and was excellent and only about a fiver per day for a large case.

 

[worthingseagull123]

Absolute f***ing nightmare.

They cancelled my last train home tonight. 22:46 from London Victoria to Seaford (changing at Lewes - it’s the Hastings service).
I was there 20 minutes early. Nobody knew what they were doing at the station. I could’ve gone to Brighton but was told there was only a 4 minute connection to get the last #12 bus home, otherwise it would’ve been a 2 hour wait for a night bus as I’ve known from experience. I asked if they’d provide a taxi to Seaford, they said no, quote, “we don’t do that kind of thing”.


Given my options were either a paying a taxi home (I’d guess £300-400 - if I could even find anyone), sleeping in the station until thrown out, or a hotel, I’ve gone with paying for the cheapest closest hotel (Comfort Inn, Victoria - £185.97) which I’ll be fighting tooth and nail to be refunded to me.

Luckily I had money available to pay for the hotel room otherwise I’d have been sleeping rough.

I’m incredibly pissed off that they can just do this and get away with it. They are legally required by the terms of service to provide reasonable and timely transport home on a valid ticket and they point blank refused to do this or offer assistance of any kind.

Anyway, in hotel now, boiling hot, starving hungry and very stressed out. Incredibly anxious and having a panic attack.


I’m off work and have no responsibilities tomorrow thankfully - but the big joke is I’m now going to have to buy ANOTHER ticket to get home.

Advice/help/anything useful would be appreciated. If you reply like a cock or try and be funny I’m simply going to block you .

I would do various letters of complaint.

Should that fail, I would escalate to my MP.

 

[BiffyBoy]

Never a nice thing to go through, but you’re not living life properly if this hasn’t happened to you at least a few times.

 

[Questions]

This is not related to JC Denton's experience, but is relevant. Last September, I went on an architecture tour of Weymouth. I found a nice pub in Dorset to stay overnight. However, having been tailgated all the way back from Billingshurst after taking my mother to an appointment, I decided I couldn't face the drive. I therefore looked up train options. The best one was to stay in Southampton, travelling from Three Bridges, then getting another train to Weymouth. This was very convenient, as there was a direct train, taking about an hour and 40 minutes, and it's a lovely run down the Arun Valley. However, I checked on left luggage facilities at Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth Stations, and there aren't any. This meant a second night in Southampton, as I didn't want to carry my bag all around Weymouth - a bit annoying, but it meant I got a decent break; okay I could have asked the hotel to keep my bag, but that would have meant taking the train back to Southampton, walking/taxi-ing to the hotel and then back to the station; not Southern's fault, as those stations come under South Western Railway. It was a good trip, and the journey home was equally enjoyable.

Recently, I was reading an article in a railway magazine about the changes Southern have made to the West Coastway timetable. They have axed the direct Southampton service in the Arun Valley and redirected it to Portsmouth Harbour. The reason given is that the unit used to go to Southampton often had to be turned back early and was also regularly late. The article said that those wanting Southampton could change at Barnham, to the enhanced Brighton to Southampton service, as Barnham had waiting rooms and coffee shops. Fine, except that they have timed the Southampton service to run six minutes from Barnham before the Arun Valley train gets there, so you have to wait 24 minutes to get that train; the journey now takes over two hours. It is actually quicker to go from Three Bridges to Clapham Junction and then get a South Western Railway service, but that costs almost twice as much. The only alternative is to go to Haywards Heath, which I can equally easily use as Three Bridges, and change at Brighton. It seems to me this decision has been taken purely for operational reasons. When will the rail companies realise that if you want people not to travel by car, you have to make it as easy as possible? It used to be possible to get a direct Haywards Heath to Bournemouth service. Now you have at least two changes, hardly convenient if you are travelling with bags.

Simster

 

[jcdenton08]

Had a recovery day today. Will send off my claim tomorrow and keep the thread posted, more for my own sanity than anything else.

 

[Krafty]

Had a recovery day today. Will send off my claim tomorrow and keep the thread posted, more for my own sanity than anything else.

I hope you have fully recovered after that awful railway situation. It's always an absolute pain traveling by train (delays, cancellations, etc.) and Southern is the second-worst for passenger satisfaction

 

[Silverhatch]

Those old enough to have experienced the floods of 2000 (pre WFH and full digi-comms). f***ing hell, if you could get to London, likelihood you'd be stuck in the smoke or East Croydon.

 

[jackalbion]

Had a recovery day today. Will send off my claim tomorrow and keep the thread posted, more for my own sanity than anything else.

Slightly late to this, put in a claim they will get it back to you or they should do and if they don’t kick off, this is a service they want to provide.