FAO: Commuters to London

[Hornblower]

13 years HH 7.30 to Clapham Junction then the worst bit to Vauxhall, walk up through Vauxhall Park (shit 10 years ago, lovely now) In my office at the Oval by 8.30 having enjoyed the classic comedy half hour on BBC radio7 (Tuesday's best - Hancock). Unless I have a reason to work late I get the 5.06 from CJ and I'm home with a cup of tea by 6.00. Work, iPod and books mostly make it a pleasure provided I can get a seat. I did it on a motorbike for a year and that really was a pain.

 

[Simster]

I actually don't mind the train from Reigate - as long as it's not too crammed and is on time. I can nearly always get a seat next to the window, allowing me to nod off when required. Otherwise it's The Times, a book and my trusty MP3 player. Either way, it's all tolerable.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I actually don't mind the train from Reigate - as long as it's not too crammed and is on time. I can nearly always get a seat next to the window, allowing me to nod off when required. Otherwise it's The Times, a book and my trusty MP3 player. Either way, it's all tolerable.

This is the problem though. This week the train has been busier than in all my years of commuting. There was some room at Shoreham but people were standing at Portslade & Hove - and that's a long stand to London.

 

[British Bulldog]

This is the problem though. This week the train has been busier than in all my years of commuting. There was some room at Shoreham but people were standing at Portslade & Hove - and that's a long stand to London.

I could'nt be putting up with all that nonsense, I like train travel for leisure purpose but there's no way I could commute during the rush hours on a daily basis it would drive me mad!

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I could'nt be putting up with all that nonsense, I like train travel for leisure purpose but there's no way I could commute during the rush hours on a daily basis it would drive me mad!

Easy - it's just auto-pilot unless there are problems.

 

[NMH]

I laugh at your complaint - have you ever tried DRIVING to and from London in the business traffic??

Oh my word, lanes that merge, ones that disintegrate, ones that WERE 'ahead' but are suddenly 'right turn only', buses on your bumper and everyone pissed off and not the least bit interested in giving way to each other.

The TRAIN??

Luxury.

 

[Buzzer]

Sleep, sudoku more sleep.

6.47 from B'ton to Victoria and USUALLY the 6.07 back again.

Rock and roll!!!

 

[Il Duce]

Thameslink.

Rush Hour.

Not in any way, shape or form could it be called luxury...

 

[Buzzer]

Thameslink.

Rush Hour.

Not in any way, shape or form could it be called luxury...

thameslink is grotty. Too grotty. I work in Holborn but much prefer to get the tube to Temple from Victoria than go B'ton to Blackfriars. Southern trains are much cleaner, more room, better class of people (dunno how but it is!), faster and Victoria is a nicer train station to arrive at.

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

I like my 7.20 from Hove, apart from the lady who gets on the same place that looks like she has swallowed a wasp. Normally get a good seat or a spot on the luggage rack, which is far more comfortable than the smaller seats. I'm a 5.32 man back normally as well, although the 6.16 is better for always getting a seat.

I don't mind the commute. I treat it as my time, rather than part of the working day.

 

[pasty]

6.47 from B'ton to Victoria

I should get that one, but can never by arsed to get to the station that early. Usually end up on the 7.16 and get to work 5 minutes late.

 

[Scoffers]

thameslink is grotty. Too grotty. I work in Holborn but much prefer to get the tube to Temple from Victoria than go B'ton to Blackfriars. Southern trains are much cleaner, more room, better class of people (dunno how but it is!), faster and Victoria is a nicer train station to arrive at.

Spot On

 

[Yorkie]

I commute from Newhaven to Brighton every day. It takes an hour in the morning and again in the evening.
I also do sudoko, read etc.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

thameslink is grotty. Too grotty. I work in Holborn but much prefer to get the tube to Temple from Victoria than go B'ton to Blackfriars. Southern trains are much cleaner, more room, better class of people (dunno how but it is!), faster and Victoria is a nicer train station to arrive at.

I'm exactly the same. Work at the top of Chancery lane for now, but like you get the tube from Victoria to Temple and do a real nice relaxing walk along the Strand, past the High Court and all that spooky Inns of Court stuff, then up Chancery Lane. A pleasant start to the day, as opposed to taking that Thameslink piece of shit to Farringdon and walking about a hundred metres.

 

[Gwylan]

I either get the 6.09 or 6.41 to London Bridge and then cycle to Gray's Inn Road (I work very near Buzzer and THPP it seems). Generally leave early to put the kids to bed.

The commuting's not that bad - I can catch up on my reading - but it is tiring. I'd love to take a small drop in salary and work locally but jobs down here are scarce and the ones that I've seen have been between £22k and £27k less than I'm earning now. That's not a slight drop, that's a not-being-able-to-afford-the-mortgage difference.

Still, at least one day a week, I work from home.

 

[Beach Hut]

Off to catch the 07:02 shortly, easy and helps there is always a seat.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

I occasionally flirt with moving back to Sussex and commuting to London. Could change at Clapham Junction for Shepherd's Bush when the station opens next month. I think it'd just make me cry, though.

 

[ROSM]

I've been commuting for 11 years. It was just about bearable when there were a lot of like minded people commuting (that situation has dwindled recently with life/career changes) but the downside is when you get into a rut and end up sitting near people you wouldn't normally cross the road to piss on if they were on fire.

So I've broken that rut. Now I use my iPod, sit where I can find a comfortable seat and try and ignore the beligerant gets who insist on the same seat every day, or saving seats for their mates who will only be five mins or who dont know how to use a laptop without banging seven colours of shit out of each key every time they type a word.

 

[Gwylan]

I can find a comfortable seat and try and ignore the beligerant gets who insist on the same seat every day, or saving seats for their mates who will only be five mins..

I'd heard this about commuting but it's something I've never seen. In fact, despite my catching the same train nearly every day, I hardly ever see the same people - let alone sit in the same seat.

 

[ROSM]

I'd heard this about commuting but it's something I've never seen. In fact, despite my catching the same train nearly every day, I hardly ever see the same people - let alone sit in the same seat.

It does happen on the 6.41 (usually at the front coach of the 4) but happens more often on the 7.16 to victoria and very often on the 7.33 to London Bridge. It even happened on the 16.53 coming home last night with some girl wanting to save a seat for her boyfriend who will 'only be 5 mins'. The guy opposite me told her to go to another carriage (the 3 + 2 across ones) where there would be plenty of space. I kept my head down (dont do confrontation on trains )