SASTA - what an absolute shower

[Hotchilidog]

This would explain the lack of info at Victoria this evening. Glad I was out in London this evening and have managed to get a delayed, short formation train home.

 

[pasty]

'kin useless yesterday. I understand things break down sometimes, but its the complete lack of organisation and communication that winds me up so much. 4 hours from office to home yesterday.

 

[Goldstone1976]

(why so many signal failures ?)

Speaking with some direct personal knowledge, could I suggest that you don't take everything that a TOC tells you literally. "Signal failure" covers a whole range of problems, ranging from signal failure (maybe as much as 25% of the time it's blamed) to any number of other issues.

Bear in mind that TOCs are ultimately culpable and accountable for some causes of delay or cancellation, but not others. Follow the money...

 

[Hamilton]

Eventually got to HH to pick up and Eastbound train, then that was delayed due to a passenger being taken ill........paramedics took him out of the station on a stretcher. Can't blame SASTA or NR for that but it feels like a conspiracy sometimes.
[MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION] - hear what you say, and could be my memory, but overall I'm really not sure whether things are better or worse. The trains now are more comfortable and modern, but seem to break down just as much (more electronics to go wrong I guess), the infrastructure seems as fragile as ever (why so many signal failures ?) and the organisation and availability of staff seems worse, apart from the lack of strikes which blighted my early commuting years. All in all, it used to be shit, and is still shit.

Passengers being taken out on stretchers? That pretty much sums up the state of SASTA's operations at the moment.

 

[beorhthelm]

Speaking with some direct personal knowledge, could I suggest that you don't take everything that a TOC tells you literally. "Signal failure" covers a whole range of problems, ranging from signal failure (maybe as much as 25% of the time it's blamed) to any number of other issues.

Bear in mind that TOCs are ultimately culpable and accountable for some causes of delay or cancellation, but not others. Follow the money...

as i understand it, all compo for delays go through the train operator, if its down to the network they get compo from Network Rail. i.e. it doesnt make any difference what or who is at fault from a customer compensation point of view, and the accountability to the relevant authority would cut through any hiding of root cause. so are you saying they just cite "signal failure" as a PR exercise?

 

[Hotchilidog]

as i understand it, all compo for delays go through the train operator, if its down to the network they get compo from Network Rail. i.e. it doesnt make any difference what or who is at fault from a customer compensation point of view, and the accountability to the relevant authority would cut through any hiding of root cause. so are you saying they just cite "signal failure" as a PR exercise?

I stand to be corrected but do the ToC's get their delay repay in from Network rail at an earlier point and at a greater rate than the passengers, which actually enables the ToC's to make money out of delays? I may be completely wrong but I'm pretty sure I have heard this somewhere.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I cycled to work today, but I was a little late as I had to pick up a parcel at the post office. The girls in the coffee shop made my double Americano whilst I was queuing so I made up some lost time.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Eventually got to HH to pick up and Eastbound train, then that was delayed due to a passenger being taken ill........paramedics took him out of the station on a stretcher. Can't blame SASTA or NR for that but it feels like a conspiracy sometimes.
[MENTION=232]Simster[/MENTION] - hear what you say, and could be my memory, but overall I'm really not sure whether things are better or worse. The trains now are more comfortable and modern, but seem to break down just as much (more electronics to go wrong I guess), the infrastructure seems as fragile as ever (why so many signal failures ?) and the organisation and availability of staff seems worse, apart from the lack of strikes which blighted my early commuting years. All in all, it used to be shit, and is still shit.

I remember BR, used it a lot, and whilst it had its faults but my overall feeling is that it was a reasonably reliable service which was simple and cheap to use. The staff seemed to be very knowledgeable and on the passengers side as well.

 

[Goldstone1976]

as i understand it, all compo for delays go through the train operator, if its down to the network they get compo from Network Rail. i.e. it doesnt make any difference what or who is at fault from a customer compensation point of view, and the accountability to the relevant authority would cut through any hiding of root cause. so are you saying they just cite "signal failure" as a PR exercise?

No, that's not what I'm implying, though that is a peripheral side benefit of a TOC blaming NR. The driver is financial. I challenge the assertion I've emboldened - in an environment where profits are difficult to make at the best of times, finding a way to offload cost elsewhere is a great way to improve margin.

 

[alfredmizen]

I remember BR, used it a lot, and whilst it had its faults but my overall feeling is that it was a reasonably reliable service which was simple and cheap to use. The staff seemed to be very knowledgeable and on the passengers side as well.

Do you wear your manbag or strap it to your bike whilst riding to work HT ?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Do you wear your manbag or strap it to your bike whilst riding to work HT ?

Probably just puts it in the wicker basket

 

[alfredmizen]

Probably just puts it in the wicker basket

Oh dear , now i am imagining HT in a tweed skirt calling out cheery good mornings to people as he/she rides through a quaint english village in the sunshine, occasionally ringing the bell on the handlebars to clear small children out of the way , WRONG,WRONG,WRONG

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Oh dear , now i am imagining HT in a tweed skirt calling out cheery good mornings to people as he/she rides through a quaint english village in the sunshine, occasionally ringing the bell on the handlebars to clear small children out of the way , WRONG,WRONG,WRONG

 

[beorhthelm]

No, that's not what I'm implying, though that is a peripheral side benefit of a TOC blaming NR. The driver is financial. I challenge the assertion I've emboldened - in an environment where profits are difficult to make at the best of times, finding a way to offload cost elsewhere is a great way to improve margin.

well that's my point, just simply saying its signal failure when it isn't doesn't allow the TOC to offload their cost, as NR will know, and between them the causes will be documented correctly (or contested no doubt in event of knock on consequences). or put another way, i dont understand any financial reason to lie about the cause, the customer still claims and gets delay repay regardless who is at fault.

 

[alfredmizen]

 

[pasty]

Here we go again. 1730 & 1800 Vic to Btn both cancelled already tonight. Shortage of train crew.

 

[Easy 10]

Here we go again. 1730 & 1800 Vic to Btn both cancelled already tonight. Shortage of train crew.

Half term innit.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Here we go again. 1730 & 1800 Vic to Btn both cancelled already tonight. Shortage of train crew.

Outstanding work there SASTA!

The timetable really is just a rough guideline only, not somehting that has to be adhered too.

 

[Gwylan]

The timetable really is just a rough guideline only, not somehting that has to be adhered too.

I heard that it's such an outstanding work of fiction that it's a contender for the Booker prize this year

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I heard that it's such an outstanding work of fiction that it's a contender for the Booker prize this year

Its actually up there with the bible

In other news the 6.10 LB to Hove is cancelled already. The 5.40 still shows on time. Bet it isnt by the time I get there.