Southern railway train service tonight

[Whitechapel]

(This mean I leave two hours before the game.

So you leave at 5:45?

So explain how it took you 6 hours to get to and from the game on Friday? Seeming you were hoome at 12 (2 hours, 20 minutes) on and got there 41 minutes late.

[MENTION=153]perseus[/MENTION] uses another football forum that I also use and he lies about train times every single home game. The reason for this; as you guessed, is that he's the fruitcake who came up with idea of building our new ground at Shoreham Airport, largely because he lives in Shoreham By Sea and didn't want to have to use public transport to commute to games. He often claims it takes him 1/2 hours to get back from home games when me and other Shoreham based posters have done it in 30-40 minutes. When questioned on it he completely ignores it.

Just do some simple maths though.The game ended at 9:40. On the other forum he posted he had just got home just before 12. So if we believe him, it took him 2 hours 20 to get home. Meaning he had 3 hours & 40 minutes to get to the ground. So if he got there in the 39th minute (8:24) he must have left before 5 o'clock. So why was he posting at 5:30 on here? He doesn't seem like the type to be able to work a smart phone enough to post links to tapatalk. Even if he is, there is no way that he left at 4:40 and was still at Brighton station after 20 minutes of the game like he's claimed. No chance. There's literally no way he's telling the truth.

BUT IT GETS BETTER.

He posted a match preview for the game 6 minutes before his "Just got home" post on this other forum. His preview even starts with a dig about the trains...



I'm pretty sure he forgot the game was on the Friday and he's just bashing the trains as a) it's what he always does and b) to cover up the fact he missed the game.

 

[perseus]

I left at six and got home at midnight.

I was queuing at Brighton for an hour. There were a 800 people doing the same. 4 carriages jammed packed = 800. There was another 600 (3 coach loads) that waited 40 minutes = 600. It would usually be a 20 minutes wait and they would all get on one 8 coach train. About 400 would be from the West Coastway train that was late as well. At least 1400 fans missed the start. About 800 missed the nearly the whole of the first half.

I reckon about 700 people go back on West Coastway and that means we can't get on the first three coach train (after the game). Somebody said trains were leaving when they weren't full and the railway staff wouldn't let them through. This was not true. There were people frantically trying to fit onto the first train that arrived late for the match, but they just couldn't get on because it was too packed.

If the normal eight coach train left on time, the 1400 fans would have fitted on it as usual and all arrived on time. The fans were not at fault for arriving late. It was down to Southern Rail not providing their usual capacity trains, and the shorter trains that did arrive left 30 minutes behind schedule and 15 minutes later than it normally did.

Fans were irate and one railway staff member nearly provoked a riot. I've seen an hour long riot (not football related) sparked from less than that.

The tannoy blamed the late arival of the trains on signalling problems at Streatham.

I believe that people knew in advance that there would be problems (hindsight). I'd guess it was short staffing.

 

[perseus]

The above figures may be overestimated. Maybe only 150 can get into each carriage?

That would mean only 1050 fans missed the start of the match, and only 600 missed nearly the whole of the first half.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I left at six and got home at midnight.

So you left fifteen minutes later than you normally do and you spent six hours out of the house, not travelling. You saw at least 55 minutes of football, a 5-0 win in a promotion game and you must have rolled out of the Amex half pissed because I stayed for a quick drink and to let our kids use the toilet and got home to Portslade before 11pm. Complaining about poor service is fine - SASTA are shit - but lying about it just does the cause no good at all. Especially when you have an agenda, which you still do, Andy.

I reckon about 700 people go back on West Coastway and that means we can't get on the first three coach train (after the game). Somebody said trains were leaving when they weren't full and the railway staff wouldn't let them through. This was not true. There were people frantically trying to fit onto the first train that arrived late for the match, but they just couldn't get on because it was too packed.

More bollocks. Walked straight on to the 10.33 to Hove. Wasn't even that busy. 3 carriages.

I believe that people knew in advance that there would be problems (hindsight). I'd guess it was short staffing.

Not you though because you chose to leave 15 minutes later than normal even though Friday night games are notorious.

 

[KJP]

surely it would be better if they cut out London road and moulscoomb stops and just ran constant shuttles between Brighton Falmer and Lewis, would it really be that hard to implement that?

 

[saafend_seagull]

If it looked like it was going to be late I'd just get in a taxi.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

When coming down from London I've alway got the Gatwick Express to Brighton and immediately queued up for a Falmer train. What are the queues like at Lewes? I am tempted to get a train to Lewes and try getting to Falmer from that direction if it's any better. Alternatively how long does to 25 bus take to get to the ground from BTN station? Hopefully a lower crowd on Tuesday will also mean less pressure on transport.

 

[Superseagull]

surely it would be better if they cut out London road and moulscoomb stops and just ran constant shuttles between Brighton Falmer and Lewis, would it really be that hard to implement that?

If I had to get a train from London road or moulscoomb I'd get on one of empty trains heading back to Brighton and just stay on it. You are guaranteed a seat and less stress in trying to get on board.

Then it makes sense for trains to run direct from Brighton to Falmer direct.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

surely it would be better if they cut out London road and moulscoomb stops and just ran constant shuttles between Brighton Falmer and Lewis, would it really be that hard to implement that?

There would need to be a connecting ferry service laid on from Ullapool. Harbour OUT!

 

[Dolph Ins]

When coming down from London I've alway got the Gatwick Express to Brighton and immediately queued up for a Falmer train. What are the queues like at Lewes? I am tempted to get a train to Lewes and try getting to Falmer from that direction if it's any better. Alternatively how long does to 25 bus take to get to the ground from BTN station? Hopefully a lower crowd on Tuesday will also mean less pressure on transport.

Trains from |Lewes are good. Always get the first one out. Be careful returning through Lewes after an evening match as last train quite early.

 

[beorhthelm]

When coming down from London I've alway got the Gatwick Express to Brighton and immediately queued up for a Falmer train. What are the queues like at Lewes? I am tempted to get a train to Lewes and try getting to Falmer from that direction if it's any better.

i would definatly do this if i were coming from London, change at Haywards Heath if not already on an Eastbourne train.

note on Saturdays where they put on longer trains, on return need to be in the front 5 (or 6?) cars to get off at Lewes.

 

[8ace]

Alternatively how long does to 25 bus take to get to the ground from BTN station?

The 25 doesn't go from Brighton Station - either walk down to Churchill Sq or St Peters

 

[LA1972]

After a pre-match drink in the pubs around Brighton Station we have always left the boozer one hour before kick-off to join the que. Always desperate for a piss by the time we get to Falmer but never missed a kick-off.

 

[perseus]

After a pre-match drink in the pubs around Brighton Station we have always left the boozer one hour before kick-off to join the que. Always desperate for a piss by the time we get to Falmer but never missed a kick-off.

Apart from last Friday the Brighton to Falmers service is usually OK. West Coastway is bad more often than not. Normal timetable has one less train than normal (normal during the day) for evening games.. Service is just crap in the evenings.

That means travellers from the west will arrive at Brighton 6:25 , about 7:00 or 7:10 (London train, change at Hove). On Friday the second train was late and only arrived at Brighton at 7:10. This should normally be OK as a train would leave at 7:25 and get there on time and it would be 8 coaches long. A train left at 7:10 but was only 3 coaches and the queue was out of the station to the bus stops. The next train did not leave until 7:40 and was only 3 coaches long. The next train was 10 minutes late and did not leave until 8:10.

Southern Rail put on 8 carriages less than normal which was the reason why 1000 fans arrived very late. This was compounded by a further 20 minutes delay of the 7:50 to Falmer.

Going home West Coastway the 10:33 is always waiting in Brighton station, but the railway staff will not let us on. I have my suspicions that this train is not full and that the railway do not want this train to be delayed and mucking up the trains for the London commuters? The next train is 10:50 westwards, but on Friday this was cancelled (happens as often as not) and the train did not leave Brightion until way past eleven.

In short, Southern Rail have shown they can get the Brighton to Falmer trains right if they want to. Sometimes, they just don't do it. As often as not for evening games.

 

[beorhthelm]

@persus, you keep using the term normal. you understand that normally there isnt a football game? and normally there are no 8 car trains, they are 4's to Eastbourne or 3's to Newhaven. the latter leave at x:08 and x:23. on the Saturday game days they put on a couple of extra cars on the Eastbourne trains, and i believe run an extra service or two? but this is not the *normal* service.

 

[perseus]

@persus, you keep using the term normal. you understand that normally there isnt a football game? and normally there are no 8 car trains, they are 4's to Eastbourne or 3's to Newhaven. the latter leave at x:08 and x:23. on the Saturday game days they put on a couple of extra cars on the Eastbourne trains, and i believe run an extra service or two? but this is not the *normal* service.

I think all they really have to do is to put one extra train of 8 coaches leaving at 7:20 from Brighton to Falmer for evening games. Bung it on platform 7 and run all other services as normal.

Normal trains running to schedule would help a bit.

 

[Arkwright]

I travel via East Croydon and go via Lewes. Generally the queue is shorter and not so congested. The Harvey's is always good while waiting for connecting services.

 

[Beach Hut]

I travel via East Croydon and go via Lewes. Generally the queue is shorter and not so congested. The Harvey's is always good while waiting for connecting services.

Travelling via Lewes Tuesday where can you get a Harveys on the actual station ?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Apart from last Friday the Brighton to Falmers service is usually OK. West Coastway is bad more often than not. Normal timetable has one less train than normal (normal during the day) for evening games.. Service is just crap in the evenings.

That means travellers from the west will arrive at Brighton 6:25 , about 7:00 or 7:10 (London train, change at Hove). On Friday the second train was late and only arrived at Brighton at 7:10. This should normally be OK as a train would leave at 7:25 and get there on time and it would be 8 coaches long. A train left at 7:10 but was only 3 coaches and the queue was out of the station to the bus stops. The next train did not leave until 7:40 and was only 3 coaches long. The next train was 10 minutes late and did not leave until 8:10.

Southern Rail put on 8 carriages less than normal which was the reason why 1000 fans arrived very late. This was compounded by a further 20 minutes delay of the 7:50 to Falmer.

Going home West Coastway the 10:33 is always waiting in Brighton station, but the railway staff will not let us on. I have my suspicions that this train is not full and that the railway do not want this train to be delayed and mucking up the trains for the London commuters? The next train is 10:50 westwards, but on Friday this was cancelled (happens as often as not) and the train did not leave Brightion until way past eleven.

In short, Southern Rail have shown they can get the Brighton to Falmer trains right if they want to. Sometimes, they just don't do it. As often as not for evening games.

Why don't you just get the 25 bus from Portslade station before the match? OK, it's not the fastest route to Falmer, but then again you wouldn't have to play Train Roulette and rely on trusting Southern to run a half-decent service.

 

[8ace]

Travelling via Lewes Tuesday where can you get a Harveys on the actual station ?

In the FIRST CLASS lounge