[Albion] Southern trains rant

[Guinness Boy]

On top of the useless trains can anyone give a sensible reason why the club aren’t showing anything on the screens after the game? Absolutely ridiculous decision, and very annoying.

Because they need to tick a box that indicates that they are not encouraging people to gather on the concourses - not that Sodexo can staff them properly anyway.

 

[Reagulls]

The staff must’ve all had Covid multiple times over the last 18 months.

Great day for sunbathing didn’t help.

Probably caught from all the idiots on the trains who should be wearing masks but for whatever pathetic reason choose not to.
Thanks for making sensible peoples trip to and from the stadium today and previous match days a lot more shit than it should have been.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

Because they need to tick a box that indicates that they are not encouraging people to gather on the concourses - not that Sodexo can staff them properly anyway.

There is a huge recruitment problem in the catering / hospitality sector across the nation at the moment.

 

[Guinness Boy]

There is a huge recruitment problem in the catering / hospitality sector across the nation at the moment.

I know, and the club's pre match guide also made that clear. It still means Sodexo can't staff the concourses properly though, doesn't it?

 

[Billy Seagull]

Because they need to tick a box that indicates that they are not encouraging people to gather on the concourses - not that Sodexo can staff them properly anyway.

No problem with that when we lose though
It’s a ridiculous box ticking exercise, the same as the covid pass checking.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I doubt many plumb / pipe centres would be conveniently located close to a station to enable you to pop out for the parts I need to do the job

Train also doesn’t go anywhere near a cafe

 

[Easy 10]

I just can't trust trains any more. As mentioned on another thread, I am very much a bus-wanker now. Churchill Sq to the stadium, then from the stadium back to the Steine and onwards back to Portslade. No crush, no hassle, you get a seat, pop a pod on. Takes a bit longer, but if I can leave Churchill Sq at 13.45 and be slinging a watered-down Fosters down my rude in the WSU at 14.25 - I can live with that.

F*ck Southern.

 

[Madafwo]

Today we had Southern at their absolute worst.
Trains from and to Eastbourne 4 coaches
Trains to and from Seaford 8 coaches
Are they mad?
Seaford trains half empty and Eastbourne trains rammed.

Also people not allowed on to platform at Falmer even though plenty of space on train
This must be sorted for future home games
I am also emailing the Club as they are supposed to be paying for this lack of service on our behalf

To be honest a lot of that could be solved by people just getting on the first train that comes and changing at Lewes, platforms are loaded to the capacity of the train, if a load of people just stand on the platform waiting for the direct train to come in then every time that happens you can't allow as many people on to the platform. People are also hesitant to move all the way down to the platform as they might have to walk an extra 80 metres when they get to their station rather be right next to the exit.

I just depends on what useless fat controller happens to be in charge of the train set that day
But yes I have felt that frustration on the odd occasion trying to leave the stadium as well

That'd be me today, for my little part of the railway, before going to the match.

Train from Lancing cancelled, due to no train crew.

Next one, the display says it's a 4 coach train and "normally standing room only"

If you know that, how about putting some extra coaches on.
Fcking basic surely. Simple fooking obvious to do.
I need to hear the honest reason why this can't be done


Surely if a Saturday train is standing room there is an opportunity to increase customer satisfaction not fook them off with pathetic comms

Southern Fail week after f00king week

Do you know how many serviceable 4 car units I had spare today where I work? None, they were all out in service. Unless Uncle Tony wants to pony up for a fleet of trains that we can only use on match days, somewhere for them to be berthed and someone to maintain them its unlikely to get any better, the railway isn't run for the 19 match days a year we're at home, it's designed to get as many people as possible to and from London over two 3 hour periods a day.

Yep, back to normal includes train staff pulling the ladder up at the first possible opportunity.

These people hate you.

Know that for a fact do you? I had 75% of my staff off at one time due to confirmed cases/self isolation and the remaining staff pulled out all the stops to keep things moving.

Now we're going through a period of reorganisation which we all know means a massive two fingers to the staff that put their lives on the line just to be called all the names under the sun by the public and probably a P45 for their troubles.

Train also doesn’t go anywhere near a cafe

You're not getting on the right trains then.

 

[Seagull1989]

I tried to get a train from Hove about 12.40 which ended up being delayed and when it arrived there was no room at all to get on. The next train was cancelled which meant that the next train was another 30 minutes or so. I decided to drive up to the P&R at Mill road and jump on that instead, so was fortunate to have that option.

As others have mentioned there seems to be a shortage of staff on both the trains and in the stadium. I had never seen a queue like it at half time on the concourse. It looks like Sodexo are going to have to increase the wages they are paying to get these role filled as it seems that no one wants to do it.

 

[Arkwright]

Totally agree with the post above, just clear Falmer station platform heading East and make people change at Lewes. Far too many people on the platform who should just move on further up the line.
The platform staff also need to ensure the carriages (all of them) are full before letting the train depart.
What happened to the train departures and arrival notifications that use to be in the concourse areas, use to be really helpful.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Do you know how many serviceable 4 car units I had spare today where I work? None, they were all out in service. Unless Uncle Tony wants to pony up for a fleet of trains

The FANS ‘pony up’ a considerable amount of money to Southern Fail each year for the non-service. Less profits for shareholders could probably fund a few more 4 car units.

The shortage of train crew announcement is frankly an embarrassment, and I’m not talking matchdays. Every day I have used the train over the last two weeks a train I have been relying on has been cancelled.

 

[BN9 BHA]

To be honest a lot of that could be solved by people just getting on the first train that comes and changing at Lewes, platforms are loaded to the capacity of the train, if a load of people just stand on the platform waiting for the direct train to come in then every time that happens you can't allow as many people on to the platform. People are also hesitant to move all the way down to the platform as they might have to walk an extra 80 metres when they get to their station rather be right next to the exit.

This should be compulsory

 

[Guinness Boy]

Know that for a fact do you? I had 75% of my staff off at one time due to confirmed cases/self isolation and the remaining staff pulled out all the stops to keep things moving.

Now we're going through a period of reorganisation which we all know means a massive two fingers to the staff that put their lives on the line just to be called all the names under the sun by the public and probably a P45 for their troubles.

It must be a total coincidence that this happens after big England games and on sunny Bank Holiday weekends. Devious bug that Covid. At least you're not all on strike again yet.

 

[Madafwo]

The FANS ‘pony up’ a considerable amount of money to Southern Fail each year for the non-service. Less profits for shareholders could probably fund a few more 4 car units.

The shortage of train crew announcement is frankly an embarrassment, and I’m not talking matchdays. Every day I have used the train over the last two weeks a train I have been relying on has been cancelled.

Do you know how much the club pay Southern as part of the travel subsidy? I've no idea but I can tell you it is unlikely to be anywhere near enough to buy much more than a single 4 car unit since the Amex opened. That's assuming that all that money went towards buying a unit, not on the track access charges, staff costs, additional maintainence requirements due to increased use.

I can't comment on the last 2 weeks though for once I actually had some time off.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Totally agree with the post above, just clear Falmer station platform heading East and make people change at Lewes. Far too many people on the platform who should just move on further up the line.
The platform staff also need to ensure the carriages (all of them) are full before letting the train depart.
What happened to the train departures and arrival notifications that use to be in the concourse areas, use to be really helpful.

I guess it comes down to the naivety of those who are only occasional train users. Seasoned commuters know that when a major terminus snarls up, you just get on a train - any train! - that is going even partway down the line that you want, on the basis that the crowds will be more thinned out, the further down the line you can get. Why would anyone opt for remaining on a packed Falmer platform waiting for the 'right' train to come along instead of heading for the wide open spaces of Lewes station? Besides, if you're going to Eastbourne and you get a Seaford train as far as Lewes you might even get lucky and pick up a proper sized Eastbourne train that's just come from London

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Having driven to the footie last week I thought it was time to try the trains for the first time in 12 months...

However, in our experience it was not just Southern having issues tonight:

1. 1st Southern train westbound from Falmer at the final whistle was several minutes late and only formed of 4 carriages. I guess that compounded subsequent issues for others.

2. Fortunately for us the London bound Gatwick Express was being held at Brighton. Wow, joined up thinking - how considerate! Not so - the onboard announcement gave an apology for the delay plus a rather sarcastic comment about a southbound Thameslink arriving late and then being given immediate priority for its return northbound, meaning our GE then crawled along behind it. Nothing 'express' about the journey at all.

3. Finally, northbound trains from Kings Cross departed on time but steadily fell behind schedule, seems to have been a collective go slow all round! Absolutely rammed full and I guess only 5% wearing masks...

Apart from that - and the football, it was a good day out.

 

[Madafwo]

It must be a total coincidence that this happens after big England games and on sunny Bank Holiday weekends. Devious bug that Covid. At least you're not all on strike again yet.

So swinging the lead is only a problem for the railway industry? I never knew we were the only industry to throw sickies, or maybe its just a case that people don't care that much if others don't turn up for work.

I went on strike during that dispute 5 years ago, not a decision I took lightly but one I'd take again if it was something I believed in. For future reference that whole dispute nearly pushed me to suicide, day of the Charlton beam back I seriously considered chucking myself in front of a train but seeing a friend on the platform snapped me out of it. But go on, carry on making jokes because a group of people decided to fight for something they believed in.

 

[maresfield seagull]

I guess it comes down to the naivety of those who are only occasional train users. Seasoned commuters know that when a major terminus snarls up, you just get on a train - any train! - that is going even partway down the line that you want, on the basis that the crowds will be more thinned out, the further down the line you can get. Why would anyone opt for remaining on a packed Falmer platform waiting for the 'right' train to come along instead of heading for the wide open spaces of Lewes station? Besides, if you're going to Eastbourne and you get a Seaford train as far as Lewes you might even get lucky and pick up a proper sized Eastbourne train that's just come from London

So True
But you have also explained Why there is an issue
Is it 10 years we ve been in this location?
Still the same old problems with the trains That could be avoided
Southern s daily incompetence is unavoidable

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

Probably caught from all the idiots on the trains who should be wearing masks but for whatever pathetic reason choose not to.

Tom Hark, Preston Park and I walked past the Brighton train queue on the way out, and we reckoned only about 1 in 20 was masked, if that. Quite clearly, very few will then have put on a mask in the train. I am very glad I no longer get the train to and from games. I should think it was the same in the Lewes train queue. By contrast, on the train from East Grinstead to Victoria, which I am now taking again regularly (and having to do so was worrying me), very few people are travelling without masks, and that includes from the two London stations, East Croydon and Clapham Junction.

 

[maresfield seagull]

Tom Hark, Preston Park and I walked past the Brighton train queue on the way out, and we reckoned only about 1 in 20 was masked, if that. Quite clearly, very few will then have put on a mask in the train. I am very glad I no longer get the train to and from games. I should think it was the same in the Lewes train queue. By contrast, on the train from East Grinstead to Victoria, which I am now taking again regularly (and having to do so was worrying me), very few people are travelling without masks, and that includes from the two London stations, East Croydon and Clapham Junction.

Been away for a couple of weeks But it’s North of ECR the mask wearing diminishes