[Travel] Trains tonight

[Guinness Boy]

having some toast in my pants by 11:15ish.

Sounds itchy, runny and with the potential to burn your Johnson. I'd probably stick to eating it in future.

 

[Weststander]

For many people aiming to get a train to Brighton it would actually be quicker to get a luxury length train from Falmer to Lewes, then cross platforms and double back to Brighton. You'd probably have time to grab a quick pint in the Lansdown and still be quicker

In the Amex years, I bet people have deliberately got the train to Lewes, then back west.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

A million thank yous - just booked the coach!

NP.

The last bit of advice, make a note of the exact coach location in the coach park when you get off, IE 3 rows in, 4 coaches back.

It will save you a lot of bother later!

 

[BNthree]

I had no idea the trains would be so bad, how did you know it would be a disaster?

Because it is pretty much every single game without fail.

 

[East Staffs Gull]

Also doesn't help that as they don't seem fill the pen under the ramp closest to the platform anymore it means that the queue inevitably goes beyond the end of the barriers and ends up in a bit of a bun fight rather than a good old British queue.

I wonder if they don’t fill the lower pen because it would force people with disabilities to join the throng? The pen provides shelter and reduces the queue length. Perhaps they need to provide a better solution for the disabled on the Brighton platform.
I also think there is a need for a better system for the disabled heading towards Lewes, that does not involve the ramp. This would allow the full width of the ramp to be used, thus reducing the queue length. I also believe that there should be a barrier along the length of the footbridge to separate train travellers from those walking towards Sussex Uni. It would also prevent queue jumpers.
Also, the entry/exit gates on both platforms could do with being wider, to reduce crushing.
On the wider train issues, only running 8 carriage trains and ensuring that they get properly filled would go a long way to solving the problems.

 

[el punal]

An utter f***ing shambles again, club can't do anything and don't seem to sympathise, no other park and ride opened to take the pressure off either. I nearly got crushed at Falmer Station there was a surge to get on the train that was absolutely ridiculous.

Absolutely embarrassing for a so called state of the art stadium

The state of the art stadium has f*** all to do with it. It’s Southern Rail who are supposed to provide the transport required for the predicted number of passengers. The fact that they consistently fail in this matter means that the blame lies with them and not the club - who, no doubt, are embarrassed by Southern’s ineptitude.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

The state of the art stadium has f*** all to do with it. It’s Southern Rail who are supposed to provide the transport required for the predicted number of passengers. The fact that they consistently fail in this matter means that the blame lies with them and not the club - who, no doubt, are embarrassed by Southern’s ineptitude.

Well it is something to do with it everytime we expand the capacity despite a reduction in trains/buses. It's a shit show and the club have shown no signs of acknowledging the train shambles, beyond a survey implying the scrapping if the travel subsidy.

Infuriating for those of us who want or even need to get the train

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Packed bus broke down on lewes road about half 11

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Well it is something to do with it everytime we expand the capacity despite a reduction in trains/buses. It's a shit show and the club have shown no signs of acknowledging the train shambles, beyond a survey implying the scrapping if the travel subsidy.

Infuriating for those of us who want or even need to get the train

Club, by its continued silence, has clearly washed its hands of transport issues that it deems to have little or no control over. All well and good while every game sells out. Why should they care? If you build it they will come. Even if it's an absolute ballsache for them to get home again

 

[el punal]

Well it is something to do with it everytime we expand the capacity despite a reduction in trains/buses. It's a shit show and the club have shown no signs of acknowledging the train shambles, beyond a survey implying the scrapping if the travel subsidy.

Infuriating for those of us who want or even need to get the train

I agree but the club are at the behest of Southern and their practices. We haven’t expanded the stadium capacity wise for ten years - okay, an additional 1,000 seats in the last twelve months. You don’t know that the club have shown no signs of acknowledging the train shambles - that presumably is discussed behind closed doors. As a matter of interest what do you recommend that the club do to improve matters?

 

[nordicgod]

I heard the tunnel club have their own monorail

 

[BNthree]

I heard the tunnel club have their own monorail

Is that what the tunnel is? Underground monorail?

 

[Beach Hut]

Club, by its continued silence, has clearly washed its hands of transport issues that it deems to have little or no control over. All well and good while every game sells out. Why should they care? If you build it they will come. Even if it's an absolute ballsache for them to get home again

Exactly why the travel review currently going on this season which I can second guess what the conclusion will be.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

I agree but the club are at the behest of Southern and their practices. We haven’t expanded the stadium capacity wise for ten years - okay, an additional 1,000 seats in the last twelve months. You don’t know that the club have shown no signs of acknowledging the train shambles - that presumably is discussed behind closed doors. As a matter of interest what do you recommend that the club do to improve matters?

There is nothing public, no apparent sympathy with fans, no pressure on the travel companies and no transparency as to, well, anything. Perhaps they are doing what they can but what is that, none of us know?!

For these 8pm midweek games where it's said by the train guy on this thread that there isn't any more the train companies, what alternatives can they put on? The Pyecombe/West Hove park and ride sites to take some pressure off the trains maybe? Can Brighton & Hove buses help? If the trains aren't fit for purpose you'd hope the club are working to ensure their customers evenings aren't ruined by the bullshit transports which is (currently) included in the price of a ticket

 

[kevo]

Club, by its continued silence, has clearly washed its hands of transport issues that it deems to have little or no control over. All well and good while every game sells out. Why should they care? If you build it they will come. Even if it's an absolute ballsache for them to get home again

People in the queue next to me (presumably non-STHs) saying that it would put them off going to another evening game. Even for me, I was willing to put up with it last night, but the prospect of not getting home until 2am on a rainy cold night in November after watching us against Burnley or someone does not exactly fill me with joy.

 

[kevo]

There is nothing public, no apparent sympathy with fans, no pressure on the travel companies and no transparency as to, well, anything. Perhaps they are doing what they can but what is that, none of us know?!

For these 8pm midweek games where it's said by the train guy on this thread that there isn't any more the train companies, what alternatives can they put on? The Pyecombe/West Hove park and ride sites to take some pressure off the trains maybe? Can Brighton & Hove buses help? If the trains aren't fit for purpose you'd hope the club are working to ensure their customers evenings aren't ruined by the bullshit transports which is (currently) included in the price of a ticket

I agree with you, the club's stance is poor. It is something for the fan reps to take on, I think.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

It doesn't help when they under fill the 4 carriage trains. The first train to leave for Brighton had loads of space, watched by about 500 people being held back in the ramp. It all has a knock on effect.

It staggers me that they don’t marshal this better, ensuring that all carriages are at capacity before letting the train go. Same with the park and ride buses. Usually, on the odd occasion I park at the racecourse, I go upstairs on the bus back and it leaves with several empty seats while people are queuing up for the next bus. I appreciate that this involves manpower but I’d have thought one of the people on duty could actually channel people upstairs first before the standing fills up downstairs. Or at a very minimum, shouts upstairs to ask if there are empty seats.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

I agree with you, the club's stance is poor. It is something for the fan reps to take on, I think.

The fan reps who appear to have disappeared since a flurry of noise at the start of the season...

 

[Weststander]

People in the queue next to me (presumably non-STHs) saying that it would put them off going to another evening game. Even for me, I was willing to put up with it last night, but the prospect of not getting home until 2am on a rainy cold night in November after watching us against Burnley or someone does not exactly fill me with joy.

Would you consider joining us sinners and not staying until final whistle, especially evening games?

Leaving on 85 and making a swift move to bus or train does the trick.

With low odds of missing an Albion winner.

 

[kevo]

Would you consider joining us sinners and not staying until final whistle, especially evening games?

Leaving on 85 and making a swift move to bus or train does the trick.

With low odds of missing an Albion winner.

The guys behind me do this every game. I usually leave right on final whistle, sometimes just before. But what's the point in going if you are going to miss something...?

He didn't leave early, but there's a story about a long-time Hereford fan who'd been a season-ticket holder all his life who went for a pee when they played Newcastle in the cup in 1972. He missed THAT goal. Can you imagine...