[Albion] Was there a better site than Falmer

[Simster]

I don't think i ever really understood the arguments for any other site. Particularly Waterhall, which seemed quite popular. And that THV thread is mad, looking back.

In a fantasy land i do wish the whole thing had kickef off a couple of years earlier and we had a stadium behind Brighton Station. Just imagine

Mate, we all get a bit misty-eyed about the Goldstone and it's central location from time to time, but this idea is really for the birds. As has been said, it would have inconvenienced not just fans but absolutely everybody by sending Brighton into gridlock every single matchday (as if it wasn't bad enough already). Even if that had been approved (and the inconvenience to everyone else had been ignored), the city simply wouldn't have coped with those numbers every other weekend.

Modern day Albion have needed to cope with enormous gates, the likes of which The Goldstone *very* rarely had to cope with and as such the congestion was infrequent. The 11 Amex years have seen average gates rise from 20,000 (a high figure in a historical context) to 31,000. That ain't changing any time soon. For context, we had only averaged 20,000+ five times in our history before the Amex was built (4 of those seasons were back-to-back in the 1970s).

Source: http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/league/bha.htm



My opinion is that if there were better sites (and I doubt there were, given the work put in my so many knowledgeable people) then the incremental improvements we would be seeing from that site would have been trivial. So it is what it is and the club needs to be looking at fixing the issues. It's one thing having a half empty East stand with 15 minutes of the game (including injury time) still to be played, but what happens when we inevitably go down? How many fans (esp the elderly and those with young kids) will even bother going when they know all about the transport problems?

The club does need to alleviate the transport issues somehow. The only thing I can think of is by providing a huge uptick in immediate park and ride services. It is far more of a pressing issue than building a fan zone anyway.

 

[Questions]

Yeah the Goldstone

 

[Colonel Mustard]

The back of Brighton railway Station would have been the best (not possible) but amazing all the same.

Totally reliant on rail transport = total disaster.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Have you ever tried to get away from the Allianz?

The Allianz in Munich? Yes, plenty of times. It’s much better than trying to get away from the Amex. The station is bigger, and crucially, they lay on extra trains to deal with the influx so even if you have to queue, at least you keep moving more quickly. And much of the queuing area is under cover.

 

[Rogero]

Ridiculous thread.

 

[Simster]

Ridiculous thread.

The premise was ridiculous but some of the content is pretty informative.

 

[AK74]

My fantasy land involves Kylie Minogue, her sister, and a bath full of warm Bird’s custard.

You should be so lucky.

 

[heathgate]

The Allianz in Munich? Yes, plenty of times. It’s much better than trying to get away from the Amex. The station is bigger, and crucially, they lay on extra trains to deal with the influx so even if you have to queue, at least you keep moving more quickly. And much of the queuing area is under cover.

I am certain that the club would get some kudos if they put at least sone covering over the queuing areas for the station and the p&r queues.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Continuing respect for posting the nuts and bolts on here @jackalbion. It may not help us like the situation any more, but it sure as hell helps us understand it a bit more

Except that the message is always the same — everything possible is being done, the local train companies and unions are beyond criticism, all the fault of central government, it’s always been terrible in any case, people are too stupid to understand it’s all about the lack of X123s and lack of training on the X234s and nothing whatever to do with a complete and utter lack of empathy with the travelling public or lack of willingness to seek and find creative solutions or foster a can-do attitude, if only people would stop moaning…..

 

[jackalbion]

Except that the message is always the same — everything possible is being done, the local train companies and unions are beyond criticism, all the fault of central government, it’s always been terrible in any case, people are too stupid to understand it’s all about the lack of X123s and lack of training on the X234s and nothing whatever to do with a complete and utter lack of empathy with the travelling public or lack of willingness to seek and find creative solutions or foster a can-do attitude, if only people would stop moaning…..

Because there are creative solutions being made, I don't say they are beyond criticism, in fact I've criticised them. I'm telling you the reality of the situation. What creative solutions do you have? I've told you the reality of the situation nothing in the railways is quick, do I think thats right, not always. Funny that you say I have a lack of empathy, because I travel to the Amex and every other game by rail, and I get frustrated at it. You have a complete lack of understanding of how it works, with all respect, the fragmented network. If I were to solve this problem, with my own knowledge, there would be hundreds of different ways. If anyone has ever met me, which I don't think you ever have, I'll happily explain to them how it works and how annoying I find it. Please give me your creative short term solutions that would work because I'd like to see them.

 

[El Presidente]

Except that the message is always the same — everything possible is being done, the local train companies and unions are beyond criticism, all the fault of central government, it’s always been terrible in any case, people are too stupid to understand it’s all about the lack of X123s and lack of training on the X234s and nothing whatever to do with a complete and utter lack of empathy with the travelling public or lack of willingness to seek and find creative solutions or foster a can-do attitude, if only people would stop moaning…..

You’ve not stopped moaning TBF

 

[jackalbion]

You’ve not stopped moaning TBF

In all fairness I get why people are moaning, I'm just saying there is no short term solution, but I thought some people would like to know the reason behind it, rather than just saying no.

 

[Hamilton]

The service levels are the same, theres 90% of the time 6 and on a rare occasion 5 trains per hour. The only game this season that had 5 was Liverpool. The lengthening is an interesting one. The total carriage capacity for the Falmer route is 44 (2x 8 car to Eastbourne/Ore, 2x 8 car to Seaford and 2x 6 car Lewes), in reality with the withdrawal of class 313s with only 4 car units available for Lewes Shuttle that is down to 40. This is where the current problems are coming from, lack of available stock to extend the trains. The 700 idea is a good but the unit is not route cleared to go beyond Lewes and if that had to turn around at the Lewes 58 signal that would reduce the capacity, thats before you even touch upon the fact that Southern drivers don't have traction knowledge or Thameslink have very limited drivers route knowledge. Furthermore there isn't really enough 700s to cover the Thameslink services. Its a supply problem, the government need to tender more stock for all routes in this country not just Southern, instead of retiring units without replacement, or refusing to pay leasing costs on perfectly good working semi modern units (class 379s or 360s for example).

Bloody coming on here with all your so called ‘facts’. Can’t stand reasonable people!

Next you’ll be telling us about displaced stock!

 

[Gwylan]

Except that the message is always the same — everything possible is being done, the local train companies and unions are beyond criticism, all the fault of central government, it’s always been terrible in any case, people are too stupid to understand it’s all about the lack of X123s and lack of training on the X234s and nothing whatever to do with a complete and utter lack of empathy with the travelling public or lack of willingness to seek and find creative solutions or foster a can-do attitude, if only people would stop moaning…..

If you think that local train companies are beyond criticism then you must be new to NSC. I reckon that SASTA vies with the government as the most unpopular, non-football organisation on here. Surely the main problem is that the club has absolutely no leverage over Southern. As someone pointed out earlier, the company has a habit of closing stations when it can't deal with crowds so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that Falmer could be closed on matchdays - and the Albion could do little about it.

I'm really not sure what solutions you expect. For reasons that have been pointed out, there are many difficulties in improving the rail service (and SASTA has no particular reason to investigate any). It would be hard to improve bus services given the chronic and longstanding shortage of drivers and there aren't many areas to implement another park and ride, although that's probably the most fruitful area to explore. I'm not sure what creative solutions that don't involve trains, buses and cars there are: jet packs? hang gliding? horse riding? Although being a club with the first stable would make us stand out.

 

[jackalbion]

If you think that local train companies are beyond criticism then you must be new to NSC. I reckon that SASTA vies with the government as the most unpopular, non-football organisation on here. Surely the main problem is that the club has absolutely no leverage over Southern. As someone pointed out earlier, the company has a habit of closing stations when it can't deal with crowds so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that Falmer could be closed on matchdays - and the Albion could do little about it.

I'm really not sure what solutions you expect. For reasons that have been pointed out, there are many difficulties in improving the rail service (and SASTA has no particular reason to investigate any). It would be hard to improve bus services given the chronic and longstanding shortage of drivers and there aren't many areas to implement another park and ride, although that's probably the most fruitful area to explore. I'm not sure what creative solutions that don't involve trains, buses and cars there are: jet packs? hang gliding? horse riding? Although being a club with the first stable would make us stand out.

 

[Napper]

If you think that local train companies are beyond criticism then you must be new to NSC. I reckon that SASTA vies with the government as the most unpopular, non-football organisation on here. Surely the main problem is that the club has absolutely no leverage over Southern. As someone pointed out earlier, the company has a habit of closing stations when it can't deal with crowds so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that Falmer could be closed on matchdays - and the Albion could do little about it.

I'm really not sure what solutions you expect. For reasons that have been pointed out, there are many difficulties in improving the rail service (and SASTA has no particular reason to investigate any). It would be hard to improve bus services given the chronic and longstanding shortage of drivers and there aren't many areas to implement another park and ride, although that's probably the most fruitful area to explore. I'm not sure what creative solutions that don't involve trains, buses and cars there are: jet packs? hang gliding? horse riding? Although being a club with the first stable would make us stand out.

buses from the king and queen like they did for 1500 AEK fans

 

[AK74]

Although being a club with the first stable would make us stand out.

Would you want to saddle Uncle Tony with more cost? This could also stirrup trouble among the equine fraternity, therefore I'd rein it in if I were you.

Aaaaaaand...I'll get my [quilted] coat.

 

[Gwylan]

Would you want to saddle Uncle Tony with more cost? This could also stirrup trouble among the equine fraternity, therefore I'd rein it in if I were you.

Aaaaaaand...I'll get my [quilted] coat.

Sorry, I was just thinking on the hoof.

 

[zefarelly]

According to Perseus there was, Beeding Cement Works

The fact that he lives in Shoreham in no way swayed his influence for this

It would make a fantastic stadium Site.

I live in Shoreham

 

[zefarelly]

France?

At the end of a rebuilt West pier would be far enough. Just past Tony's new casino.