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Post by antharro on Dec 11, 2006 17:42:41 GMT
Well, had some fun today.
Started out mostly okay. Got a "one" service from Broxbourne to Liverpool Street. Running 3 minutes late, and I had the joy of listening to badly compressed rap music played through a mobile phone. Ick. I have nothing against (most) rap music, but when it's abused first by too much compression, then by a mobile phone's speakers, it's just nasty.
Got to Liverpool Street, figured I'd go my usual route - Central to Bank, W&C to Waterloo. Made it to Bank to find the W&C was closed. Took the Northern to London Bridge, then the Jubilee from there. So arrived at Waterloo a little later than I'd hoped to have done. My bad, should've checked the TFL site either before I left, or on my phone on the train in, or at Liverpool St...
Was going to get the 12:35 Weymouth from Waterloo, but it was cancelled a couple of minutes after I'd arrived! So I got the 12:39 S'ton Central instead, and changed at Winchester. This was a 444.
Got in 5 minutes late to Winchester, and the next train (Poole service, a 10 carriage 442) was 12 minutes late. Got just outside Brockenhurst when the guard announced that due to the late running of the train, we would be non-stopping after Brockenhurst, so fast to Bournemouth.
Arrived at Bournemouth about 15 mins or so late.
As I crossed the bridge at Bournemouth, I thought to look at the train's numbers. First five: 2420. Second five: 2401. And in real need of a wash.
Then the thought struck me; the 12:35 was canceled (apparently) due to the train from Bournemouth going out of service at Bournemouth, for whatever reason. How much time would it have taken, and would it _really_ have screwed up the service to get another train out of Bournemouth Depot? Probably far too long, but even if it didn't run in passenger service, they could have at least run it up to Waterloo to form the 12:35. The driver was obviously available as the canceled train was a Waterloo service... Or even better, get a train out of the yard up in London and run it back down as the 12:35...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2006 1:18:15 GMT
Got route knowledge problems there mate, only Bomo, Weymouth & Havant drivers are aware of the route beyond Southampton Central!
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Oracle
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Post by Oracle on Dec 12, 2006 8:01:23 GMT
Some crews are only "route knowledged" as far as Guildford when there are diversions via Havant.
I remember years ago under the good old BR days when fed-up commuters beseiged the crew office when trains were being cancelled because of "lack of crews" demanding that they take trains out. The men and women on the Clapham omnibus could not understand about route knowledge, etc.
As regards cancellations, we had a door problem with the locked buffet car door on a 442 one year. Even though it was locked, and not used by passengers, we had to detrain at Woking and wait for the next train to Waterloo. However a 444 that suffered a massive smash on a carriage window from a flying object between Basingstoke and Micheldever was just taped up with sticky tape held just in case, and the train ran through Poole and was thankfully not cancelled!
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Post by antharro on Dec 12, 2006 15:49:11 GMT
Got route knowledge problems there mate, only Bomo, Weymouth & Havant drivers are aware of the route beyond Southampton Central! Hmm. I wonder what the practicality of putting a driver on the next Waterloo train up? I don't know the timetables well enough to know if there'd it'd be possible for the next service to get up there with enough spare time for the driver to be ready to take the down service out on time... And this is, of course, assuming that someone else brings whatever train that driver would be taking down, out of the yard and into Waterloo station to save time! However a 444 that suffered a massive smash on a carriage window from a flying object between Basingstoke and Micheldever was just taped up with sticky tape held just in case, and the train ran through Poole and was thankfully not cancelled! You saying that made me think of something I saw on my way back yesterday. We overtook an un-refurbed 455. On every set of doors on one particular carriage, you could see where sticky tape had been, and had been removed. It had left an imprint on the door - "FRAGILE". Obviously hadn't been cleaned off as there's not much point if they're gonna be refurbed, but did make me wonder why it was there. Temporary fix for broken doors on a train that was still in service until it could get back to the depot, perhaps? |
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Post by antharro on Dec 13, 2006 2:30:01 GMT
I've posted this here to avoid starting another thread about 442s. Mods, please feel free to move this to a new thread / etc, if it's more suitable.
I think I finally worked out why I like the 442s over other stocks.
On my journey back the other day, I was on both 444s and 442s. The 444s were well lit, well designed, aesthetically pleasing (for a train!), and are a good overall train.
When I got the 442 from Winchester, I immediately noticed the lighting was a slightly lower colour temperature. The seats were more comfortable, and while they had a few more rattles than the newer 444s, they had something the 444s lack - ambiance. The 444s are too darn sterile! I'm always relaxed when I'm on a 442; I can sit back and enjoy the journey. Read my book, get a cup of tea. Now, I can read my book and get a cup of tea on a 444 or a 450, but with the brighter, harsher lights, the slightly less comfortable seats, the godawful auto-announcer (which is just about tolerable on a 444, but is awful on a 455!), the whole "travel experience" is much less comfortable.
I'm sure I'll manage to expand on this if I give it some more thought, but does any of this make any sense to anyone else?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2007 23:04:34 GMT
I remember years ago under the good old BR days when fed-up commuters beseiged the crew office when trains were being cancelled because of "lack of crews" demanding that they take trains out. The men and women on the Clapham omnibus could not understand about route knowledge, etc. A similar incident happened at Charing Cross in 1991.. There was a major signalling failure outside London bridge... about 80 crew were waiting for thier trains... commuters were fed up with the cancelled trains, so rampaged up to the crew room and literally grabbed the clerk on duty and demanded they get the drivers out to drive the trains... He tried to explain to them that the drivers only know certain routes, and if we use Driver A, they'll need someone to cover his duty... and so on... in the end, the commuters understood, but only after police turned up! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2007 21:01:56 GMT
If it hasn't already been mentioned, the 442's last day in service with SWT is on Saturday.
Sam
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2007 8:46:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2007 18:39:58 GMT
I was talking about on this forum!
Sam
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2007 18:41:04 GMT
I know - but they directed us over there several weeks ago!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2007 18:55:00 GMT
Fair enough - I didn't know. Hence the "If it hasn't already been mentioned..."  No need for RUK pedantics on here! Sam |
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Phil
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Post by Phil on Jan 11, 2007 23:00:37 GMT
Sam, revision is getting to your head: not only was it mentioned, one of the other admins went out of his way to make sure that all interested could see it.
So Sorry Sam, TC is absolutely right on this one. Only long-term absence or temporary short-sightedness could have caused you to miss this one....
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2007 19:49:23 GMT
Not going to take the bait, pal.
Sam
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Post by chris on Jan 13, 2007 11:33:03 GMT
Going to be sad to see these go! That noise they make in the platform is not really met by any other train. If i wasnt busy i'd go have a ride!
Still remember then in their NSE livery!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2007 16:56:26 GMT
10 units booked out on Monday... |
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