The train's on time! But bouncy WAGN stock, so picking out the words for this blog on my PDA is a very hit and miss affair (literally); we've bumped so hard that the man next to me with the laptop loudly uttered an expletive. It felt rather like the sort of aircraft turbulence that would get the 'fasten seatbelts' signs on.
What I really planned to write about this morning was the news report on BBC Breakfast this morning about commuting being more stressful than flying a jet fighter.
Apparently, a scientist has observed that stress levels rise markedly while commuting on buses and trains (no surprise there), and that parts of the brain switch off. Ignoring the rich but obvious opportunities that this presents for a swipe at my fellow travellers, the suggestion is that we abstract ourselves - we are day-dreaming. I presume that this is a mechanism for coping with the crowds and the stress.
My personal experience is that unless my mind is actively engaged, sleep soon follows - and I snore. With nothing to engage my mind, I can (or more accurately, used to) get on a train at Blackfriars and be asleep before City Thameslink. With a book I could hold out for longer (say, KX Thameslink). This blog requires more than passive engagement, so I'm awake the whole journey. This blog is my therapy.
It's all about coping with difficult and unpleasant experience; who knows what the long-term mental and physiological effects of commuting are?
However, I see that we are on the final approach to St P International, so time to switch off electronic devices, stow luggage under the seat in front and prepare for the rush to get through crowd control.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Monday, November 29, 2004
Very Swiss
I spent a couple of days in October visiting Geneva, and had the opportunity to try for the first time their much-praised rail and tram network. Very impressive in some senses but not as different from British trains as I had expected.
The difference seems to be in the way that they plan for reality, rather than for theory. Trains leave on time because they arrive with minutes, not seconds, to spare before they leave. Trains are clean, because the cleaning crew joins the train before it terminates the previous journey.
It's hard to imagine Thameslink doing either of these things; there would be a public outcry if journey times were extended to improve punctuality, and without substantially fewer people on the train, cleaners wouldn't stand a chance.
Of course, a solution to both of these problems would be to invest significantly more in the network, both stock and stations - and I don't just mean leasing WAGN stock that is woefully in need of sending to the scrapyard (more on this later). This is not going to happen, however, while Thameslink’s franchise is short-term and there is so much uncertainty around Thameslink 2000. I find myself therefore , quite uncharacteristically arguing for public intervention. And with pressure on public spending and an election looming, I can't see it happening.
Makes me wonder how a business case could be made for the present works given that the main beneficiaries will be Eurostar and its customers.
The difference seems to be in the way that they plan for reality, rather than for theory. Trains leave on time because they arrive with minutes, not seconds, to spare before they leave. Trains are clean, because the cleaning crew joins the train before it terminates the previous journey.
It's hard to imagine Thameslink doing either of these things; there would be a public outcry if journey times were extended to improve punctuality, and without substantially fewer people on the train, cleaners wouldn't stand a chance.
Of course, a solution to both of these problems would be to invest significantly more in the network, both stock and stations - and I don't just mean leasing WAGN stock that is woefully in need of sending to the scrapyard (more on this later). This is not going to happen, however, while Thameslink’s franchise is short-term and there is so much uncertainty around Thameslink 2000. I find myself therefore , quite uncharacteristically arguing for public intervention. And with pressure on public spending and an election looming, I can't see it happening.
Makes me wonder how a business case could be made for the present works given that the main beneficiaries will be Eurostar and its customers.
Platform roulette
I arrived a few minutes late for the 7.42am at St Albans station this morning, but that's ok because I can see the service still in its siding. And they've just announced that it will be all stations to Kentish Town only. Funny how it's safe to stop trains there when it suits Thameslink.
…
May have made a tactical error by not getting on the 7.42 because now that it has left the station, they have just announced that the 7.52 will also be late and make two unscheduled stops.
…
As the 7.52 arrives, it's clear that I won't get a seat, and I need to work on the train. In any case, they have just announced that the late running 7.57 will be the next train to arrive on platform 1, so I decide to see if that’s any less crowded.
Just as well I notice it arriving on platform 3.
…
So here I am, sitting comfortably on the 7.57 and ready to begin work. I wonder where this one will stop; would be nice to know.
…
May have made a tactical error by not getting on the 7.42 because now that it has left the station, they have just announced that the 7.52 will also be late and make two unscheduled stops.
…
As the 7.52 arrives, it's clear that I won't get a seat, and I need to work on the train. In any case, they have just announced that the late running 7.57 will be the next train to arrive on platform 1, so I decide to see if that’s any less crowded.
Just as well I notice it arriving on platform 3.
…
So here I am, sitting comfortably on the 7.57 and ready to begin work. I wonder where this one will stop; would be nice to know.
Friday, November 26, 2004
A very English kind of hell
A comparatively trouble free journey so far. Carriage no more than normally overcrowded. Speeding through Hendon we don't quite have the élan of W H Auden's Night Mail, but we do seem to be headed rather more inexorably towards St P than usual.
But this is no transport of delight. St P is where any vestigial trace of romance evaporates. If I could describe my vision of hell, it would have little to do with flames and forked tails. Hell is standing at the closed gates for an eternity, in a crowd of silent, sullen people, in a light, but interminable drizzle, while bombarded by empty exhortations to 'mind the traffic', 'walk on the pavement', etc.
We are the lost souls. This is the day of the living dead.
And it's Friday.
But this is no transport of delight. St P is where any vestigial trace of romance evaporates. If I could describe my vision of hell, it would have little to do with flames and forked tails. Hell is standing at the closed gates for an eternity, in a crowd of silent, sullen people, in a light, but interminable drizzle, while bombarded by empty exhortations to 'mind the traffic', 'walk on the pavement', etc.
We are the lost souls. This is the day of the living dead.
And it's Friday.
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Out of season
I'd forgotten that my weekly season ticket had expired when I arrived at the station this morning. Only two of five automatic ticket machines were working, and while waiting in the queue managed to miss both the 7.42am and 7.43am trains. Next one at 7.52am so already 10 minutes later than I had wanted to be...
Lucky to get a seat but it's broken. Still, got the entertainment of watching the woman opposite trying to fix her makeup in one of the bouncy old wagn trains...
Lucky to get a seat but it's broken. Still, got the entertainment of watching the woman opposite trying to fix her makeup in one of the bouncy old wagn trains...
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Court out
Someone told me yesterday that local residents at St Pancras have won a court order that prevents 24 hour working by the construction firms, though I have been unable to find any confirmation of this on the internet. If the forecast date of completion of these works of May 2005 is based on 24 hour working, we should presumably expect the blockade to continue for rather longer, if the report is true. Would be nice if someone came clean and told us.
The animals went in one by one
Relatively uneventful journey this morning, only a few minutes late, and still room for a few more standing in the carriage.
All that changed on arrival at the entrance to the Kings Cross tube station. The entrance from Pancras Road was closed only once while I was waiting, compared with the normal twice, and having got passed that gate, it became very apparent that the next one, at the top of the steps was closed too. In fact, they were letting people from St P into the tube station one at a time, and if anyone tried to exit through the gap, none at a time!
I have long suspected that rail passengers arriving at KX got preferential access to the tube station over and above Thameslink and Midland Mainline, and the crowds of people arriving in the tube station from the direction of KX in comparison with the dribble from St P seemed to bear that out.
So having, in effect, closed West Hampstead and Kentish Town tubes to Thameslink passengers, this feels like the beginning of the closure of KX tube to Thameslink passengers.
Where will we be sent next?
All that changed on arrival at the entrance to the Kings Cross tube station. The entrance from Pancras Road was closed only once while I was waiting, compared with the normal twice, and having got passed that gate, it became very apparent that the next one, at the top of the steps was closed too. In fact, they were letting people from St P into the tube station one at a time, and if anyone tried to exit through the gap, none at a time!
I have long suspected that rail passengers arriving at KX got preferential access to the tube station over and above Thameslink and Midland Mainline, and the crowds of people arriving in the tube station from the direction of KX in comparison with the dribble from St P seemed to bear that out.
So having, in effect, closed West Hampstead and Kentish Town tubes to Thameslink passengers, this feels like the beginning of the closure of KX tube to Thameslink passengers.
Where will we be sent next?
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
An attractive Australian model
Apparently, commuters in one Australian city have become so outraged by the poor quality of the service that they experience that they have refused to pay fares for one day. Even the state premier seems to be supporting their action.
Is anyone listening to us?
Is anyone listening to us?
Guilty as charged?
A lawyerly voice was overheard by a colleague waiting to get up the steps at Kentish Town having been prematurely ejected from his train saying "I wonder if we could serve an anti-social behaviour order on Thameslink...".
I wonder what other charges could be levelled. Assault with an offensive rail service?
I wonder what other charges could be levelled. Assault with an offensive rail service?
The endless loop
I sort of knew yesterday afternoon when I read on the Thameslink website that they hoped to resume services at 6.00am this morning that it was a somewhat forlorn hope; sort of whistling in the dark. I could almost see the crossed fingers. Sure enough the service is just as bad, just as slow and just as unpleasant as it was yesterday. Then the regulation double closure of the gate to KX tube station. I think that they have stopped making live announcements about delays accessing the tube station and started playing a pre-recorded message on an endless loop. So much safer if we all just assume the worst, then there's always the chance that we might be pleasantly surprised.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Bicycle/parts
As expected the journey back to St Albans was just as bad as the journey in. Despite having left later and travelling via West Hampstead, I only just manage to squeeze onto the train and then only because I don't mind getting a little more intimate with the handlebars of a bicycle than would be normal in circumstances where we hadn't been formally introduced!
Here we go (or don't go) again
People were standing five deep on the platform when I arrived this morning. Something to do with yet more overhead power lines down at Elstree tunnel. Apparently Silverlink and WAGN will accept our tickets - but we've got to get to Watford or Hatfield under our own steam so not an especially useful offer.
First train to arrive has only 4 carriages - not a chance of getting on. I manage to get on the second - an all stations service which leaves people on the platform at St Albans. Inevitable shouts at Radlett and Borehamwood for people to move down and make a bit more room. Some fellow travellers ignore these pleas; not sure that I could have done so without my conscience being pricked a little.
By the time we get to Mill Hill and Hendon it really is hard to see how anyone else will get on, and the cry from the platform is now 'we've got to get to work too'; haven't they come across the Northern line yet - would seem like an obvious alternative?
Obviously when we get to kings cross we're shut out of the tube station - the gates shut twice before I finally get in. Only there's been a problem with the Victoria line so those trains are also running with delays and heavily overcrowded.
Finally get to work only 30 minutes later than I'd planned, and feeling like it's friday not monday.
First train to arrive has only 4 carriages - not a chance of getting on. I manage to get on the second - an all stations service which leaves people on the platform at St Albans. Inevitable shouts at Radlett and Borehamwood for people to move down and make a bit more room. Some fellow travellers ignore these pleas; not sure that I could have done so without my conscience being pricked a little.
By the time we get to Mill Hill and Hendon it really is hard to see how anyone else will get on, and the cry from the platform is now 'we've got to get to work too'; haven't they come across the Northern line yet - would seem like an obvious alternative?
Obviously when we get to kings cross we're shut out of the tube station - the gates shut twice before I finally get in. Only there's been a problem with the Victoria line so those trains are also running with delays and heavily overcrowded.
Finally get to work only 30 minutes later than I'd planned, and feeling like it's friday not monday.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Back to normal
Apparently things are back to normal (as if we hadn't noticed this morning).
Thameslink have just announced that: "Following on from the overhead power wire problems in the West Hampstead area this morning, Thameslink services have now been restored to normal, subject to some short notice cancellation and delays.
So 'short notice cancellation and delays' = normality.
Thameslink have just announced that: "Following on from the overhead power wire problems in the West Hampstead area this morning, Thameslink services have now been restored to normal, subject to some short notice cancellation and delays.
So 'short notice cancellation and delays' = normality.
Rock bottom
Thameslink services reached rock bottom this morning (at least I hope so, the thought of them deteriorating from here is truly depressing).
Full when they got to St Albans with Midland Mainline passengers from Nottingham, dangerously overcrowded by the time we reached Radlett.
A 20 minute journey from the platform at St P to the Victoria Line platform at Kings X, made worse by two closures of the Thameslink access to KX tube station while I was queuing to get in.
And shouted at to keep out of the way of a bicycle (at full pelt in the middle of a crowd of several hundred people).
It would help if the length of Pancras Road was closed to all traffic (including bikes) then they could do away with most of the crowd controllers whose sole role in life is to shout at us through megaphones, along with the barriers that keep us penned like sheep on the left hand side of the road; it surely must be possible for taxis and buses to leave the station forecourt by the same or similar route to that by which they got there.
And who benefits at the end of all this? Midland Mainline and Eurostar passengers get a bright new station. Regular users of KX get a new tube station. Thameslink passengers get a huge dry cleaning bill and a promise that services will return to 'normal' in May 2005.
Bitter? Moi? You bet.
Full when they got to St Albans with Midland Mainline passengers from Nottingham, dangerously overcrowded by the time we reached Radlett.
A 20 minute journey from the platform at St P to the Victoria Line platform at Kings X, made worse by two closures of the Thameslink access to KX tube station while I was queuing to get in.
And shouted at to keep out of the way of a bicycle (at full pelt in the middle of a crowd of several hundred people).
It would help if the length of Pancras Road was closed to all traffic (including bikes) then they could do away with most of the crowd controllers whose sole role in life is to shout at us through megaphones, along with the barriers that keep us penned like sheep on the left hand side of the road; it surely must be possible for taxis and buses to leave the station forecourt by the same or similar route to that by which they got there.
And who benefits at the end of all this? Midland Mainline and Eurostar passengers get a bright new station. Regular users of KX get a new tube station. Thameslink passengers get a huge dry cleaning bill and a promise that services will return to 'normal' in May 2005.
Bitter? Moi? You bet.
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