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eightonedee
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« on: September 21, 2018, 22:15:18 » |
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A classic illustration of how GWR▸ falls down badly in providing information when things go wrong this morning on the North Downs line.
I arrived at Reading expecting to catch the 8-04 to Redhill for Guildford. Perhaps as an experienced commuter, I should have checked Journey Check after strong overnight winds, but on the overbridge the signs (in principal destinations in alphabetical order mode) indicated a train for Guildford at 8-04 on platform 5. However when I got down to platform level it was shown as cancelled, and on arrival at the end of platforms 4,5 & 6, the signs showed the 8-20 to Guildford also cancelled and the 8-32 to Gatwick "Delayed". There was a growing group of passengers, inevitably including some worried looking holiday makers with luggage worried about missing their Gatwick flights.
Two GWR platform staff stood at the entrance. They explained that the line had been closed by fallen trees in the Crowthorne area but these had now been moved and trains were running again. Journey Check showed the 5-10 from Gatwick due at Reading at 8-33, and the 6-19 from Redhill at 8-38. The two staff members were waiting to hear from Control if there were train crew available to restart services and take out one of these as a delayed 8-32 to Gatwick.
A fellow traveller with whom I often chat to arrived - we discussed if we would take the 8-20 XC▸ to Basingstoke to do the Basingstoke/Woking/Guildford "zigzag". No information was being given to the two GW▸ staff, so I tried phoning 03457 000125. I got a helpful operator. After the usual "we can't speak to Control", I held on while he made some enquiries, and came back to me to tell me it was hoped that the 8-32 would leave at about 9 am. I went to the two GW staff to let them know (they were still without any information), and they had been joined by a train manager who said he had agreed to extend his shift to take the train, but had no information as to whether a driver was available or (if one was) when he or she would be available. By this time the Basingstoke train had gone.
Throughout this period there were several announcements about the delays caused by the signal failure between Didcot and Swindon, but no mention of the North Downs line problems
As we waited, Journey Check showed the arrival time of the first delayed train from Gatwick drift back past 8-50, but in fact it arrived at 8-38. The GW staff were then told that it would form the 9-04 to Redhill, and the 8-32 went from "Delayed" to "Cancelled" on the boards.
We all boarded, but as we sat on board, Journey Check showed to the departure time as 9-28 or 9-29! Keeping faith, we stuck it out, but as 9-04 approached my colleague contemplated giving up and going home, until he checked his smartphone which reminded him he had a meeting in his office at Guildford at 10 am. Mercifully we were underway at 9-06, despite Journey Check insisting we would not leave until 9-29, although once we were under way it refreshed to give a departure time of 9-06, and that the following 9-34 to Gatwick was now cancelled. I hope no-one decided not to join our reasonably full train for this one, the third consecutive Gatwick one to be cancelled. In addition the travel advice was updated - two sections, one saying that the line was open and running, the second saying that two trees were down across the line between Reading and Guildford and they were waiting for a chainsaw gang - timed at 9-06, with the promise of an update in two hours time.
Eventually I arrived at Guildford an hour and 10 minutes later than planned. Not the biggest travel disaster of the year, but what about those poor folk trying to get to Gatwick to get a flight - they must have been beside themselves with worry, and presumably would not be keen to repeat the experience.
It is difficult to describe the information provision throughout this episode as anything other than thoroughly appalling. Almost all the information about any trains actually moving was totally wrong. I appreciate that Control may have been experiencing a bad morning, but GWR is there to provide a service to its customers, and someone should have been monitoring events as they unfolded and ensuring that the information was promptly cascaded to platform staff, announcers and the on-station and on-line information systems. In particular, if you run a service to a major airport, surely you should appreciate that some of customers have flights to catch which will not wait so take extra care to keep them informed and secure alternative transport?
What are GWR going to do about it?
I have sent a complaint by email to MH. I will let you know what response I get (my bet is a brush off).
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