Oxford commuters put on 'trial' with crazy idea to save delays...

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Where is the drivers' signing on point at Oxford?

Over in the drivers mess, whuch I think is behind platform 3

[Oxman]

Sounds like another unintended consequence. Drivers are often swapped on arrival of a terminating service at Oxford, with either another mainline driver or the ferryman taking it down to the sidings and bringing it out again for the next up working, where there may be yet another change of driver. The unintended consequence is that whoever dreamt up this plan probably did not take into account the additional walking time for drivers to go to and from the end of the platform, as opposed to the bottom of the footbridge. There is an allowance for walking time between the depot and the platform, and I don't believe it differs depending on the position of the train on the platform. BUT, some drivers like to make the most of it and, if they don't like walking down to the end of the platform, will ensure they are always delayed in some way. No amount of "please explains" will change the situation. Frankly, if it helps to kill off this ridiculous scheme, then so much the better.

Will C, you didn't see any one carted off to the sidings, but it did happen when you were not there. So the system was changed.

I don't think the situation at Kidderminster is comparable. I don't recall seeing lots of people there waiting for the next service - in fact I don't recall seeing many people there at all!

It was never safe to assume that because the doors were closed, that they had not been opened and then closed again after someone had boarded. At least that was my experience.

[Btline]

I don't think the situation at Kidderminster is comparable. I don't recall seeing lots of people there waiting for the next service - in fact I don't recall seeing many people there at all!

How is that relevant? We're talking about the procedure here. There is nothing to stop someone running down the ramp or down the footbridge and boarding the train thinking it's going to Worcester. Half the trains don't terminate, and the bright spark at ATOS put the PIS^▸ (Passenger Information System) in a position so you can't see what the train is from the ramp/steps/shelters/most of the platform. The announcements are abysmal [ATOS Anne, installed by Central Trains - I rest my case.] and don't assist.

With regards to passenger numbers - for a medium sized town, KID has loads of passenger numbers- the station and trains are always busy - hence up to 6 tph^▸ (trains per hour). It's a major stop on B'ham busiest commuter line.

Ok, at OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) there are more passengers (you never would have thought from a city would you?) but you have Ditra announcements: "All change please, all change, this train terminates here." So that completely invalidates your argument!

At KID, the check takes seconds. At OXF it takes minutes. Why?

[inspector_blakey]

Ok, at OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) there are more passengers (you never would have thought from a city would you?) but you have Ditra announcements: "All change please, all change, this train terminates here." So that completely invalidates your argument!

Nonsense.

The uninitiated, occasional traveller who is in a panic because they don't know the system and have it in their head that they are about to miss their train from platform two is in far too much of a funk to worry about what any platform announcement is saying. And apart from anything else, those announcements are only played immediately preceding the arrival of a train and as it pulls in.

I can well understand why the procedure at Oxford involves checking terminating trains very carefully and frankly I'm slightly surprised that gormless passengers getting carried off to the sidings isn't a more frequent occurrence.

[IndustryInsider]

BUT, some drivers like to make the most of it and, if they don't like walking down to the end of the platform, will ensure they are always delayed in some way. No amount of "please explains" will change the situation. Frankly, if it helps to kill off this ridiculous scheme, then so much the better.

I agree 100%.

[IndustryInsider]

An article, courtesy of Willc, in the Oxford Mail:

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/archive/2011/09/03/Oxford+news+%28om_oxfordnews%29/9230889.Passengers_get_exercise_in_improving_punctuality/

[Chris from Nailsea]

One post on an internet forum described it as ^bonkers^.

Who on Earth would have suggested such a thing?? 

[IndustryInsider]

Not me!  Though I may have used any of all of the following terms; 'Crazy', 'Mad', 'Daft', 'Silly', 'Nuts', 'Loopy', 'Barmy', or 'Irrational'.   

[JayMac]

One post on an internet forum described it as ^bonkers^.

Who on Earth would have suggested such a thing?? 

Bonkers!

I've been quoted in the press! My life is complete!

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

But passenger groups have given the experiment a more measured response.

 

[inspector_blakey]

I've been quoted in the press! My life is complete!

Sadly without attribution though

[JayMac]

I thought 'Bonkers!' was quite a measured response.....

 

I've been quoted in the press! My life is complete!

Sadly without attribution though

I can live with that; I know it was me what said it. 

[ChrisB]

But passenger groups have given the experiment a more measured response.

Yup, that's me....and named.

But I'm not sure it's measured!

But Chris Bates, chairman of Cherwell rail users group, said there would be more passengers affected than minutes saved. He added: ^If they could get their trains running on time, there would be no need to do this.^

 

Edited to fix quoted quote from a quote in the press. bignosemac 

[Btline]

I was hoping Willc would brand the move: "appalling". And not one use of AXED in the entire article.

You'll know if Btline switches career to a journalist!

[paul7575]

Surely passengers are being DUMPED or EJECTED at the north end, at the very least...   

Paul