2 ms·

I lived on a Southern line and alternative was Thameslink with uncomfortable trains (crammed seats, no tables for coffee or anything - at least they were runnin

I lived on a Southern line and alternative was Thameslink with uncomfortable trains (crammed seats, no tables for coffee or anything - at least they were running mostly empty as nobody wanted such discomfort). Trains always late, I almost lost my job because of that. I had to get a car and drive 100 miles each day because train journeys were not sustainable. Has anything happened to Southern? I doubt.

flarg 5y ago
Southern was a government funded battle with the trade unions
- iso1631 5y ago
  And both Southern and Thameslink are run by the government (via a management contract to GTR), have been since 2014. Southern is the reality of modern railway nationalisation, a little better than BR perhaps.
iso1631 5y ago
Why didn't you use Southern? When are you talking about? There was a lot of investment in the (laughably named) Thameslink 2000 program, which was put in place to dig the route out of the mess that the nationalised rail network had left it in by the 90s, it started in 2009 and is still undergoing improvements
- varispeed 5y ago
  Because the trains were not showing up. If a train showed up, there was likelihood of a delay. It was also common that rush hour trains were short - so even if the train arrived, you were unlikely to be able to get in. It was a lottery with odds against you. I was constantly late because of that and employer could only be patient for so long. I am disabled (not visibly) and using Thameslink as an alternative was exhausting (as mentioned - small seats, very uncomfortable). If I recall also Thameslink had much slower service than Southern. I hate driving, so imagine how bad it was if I found eventually going by a car was much better experience for me.
  - iso1631 5y ago
    So Southern wasn't turning up and Thameslink was poor? When was it?
    - varispeed 5y ago
      2017 onwards e.g. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42707560 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42707560
      - iso1631 5y ago
        So after it was nationalized. Southern and Thameslink are the same company. You suffered from the political decision that the government made to get rid of guards. No company would take it as a franchise because they knew the fight with the union would impact both profits and users, so they got GTR to operate it under a management basis. This is now what is happening to every other TOC.

flarg 5y ago

Southern was a government funded battle with the trade unions

iso1631 5y ago
And both Southern and Thameslink are run by the government (via a management contract to GTR), have been since 2014. Southern is the reality of modern railway nationalisation, a little better than BR perhaps.

iso1631 5y ago

Why didn't you use Southern? When are you talking about? There was a lot of investment in the (laughably named) Thameslink 2000 program, which was put in place to dig the route out of the mess that the nationalised rail network had left it in by the 90s, it started in 2009 and is still undergoing improvements

varispeed 5y ago
Because the trains were not showing up. If a train showed up, there was likelihood of a delay. It was also common that rush hour trains were short - so even if the train arrived, you were unlikely to be able to get in. It was a lottery with odds against you. I was constantly late because of that and employer could only be patient for so long. I am disabled (not visibly) and using Thameslink as an alternative was exhausting (as mentioned - small seats, very uncomfortable). If I recall also Thameslink had much slower service than Southern. I hate driving, so imagine how bad it was if I found eventually going by a car was much better experience for me.
- iso1631 5y ago
  So Southern wasn't turning up and Thameslink was poor? When was it?
  - varispeed 5y ago
    2017 onwards e.g. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42707560 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42707560
    - iso1631 5y ago
      So after it was nationalized. Southern and Thameslink are the same company. You suffered from the political decision that the government made to get rid of guards. No company would take it as a franchise because they knew the fight with the union would impact both profits and users, so they got GTR to operate it under a management basis. This is now what is happening to every other TOC.