Signalling problems - Mark (12th Jul 2017 - 07:15:40)
Just wondering... Does anyone know what signalling problems are and can they be fixed? I appreciate it is probably not SWT's fault and may be down to Railtrack and lack of maintenance. Every time I am desperate to get to work on time (last two Wednesdays) there have been huge delays and cancellations on most services from 6am. I am concerned that once the Waterloo closures kick in there simply won't be any service at all.
Is it people pinching cables or more to do with heat/rain?
Must say the SWT person at Haslemere who just turned her back on customers and went mute didn't help this morning.
Network Rail are responsible for the signals. These signals have been playing up for months causing considerable disruption. It seems the bit of sticky tape used to repair them doesn't work.
Re: Signalling problems - Simon (12th Jul 2017 - 10:47:33)
I used to know someone who worked for Network Rail and claimed that 'signalling problems' was used as an excuse to cover all sorts of other reasons for poor service that the operator might not want to admit - shortage of staff, staff off sick, cancelling trains to save costs.
These seem to be genuine signalling problems as trains have to be talked through each set of signals - probably taking up more rather than less manpower! Still should have been fixed by now though.
I caught the 0641 train from Liphook to Waterloo this morning. It took over an hour to get to Milford. We were then thrown off at Woking before getting another train to Waterloo, arriving shortly before 9am.
These incidents are rare, but when we pay thousands of pounds for an annual ticket you expect 'signal problems' to be eradicated completely.
Another morning late to work due to ridiculous delays.
Checked the National Rail app on the way to the station this morning to see my 7.27am train was cancelled. The 7.45 turned up 5 mins late, and then the fast service which I really needed to change onto at Haslemere was also cancelled.
I'm supposed to be behind my desk at 8.45am, and I walked through the office door (a very short walk from Waterloo) at just gone 10.00am - Really embarrassing and at a cost of £400.00 a month too!
I'm sure the amount SWT will refund me for the delay today won't cover a fraction of the cost I had to pay to drive to work and pay for my parking so that I could get to work on time. Thanks SWT!
