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South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Finchie (24th May 2005 - 13:03:46) Hi All, As part of continued dialogue with SWT, I will be meeting Graham Eccles (MD and Andrew Haines replacement) on Thu 2nd June. Just wanted to see what the burning issues are out there. I am trying to get a small victory for us every time we meet but I'm not sure what to table this time ! Either it is a good day for me, or I have got used to the new service - I hope I can rely on some of you to wake me from this illusory state ! We did have a "blip" about 6 weeks ago with short trains leaving Waterloo in the evenings, but that seems to have been fixed (or maybe I have just been lucky). Battles I think we will struggle to win (but prepared to take on if there is enough weight of opinion):- - Lengthening the platform :-) - More stops @ clapham & godalming Let me know your thoughts. Cheers, Finchie

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Alex Cameron (24th May 2005 - 13:43:35) If you could ask him when we will be joining the modern world and getting wireless internet access it would be appreciated... Any grumbling about cost, tech problems etc should be met by a description of articles like these: http://www.gner.co.uk/GNER/PressCentre/ PressReleases05/ON+LINE+FOR+A+WIRELESS+ REVOLUTION.htm http://news.zdnet.co.uk/ communications/wireless/0,39020348, 39197771,00.htm http://www.netstumbler.com /2005/04/21/t-mobile_steams_in_with_wimax_wi_fi_train/

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - liz (24th May 2005 - 15:29:13) I don't want to tempt fate by saying that the service has been pretty good of late.......but, fingers crossed it seems OK. - In part because I have adjusted my timetable to suit, but its not been too onerous now that the 1800 from Waterloo has a connection to Liphook. One very small niggle.. but its beginning to niggle more and more. Do we really have to have quite so many announcements? OK maybe the train's final destination and the next station but we also get announcements drawing our attention to safety notices (which we can see anyway), telling us not to smoke (which we know) and finally, after several minutes gap, when we're just relaxing... a booming voice telling us about the 'quiet zones' (even if your're in one!). It gets a bit much day after day after day..... ....

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Mark Boosey (24th May 2005 - 19:21:38) Finchie - good to hear you've got another meeting sorted. I have to agree with everyone else - the service hasn't been too bad recently at all. Very pleased and de-stressed. The only outstanding issue I'd like to see resolved is that Liphook is still being considered a second-class station when things go wrong. e.g. last week (was it Thursday?) when the 7:19 train broke down in the morning - the fast trains continued to sail past, or so it would seem. I'd also like to see a later last-train from Waterloo and a drop in ticket prices but realise neither or these appear feasible. The recent online ‘meet the MD’ discussion may shed some light on what some of his answers will be in advance… http://www.e-motionmagazine.co.uk/SWTEmotion/LiveChat/ Liz – see his answer to question 20 re: announcements. Trust me you’re not the only one they bug! In regards to the platform lengthening: why don’t we prove a point by asking a local firm how much they estimate it’d cost them to extend the platform further. As has been said a few times now it’s just a bit of mortar, concrete and tarmac needed not a bleeping sky-scraper!

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Mike Grimes (24th May 2005 - 23:22:48) Well I'm sorry, I'm not at all happy with the new timetable. I agree that SWT have been better at sticking to it (with some notable exceptions) but at what cost. As far as I can tell, Liphook has a couple of decent morning services to Waterloo and only one decent train home (the 18:15) and none at weekends. All the others involve either a long wait at Haslemere or a change at Haslemere. I admired the campaign that the Finch's put so much energy into and was pleased that it got the ear of Mr Haines and did result in a extra train. I just wish that that train was of more use, it arrives at Liphook a few minutes before the above mentioned 18:15 having left Waterloo a full half hour earlier. I thought the campaign had gained another train in the 19:11 - 20:02 void but there is no mention of it in the new timetable I have been on the occasional 8 car 450 class (blue) to Liphook which (due to the marginally extended platform) is now allowed to open all the doors. Trouble is, no-one bothered to erect an '8-car stop' sign at the end of the platform so the driver stops at the '5/10 car stop' sign and opens all the doors some of which are hanging off the other end of the platform. When the defective train at Farncombe caused so many problems at Guildford on 4th May the subsequent apology from SWT stated that their prime objective was to get trains running to timetable again (rather than getting stranded passengers home). This is obviously driven by the targets set in their contract which reward empty trains getting to their destination on time equally with full ones. The target should be for passengers, not trains. Anyway, keep chipping away for longer platforms and more direct services to and from London in the week and a half hourly sevice at weekends (why does Haslemere need four times as many trains as us?)

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Finchie (25th May 2005 - 09:07:31) Alex, Its the only opportunity to get away from a barrage of emails. I am holding off blackburries and WiFis on trains as I would rather read, talk, kip, dribble on peoples shoulders, have a beer etc. However on the +ve side, could get internet access and keep instantly updated on the local liphook goings on (talking of which - dissapointingly quite on the roadworks side, and where Freddie ?!) Cheers, Finchie

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Alex Cameron (25th May 2005 - 17:32:15) Finchie - can completely understand that, and maybe you're right. I probably need to spend a bit more time chilling. Its mainly the boredom factor for me - an hour on the train to London and i get fidgety around the 10 min mark!

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - rob (25th May 2005 - 22:41:06) Finchie Disturbed at the suggestion there's to be no change after all in the 1915/30 stopping at Liphook. Andrew Haines was pretty unambiguous about that at your last meeting, I thought. They really do need to do something about the length of the 1845/1900 trains. Both are more often than not run as five car units, and if you're not there ten minutes before they are due to go there's standing room only to Woking/Guildford. Agree that, now we've all become conditioned to trains taking ten minutes longer than they used to, they're doing better at arriving at Waterloo on time in the mornings. But there aren't enough trains in the mornings. The first five coaches of the 0728 are hopelessly full, surely indicating that we (and people south of us) need some more options in the morning peak - or the platform extended again. My other complaint (which SWT can't be held responsible for) is the way all those posh kids going to expensive schools in Haslemere, Godalming and Guildford push onto the train and take up all the immediately available seats before the "grown ups", most of whom are going much further. Just shows, you can fork out a fortune to give your kids a "good" education, but you still won't get them taught any basic manners! Thanks for keeping up the pressure. Rob.

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Michael Grimes (25th May 2005 - 23:51:33) My apologies, I did not mean to mislead. The extra train promised - the 19:15 (wait at Haslemere) 19:30 (change at Haslemere) does now stop at Liphook eventually. The arrival gap from 19:11 to 20:02 seems to be caused by the 18:15 being our one good train and not waiting at Haslemere - thus disrupting the pattern. We must not lose it. The two 'extra' trains we seem to have gained were originally those which terminated at Haslemere and then trundled empty to Havant after the following fast service had departed. They now pop the lights back on and take a handful of us to Liphook and Liss and Roland to his castle if he's around. Getting the Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot along to a public meeting to announce these 'concessions' was marvellous PR for SWT, just might help them win the franchise again. Oh, and I wonder what guided the pleasant Tracey from the Mail on Sunday to our forum. I have documentary evidence that suggests her open invitation to us all was directed squarely at Finchie. Finchie, thanks for all your efforts but I can't help thinking that we may have been used. I hope not.

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Finchie (26th May 2005 - 10:20:44) Interesting I was targeted ! Tracey must have been really underhand and used directory enquiries when she had no response from the website - I am sure others she could identify and are not ex-directory got a call. Anyway, I a great believer in hunting in pairs, so with my partner in crime, Finchy, temporarily unavailable for the moment with a handful (new bundle of joy - big congrats) I am after a volunteer to meet Mr Eccles with me - Mike Grimes - I have always thought that you have put very good arguments on the website, what are you doing next Thursday 2nd at 9am ? The 7:28 should get us there on time :-) Or anyone else ? Cheers, Finchie

Re: South West Trains - Any Grumbles - Mike Grimes (26th May 2005 - 18:18:21) I'm very sorry Mark, I will be elsewhere on Thursday. If it were avoidable, I would have been delighted to accompany you. Good luck, I hope it goes well and congratulations, Alison.

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