No trains Reading to Gatwick

I thought leaving Oxford at 7-30 I would catch the same time train as I did a couple of weeks ago leaving at 6-30. Either I was too late or no CrossCountry train, which I had assumed runs hourly. Wait until 2006 and catch train for Paddington which stops at Reading.

Train ran slow. I just missed a train from Reading.

Next train at 2235, no trains for two hours for what is a service of two trains an hour.

What of trains to Gatwick, planes to catch, what alternative transport has been arranged? Nothing, no information, no announcements.

I was told to find a Duty Manager.

A train to Basingstoke, leaving at 2107. I could go a very long way round. Guard and driver see me not looking very happy. Asked what’s up, I told them. I asked could I catch the Basingstoke train. They said yes.

At Basingstoke just missed a train. Have to cross to a central platform to see display for trains, then cross back again. A girl came in late from Salisbury, next rain to Reading cancelled.

She asked did the train I was waiting for go to Woking. I said yes, then told her she had just missed a Woking train.

On reflection I realised if she wanted Reading, she wanted Wokingham not Woking.

I caught the train to Woking, then bus. Arrived home 2220, 15 minuted before the train would have left Reading had I waited two hours.

Nightmare. Go out anywhere, never know if will get back home. Last week stranded at Alton, no trains, all trains cancelled, no information.

Situation is not helped by stations not manned, or at large stations like Reading, no staff to be, no announcements, no apology. And no one cares, at least the train companies do not care. The staff are almost begging for the trains to be taken into public ownership as they a see on a daily basis how bad the service has become.

Nightmare GWR trains from Reading to Redhill and Gatwick

At every location on a visit to Reading, I stay far longer than intended. I will not make 4-30 train. Not even 6-30. I go for 1902 to find cancelled.

1902 Reading Gatwick #GWR cancelled. No anouncements. Well over an hour later rail staff admitted they had not a clue what was going on as no one was keeping them informed. #trains #transport #Reading #Guildford #Gatwick #compensation @GWRHelp @CarolineLucas @jeremycorbyn pic.twitter.com/doufstM4MH

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) November 19, 2018

Then the nightmare begins, no trains, no announcements, no explanation, no apology.

Next train for Gatwick, showing twenty minutes late.

Next train an hour later, comes into wrong platform.

As by now frozen decide to catch this train, even if later, as appears to be on time, as at least I can sit on a warm train out of the cold.

During this time no announcements.

1902 Reading Redhill cancelled. 1932 delayed until at least 1950. 2004 from different platform then cancelled 1932 now 2020 still has not left Reading. No anouncements. No apologies. #trains #transport #Reading #Guildford #Redhill #Gatwick @GWRHelp @CarolineLucas

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) November 19, 2018

1932 Reading Gatwick has left station sitting 100 m outside station. #Reading #Guildford #Gatwick #trains #transport #GWR @GWRHelp

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) November 19, 2018

Train does not leave on time. Train does not leave, told to catch earlier train which has now arrived and is sitting at the station. It does not leave either. After a long delay, it pulls out of the station, only to stop 100m from the station, where its sits.

Arrive North Camp Station at 2115. If trains running normally, approximately 30 minutes from Reading depending upon fast or slow train.

A man got off the train at North Camp, hoping to pick up stopping train to Ash. Only problem, there were no stopping trains. Whilst on the train, passengers to Ash should have been advised to continue to Guildford, then pick yo a train back to Ash, either on Reading or Aldershot line. I advised he walked to Ash Vale, caught train to Aldershot then to Ash.

There were no announcements to advise passengers what was happening, no apology.

There should have been a bus running to Gatwick.

And this was not a one off.

In September, on at least two Fridays in a row, no Gatwick trains were running. No announcements, no advice to catch Redhill train, then change.

On the last day of October, last train from Gatwick cancelleld. No information at Gatwick on replacement bus or from where to catch.

Train indicator at North Camp has not worked since June. GWR refusing to pay the £5000 to repair.

Not only GWR.

South West Railways too.

During the morning, no trains to and from Waterloo.

A couple of weeks ago, no trains at Guildford, apparently broken down train at Clapham Junction.

Last week in the evening no trains at Alton. Broken down train at Clapham Junction.

September, train from Portsmouth Harbour cancelled.

Every Saturday, no trains due to guards on strike.

Other rail companies as bad.

Three times in September on East Coast Mainline, now run by LNER following disastrous performance by Virgin, trains delayed, connections missed.

Then there is Southern Fail and Northern Fail, appalling service during the summer, missed connections, delays of hours.

Trains with no working toilets.

We have a Third World train service with extortionate fares.

Beginning of January we will see train fares hiked double the rate of inflation, with rail companies telling us service has improved.

Rail fares must be frozen for the foreseeable future.

Rail must be taken back into pubic ownership, the gravy train of HS2 scrapped.

It will cost nothing as default at end of franchise.

Failing companies must be stripped of their franchise.

Note: There were no trains from Farnborough North for fours hours.

Note: GWR consider a delay of two hours to be acceptable.

Disgraceful behaviour of guard on 1234 Reading-Gatwick train

There is a problem  at North Camp Station, a known problem, barriers drop and passengers cannot cross the line to catch the train.

Today the  barriers dropped five minutes early.

When the 1257 (1255) train to  Guildford pulled in, the barriers did not open immediately.

The guard could see passengers waiting to cross the line, with at least one person waving to indicate they wished to catch the train.

As passengers crossed the line, hurried to catch the train, the guard signalled for the train to leave and waved and smiled at the stranded passengers.

Maybe he thought it a sick joke, to pull away deliberately leaving passengers stranded.

His action cost one passenger at least £20 in taxi fares to get to Guildford. She was starting a new job and could not afford to be late and lose her job.

This guard should be fired.

1334 (1332) train from North Camp, guard never came through the train to collect fares. This necessitated further delay at Guildford queuing to buy a  return ticket. The ticket office at North Camp was closed.

Train companies complain of fare dodging, but make no attempt to actually collect fares from passengers who wish to pay.

The display on the platform was indicating trains running two minutes earlier than shown on the timetable. There was no poster or other information to indicate there was an amended timetable in operation.

1204 First Great Western Reading-Guildford-Redhill train

First Great Western 1304 Reading to Redhill train one toilet out of action other toilet bowl overflowing. #fgw #GWR pic.twitter.com/sIoh4t4ppd

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) August 26, 2016

1204 First Great Western Reading-Guildford-Redhill train, one toilet out of action, the other the toilet bowl full to overflowing. Disgusting.

And why do they cover the windows by the doors?

This is what we pay our extortionate rail fares for. And the profiteers, laugh all the way to the bank.

• Reading-Gatwick train nightmare
• Re-nationalise Britain’s failing railways

Reading-Gatwick train nightmare

overcrowded train

0734 FGW Reading to Gatwick train yesterday a nightmare.

SouthWestTrains not running, problem with ice on the rail. The day before was a hard frost, yesterday was not, but SWT could not cope. It is winter, but SWT cannot cope with winter.

As a result the Gatwick train was ordered to stop to pick up additional passengers.

At least that was what was stated, although on checking timetable today, I see it stops there anyway.

But if it had not been timetabled to stop, it should not have stopped, as a slow train behind, and people are reliant upon the Gatwick train to catch flights. By the time North Camp reached, train running half an hour late, people packed in like sardines, and a platform full of passengers trying to get aboard the train.

It was then slow snail pace to Guildford.

The train was not even going to Gatwick, it was being turned around at Redhill to try and make up time.

Were they going to stop a passing train at Redhill? No.

A moot point, there were no passing trains.  Problem with the lines.  Eventually a slow stopping train. Slow to Gatwick.

Passengers were arriving at Gatwick, having given plenty of time, with half an hour to catch a flight, with a strong possibility of missing their flight.

Once it was known there was a problem at Redhill, taxis should have been laid on.

• Re-nationalise Britain’s failing railways

First Great Western

This morning 1057 North Camp to Gatwick train was cancelled.

Only no announcements to tell passengers it was cancelled, no announcements to catch the 1034 train to Redhill, and then change at Redhill for Gatwick.

Luckily the train for Redhill was running late, else that would not have been possible.

Welcome to First Great Western, only now not called First Great Western, today a name change to Great Western Railway, which is an insult to Brunel.

On Sunday Jeremy Corbyn announced the People’s Railway. As each franchise expires, will revert back to the state,

When does the First Great Western franchise expire?

Justine Greening has decried as ideological driven. No, privatization is.

It is claimed competition has improved the service. What competition? These are private monopolies.

East Coast Mainline was successfully run under public ownership. End of last year it was handed to Richard Branson and Stagecoach.

British railways are owned by foreign state-owned railways.

Rumour has it that come January, there will be three trains an hour running to Gatwick, the semi-fast, the slow to Redhill will continue to Gatwick, and a third train added. New rolling stock. And possibly run through the night.

• Re-nationalise Britain’s failing railways