The Ticket Collector

Commuter Misery - Its all Notwork Rails fault.

What a good day for the Railway!

Firstly we have the fare revisions. This has made most tickets rise in price by around 4.8%. Some other fares have increased even more!

Secondly Notwork Rail have overrun on the Liverpool Street and Rugby engineering projects
The Liverpool Street Over run.

The bridge demolition outside Liverpool Street, the station work at Stratford and the trackwork at Shenfield was completed on time, however there have been serious problems with the overhead line replacement at Liverpool Street station. Notwork Rail informed ‘one’ Railway that the engineering work was hunky dory and running on time, but very late last night Notwork Rail decided to change their minds.

Notwork Rail engineers are continuing to work at Liverpool Street. Four of the six lines are now available into Liverpool Street, although there are a reduced number of platforms available in the station.

The Rugby Over run.

Notwork Rail has over run yet again on overhead line replacement in the Rugby area. The work was originally planned to have finished by New Years Eve. Notwork Rail have now stated that the line should be reopened around 0500GMT on Friday.

The works at Rugby have left the line closed between Birmingham International and Northampton and Virgin has advised passengers not to use its trains.

A spokesman for Virgin Trains, said: “This is a frustrating time for us and what we are particularly upset about is Network Rail’s inability to say exactly when the line will be back to normal. We would normally have carried around 50,000 to 60,000 people today and it is clear from the numbers travelling today that many people have found other ways of reaching their destination.”

ORR Enquiry.

The Office of Rail Regulation has annouced an urgent enquiry into the over runs and Notwork Rail could possibly recive multimillion pound fines as well as having to pay compensation to the Train Companies concerned.

Network Rail works commence on East Coast Mainline

Dont even think about trying to travel by rail this christmas!

The East Coast Mainline is completely closed betwen Hitchin, Stevenage and Knebworth. This is due to Network Rail replacing points at Stevenage.

NXEC trains will be terminating at Peterborough with a luxury coach transfer to and from London.
HullTrains mght be running between Hull and Retford with a coach transfer to and from London.
GrandCentral (haha) will not be running any trains until the 27th December (no surprise there then).

First Captial Connect services will berunning between London and Welwyn for bus connections for the North, and also between Peterborough/Cambridge and Hitchin.

Services should get back to normal on the 27th December 2007, that is if Network Rail dont overrun which is rumored to happen according to a member of Network Rail staff we spoke to today.

Upgrades again.

Following the last posting. The new blogging version has been updated and you might notice some slight tweeks here and there.

However we decided not to change the sites design as to be honest we couldnt find any decent ones.

Upgrades

You may see a few changes to the site overnight and into tomorrow. TheTicketCollector.co.uk is tinkering with some new designs.

It has also been decided that an upgrade to the Latest version of our blogging software will also take place.

Major Changes to FCC/GNER/Hull Trains in April&May

Traveling on the East Coast Mainline on any Saturday or Sunday in April or May? Or traveling over the Easter weekend?

Then please be aware that there will be major changes to normal timetables.

Due to the fact that there are lots and lots of changes and different diversions in place we have decided it is easier to post them all on a seperate page of their own.

These changes will affect First Capital Connect, GNER and Hull Trains. There maybe possible overcrowding on Midland Mainline Services.

http://www.theticketcollector.co.uk/wordpress/gn_changes/

Buses replace trains between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage (via Welwyn Garden City) every Saturday and Sunday between 31 March and 19 May.
On all Saturdays and Sundays, no trains will operate between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage via Welwyn Garden City or between Hertford North and Stevenage. A reduced train service will operate between London and Hertford North, calling at all stations, and between London, Stevenage and stations to the north.
A replacement bus service will operate in both directions between Alexandra Palace and Welwyn Garden City calling at all stations.
Additionally a limited stop bus service will operate to/from Finsbury Park calling at Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Knebworth and Stevenage (and vice versa).
A replacement bus will also operate between Hertford North, Watton at Stone and Stevenage. Trains to/from King’s Lynn will only operate north of Royston (where train connections to/from London will be available).

Major service alterations due to the closure of all lines in the Stevenage area
All lines in the Stevenage area will be closed as follows:
Saturday 21 April: After 1415
Sunday 22 April: All day
Saturday 28 April: After 1415
Sunday 29 April: Until 0915
Saturday 5 May: After 1415
Sunday 6 May: All day
Saturday 12 May: After 1415
Sunday 13 May: Until 0915
Saturday 26 May: After 1515
Sunday 27 May: All day
Bank Holiday Monday 28 May: Until 1200

At these times, services on the Great Northern route will be completely revised.
Great Northern route tickets will also be accepted on the Thameslink route for equivalent journeys on these weekends. Where buses replace trains, journeys times will be significantly increased.

Customers travelling between London and stations Hitchin to Peterborough and stations Hitchin to Foxton, First Capital Connect train services will operate between Peterborough and Hitchin and between Foxton and Hitchin.
Between Hitchin and Luton Airport Parkway a frequent replacement bus service will operate. Connections by First Capital Connect train services will be available between Luton Airport Parkway and London§. In London, First Capital Connect trains will serve St Pancras (Sunday only) King’s Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink (Saturday Only), Blackfriars and London Bridge.

§On Sunday 29 April only, Thameslink route services will only operate north of West Hampstead Thameslink. Jubilee Line connections will be available between West Hampstead and central London.

Customers travelling between London and stations Cambridge to King’s Lynn First Capital Connect train services will operate between King’s Lynn and Cambridge. We advise customers travelling to/from London to use ‘one’ services between Cambridge and London. In London ‘one’ services will serve Tottenham Hale§ (for Victoria Line connections to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street.

§Due to engineering work, on Sunday 6 May only, the interchange between ‘one’ services and the Victoria Line will be at Seven Sisters not Tottenham Hale

Customers travelling between London and Stevenage A rail replacement bus service will operate between Stevenage and
Hertford North. Limited stop First Capital Connect train services will operate between Hertford North and London King’s Cross.

Customers travelling between London and Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North and Knebworth. A rail replacement bus service will operate between Knebworth, Welwyn North, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Cuffley and
between Potters Bar and Cuffley. Limited stop First Capital Connect train services will operate between Cuffley and London King’s Cross.

Customers travelling between London, Finsbury Park and stations New Southgate to Welham Green. Rail replacement buses will operate between Alexandra Palace and Welham Green calling at all stations. However we recommend that customers travelling to/from Welham Green, Brookmans Park and Potters Bar connect at Potters Bar with the Potters Bar - Cuffley bus service (for rail services between Cuffley and London).

Additionally, customers may travel on the Piccadilly line between Cockfosters and London King’s Cross or on the Northern Line between High Barnet and London King’s Cross.

Customers travelling between London and all stations to Hertford North.
A regular rail service will operate between London and Hertford North, calling at all stations.

Major service alterations due to the closure of all lines in the London King’s Cross area over the Easter Weekend, Saturday 7 to Monday 9 April 2007.
From approximately 2200 on Saturday 7 April until approximately 0900 on Monday 9 April all lines in the London King’s Cross area will be closed:
Services on the Great Northern route will be completely revised.

Great Northern route tickets will be accepted on the Thameslink route for equivalent journeys on these weekends. Where buses replace trains, journey times will be significantly increased.

Customers travelling between London and stations Hitchin to Peterborough and stations Hitchin to Foxton.
First Capital Connect train services will operate between Peterborough and Hitchin and between Foxton and Hitchin.
Between Hitchin and Luton Airport Parkway a frequent replacement bus service will operate. Connections by First Capital Connect train services will be available between Luton Airport Parkway and London. In London, First Capital Connect trains will serve St Pancras (Sunday only) King’s Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink (Monday only), Blackfriars and London Bridge.

Customers travelling between London and stations Cambridge to King’s Lynn.
First Capital Connect train services will operate between King’s Lynn and Cambridge. We advise customers travelling to/from London to use ‘one’ services between Cambridge and London. In London ‘one’ services will serve Tottenham Hale (for Victoria Line connections to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street.
Customers travelling between London and stations Hatfield to Stevenage.
A rail replacement bus service will operate between Stevenage, Knebworth, Welwyn North, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and St Albans. First Capital Connect train services will operate between St Albans and London. In London, these trains will serve King’s Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink (Monday only), Blackfriars and London Bridge.

Customers travelling between London and stations Gordon Hill to Watton-at-Stone.
First Capital Connect train services will operate between Gordon Hill and all stations to Watton-at-Stone. Rail replacement buses will operate between Gordon Hill and Oakwood. At Oakwood, Piccadilly Line services will be available to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross. Additionally, customers may travel on ‘one’ Services between Hertford East, Tottenham Hale (for Victoria Line to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street.

Customers travelling between London and stations Finsbury Park to Welham Green and stations Bowes Park to Enfield Chase.
Rail replacement buses will operate between Turnpike Lane, Alexandra Palace and all stations to Welham Green and between Turnpike Lane, Alexandra Palace and all stations to Enfield Chase. At Turnpike Lane, Piccadilly Line services will be available to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross. Additionally, customers may travel on the Piccadilly line between Cockfosters and London King’s Cross, on the Northern Line between High Barnet and London King’s Cross or on ‘one’ Services between Enfield Town, Seven Sisters (for Victoria Line to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street. Customers travelling to/from Harringay and Hornsey should use local bus routes 29 and W3 or Piccadilly Line services.

http://www.theticketcollector.co.uk/wordpress/gn_changes/

Major engineering work on the Great Northern route

Major engineering work will be taking place on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays in April and May.

Services to most destinations will be affected and, where buses replace trains, journey times will be considerably extended.

All day on every Saturday and Sunday between 31 March and 19 May, buses will replace trains between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage via Welwyn Garden City. i.e. the Main East Coast Mainline

Over the Easter weekend, major engineering work will mean that no trains will operate to or from Kings Cross. Rail replacement buses will operate with some journeys being made via the Thameslink route.

On certain weekends, major engineering work will mean that no trains will operate in the Stevenage area. Rail replacement buses will operate with some journeys being made via the Thameslink route.

“Crowded trains are safer in crashes” - ORR

Was reading somthing of interest to regular visitors of this blog in the Evening Standard yesterday. The Standard/Daily Mail are continuing on there “Campaign” for a seat for every commuter. Well we all know that this will never be possible.
What defines a commuter? Someone who travels every day including weekends? Someone who travels 3 days a week? Prehaps someone who travels on the overnight trains once a week in both directions, are they classed as a commuter?

Now this is what really pisses me off about the Evening Standard, yeah we will moan and complain but what we wont tell you is we couldnt even run a train service, we barley run a newspaper.

But anyway onto the main reason for this blog posting.

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) yesterday stated that “Packed trains are safer”, “Research in the late 1990’s found that where there was a crowded or overcrowded train carriage there was no detrimental effect to people involved in crashes”. “In a lot of cases people were better off in train carriages where there was overcrowding”

The Evening Standard continued to moan about how commuters are getting a raw deal, but did they mention that fact that most companies offer you a 5% refund on your ticket if you dont get a seat? No because that would go against their unwinnable campaign “a seat for every commuter”.

There is actually no legal limit to how many people can travel in any given carriage at any given time, there is also no safety law regarding the maximum number of people in a train carriage.

FCC are planning to increase their services between Cambridge and London to 12 carriages, this is dependant on Network Rail and the DfT upgrading the power supply between Cambridge and Letchworth. Some platforms are going to have to be lengthened.
Also there are rumors and these are only rumors at the moment that FCC will be getting some new trains to replace the extra carriages which will be taken from other routes to lengthen the Cambridge - London services. These could be HST’s, 180’s or the trains which silverlink use.