Not quite the 4.50 from Paddington
The 19.22 from Victoria - not so much Christie's Marple as the inept and incompetent Clouseau.
Tonight, a distinct chill in the air, and this blog's author was at Victoria (as is his wont) awaiting the arrival of the train that would become the 19.22 to Canterbury West. At 19.10 precisely, in to platform 1 chug 4 carriages, coming to a rest behind 4 carriages that were already in situ. I made the reasonable assumption that the driver saw these carriages, for he didn't run into the back of them!
I waited for the carriages to be coupled together to form an 8 carriage service. But Lo! The driver trots to the front of the train which he had just driven in, and takes up his place at the controls. 12 minutes later, at 19.22, I wait for us to advance forwards. No movement. Driver vacates his cabin. Frantic discussion on telephone. Eventually announcement that trains to be coupled together (no apology). Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. 19.25 Orpington service departs. Still waiting. Driver trots back to his cabin. Passenger asks why the delay. Driver angrily shouts back that he didn't know the trains needed to be coupled together (that is rather disturbing) and then orders the passenger to resume his seat. Then, at 19.35, 13 minutes late, we chug out of Victoria. Still no apology. That's a staggering 25 minutes to couple together a train.
Because a stopping service had been placed in front of our train, we were held up and went slowly from Penge East to Shortlands, getting later and later. We arrive at Bromley South 15 minutes late. The staff at that station confirmed that their records showed that service as having always been booked for 8 carriages.
This episode highlights neatly 3 of Southeastern Railway's qualities that puts it in contention for Britain's Worst Train Operator:
1. Incompetence.
2. Late running.
3. Utter rudeness of staff towards (paying, delayed - see points 1 and 2 above) passengers.
Tonight, a distinct chill in the air, and this blog's author was at Victoria (as is his wont) awaiting the arrival of the train that would become the 19.22 to Canterbury West. At 19.10 precisely, in to platform 1 chug 4 carriages, coming to a rest behind 4 carriages that were already in situ. I made the reasonable assumption that the driver saw these carriages, for he didn't run into the back of them!
I waited for the carriages to be coupled together to form an 8 carriage service. But Lo! The driver trots to the front of the train which he had just driven in, and takes up his place at the controls. 12 minutes later, at 19.22, I wait for us to advance forwards. No movement. Driver vacates his cabin. Frantic discussion on telephone. Eventually announcement that trains to be coupled together (no apology). Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. 19.25 Orpington service departs. Still waiting. Driver trots back to his cabin. Passenger asks why the delay. Driver angrily shouts back that he didn't know the trains needed to be coupled together (that is rather disturbing) and then orders the passenger to resume his seat. Then, at 19.35, 13 minutes late, we chug out of Victoria. Still no apology. That's a staggering 25 minutes to couple together a train.
Because a stopping service had been placed in front of our train, we were held up and went slowly from Penge East to Shortlands, getting later and later. We arrive at Bromley South 15 minutes late. The staff at that station confirmed that their records showed that service as having always been booked for 8 carriages.
This episode highlights neatly 3 of Southeastern Railway's qualities that puts it in contention for Britain's Worst Train Operator:
1. Incompetence.
2. Late running.
3. Utter rudeness of staff towards (paying, delayed - see points 1 and 2 above) passengers.
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| A familiar experience for patrons of the Southeastern Railway company - lateness caused by the company's own incompetence |
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