I'm currently at Witham waiting for the 1901 to arrive. It's presently 15 minutes late because the signals are f*cked.
The preceding train from Braintree has only just departed.
Crap crap crap.
Update: The Braintree service eventually departed from Witham 18 minutes late.
Thursday 30 June 2011
All bolloxed again
We're currently dragarsing slowly up the line between Shenfield and Chelmsford because the bloody signals are f*cked again.
Absolutely dire.
Wednesday 29 June 2011
It's official, NXEA really are crap!
Tonights London Evening Standard (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23965591-rail-firms-deluged-with-complaints-as-fares-rise.do) is reporting a huge rise in complaints about the railways.
In a survey carried out earlier this year five companies running services into London came bottom of the list.
Have a guess at who one of the joint worst performers was...
Got it in one, NXEA.
Monday 27 June 2011
Another shambles....
They can't run trains in the cold, and now the useless wankers at NXEA can't run trains when the temperature gets a bit toastie.
The temperature today went over 30 degrees Celsius so characteristically the whole f*cking network ground to a halt because the overhead wires are so bloody clapped out they're f*cked when it gets warm. Not good during a typical summer here in the UK.
Trains cancelled, trains delayed, trains not completing their scheduled journeys, you name it, we had it.
I thought I'd leave a few minutes early and get the 1806 from Stratford simply because that service uses Class 360 rolling stock which is air-conditioned. The 1809 uses ancient, clapped out Class 321s which have no air-con. In the weather we've had today they're like ovens and absolute hell to travel on.
As it turned out everything was so f*cked up that it was 20-past-6 before I was able to catch a Clacton train running 40 minutes late. I eventually got to Witham around 7pm. There was a Braintree shuttle waiting there -- as ever NXEA cancelled all through trains and from Braintree as soon as things even looked like going pear-shaped.
Thirty minutes later we finally left having waited for 2 very delayed connecting services.
They've promised us that f*ck-ups like tonight will no longer occur once they've replaced the crap overhead wires... in 2014. You couldn't make it up.
They're forecasting thunderstorms for tonight and tomorrow. I wonder how that will affect the trains. Because it will.
The temperature today went over 30 degrees Celsius so characteristically the whole f*cking network ground to a halt because the overhead wires are so bloody clapped out they're f*cked when it gets warm. Not good during a typical summer here in the UK.
Trains cancelled, trains delayed, trains not completing their scheduled journeys, you name it, we had it.
I thought I'd leave a few minutes early and get the 1806 from Stratford simply because that service uses Class 360 rolling stock which is air-conditioned. The 1809 uses ancient, clapped out Class 321s which have no air-con. In the weather we've had today they're like ovens and absolute hell to travel on.
As it turned out everything was so f*cked up that it was 20-past-6 before I was able to catch a Clacton train running 40 minutes late. I eventually got to Witham around 7pm. There was a Braintree shuttle waiting there -- as ever NXEA cancelled all through trains and from Braintree as soon as things even looked like going pear-shaped.
Thirty minutes later we finally left having waited for 2 very delayed connecting services.
They've promised us that f*ck-ups like tonight will no longer occur once they've replaced the crap overhead wires... in 2014. You couldn't make it up.
They're forecasting thunderstorms for tonight and tomorrow. I wonder how that will affect the trains. Because it will.
Wednesday 15 June 2011
It's amazing...
...that whenever a train breaks down because of NXEAs crap maintenance it always seems to be a Braintree service.
Another cancellation this morning after the poor sods who use the 0812 drew today's short straw.
NXEA really have stopped giving a shiny sh*t about their paying passengers since they discovered they were being slung out on their arses.
Another cancellation this morning after the poor sods who use the 0812 drew today's short straw.
NXEA really have stopped giving a shiny sh*t about their paying passengers since they discovered they were being slung out on their arses.
Tuesday 14 June 2011
More bloody signal problems
Running late again, signal problems some bloody where.
We've just been moved off the fast track to allow a precious, untouchable bloody Inter City train past.
Utter shite.
Update
Just arrived at Stratford 10 minutes late. Not enough to claim, but more than enough to really piss me off.
We've just been moved off the fast track to allow a precious, untouchable bloody Inter City train past.
Utter shite.
Update
Just arrived at Stratford 10 minutes late. Not enough to claim, but more than enough to really piss me off.
Friday 10 June 2011
No bloody trains again
Someone has managed to get hit by a train at Stratford.
So of course the headbangers at NXEA have grabbed with both hands the opportunity to f*ck up the lives of as many people as possible by running no trains at all between Liverpool St and Shenfield till 7pm at the earliest.
Makes a bloody mockery of getting the early train on Fridays so I can finish early.
Update.
I went into Liverpool Street to get the 1720 Braintree train since the National Rail website was showing trains were now running, they just weren't stopping at Stratford.
By the time I arrived, the restrictions had been lifted, this was around 1715, but NXEA were having a nightmare trying to get services back to normal.
Lowlights included the 1720 being displayed on the big matrix displays at Liverpool St but then just disappearing. No explanation, nothing. Then just as mysteriously it reappeared. Odd.
The train itself was at leat 25 minutes late arriving at Liverpool St and just as late departing, it also ran very slowly until the approach to Stratford and then accelerated, we went through Stratford at speed.
Not a good evening.
So of course the headbangers at NXEA have grabbed with both hands the opportunity to f*ck up the lives of as many people as possible by running no trains at all between Liverpool St and Shenfield till 7pm at the earliest.
Makes a bloody mockery of getting the early train on Fridays so I can finish early.
Update.
I went into Liverpool Street to get the 1720 Braintree train since the National Rail website was showing trains were now running, they just weren't stopping at Stratford.
By the time I arrived, the restrictions had been lifted, this was around 1715, but NXEA were having a nightmare trying to get services back to normal.
Lowlights included the 1720 being displayed on the big matrix displays at Liverpool St but then just disappearing. No explanation, nothing. Then just as mysteriously it reappeared. Odd.
The train itself was at leat 25 minutes late arriving at Liverpool St and just as late departing, it also ran very slowly until the approach to Stratford and then accelerated, we went through Stratford at speed.
Not a good evening.
Thursday 9 June 2011
Chucked off at Witham...
I, and everyone else on the 1901 from Witham to Braintree, have just been slung off at Witham because some berk, driving, according to varying accounts, a bus or HGV has hit a bridge somewhere on the Braintree branch line.
The muppets at Witham have apparently requested buses but they haven't pitched up yet and typically Kermit and Co haven't a bloody clue when they will...
Marvellous
The muppets at Witham have apparently requested buses but they haven't pitched up yet and typically Kermit and Co haven't a bloody clue when they will...
Marvellous
Wednesday 8 June 2011
You couldn't make up this kind of sh*t
This train, and, I'm willing to bet, pretty much every other commuter train on NXEA this morning are running late because of more f*cked up signals.
We're at least 25 minutes late at the moment.
But surreally, NXEA, are causing more delays to these trains by shifting them off the mainline so their precious bloody Inter City trains can have a clear run. They just did it to us at Chelmsford. They've added at least another 5 minutes to this already bolloxed journey.
Why do travellers to and from friggin' Norwich get priority over the rest of us?
We're at least 25 minutes late at the moment.
But surreally, NXEA, are causing more delays to these trains by shifting them off the mainline so their precious bloody Inter City trains can have a clear run. They just did it to us at Chelmsford. They've added at least another 5 minutes to this already bolloxed journey.
Why do travellers to and from friggin' Norwich get priority over the rest of us?
Another day, another f*ck-up
It's currently 23 minutes past eight in the morning and the 0805 from Liverpool St to Braintree has just arrived.
Signal failure apparently.
Signal failure apparently.
Friday 3 June 2011
Cheerful piece of news...
I've just received an email from NXEA that's pretty much made my weekend.
Seems there's a lineside fire somewhere between Shenfield and Southend. They've had to turn the power off so there are no trains running to or from Southend at the moment.
About time those smug bastards got a taste of the shite the rest of us have to endure.
Seems there's a lineside fire somewhere between Shenfield and Southend. They've had to turn the power off so there are no trains running to or from Southend at the moment.
About time those smug bastards got a taste of the shite the rest of us have to endure.
Friday... too little too late.
One of the noticeable changes the new NXEA timetable has brought in is an improvement in the treatment of the users of the Braintree services.
To be honest, any improvement is welcome, the 1809 from Stratford is a case in point. The only problem is the train still waits at Witham for the connecting Clacton train.
A further improvement - how often have I used that word more than once in a post without sarcasm - is the 0726 which now stops at Stratford.
I caught this train for the first time this morning and, despite arriving 5 minutes late I was at work easily a full 15 minutes early.
Too little too late though.
To be honest, any improvement is welcome, the 1809 from Stratford is a case in point. The only problem is the train still waits at Witham for the connecting Clacton train.
A further improvement - how often have I used that word more than once in a post without sarcasm - is the 0726 which now stops at Stratford.
I caught this train for the first time this morning and, despite arriving 5 minutes late I was at work easily a full 15 minutes early.
Too little too late though.
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