Our rail network is laughable, it's a F**king joke.

[mat]

Like the NHS a lot of us front line railway workers love our job and the service we provide. Yet were let down by greedy fuckers only concerned about becoming even greedier fuckers at both ours and the passengers (Management refer to you as "customers") expense.

Piss poor trains
Exorbitant fares
Shite "customer" service policies where people are forced to jump through so many hoops many give up for compensation.

It has to end. It's a public service ran by private money grabbing bastards.

Neither main party really wants to deal with it properly. They'd rather blame the staff and the unions than tackle the real problems. The literal gravy train of ROSCO's and other assorted parasites.

New trains are in railway graveyards all over the country that won't be used because of of the McDonald's approach of the TOCs of take the money via outsourced app companies who know fuck all about train running, and, possibly or maybe offer a basic service after.

It's a truly fucked up system that needs radical overhaul to provide the best service it could offer. The railways were sold in a romantic way to travel. The latest national advertising campaign coming to your TV's soon pushes that narrative. It's complete bullshit.

It saddens me. I see a lot of the country from my back cab office and all the potential wasted to keep some people and organisations, along with their "stakeholders" in their happy place.

 

[Grassland Blue]

I can remember when we got 'skins' (please explains)
for losing 2 or more minutes on a journey.
Now trains are cancelled at very short notice and little seems to be said.
The railway needs re - nationalising and a basic achievable service introducing.

 

[Vic]

Kent really hasn't done well out of Brexit, has it? Chaos on the roads, and its two Eurostar stations closed.

 

[Vic]

Like the NHS a lot of us front line railway workers love our job and the service we provide. Yet were let down by greedy fuckers only concerned about becoming even greedier fuckers at both ours and the passengers (Management refer to you as "customers") expense.

Piss poor trains
Exorbitant fares
Shite "customer" service policies where people are forced to jump through so many hoops many give up for compensation.

It has to end. It's a public service ran by private money grabbing bastards.

Neither main party really wants to deal with it properly. They'd rather blame the staff and the unions than tackle the real problems. The literal gravy train of ROSCO's and other assorted parasites.

New trains are in railway graveyards all over the country that won't be used because of of the McDonald's approach of the TOCs of take the money via outsourced app companies who know fuck all about train running, and, possibly or maybe offer a basic service after.

It's a truly fucked up system that needs radical overhaul to provide the best service it could offer. The railways were sold in a romantic way to travel. The latest national advertising campaign coming to your TV's soon pushes that narrative. It's complete bullshit.

It saddens me. I see a lot of the country from my back cab office and all the potential wasted to keep some people and organisations, along with their "stakeholders" in their happy place.

I was going to be pedantic about the "literal gravy train" but someone is ahead of you.

 

[bluethrunthru]

Kent really hasn't done well out of Brexit, has it? Chaos on the roads, and its two Eurostar stations closed.

they wanted Brexit coz they knew what they were voting for - fucks given - zero

 

[manchester blue]

I had to go to London yesterday, Avanti west coast are fucking useless. There used to be trains between Manchester and London every 20 minutes, now it seems like its every 2 hours at least. I got to Stockport station and there was not a Train to London on the departure board. I asked the Avanti guy on the platform when the next one would he and he just shrugged his shoulders. He did not know.

Whilst at the station, over the tannoy was announced a Cross country service to Manchester was delayed by 29 minutes because of a fault at a level crossing, the train to Hazel Grove was delayed by ever increasing increments because of a track inspection, The train from South Wales was delayed by nearly an hour because of signal failure, a train from London to Manchester was 24 minutes because of congestion leaving Euston. I decided to get the train to Sheffield and get to London that way and that train was delayed by 32 minutes because of people on the track.

I got the train to Sheffield and it diverted to Chesterfield, no reason given. From Chesterfield I got an East Midlands train to St Pancras, I was in first class obviously because i am a Socialist and the train looked like it had been service 60 years, it was filthy and the service was fucking rubbish, i got a lukewarm coffee and a shortbread biscuit. I was offered a bottle of water declined it as we were almost at St Pancras.

I got to Euston this morning and cancellations all over the place, so went to Kings cross and got the train to Leeds, service was excellent on LNER , a top bacon butty and decent coffee although the steward said he only had three decaf coffees for the trip. The Azumos are brilliant trains though.

Got to Leeds and got the train to Manchester Airport, it was rammed, ridiculously rammed, I had to stand until Huddersfield because the organisation was fucking rubbish. No food/drink service available on the train either.

I remember British Rail, it was not brilliant, "soggy butties" and rubbish trains but at least there was a service you could rely on.

Like everything in this country the decline of the railways is indicative of the way austerity and Tory nationalisation has fucked our services up. Travelling by train in this country is so expensive it is a piss take, Manchester to London at peak times is so expensive its cheaper to fly and that is fucking madness. I got a train from Lisbon to Faro first class for 37 euros and its a 4 hour trip on a clean train that is enjoyable, if i wanted to do a trip 1st class tomorrow from Manchester to London it is £236 one way.

I love travelling on trains, its my favourite way to travel. As a nation though we are having the piss taken out of us, our trains are fucking wank, the service is shit and we are literally giving our money to shareholders and the companies who make millions from subsidies, a few of who are European train state owned companies.

Renationalise Rail NOW

Pay the rail workers properly

And if this "Northern powerhouse" is ever to see the like of day, it needs Investment,

Went to Edinburgh last month. Got to airport and the train just had cancelled next to it. Load of staff stood chatting and laughing in the airport. Asked why. Didn’t know. What are my options? Didn’t know, maybe travel to Preston, see what you get from there. Arrived four hours late after paying first class and stood up on a rattler.

Went to Hebron Bridge last week. Two return trains on run cancelled. A three hour wait. Got a train to Manchester and the shitty Metrolink full of scruffs home.

Utterly incompetent.

 

[Scottyboi]

Kent really hasn't done well out of Brexit, has it? Chaos on the roads, and its two Eurostar stations closed.

It's what they voted for so I'm sure they are over the moon.

 

[Grassland Blue]

Went to Edinburgh last month. Got to airport and the train just had cancelled next to it. Load of staff stood chatting and laughing in the airport. Asked why. Didn’t know. What are my options? Didn’t know, maybe travel to Preston, see what you get from there. Arrived four hours late after paying first class and stood up on a rattler.

Went to Hebron Bridge last week. Two return trains on run cancelled. A three hour wait. Got a train to Manchester and the shitty Metrolink full of scruffs home.

Utterly incompetent.

So why were the staff at Man air chatting and laughing?

 

[manchester blue]

So why were the staff at Man air chatting and laughing?

I didn’t ask them. Probably because their employers had fucked up my travel plans! Would have been preferable if they were around the platforms so that I didn’t have to go and find them! Would have been even more preferable if they knew what my options were!

Actually just read my post. Lol. Do one :)

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

I had to go to London yesterday, Avanti west coast are fucking useless. There used to be trains between Manchester and London every 20 minutes, now it seems like its every 2 hours at least. I got to Stockport station and there was not a Train to London on the departure board. I asked the Avanti guy on the platform when the next one would he and he just shrugged his shoulders. He did not know.

Whilst at the station, over the tannoy was announced a Cross country service to Manchester was delayed by 29 minutes because of a fault at a level crossing, the train to Hazel Grove was delayed by ever increasing increments because of a track inspection, The train from South Wales was delayed by nearly an hour because of signal failure, a train from London to Manchester was 24 minutes because of congestion leaving Euston. I decided to get the train to Sheffield and get to London that way and that train was delayed by 32 minutes because of people on the track.

I got the train to Sheffield and it diverted to Chesterfield, no reason given. From Chesterfield I got an East Midlands train to St Pancras, I was in first class obviously because i am a Socialist and the train looked like it had been service 60 years, it was filthy and the service was fucking rubbish, i got a lukewarm coffee and a shortbread biscuit. I was offered a bottle of water declined it as we were almost at St Pancras.

I got to Euston this morning and cancellations all over the place, so went to Kings cross and got the train to Leeds, service was excellent on LNER , a top bacon butty and decent coffee although the steward said he only had three decaf coffees for the trip. The Azumos are brilliant trains though.

Got to Leeds and got the train to Manchester Airport, it was rammed, ridiculously rammed, I had to stand until Huddersfield because the organisation was fucking rubbish. No food/drink service available on the train either.

I remember British Rail, it was not brilliant, "soggy butties" and rubbish trains but at least there was a service you could rely on.

Like everything in this country the decline of the railways is indicative of the way austerity and Tory nationalisation has fucked our services up. Travelling by train in this country is so expensive it is a piss take, Manchester to London at peak times is so expensive its cheaper to fly and that is fucking madness. I got a train from Lisbon to Faro first class for 37 euros and its a 4 hour trip on a clean train that is enjoyable, if i wanted to do a trip 1st class tomorrow from Manchester to London it is £236 one way.

I love travelling on trains, its my favourite way to travel. As a nation though we are having the piss taken out of us, our trains are fucking wank, the service is shit and we are literally giving our money to shareholders and the companies who make millions from subsidies, a few of who are European train state owned companies.

Renationalise Rail NOW

Pay the rail workers properly

And if this "Northern powerhouse" is ever to see the like of day, it needs Investment,

It could be much, much worse - you could live in the USA :-)