Southeastern train stuck for four hours at Lewisham AGAIN today
After all the flack Southeastern received for leaving passengers on trains for hours in recent snowfall you’d think they may have learn some lessons? It appears not as it has happened yet again.
Still not moving. No announcements. Stuck here for nearly FOUR hours. Theatre missed. Thanks @Se_Railway #rubbishtrains
— Sarah Saunders (@Tick_Tax) April 5, 2018
Last time it happened some passengers jumped off the train after an hour in freezing conditions when the lights started to fail.
It was reported online during the last episode that emergency lighting only lasted a short period as a decision had been taken not to spend money on batteries with longer life.
Why didn’t you evacuate us onto the ramp right next to the train (and right next to an access slipway to the street and bridge to other train services. Been on a train 4 hours now…. pic.twitter.com/ys0djf6dQY
— Paula Morris (@dreamingfish7) April 5, 2018
Another factor was Southeastern running a service of just two trains an hour in rush hour during snowfall meaning trains were crush loaded. Toilets were also out of order (on those that even have them – the Class 376 trains do not).
The toilet issues is one that has been rumbling on for months and worthy of a post itself. Many are out of order across the Networker fleet.
LAst time drivers over the intercom were telling passengers that HQ wasn’t authorising decisions. that’s when they could be heard. many passengers reported silence.
Many of those issues were not at play today as the stalled train failed around 10am meaning less likelihood of people decamping, but still, did they learn nothing from last time?
Leave people on a train for more than an hour and people will look to leave. That then has severe repercussions. There’s still much for Govia-owned Southeastern to learn it appears. They’ve had years to do so.
They are one of three companies shortlisted to run the next franchise after Transport Secretary Chris Grayling blocked devolving London Metro routes to TfL reneging an agreement made by his predecessor Patrick McLoughlin.
I made what should have been two simple journeys with this lot today. Everything was delayed, no-one knew what was happening and so I jumped on the buses instead. Luckily I wasn’t under time pressure.
I was given four different reasons for the delays. Trackside equipment failure, a signalling failure, a points failure and an earlier broken down train.
It was a power failure. A cable had burnt out. Possibly an attempted cable theft.