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villager
Average Member
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Dec 2010 : 12:04:02
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| Just out of interest (as it was really before my time), how was the service when the railways were run by the state under the Network SouthEast banner?? |
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Mel
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1296 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2010 : 13:28:01
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You would probably have to ask HELP - if they are still in existence: Hertford East Line Passengers Assoc.
My husband used to commute donkeys years ago and most of the time the trains were on time. |
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mb1
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2141 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2010 : 14:58:47
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| When it was a nationalised industry it was fine. We had four trains an hour to london and four to hertford. You could get off at Broxbourne and get a fast train to London. In the mornings there was a commuter fast train that stopped on the branch line, then broxbourne, Tottenham Hale and Liverpool street only and was much faster than anything going today. People moaned, but it was much, much better than the rubbish we have had to put up with since. |
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Pat-H
WoLFer
United Kingdom
2404 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2010 : 18:42:19
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quote:
Originally posted by mb1
When it was a nationalised industry it was fine. We had four trains an hour to london and four to hertford. You could get off at Broxbourne and get a fast train to London. In the mornings there was a commuter fast train that stopped on the branch line, then broxbourne, Tottenham Hale and Liverpool street only and was much faster than anything going today. People moaned, but it was much, much better than the rubbish we have had to put up with since.
They used to actually maintain the tracks as well.
Workers who actually cared and worked at keeping it safe.
Of course it was strangled by lack of funds and the need to be "commercial" with little regard for the service a train service provided.
But the truth is since the beeching decimation of the service it was always on a hiding to nothing.
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kevin phillips bong
WoLFer
970 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2010 : 22:43:07
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Hard to compare pre-privatisation as S Express didn't exist then. S Express is the problem now and its irrelevant whether its private or public.
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JudieT
Senior Member
United Kingdom
612 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2010 : 23:13:25
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quote:
Originally posted by mb1
When it was a nationalised industry it was fine. We had four trains an hour to london and four to hertford. You could get off at Broxbourne and get a fast train to London. In the mornings there was a commuter fast train that stopped on the branch line, then broxbourne, Tottenham Hale and Liverpool street only and was much faster than anything going today. People moaned, but it was much, much better than the rubbish we have had to put up with since.
Yes I remember this service and I remember that there were always staff collecting tickets when you got off at Ware in the evenings and the ticket office was always open. Ah, but then that's progress eh? |
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Scottman
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1760 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2010 : 10:05:02
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You wouldn't mind so much if your fares had gone down commensurate with that saving, would you ....
It might be worth someone holding this mirror up to the current management. A surreptitious reduction in service is not noted, but comparison with 10 ? 15 ? years ago shows starkly what this 'branch' line has lost. |
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mb1
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2141 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2010 : 11:58:32
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| Stanstead Express doesn't explain the 50% reduction in train service from nationalised to privatised rail, that is explained by the desire to make money above providing a service. It does explain some of the scheduling, but there are ways around that too. They used to run some trains up via Seven Sisters, that allowed the fast trains to go through and kept our services running. The truth is that NXEA is bad a t running trains. that's why they have lost their franchise and now they just want to screw the last little it of money out of the system before they go. |
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mb1
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2141 Posts |
Posted - 05 Dec 2010 : 20:27:36
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| And there were colourful characters too. one of the station staff used to sit for a lot of the day in the pub across from the station that is now a house. If you wanted a ticket, you went in and asked him. he would come over for the trains coming through. At least you could always find him! |
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kevin phillips bong
WoLFer
970 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2010 : 11:12:44
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| I think our current staff are superb though I confess to not knowing what the opening times are. The lack of ticket inspection is one big j o k e. Though, maybe, perversly they don't want to increase revenue as it would make out our line is being used - which of course it is?!? |
Edited by - kevin phillips bong on 07 Dec 2010 11:15:07 |
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mb1
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2141 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2010 : 19:24:36
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| it wouldn't take more staff. The ticket office staff used to collect the tickets too. They weren't there all evening, just until the last busy rush hour train. Could still be done. |
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Scottman
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1760 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2010 : 23:05:14
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No barrier at Liverpool Street tonight, no check on train and no one to check at Broxbourne. Could have saved
myself buying the ticket altogether.
NXEA is being really stupid - negligent really - and you and I are paying for it. |
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