Station Manager Corner

[Michael Palaeologus]

"I think I posted this before, the plan is to have a gate line very similar to Waterloo, ie one straight run of gates and there will be additional gates to accomodate the increase in passenger numbers"

Thats great Barry - but what about Krispy Kreme Donut question?

[david_carnell]

Hi Barry

On Monday, I got to Peckham Rye station in the evening (about 6:30pm I should think) along with a large rush-hour crowd.

The barriers, of which there are four inc the gate, were 3-1 against the flow of traffic. So there was only the gate allowing people to exit the station. This caused a large back-log of people up the stairs. Aside from the inconvenience I would imagine there are some serious safety implications too.

I questioned a member of staff in the ticket office (since there was no one manning the gates) and was told they did not control which gates were operating in which direction. Is this true? If so I find it unbelievable that staff at a station have no control over their own station facilities. I was also told that there was no-one in the "control room" (presumably where the gates are controlled from?) to alter the flow. Again I find this unbelievable.

It would be a good idea in the mornings to have 3 of the 4 gates allowing in-bound access to the station and the ratio reversed in the afternoons for rush-hour traffic. Is this possible?

Thanks

David.

[bloonoo]

Hiya

I see someone posted already about trains leaving early but I can't remember if it was a separate thread or under this one, but it is still happening - yesterday the 7.46 from ED left at 7.45 (I was watching the clock as I noticed it arrived at 7.44!) normally I get to the station on time but sometimes I have to run for the train as it is a bit mean if the train leaves even a minute early!! Can't they just wait at the stop till the designated time like busses do?

Plus second the motion for the clock on platform 1 - i can't tell if the LEDs have stopped working or if they're just a bit dim but you can't see the time when you go up the hill (the clock is working on the other side though)

Thanks

[Timster]

Barry,

Can I have a whinge about the sometimes over-enthusiastic guards at Peckham Rye when you're getting on the train in the morning. I know you want the trains to leave on time and it's annoying when people rush on at the last minute holding up the doors but quite often (and in particular yesterday morning on the 0748 to London Bridge) they start blowing their whistle and bellowing at passengers when we're still queueing in an orderly fashion to get on the train.

I don't know if I'm supposed to start barging past anybody in front of me to get on the train before the doors close but maybe it would be better if the guards were a bit more patient when the only reason we haven't got on the train as quickly as they'd like us to is that we're being patient and courteous. It really doesn't improve your state of mind in the morning to have people shouting and blowing their whistles at you like you're a convict that has to get back in his cell.

[expat]

or people could get to the train with a few minutes to spare....

[buggie]

expat - bit confused with your statement - why would getting there few minutes earlier have any bearing on the situation Timster describes??

It seems that the issue is length of time the exchange of passengers getting off/passengers getting on takes and the guards recognising that, not with people running in at the last moment. It's all well and good blowing their whistles and bellowing, but there's a limit how quickly you can board when there are passengers needing to get off first - or are you suggesting those boarding should just barge on and s*d anyone trying to get off?

[expat]

I think if you get to the station a few minutes earlier you will get on the train - at least it always worked for me.

[ruffers]

I've heard guards blowing their whistles even before people have started to get off the train, never mind on. I guess I can rationalise it that they're trying to encourage people to be quick but like Timster says it just stresses people out, and I'd question what difference it makes.

At Forest Hill we now have people shouting through megaphones to keep behind the yellow line - I wasn't aware of a big problem there of people falling under incoming trains but it's worth paying two salaries to warn us all.. (Not your station Barry, I know!)

[Timster]

expat Wrote:

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> or people could get to the train with a few

> minutes to spare....

thanks, I'd never thought of that!

seriously, the point was that you get bellowed at and they start closing the doors when people who've been waiting patiently on the platform for the train are still queuing to get on. it's nothing to do with getting there on time.

[ianr]

ruffers Wrote:

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> I've heard guards blowing their whistles even before people have started to get off the train,

> never mind on. I guess I can rationalise it that they're trying to encourage people to be quick but

> like Timster says it just stresses people out, and I'd question what difference it makes.

That reminds me of Wimbledon station about three years ago, when I was getting out of the rear coach of the 14:08 Waterloo train that had stopped less than ten seconds previously. My foot was landing on the platform when I had a marked startle reaction, including hands to ears, to a sudden, painfully loud, burst of a whistle from the train dispatcher, about ten feet away from me to my left. I also noticed an instant partial hearing loss in my left ear. I went back to speak to him a few minutes later, even made a note of his name, but never got round to complaining further. I really should have done, if only to make it less likely to happen to others.

It took several hours for the threshold shift to mainly recover. I have anyway a slight higher frequency hearing loss in that ear, and an intermittent faint tinnitus, usually mostly unnoticed. But for probably at least a year afterward the tinnitus was very markedly louder. Possibly there was a slight drop in acuity over that period as well.

That was SW Trains' area, so not Barry's manor. But I guess the whistles might be the same. I was even thinking of putting in a FoI request to ask for their technical specification and for any instructions given to SW Trains employees about their use. Anyway, I pass this on now for the benefit of all. I may as well copy the URL to SW Trains. I remember believing at the time that the station management (with presumably its own responsibility for passenger safety) was the responsibility of a national body other than a TOC, but I've no idea now.

When getting off trains at Wimbledon now, btw, I still have my hands ready to block my ears.

[SMBJones]

Good morning, very busy week hence no replies on forum.... This is my last task of the day as been beavering away all morning in my office and then I am off to enjoy some sunshine!

Moos

I have been assured that the clock is in full working order, I spoke with staff member personally. Let me know if this is still a problem

Jeremy

I am looking into the short formations, can only apologise,

Jeremy/Skidmarks

Please be assured that announcements were being made (frequency I don?t know), the difficulty we have is that I have no control over the team in the "Control Point" that facilitate the announcements and program the boards. In saying that I will speak with Network Rail and ask for a meeting to discuss the issues faced by Southern Passengers. I had my Station Manager and Duty Manager on duty plus all station staff was on duty and did as much as they could under the very trying day with the disruption. One of our main issues was that drivers were stuck on trains and could not get into London Bridge causing more delays.

We are also about to embark on a new project at Southern "Passenger Information During Disruption" I had a meeting yesterday with the project manager and all staff are about to be briefed. This will ensure that you the passenger are fully updated on severe disruption more effectively (come at the right time by the sound of it)

BlooNoo

Trains can close doors up to 30 seconds prior to departure time, however one minute is unacceptable and I have forwarded your comments to the relevant manager

Timster (I will answer your point, although others have commented)

Blowing whistles..... I will instruct staff to step away from crowded areas as to ensure eardrums are not being damaged. However... if the staff did not do this then this would cause delays to trains, I don?t want to get into a debate on this although my comments will surely create one. I am caught between the devil and the deep blue sea on this! We as a company have performance targets to meet, passengers want trains to be on time and get to there destinations on time, blowing of whistles certainly helps with the dispatch procedure and hurries passengers along, I appreciate that this can cause some upset. Please be assured the staff are very well trained to ensure a safe dispatch of all services, as I have previously stated "Safety" is paramount on the railway and in all honesty I am accountable for your safety at stations, I do not want people falling over or getting stuck in train doors for example. Lastly, if for example a train leaves late at Peckham (Z), it may result in that service being held whilst another train passes at its correct time which it has the right to do... In doing so this creates further delays to that service (Z), it maybe held at a signal whilst two or three other trains that are running to time to pass. Not sure if this making sense.... The more trains that are dispatched at the correct time the paths will be clear for services to arrive at their destinations on time.

Michael

Krispy Creme is now down in the vaults near underground

David C

Gates Peckham...2 Points here... Gate Staff called in sick, this left the gates open for that shift. Normarily the peaks dictate how many are directed for flows. 3 Gates in operation into station in the morning and one to exit. This is definitely an oversight which I will rectify for Monday morning. Apologies for inconvenience

I think thats it for me, its a beutiful day and hope your all having a nice weekend. As you you know I do this in my own time and is not part of my remit for Southern so can finish this posting with

COME ON ENGLAND!!!!!

Barry

[Moos]

Happy holidays, Barry!

Clock was working this morning so hurray for that.

[observermum]

I have just discovered that if you travel in zone 1 and zone 2 - but the default journey at oyster is zone 3 then you will have a charge added to your card - I have reported this to oystercard and look forward to the computer being amended asap - but when I gave the information was told that it's in the information that oyster can charge like this, and was given a list of unsuitable and impractical stations to travel via....

The problem for us is with the new east london line - first we were advised to let the computer know by validating the ticket at canada water - the next time it happened even though the journey had been validated at the beginning middle and end both ways an extra charge was added due to the computer 'default'

Think oyster ticket users should check carefully - I think you can request a summary

[plimsoul]

hi barry

are you away? good holiday? if you are sorry to message whilst you're off but...

back to the horrendous screeching trains. could you find out what is happening with regards these, is it a pipe dream to think that they could be made quieter? i never would have got my hopes up if it hadn't been mentioned on the forum...

the work that started at 3 am this weekend to change track has not made any difference (by estate/ivanhoe road) and the previous post that confirmed that oil gauge or the like that is meant to stop or help wheels from screaming cannot be full/working as the trains are worse than ever.

again, i only got my hopes up due to what i have read here. i'd just like to know if it's a pipe dream! thanks.

[matsuken]

hi barry,

It's really good to have you here.

I can see that there are really lots of questions that has been answered by you.

And that's so very great!

For now I'm still thinking on what to ask 'coz all the questions I was thinking while reading your post has been already questioned and has been answered by you.

[SMBJones]

Hi

I am onto this now with Network Rail, however I am sure they only did a short term fix and the main works are due to be carried out this month. I will get some clarification.

As for holidays, I finish this Friday and wont be back until Monday 19th July, please note no postings will be answered during that week

Barry

plimsoul Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> hi barry

>

> are you away? good holiday? if you are sorry to

> message whilst you're off but...

>

> back to the horrendous screeching trains. could

> you find out what is happening with regards these,

> is it a pipe dream to think that they could be

> made quieter? i never would have got my hopes up

> if it hadn't been mentioned on the forum...

>

> the work that started at 3 am this weekend to

> change track has not made any difference (by

> estate/ivanhoe road) and the previous post that

> confirmed that oil gauge or the like that is meant

> to stop or help wheels from screaming cannot be

> full/working as the trains are worse than ever.

>

> again, i only got my hopes up due to what i have

> read here. i'd just like to know if it's a pipe

> dream! thanks.

[SMBJones]

Job Done!

Barry

matsuken Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> hi barry,

>

>

> It's really good to have you here.

> I can see that there are really lots of questions

> that has been answered by you.

> And that's so very great!

> For now I'm still thinking on what to ask 'coz all

> the questions I was thinking while reading your

> post has been already questioned and has been

> answered by you.

[sophiesofa]

I have a question about the oyster readers. If in the unlikely event that both readers on a platform are out of order can we touch in or out using the readers at the entrance to the other platform, or will that not work? Thank you

[SMBJones]

Hi

Any reader on the station will be suffice

Barry

sophiesofa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have a question about the oyster readers. If in

> the unlikely event that both readers on a platform

> are out of order can we touch in or out using the

> readers at the entrance to the other platform, or

> will that not work? Thank you

[sophiesofa]

Thanks Barry, that's good to know.

[plimsoul]

hi barry, many thanks for looking into this.

a request which i appreciate is very particular and that no one is directly responsible for but here goes...

next time work that will involve a huge amount of noise (like this weekend at 3 am) could someone post on here just to warn us. i would really appreciate it as i have 2 children and it's quite something to be woken up when metal track is being cut and cranes are hefting up and down tracks when all windows are wide open.

as i said above i totally appreciate if this cannot be done but any warning is much appreciated, thanks.

[Vik]

Completely agree with the above post, the sound of an angle grinder, cutting through track outside your bedroom window at 3am is not a pleasent way to be woken up. Some sort of warning that works will be carried out overnight would be nice, just so we can make sure the bedroom windows are closed would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

[SMBJones]

Vick/Plimsoul

I have arranged a meeting with Network Rail to discuss this. However this can not take place until after my annual leave, I will be returning Monday 19th July and will update that week

I will not be posting now until my return

Regards

Barry

Vik Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Completely agree with the above post, the sound

> of an angle grinder, cutting through track outside

> your bedroom window at 3am is not a pleasent way

> to be woken up. Some sort of warning that works

> will be carried out overnight would be nice, just

> so we can make sure the bedroom windows are closed

> would be very much appreciated.

>

> Thank you!

[Vik]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Barry, hope you enjoy your very well deserved break!

[Ladygooner]

Barry - thanks for the nice new benches on Platform 2!