Topic ID 1027
Q: How can one be late for work when you leave home in plenty of time and the trains are running to order? A: Turn up on a sodden Monday morning to Hertford North station to find a queue for tickets stretching back to the paper shop, only one person dispensing the items and all THREE machines out of order. This is happening all too frequently, and even allowing for sickness - if that was the reason today - it is not uncommon to only have one booth open for tickets while the other person seems to be drinking tea or fiddling with some keys - and those damn machines are ALWAYS on the blink ! [V]
Reply ID 11423
Wagn Customer Relations Manager Station Road, Cambridge CB1 2JW. E-mail: email(at)wagnrail.co.uk Note from Admin: Reformatted email address to prevent harvesting by spammers
Reply ID 11424
The best thing about Hertford North is the poster that advertises the ticket office opening times. It says the ticket office is open til 7pm on weeknights. I dont think I've ever seen the shutter up after 6:30pm. Nice work if you can get it eh??
Reply ID 11425
Agree, but the woman who does the 'late' shift is by far the most helpful and friendly of the Booth Bunch.
Reply ID 11426
The best person to complain to is James Adeshiyan the route director. I have complained directly to him in the past and his email is either jadeshiyan(at)wagnrail.co.uk or j.adeshiyan(at)wagnrail.co.uk if you send it to both it will get through and he does respond. If you email/write to wagn it is a waste of time as you get a standard meaningless response. Note from Admin: Reformatted email addresses to prevent harvesting by spammers
Reply ID 11427
Thanks for that.
Reply ID 11433
I notice thet all these farces are taking place just when they are about to strip out the discount for renewing yearly tickets. The woman in the ticket office told me that at present, you get a 3% discount for renewing, but that will probably disappear at the end of October due to an improvement in the service. It's a shame they dont give you a discount for not providing any service at weekends for a lot of the previous year though.
Reply ID 11435
Yes they rely on the fact that most people do not use their service at the weekends, especially on Sundays. The only saving grace about HN is that it's NOT Hertford East !
Reply ID 11437
I would be furios if I had to use that line. £2700 a year to travel on trains that have more vandalised seats than working ones.
Reply ID 11438
I must admit when Herford North works properly it's a relative doddle into London AND the trains are regularly cleaned. As for HE, as u stated the trains are filthy, vandalised, and used by Rent An Oik...oh and how many stops is it into London, I lost count - I moved from Ware Road just to avoid using the station !
Reply ID 11443
quote:I'm surprised to hear that, as the service seems to have declined in recent months. I literally never arrive at Finsbury Park at the time shown in the time-table. 5 minutes late seems to be about the average. Coming home tends to be OK though, which suggests the delays might be due to time-tabling problems in the morning.
Originally posted by thefair1973
I notice thet all these farces are taking place just when they are about to strip out the discount for renewing yearly tickets. The woman in the ticket office told me that at present, you get a 3% discount for renewing, but that will probably disappear at the end of October due to an improvement in the service. It's a shame they dont give you a discount for not providing any service at weekends for a lot of the previous year though.
Reply ID 11444
Correct me if I have my facts wrong but I think trains five minutes late aren't classified as "late" any more by the powers that be........
Reply ID 11445
That wouldn't surprise me given the relaxed attitude of WAGN to these daily delays. Unfortunately my boss doesn't share that classification of lateness though!
Reply ID 11448
quote:HE rolling stock is now being replaced and much of it is the newer, cleaner, smarter, more comfortable style. If getting on at HE, you can always jump into the 1st Class carriage for a bit of extra peace and quiet. No extra charge either. Coming back from Liverpool Street can be a bun fight, though. And the new timetable will make journey times longer.
Originally posted by Winkleman
I must admit when Herford North works properly it's a relative doddle into London AND the trains are regularly cleaned. As for HE, as u stated the trains are filthy, vandalised, and used by Rent An Oik...oh and how many stops is it into London, I lost count - I moved from Ware Road just to avoid using the station !
Reply ID 11449
Point taken Paul, but the trains at a weekend leave a lot to be desired.
Reply ID 11506
quote:The HN and HE trains are stored at the same depot so any vandalism must happen elsewhere - difference seems to be that on the HE line they have won the franchise and can't be bothered with a little branch line any more HN is up for tender with WAGN and Thameslink shortlisted - therfore they are being seen to spend money - new trains/refurbishment etc.
Originally posted by Winkleman
I must admit when Herford North works properly it's a relative doddle into London AND the trains are regularly cleaned. As for HE, as u stated the trains are filthy, vandalised, and used by Rent An Oik...oh and how many stops is it into London, I lost count - I moved from Ware Road just to avoid using the station !
Reply ID 11507
I don't think you're being fair Jez. As stated in this and other threads, One Railway are well aware of the state of some of their trains and refurbishment of the entire fleet is due to start on 12th December as well as providing newer trains at HE. They're doing alot more at HE than WAGN ever did. (I can't beleive I'm defending a Train Operating Company!)
Reply ID 11508
quote:But aren't they the same company (effectively)? I know you shouldn't need to, but I always try and renew my tickets the day before I travel, which normally helps. The weekend service is not just down to WAGN, but also Network Rail (and their catch-up due to Railtrack's incompetence) and the fact that, since privatisation, the country seems to have lost the ability to maintain track in a pre-emptive and well structured way - and the ability to work on track while trains are using adjacent lines. As for the opening hours at HN, I normally get back at just before 7pm and the office is probably open about 30% of the time - though this tends to be in batches so it may be a month or more between times.
Originally posted by Steve
I don't think you're being fair Jez. As stated in this and other threads, One Railway are well aware of the state of some of their trains and refurbishment of the entire fleet is due to start on 12th December as well as providing newer trains at HE. They're doing alot more at HE than WAGN ever did. (I can't beleive I'm defending a Train Operating Company!)
Reply ID 11509
Central Trains, Wessex Trains, Silverlink, Midland Mainline, One and WAGN are all part of National Express.
Reply ID 11532
Just before the WAGN franchise was split and ONE became WAGN spent a lot of money painting all the stations and replacing the signs etc. etc. the HN line is now getting the same treatment. They have refurbished their worst trains - aquired newer stock for the main lines, are putting in station display boards (WAGN have had the franchisde for about 10 years and they are only doing this work now) seems a bit fishy. Of course National Express need to show that they are improving ONE as well especially as they are after more big franchises.
Reply ID 11541
quote:That often display incorrect imformation.
are putting in station display boards
Reply ID 11572
I did complain about the new automatic announcement thingys - every time I go to bayford the announcement saying "This train is going to moorgate..." doesn't start until the train is pulling away. Also one of the station staff keeps despatching traind from HN early this is not the usual shut the doors 30 seconds early but the train is leaving the station 30 seconds before its departure time (according to the station clock)
Reply ID 11576
I did once try the "my train left early" excuse at work. No-one believed me for some reason.
Reply ID 11599
I like Hertford North, especially the game they play when they change from Plaform 3 to 1 and then back again..part of a keep the nation healthy policy
Reply ID 11617
Wasn't there some announcement that - as we are now in "fallen leaves" season - that all trains would be leaving a few minutes early so that they could be on time (WAGN logic)?
Reply ID 11618
yes...today i arrived at moorgate 5 mins earlier than normal.
Reply ID 11620
quote:I haven't found the 'on-time' bit working, even with trains leaving up to five minutes earlier than before! There seems to be some confusion on the times as well, with some revised departure times not the same as those in the printed time-table.
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
Wasn't there some announcement that - as we are now in "fallen leaves" season - that all trains would be leaving a few minutes early so that they could be on time (WAGN logic)?
Reply ID 11625
My wife says they are running what they call a leaf time table. Will they have a snow one in the winter as well? I found when I used the service, that most trains were cancelled because the lazy ******* couldnt get out of bed to drive the train. I must try "sorry Im late today, there were leaves on the road" with my boss.
Reply ID 11629
The leaf fall timetable is merely supposed to be the trains leaving slightly (2 mins normally) earlier from Hertford, toc ope with the slippery rails in the rural areas. Leaves (and poor railheads) have always been a problem for trains (hasn't anyone read the Rev Awdrey's rail books?). Cars aren't affected as they do not run as steel on steel, but instead are adversely affected by other poor conditions (fog, ice, rain, bad drivers, congestion, etc.). Unless the trees are cut back a long way from the track, there will be Autumn delays (this is not unique to the UK). I'd rather the delays than removing the trees - gives me longer to read/sleep/watch the view/etc.
Reply ID 11630
Vic next time you're complaining about the traffic in and around Hertford we shall paste your post to remind you.