Friday 27 May 2011

First Capital Connect - Tell us the truth

Useless. No other words can describe them. Yesterday a packed commuter train was stuck for three hours just outside St Pancras station. No announcement was made for 2 hours and as the train was in the tunnel, no one could phone home. I was affected as well. I had to get to St Pancras and went down to Mill Hill Broadway Station for the 7.41 train. The noticeboard showed that it was running 26 minutes late. Arrival time was 8.03. Announcements said it was 26 minutes late. every two minutes it got two minutes later, until eventually, the time just said "delayed". At that point, I gave up and got the bus to Burnt Oak, and took the Northern Line, arring nearly an hour after I'd had to. Coming back, the trains were still up the spout. At St Pancras, a train arrived. It was announced that it was Bedford only. A horde of drunks jumped on. The train sat their for five minutes, then they announced that it was "travelling empty". Most people got off (some refused). It departed empty, leaving a packed platform. Thanks First Capital Connect. Five minutes later, an all stations pulled in. It was packed.

No apologies (other than a recorded message). We all know things go wrong. Why can't they just keep us informed and if trains aren't coming, tell us. They must know. How hard is that?

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