Todays Journey From Hell

Another day, another complaint about South Central Trains.

When I got to London Victoria, the Scottish woman who announces the days cancellations and delays was saying that the Eastbourne and Littlehampton trains were starting from East Croydon tonight and to join the first train to connect with them. What she never mentioned that the first service was leaving at 18:08. Shame the Eastbourne train was leaving at 17:53, and would have been long gone by the time we would have got there.

They start trains at East Croydon to regulate the service and prevent further delays. However, it seems common sense to start the train from where the majority of customers actually get on the train. As a regular passenger on this service, I know very few people get on at other stations, except Clapham Junction.

Of course on the train running statistics this won't show as a delayed or cancelled train as starting it at East Croydon means it will be technically leaving on time.

The next Eastbourne train was running nearly an hour late, so I decided to get the Gatwick Express and try to get to Brighton and along the coast that way.

In the end, after a long wait at Lewes, I made it home in just over 3 hours.