In article , d ()
wrote:

Just out of interest , when was the last time you were at Kings X? I was
there 2 weeks ago so unless its been enlarged since then 1 minute is
more than enough for someone who's not physically handicapped to walk
from one side to the other.

You've not tried to get from the suburban shed to platform 0 recently,
have you? I got to King's Cross every week, at least twice, often more.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

On 4 Mar 2011 15:06:45 GMT, Huge wrote:

On 2011-03-04, Tristan Miller wrote:

I used the Deustche Bahn for
years when I was working in a German city, and while delays were not
uncommon, platform changes were almost unheard of. I can't think of
a single occasion on which my train departed from a platform other
than the one listed on my ticket, even when I had bought the ticket
days or weeks in advance.

As opposed to FCC at Bedford, who spend most mornings playing what I
call "Platform Roulette". I think they do it just to **** people off.

Err why do you think FCC decide the platforms? Surely it is Network
Rail who signal the trains / set the routes into the platforms? The
drivers simply do what the signals say - providing it is safe of
course!

FCC are sometimes responsible for changes of platform. I get the 15:15
from the Cross to Cambridge fairly regularly. It normally goes from
platform 9 in the current timetable. Having checked with staff at the
information desk I arrived at platform 9 one afternoon a week or two ago,
checked with the barrier staff who confirmed that the train in 9 would
form the 15:15, checked with a cleaner who said the same and spoke to the
driver who also said it would be the 15:15.

However, just after speaking to him we heard an announcement that the
15:15 would be going from platform zero, as the announcers put it. He was
as surprised as I was!

It turned out that FCC had decided to swap units around between the 15:06
and the 15:15. They left late given how little time passengers were give
to get to them.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

I suspect that in many cases trains actually do leave from the same
platform on a consistent basis - it just doesn't feel like it.

Absolutely. Although they change from one timetable to the next sometimes,
which platform I leave Cambridge from rarely changes for the same train
from one day to the next.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:14:12 +0000, Tristan Miller wrote:


OK, so maybe I should revise my question to "Given that both British and
continental railways allocate platforms well in advance, why is it that
continental railways are able to publish these allocations and generally
stick to them even in the event of delays?"

Because British culture and institutions as a whole have always preferred
flexibility instead of strict, rigid Germanic discipline. There's no
special reason why stations platforms should be any different, is there?

Admittedly this culture has been changing in recent years with British
elfin-safety regulations becoming stricter and stricter. Maybe other
aspects of British culture will follow suit - if so, we'll soon overtake
the Germans!

On 4 Mar 2011 23:03:15 GMT, Huge wrote:

Why do I give a **** who decides what? As a customer, all I want is a
service. I don't give a flying Philadelphia **** who has to do what
to provide it.

Because it would be a flying Philadelphia ****ing waste of time
complaining to the wrong company?

--

Ian D

On Sat, 5 Mar 2011 11:30:58 +0000 (UTC), solar penguin
wrote:
Because British culture and institutions as a whole have always
preferred
flexibility instead of strict, rigid Germanic discipline. There's
no
special reason why stations platforms should be any different, is
there?

LM publish their platforms at Euston in advance, and are generally
very consistent.

Neil

--
Neil Williams, Milton Keynes, UK

On 05/03/2011 11:30, solar penguin wrote:
On Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:14:12 +0000, Tristan Miller wrote:


OK, so maybe I should revise my question to "Given that both British and
continental railways allocate platforms well in advance, why is it that
continental railways are able to publish these allocations and generally
stick to them even in the event of delays?"

Because British culture and institutions as a whole have always preferred
flexibility instead of strict, rigid Germanic discipline. There's no
special reason why stations platforms should be any different, is there?

Admittedly this culture has been changing in recent years with British
elfin-safety regulations becoming stricter and stricter. Maybe other
aspects of British culture will follow suit - if so, we'll soon overtake
the Germans!

We long since have. When I went on a school exchange, the "xxx verboten"
signs were seen as noteworthy and foreign. These days they are
rereshingly sparse compared to all our "for the comfort and safety of
all users it is strictly prohibited to poke the tigers with a sharp
stick" notices.

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

On Mar 4, 3:29*pm, wrote:

1 minute is
more than enough for someone who's not physically handicapped to walk from
one side to the other.


No it isn't, in crowded conditions I would allow much longer. also
consider many travel with bags having a platform allocated is a great
help in these circumstances.

Thalys is good, even tell you where to stand on the platform, FGW will
not tell you at Paddington which platform the Penzance train leaves
from until 10 minutes before departure even when you can see it parked
there.

On 5 Mar 2011 18:46:45 GMT, Huge wrote:

On 2011-03-05, Ian Dalziel wrote:
On 4 Mar 2011 23:03:15 GMT, Huge wrote:

Why do I give a **** who decides what? As a customer, all I want is a
service. I don't give a flying Philadelphia **** who has to do what
to provide it.

Because it would be a flying Philadelphia ****ing waste of time
complaining to the wrong company?

I'm sorry, but all you're doing is proving my point.

So all you're prepared to do about it is weep? Want to borrow my
handkerchief?

--

Ian D

On Mar 6, 8:44*am, NM wrote:
1 minute is
more than enough for someone who's not physically handicapped to walk from
one side [of KX main shed] to the other.

No it isn't, in crowded conditions I would allow much longer. also
consider many travel with bags having a platform allocated is a great
help in these circumstances.

Opinion is divided on the matter: people who've actually done it and
don't have mad axes to grind against public transport say that it is;
people who're making **** up say that it isn't.

Thalys is good, even tell you where to stand on the platform, FGW will
not tell you at Paddington which platform the Penzance train leaves
from until 10 minutes before departure even when you can see it parked
there.

Which is a problem why? If they told you 2 minutes before departure,
that might be a problem - but 10 minutes is easily long enough to get
from the Mad Bishop & Bear to the frontmost coach of any IC platform
at Paddington, never mind from the concourse...

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org