On 02/07/2014 07:02, Walter Briscoe wrote:
Relevant URLs, please?

I can't find anything online, but there are posters at the station
claiming an improvement from the start of 2014 (which can't be a result
of covering the windows etc as this wasn't done until this June). Here
is an extract from an email I got from the local station manager in
response to my complaint.

quote
The strategy for example for train drop off times and covering windows
is a proven science used throughout the rail industry. It has used a
simple science that if a customer cannot see a train they won't be able
to run for it. Our published timetables for example, clearly indicate
that to access the station here in a safe manner the customer should
arrive at least 7 minutes prior to the train departure. It is
unfortunate that many passengers do leave travelling until the last
minute and this is when we see the majority of our accidents.

Most of the recommendations have now been implemented and we have
already seen a drastic decrease in our passenger accidents which is
great news not only for the customer who passes through our station as
we have obviously made it a safer place to travel through, but also to
our staff who pass through it, plus of course benefits to the business.
Some of these projects, due to their success will be rolled out across
our network as good practise.
end quote

I think he means "practice". Fortunately FCC are about to lose the
franchise; unfortunately the incoming owners are likely to take on most
of the staff, especially the incompetent ones who won't be as employable
elsewhere.

What apps does Clive suggest? Is London Underground covered?

The app I use on my Android phone is a free one called simply "National
Rail" which I found on the Google Play site. It has a poor user
interface but is just about usable. It doesn't cover TfL services,
unfortunately, but there are plenty of other apps that do that; the one
I sometimes use is called London CityMapper.


--
Clive Page

In message , at 09:01:37 on Wed, 2 Jul
2014, Clive Page remarked:

What apps does Clive suggest? Is London Underground covered?

The app I use on my Android phone is a free one called simply "National
Rail" which I found on the Google Play site. It has a poor user
interface but is just about usable.

I use the FCC Android app, which at the time of writing has most of the
platform numbers at Kings Cross 30 minutes into the future and at Luton
Airport Parkway two hours into the future [although after an hour or so
the numbers thin out a bit].

The information is the same as he

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/ldbboard/dep/KGX
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/ldbboard/dep/LTN

--
Roland Perry

In message , at 09:42:05 on Wed, 2 Jul
2014, Roland Perry remarked:
I use the FCC Android app, which at the time of writing has most of the
platform numbers at Kings Cross 30 minutes into the future

And now (at 0956) it's only got platforms for the trains up until 10.08,
plus for some reason the 10.35 to Leeds.
--
Roland Perry

In article , (Clive Page)
wrote:

On 02/07/2014 07:02, Walter Briscoe wrote:
Relevant URLs, please?

I can't find anything online, but there are posters at the station
claiming an improvement from the start of 2014 (which can't be a
result of covering the windows etc as this wasn't done until this
June). Here is an extract from an email I got from the local station
manager in response to my complaint.

quote
The strategy for example for train drop off times and covering
windows is a proven science used throughout the rail industry. It
has used a simple science that if a customer cannot see a train they
won't be able to run for it. Our published timetables for example,
clearly indicate that to access the station here in a safe manner the
customer should arrive at least 7 minutes prior to the train
departure. It is unfortunate that many passengers do leave
travelling until the last minute and this is when we see the majority
of our accidents.

Most of the recommendations have now been implemented and we have
already seen a drastic decrease in our passenger accidents which is
great news not only for the customer who passes through our station
as we have obviously made it a safer place to travel through, but
also to our staff who pass through it, plus of course benefits to the
business. Some of these projects, due to their success will be
rolled out across our network as good practise.
end quote

7 minutes is utterly ridiculous!

I think he means "practice". Fortunately FCC are about to lose the
franchise; unfortunately the incoming owners are likely to take on
most of the staff, especially the incompetent ones who won't be as
employable elsewhere.

What apps does Clive suggest? Is London Underground covered?

The app I use on my Android phone is a free one called simply
"National Rail" which I found on the Google Play site. It has a poor
user interface but is just about usable. It doesn't cover TfL
services, unfortunately, but there are plenty of other apps that do
that; the one I sometimes use is called London CityMapper.

I use the Real Time Trains web site but I have a Windows phone so the range
of apps is more limited. I've not used anything for the Underground.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In message , at 04:40:15
on Wed, 2 Jul 2014, remarked:

7 minutes is utterly ridiculous!

Although Luton Airport Parkway station is particularly awkward, with
multiple sets of escalators to get to the overbridge and then the
"platform bingo" mentioned by the OP, made worse because it's not
organised as islands.

Committing yourself to a platform too far in advance is setting yourself
up for a fall (literally, if FCC are to be believed).
--
Roland Perry

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at
04:40:15 on Wed, 2 Jul 2014, remarked:

7 minutes is utterly ridiculous!

Although Luton Airport Parkway station is particularly awkward, with
multiple sets of escalators to get to the overbridge and then the
"platform bingo" mentioned by the OP, made worse because it's not
organised as islands.

Committing yourself to a platform too far in advance is setting
yourself up for a fall (literally, if FCC are to be believed).

OIC. I've never made the acquaintance of Luton Airport Parkway station.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In message , at 08:15:56
on Wed, 2 Jul 2014, remarked:

I've never made the acquaintance of Luton Airport Parkway station.

I used it quite a bit for catching Easyjet flights to Europe. But the
rail service northwards (to Nottingham etc) is pants, especially at
unsocial hours, so I drove down the M1 more often than taking the train.

Several combination trips too. For example driving to Luton Parkway then
catching the train to Getwick, returning to the car park via Luton
Airport and the shuttle bus; and the opposite way round that circle. It
just depends on the airline schedules.
--
Roland Perry

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at
08:15:56 on Wed, 2 Jul 2014, remarked:

I've never made the acquaintance of Luton Airport Parkway station.

I used it quite a bit for catching Easyjet flights to Europe. But the
rail service northwards (to Nottingham etc) is pants, especially at
unsocial hours, so I drove down the M1 more often than taking the
train.

Several combination trips too. For example driving to Luton Parkway
then catching the train to Getwick, returning to the car park via
Luton Airport and the shuttle bus; and the opposite way round that
circle. It just depends on the airline schedules.

It's not very accessible by public transport from Cambridge (or Ely) though,
is it?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In message , at 12:07:24
on Wed, 2 Jul 2014, remarked:

I've never made the acquaintance of Luton Airport Parkway station.

I used it quite a bit for catching Easyjet flights to Europe. But the
rail service northwards (to Nottingham etc) is pants, especially at
unsocial hours, so I drove down the M1 more often than taking the
train.

Several combination trips too. For example driving to Luton Parkway
then catching the train to Getwick, returning to the car park via
Luton Airport and the shuttle bus; and the opposite way round that
circle. It just depends on the airline schedules.

It's not very accessible by public transport from Cambridge (or Ely) though,
is it?

No it isn't. So my focus for any future trips would change to Stansted/
Gatwick rather than Luton/Gatwick. I was only using Luton when East
Midlands didn't have a suitable flight and because it was on the M1/MML
corridor.

East Midlands Airport seems to be struggling these days without BMIbaby
and Easyjet. Although Flybe has taken over some routes the only flight
to Amsterdam is now a useless 1pm out and 4pm back [both local time].
--
Roland Perry

Several combination trips too. For example driving to Luton Parkway
then catching the train to Getwick, returning to the car park via
Luton Airport and the shuttle bus; and the opposite way round that
circle. It just depends on the airline schedules.

It's not very accessible by public transport from Cambridge (or Ely) though,
is it?

NatEx have coaches from Cambridge to Luton Airport every two hours
from 02:20 to 20:20. They take about 1:35. Seems reasonably
accessible to me.

Ely is harder. The Cambridge train station is a long way from the
coach station, so it's not a very good place to change. The coach
stops at the Hitchin train station, but you can't get there from Ely
without changing at Letchworth. Or you could take the train to
Stansted airport and the coach from there.






--
Regards,
John Levine, , Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for Dummies",
Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. http://jl.ly