My maiden DART voyage

may06 · 03-10-2014 8:35pm

Hilly Bill wrote: »

That's what was given.

Where exactly?

Hilly Bill · 03-10-2014 10:32pm

may06 wrote: »

Where exactly?

Seriously?

may06 · 03-10-2014 10:34pm

Hilly Bill wrote: »

Seriously?

Yeah..where?

Grandeeod · 03-10-2014 11:16pm

Here's the text of the email with the "Sorry" word highlighted.

Dear Mr Mor,

Thank you for your e-mail.

I have checked the running of the DART concerned, 16.00hrs from Howth, for the date in question and I am sorry for the delay experienced.

This train operated 7 minutes late through platform 6 in Connolly Station and this delay was caused by the late incoming service from Belfast which itself had been delayed due to a trespasser on the track. The electronic signage would normally scroll through the next three departures operating via the specific platform and if a service is behind schedule the system will show the estimated number of minutes that the train will arrive at the platform. If a train is anticipated to be more than 5 minutes late, an announcement should be made from Traffic Control and I am sorry if this did not happen. There were no reported issues with the platform signage at DART stations on the 20th September.

I do not know who the member of staff was onboard the train as we would not have staff rostered to travel on DART's outside of Revenue Protection staff.

Train headboards would show the destination in Irish at least half the time and would alternate with the English regularly but I would suggest that most passengers would know where the train destination was and that DART services serve all stations in between.

I will forward your feedback to our Traffic Control for their information.

Regards
Paul Slowey

Customer Care, Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail, Connolly Station, Dublin 1."

end of the road · 03-10-2014 11:43pm

maybe i'm missing something but bar that email being a tad technical i can't see what was the problem with what was written. anyone?

Carawaystick · 04-10-2014 12:33am

Hilly Bill wrote: »

Made up which bit ? The 2 posts you commented on are not related. I've already posted my view on that response.

You said Darts would run non stop.
The customer service lad at IÉ said they don't

These two are inconsistent and either you are wrong, the IÉ lad is wrong or mr Mór fabricated the response and you and IÉ lad are both right

I'm being sarcastic about the op making stuff up, by the way.

Hilly Bill · 04-10-2014 1:00am

Carawaystick wrote: »

You said Darts would run non stop.
The customer service lad at IÉ said they don't

These two are inconsistent and either you are wrong, the IÉ lad is wrong or mr Mór fabricated the response and you and IÉ lad are both right

I'm being sarcastic about the op making stuff up, by the way.

Darts normally do stop at every stop . Nobody said that they dont skip a few stops the odd occasion for operational reasons.
This is getting a tad petty now to be honest. Time to move on i think.

foggy_lad · 04-10-2014 2:02am

end of the road wrote: »

maybe i'm missing something but bar that email being a tad technical i can't see what was the problem with what was written. anyone?

It is like IE are telling the OP that they don't believe what they experienced by putting things like

"If a train is anticipated to be more than 5 minutes late, an announcement should be made from Traffic Control and I am sorry if this did not happen."

The IF should not be used as the OP has reported that it did not happen.

"There were no reported issues with the platform signage at DART stations on the 20th September."

OP was reporting that there was issues with signs at dart stations yet they claim there were no reported issues.

Hilly Bill · 04-10-2014 1:41pm

Some people will never be happy regardless of the response. It reads as them not having any reports of any issue with the displays but apologies if there is and will send the feedback to control for them to look at it and get it sorted. It's basically taking the op at his word.

end of the road · 04-10-2014 2:56pm

foggy_lad wrote: »

It is like IE are telling the OP that they don't believe what they experienced by putting things like

"If a train is anticipated to be more than 5 minutes late, an announcement should be made from Traffic Control and I am sorry if this did not happen."
The IF should not be used as the OP has reported that it did not happen.

but that could be taken just as it is word for word. he's informing the OP that if its known a train is going to be more then 5 minutes late then an anouncement should be made. he says sorry if it didn't happen rather then sorry that it didn't happen, because maybe he has got only 1 or 2 emails claiming it to be the case that it didn't happen but nothing from traffic control so needs to check it out so says if just to be on the safe side. the customer service person doesn't know at that moment whether the anouncements did or didn't happen, they should, but sounds like they didn't. no doubt there was a cockup. but really, he got an apology for it, what more can be done.

foggy_lad wrote: »

"There were no reported issues with the platform signage at DART stations on the 20th September."
OP was reporting that there was issues with signs at dart stations yet they claim there were no reported issues.

sounds a tad stupid when reading it like that yes, but maybe he meant apart from that email there were no other reports.

devnull · 06-10-2014 7:26am

And another useless failure this morning with no information at stations, no scrolling display message and no announcements and staff not knowing what is going on, "Signal Failure and minor delays" when asked.

Turns out almost two hours ago Irish Rail posted on their website that a tree had come down on the line, after waiting for a short while people realised and exited the station to get the bus after checking their smartphones, when an announcement was made that there would be a short delay whilst a signal failure is fixed.

Why not just say what is actually going on and a tree was onn the line? Colleagues waiting at DART stations waiting for a train on this "Short delay" to fix a signal problem, not knowing atree had come down.

As with Black Friday, once again at station information is lacking, if they knew two hours ago there was a tree on the line, why were they saying an hour later, that it was a signal failure and minor delays?

Class response from Irish Rail here:
https://twitter.com/IrishRail/status/519001563592151040

Rashers72 · 06-10-2014 8:04am

I am stuck in a Dundalk to Connolly suburban train north of Malahide. Not a single announcement from the driver since I got on the train.

devnull · 06-10-2014 8:06am

Same failings from Black Friday, just a different day, unbelievable that when criticised they are now saying that it was posted on twitter ages ago, seem to think they don't need to give any info at stations.

Would it not be a good idea to get the people doing service alerts on the website the ability to uupdate screens at stations and make announcements?

Rashers72 · 06-10-2014 8:15am

Rashers72 wrote: »

I am stuck in a Dundalk to Connolly suburban train north of Malahide. Not a single announcement from the driver since I got on the train.

Still silence from our driver, but train ran through Malahide and made unscheduled stop for passengers at Portmarnock. Now stuck north of Clongriffen. So definitely running late, but have services presumed? Displays still showing services suspended.....

devnull · 06-10-2014 8:16am

Services have resumed according to Twitter.

L1011 · 06-10-2014 8:18am

I see they've moved to providing the same level of covering for all failings with pathetic defences on Twitter as is done on here then. Usually you put the sane customer care staff on Twitter...

Frank Lee Midere · 06-10-2014 8:22am

MYOB wrote: »

I see they've moved to providing the same level of covering for all failings with pathetic defences on Twitter as is done on here then. Usually you put the sane customer care staff on Twitter...

Well to be fair the twitter feed did mention the delays.

Highflyer13 · 06-10-2014 8:25am

devnull wrote: »

Same failings from Black Friday, just a different day, unbelievable that when criticised they are now saying that it was posted on twitter ages ago, seem to think they don't need to give any info at stations.

Would it not be a good idea to get the people doing service alerts on the website the ability to uupdate screens at stations and make announcements?

No, because thats a sensible idea. IR don't do sensible unfortunately.

devnull · 06-10-2014 8:26am

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

Well to be fair the twitter feed did mention the delays.

It does not defend lack of information at stations and inaccurate information at stations, accurate information should be provided at both.

The fact is communication between central control and station staff, and station staff and customers is a disgrace.

How can the person posting on twitter know right away, but the staff at the station still do not an hour later?

Highflyer13 · 06-10-2014 8:27am

devnull wrote: »

Same failings from Black Friday, just a different day, unbelievable that when criticised they are now saying that it was posted on twitter ages ago, seem to think they don't need to give any info at stations.

Would it not be a good idea to get the people doing service alerts on the website the ability to uupdate screens at stations and make announcements?

No, because thats a sensible idea. IR don't do sensible unfortunately.

cython · 06-10-2014 9:52am

In contrast to the above, I almost think that whatever driver was responsible for my train in on the Maynooth line must have been reading this thread, as he couldn't have been more informative with announcements after every group of passengers boarded. Even going so far as to point out the reason for the delay was a tree on the line blocking him getting into the station to start the service back in to Dublin. However this might have been him taking the initiative rather than control, since he didn't have to be told about the tree..... Later services and their information would have been a better metric.

n97 mini · 06-10-2014 1:10pm

There should be signs on the platforms and in every carriage showing the twitter feed.

devnull · 06-10-2014 2:04pm

end of the road wrote: »

did the staff in the station even know what happened. its not as if informing staff never mind passengers is a priority for the relevant people in irish rail as known from experience at wexford station where the staff used to at least be the last to know anything.

Signal Failure at Howth Junction (the seemingly default excuse) and a slight delay was the official reason given just before 7am, which has no basis on reality when trains were suspended due to a tree on the lines. None of this information was given on train, platform or displays, only by asking a staff member in the station, who didn't make an announcement.

Regardless of who is at fault, it is just not good enough, the same person should be able to manage disruption communications on all mediums, but it's fairly obvious these days that customer communication is completely disjointed and clearly not a priority at IE.

Either way their communications was not acceptable this morning like several other occasions in the past. The fact that they don't even see a problem with it suggests nothing will improve unless there are some changes within the company or the NTA force them to improve.

Hilly Bill · 06-10-2014 3:18pm

n97 mini wrote: »

There should be signs on the platforms and in every carriage showing the twitter feed.

It's bad enough with some trains not showing the correct destination without wanting twitter feed shown as well.

devnull · 06-10-2014 3:19pm

The last few weeks has taught me that twitter has been by far more accurate than the staff at stations, and the displays that are there now.

Hilly Bill · 06-10-2014 3:25pm

devnull wrote: »

Signal Failure at Howth Junction (the seemingly default excuse) and a slight delay was the official reason given just before 7am, which has no basis on reality when trains were suspended due to a tree on the lines. None of this information was given on train, platform or displays, only by asking a staff member in the station, who didn't make an announcement.

Regardless of who is at fault, it is just not good enough, the same person should be able to manage disruption communications on all mediums, but it's fairly obvious these days that customer communication is completely disjointed and clearly not a priority at IE.

Either way their communications was not acceptable this morning like several other occasions in the past. The fact that they don't even see a problem with it suggests nothing will improve unless there are some changes within the company or the NTA force them to improve.

Where we're you told of a slight delay?. There was a tree on the overheads at killbarack. There is no excuse not to know what the delay is to be honest, all they need to do is pick up the phone. All station managers would have had the notification by text or email.

LXFlyer · 06-10-2014 3:48pm

devnull wrote: »

The last few weeks has taught me that twitter has been by far more accurate than the staff at stations, and the displays that are there now.

That tends to be the case with most transport companies nowadays due to the sheer immediacy with which you can get messages to customers.

The real problem is how to get live status updates to staff on the ground - some GB TOCs are issuing station staff with tablets so that they can get up-to-the-minute updates. Maybe this is something IE should consider.

It's quite clear that the content of CTC texts are not getting through to the frontline staff all of the time - and that to me is a problem that needs addressing.

Passengers should not be left waiting more than 5 minutes without an announcement on the event of a delay.

devnull · 06-10-2014 3:58pm

Hilly Bill wrote: »

Where we're you told of a slight delay?. There was a tree on the overheads at killbarack. There is no excuse not to know what the delay is to be honest, all they need to do is pick up the phone. All station managers would have had the notification by text or email.

At the Dart station I went to get the train this morning.

I know the problem now since when I heard the staff member say that it was due to a signal fault at Howth Junction and t thought it sounded a bit suspect having heard the minor delays line before when it was much more than that.

I then look on Irishrail.ie and it says services are suspended and that had been posted much earlier yet it was being advertised as minor delays due to a signalling fault according to staff at the stations.

devnull · 06-10-2014 4:01pm

lxflyer wrote: »

The real problem is how to get live status updates to staff on the ground - some GB TOCs are issuing station staff with tablets so that they can get up-to-the-minute updates. Maybe this is something IE should consider.

It's quite clear that the content of CTC texts are not getting through to the frontline staff all of the time - and that to me is a problem that needs addressing.

Passengers should not be left waiting more than 5 minutes without an announcement on the event of a delay.

Well surely staffed stations should have the technology in the ticket office to actually allow them to get straight away notifications of what is happening?

If they have an internet enabled computer surely they can do it already without need for a tablet? Surely the ticket office staff should be able to make announcements and get data quickly?

whatever way they do it now, it doesn't work, so if it requires tablets and can be done no better way I'm all for it, the data getting there is one thing, even when it does the speed of it getting out at stations and at trains is way too slow.

Surely they need to serious consider a situation where there is a co-ordinated control centre that can send out and make announcements for twitter, the web, and displays and announcements all concurrently?

LXFlyer · 06-10-2014 4:31pm

devnull wrote: »

Well surely staffed stations should have the technology in the ticket office to actually allow them to get straight away notifications of what is happening?

If they have an internet enabled computer surely they can do it already without need for a tablet? Surely the ticket office staff should be able to make announcements and get data quickly?

whatever way they do it now, it doesn't work, so if it requires tablets and can be done no better way I'm all for it, the data getting there is one thing, even when it does the speed of it getting out at stations and at trains is way too slow.

Surely they need to serious consider a situation where there is a co-ordinated control centre that can send out and make announcements for twitter, the web, and displays and announcements all concurrently?

It's pretty obvious they don't have that technology as otherwise they'd be able to make announcements about what is going on.

When I mentioned tablets, I was referring to platform/ticket gate staff - they're not near a PC yet everyone expects them to know what's going on. Short of issuing them with tablets, how else are they going to know?

The issue appears to be how decisions are communicated from CTC to frontline staff. They are getting to the people who man the twitter account and website alerts (which I believe is the comms department) but they don't appear to be getting to the people in the stations who directly interface with customers.

That's where the system breaks down.

devnull · 06-10-2014 5:16pm

lxflyer wrote: »

It's pretty obvious they don't have that technology as otherwise they'd be able to make announcements about what is going on.

There should be a central control room who is able to do all of that, which then takes the whole issue of all these different departments, at the moment there seems to be a number of different departments all of which do different parts of communicating outages which leads to many chances of a breakdown in communication or information being incorrect.

When I mentioned tablets, I was referring to platform/ticket gate staff - they're not near a PC yet everyone expects them to know what's going on. Short of issuing them with tablets, how else are they going to know?

The issue appears to be how decisions are communicated from CTC to frontline staff. They are getting to the people who man the twitter account and website alerts (which I believe is the comms department) but they don't appear to be getting to the people in the stations who directly interface with customers..

I agree for gate staff and frontline staff needing to have some way of knowing what is going on, that much is clear, but again this would be less required if the announcements from the station and ticket office staff who are not on the gate line, also knew what was going on and made announcements to that effect.

The problem isn't just platform and gate staff, it's also in the smaller stations where there is only one guy in the ticket office who also does not know what is going on, as illustrated by incorrect announcements when they are made, or nothing at all as has happened recently as well. The gate-line staff obviously won't have access to information easily, but the station and ticket office staff certainly should but still there is a lack of communication.

I just can't fathom how we can have an outage and half an hour later or an hour later in some cases, no staff in the station is aware of what is going on, whether they be ticket office staff or gate line.

Central control should be able to play a far bigger role in this, a control centre should have access to change the screen and make announcements if need-be, and that is something the company should address.

Judging by the defensive attitude of IR on twitter though, I don't hold my breath, their view seems to be look on the website or twitter, they don't seem to think they have a problem

Hilly Bill · 06-10-2014 5:59pm

devnull wrote: »

Well surely staffed stations should have the technology in the ticket office to actually allow them to get straight away notifications of what is happening?

If they have an internet enabled computer surely they can do it already without need for a tablet? Surely the ticket office staff should be able to make announcements and get data quickly?

whatever way they do it now, it doesn't work, so if it requires tablets and can be done no better way I'm all for it, the data getting there is one thing, even when it does the speed of it getting out at stations and at trains is way too slow.

Surely they need to serious consider a situation where there is a co-ordinated control centre that can send out and make announcements for twitter, the web, and displays and announcements all concurrently?

A simple phone is good enough either to get a text about delays or to use to ring and find out whats going on.

Hilly Bill · 06-10-2014 6:00pm

lxflyer wrote: »

It's pretty obvious they don't have that technology as otherwise they'd be able to make announcements about what is going on.

When I mentioned tablets, I was referring to platform/ticket gate staff - they're not near a PC yet everyone expects them to know what's going on. Short of issuing them with tablets, how else are they going to know?

The issue appears to be how decisions are communicated from CTC to frontline staff. They are getting to the people who man the twitter account and website alerts (which I believe is the comms department) but they don't appear to be getting to the people in the stations who directly interface with customers.

That's where the system breaks down.

The duty manager should be informing them and making sure that announcements be made and all the staff on the ground are up to date as to what is going on.

Hilly Bill · 06-10-2014 6:03pm

devnull wrote: »

There should be a central control room who is able to do all of that, which then takes the whole issue of all these different departments, at the moment there seems to be a number of different departments all of which do different parts of communicating outages which leads to many chances of a breakdown in communication or information being incorrect.

I agree for gate staff and frontline staff needing to have some way of knowing what is going on, that much is clear, but again this would be less required if the announcements from the station and ticket office staff who are not on the gate line, also knew what was going on and made announcements to that effect.

The problem isn't just platform and gate staff, it's also in the smaller stations where there is only one guy in the ticket office who also does not know what is going on, as illustrated by incorrect announcements when they are made, or nothing at all as has happened recently as well. The gate-line staff obviously won't have access to information easily, but the station and ticket office staff certainly should but still there is a lack of communication.

I just can't fathom how we can have an outage and half an hour later or an hour later in some cases, no staff in the station is aware of what is going on, whether they be ticket office staff or gate line.

Central control should be able to play a far bigger role in this, a control centre should have access to change the screen and make announcements if need-be, and that is something the company should address.

Judging by the defensive attitude of IR on twitter though, I don't hold my breath, their view seems to be look on the website or twitter, they don't seem to think they have a problem

They do, its them that sends out the alerts and makes announcements over the tannoys. There was an intermittent fault with the pa system this morning.

devnull · 06-10-2014 6:15pm

The only messages i hear reguarly at stations are automated ones and testing 1234 a lot as well.

Thargor · 06-10-2014 8:26pm

So is the signal fault at Howth Junction an in-joke for IE staff or something? Code for go fcuk yourselves? I remember missing a Citylink bus Id bought a ticket for once because a DART stopped after Landsowne Road for 40 minutes, half an hour in the driver came on and said it was a signal fault at Howth Junction, checking Twitter later I saw it was because there were fox cubs on the track at Pearse station.

Hilly Bill · 06-10-2014 8:37pm

devnull wrote: »

The only messages i hear reguarly at stations are automated ones and testing 1234 a lot as well.

You would have thought they would have perfected 1234 at this stage

Rashers72 · 06-10-2014 9:06pm

Yes seemed to have been a bad morning for information to passengers. When I was walking up to my Northern suburban train station, met lots of people leaving, and car park was only a quarter full. When got to the platform, only about 10 passengers v's the normal 100-150. Got on a Dundalk to Connolly ICR, but knew it was a risk, as they were telling passengers that DB accepting IE tickets. Train pulled into Malahide, about 30% full. At this point, not a single announcement. Lots of passengers prepared to get off to try and get a DB. Low and behold after after about 1 minute, train leaves. We then get stuck outside Portmarnock, and driver makes an announcement. Unfortunately PA system garbeled so make out about 50%. Mentions problems, and says this train will call at all Dart stations to Connolly. Does apologise. Platform displays now changed to reflect services resuming, but not 20 mins late like the LED displays indicate, as the train ahead of us was 36 mins late to Bray. Train gets packed as we hit town, so not sure if passengers left behind. Into Connolly, no staff to be seen, 1 of the 2 exit gates locked shut, so all funnelled into 1 exit. And down escalator broken. All in all, another bad morning. I will note that when services do run, they are normally good. But when things go wrong, it is like everyone runs for cover, and they actually seem to try not to tell passengers what is happening.

devnull · 06-10-2014 9:12pm

Did you come into Platform 1 at Connolly? Had that happen to me as well if so, where there was several hundred people get off the train and one of the narrow gates was open whilst the other one closed, wanted to change fot the DART so had to walk all the way from Platform 1 to Platform 7 all the way around the outside, long walk when people were going almost isingle file through.

Not helped by a group of people doing the same in the other direction, for the train that was going straight back to Maynooth. Almost a crush in there.

Hilly Bill · 06-10-2014 9:52pm

Rashers72 wrote: »

Yes seemed to have been a bad morning for information to passengers. When I was walking up to my Northern suburban train station, met lots of people leaving, and car park was only a quarter full. When got to the platform, only about 10 passengers v's the normal 100-150. Got on a Dundalk to Connolly ICR, but knew it was a risk, as they were telling passengers that DB accepting IE tickets. Train pulled into Malahide, about 30% full. At this point, not a single announcement. Lots of passengers prepared to get off to try and get a DB. Low and behold after after about 1 minute, train leaves. We then get stuck outside Portmarnock, and driver makes an announcement. Unfortunately PA system garbeled so make out about 50%. Mentions problems, and says this train will call at all Dart stations to Connolly. Does apologise. Platform displays now changed to reflect services resuming, but not 20 mins late like the LED displays indicate, as the train ahead of us was 36 mins late to Bray. Train gets packed as we hit town, so not sure if passengers left behind. Into Connolly, no staff to be seen, 1 of the 2 exit gates locked shut, so all funnelled into 1 exit. And down escalator broken. All in all, another bad morning. I will note that when services do run, they are normally good. But when things go wrong, it is like everyone runs for cover, and they actually seem to try not to tell passengers what is happening.

Plenty of staff in Connolly this morning. Which one exit? All the exit barriers would have been available to walk through . Plenty of other ways to exit the station apart from the one escalator.
Arnt you contradicting yourself by saying that they try not to tell passengers what is happening when you had announcements on the train. ?

Furp · 06-10-2014 10:28pm

In my experience that's one of the differences between Ireland and the UK although in fairness the UK has much larger infrastructure and they went down the whole privatisation route and bought it back to learn how to run a service.

In the UK when there are major issues with the network they display the issues on every available display point they also send out all the CS staff from the lower ranks to station managers to meet the customers and give information and advise alternative routes.

I have watched this thread for a while as I worked I the UK for 3 years 1 up north and 2 in London I got very used to how the efficient rail is in the UK (although not without issues) and was shocked when I came back here to see how inefficient ours is from slowness of trains to lack of information given to customers even when it's running well. I have had hundreds of journeys in the UK and drivers always informed within seconds usually of issues, although they have stricter perfomance targets then here.

Rashers72 · 06-10-2014 11:07pm

Hilly Bill wrote: »

Plenty of staff in Connolly this morning. Which one exit? All the exit barriers would have been available to walk through . Plenty of other ways to exit the station apart from the one escalator.
Arnt you contradicting yourself by saying that they try not to tell passengers what is happening when you had announcements on the train. ?

Exit was from platform 3 in the main station...it was the platform barrier which only really exists for the first 3 platforms in the main station. Just think someone forgot to open it. At 9am there were no staff around.
There were 2 announcements during the entire 1.25 hours I was stuck on the train, neither of which were clear. I think we deserved more then 2 announcements, especially at Malahide, when every platform display and assuming platform announcements were telling passengers no trains running past Malahide. Possibly not the drivers fault, but we seem to have a common theme with poor quality PA's when we most need them.

end of the road · 06-10-2014 11:07pm

Furp wrote: »

In my experience that's one of the differences between Ireland and the UK although in fairness the UK has much larger infrastructure and they went down the whole privatisation route and bought it back to learn how to run a service.

some correction. the lock stock and barrel was privatized yes. however railtrack the company managing the infrastructure went to the wall (probably only a matter of time and frankly it was a good thing) . a new company was set up called network rail who is now nationalised i believe, before that, well they may as well have been.

devnull · 07-10-2014 8:45am

Railtrack was a disaster.

Some of the UK train operators are not great at information as well though as has been said even though the majority are better than Irish Rail - First Capital Connect was much maligned for many years, but it's successor has basically given up on providing proper journey information on the web.

I'd love IR to roll out something like this for the web, along with the journey alert SMS notification model for passengers and also to have better communications at stations, but I doubt it will happen

http://www.journeycheck.com/greateranglia
https://www.journeycheck.com/greateranglia/aboutalerts

LXFlyer · 07-10-2014 9:30am

Furp wrote: »

In my experience that's one of the differences between Ireland and the UK although in fairness the UK has much larger infrastructure and they went down the whole privatisation route and bought it back to learn how to run a service.

In the UK when there are major issues with the network they display the issues on every available display point they also send out all the CS staff from the lower ranks to station managers to meet the customers and give information and advise alternative routes.

I have watched this thread for a while as I worked I the UK for 3 years 1 up north and 2 in London I got very used to how the efficient rail is in the UK (although not without issues) and was shocked when I came back here to see how inefficient ours is from slowness of trains to lack of information given to customers even when it's running well. I have had hundreds of journeys in the UK and drivers always informed within seconds usually of issues, although they have stricter perfomance targets then here.

You seem to have been very lucky. There are numerous threads on UK forums about how things go into meltdown over there once something goes wrong, with Southeastern in particular being one of the main targets from people who say that it becomes impossible for anyone to know what's going on.

Furp · 07-10-2014 9:33am

end of the road wrote: »

some correction. the lock stock and barrel was privatized yes. however railtrack the company managing the infrastructure went to the wall (probably only a matter of time and frankly it was a good thing) . a new company was set up called network rail who is now nationalised i believe, before that, well they may as well have been.

I know I kept it to a summary of for the sake of brevity, I had also forgotten some of the finer details, of which I did learn a lot about as when I was working in London I was involved with the building of a major Train station, so I got to meet a lot of people from Network Rail, London Underground, First Capital, DFT and others. They have issues in the UK and politics too within their organisations, but the customer always took precedence. It was a fascinating experience learning all of about the differences between overground and underground services, plus a lot of tie was spent on Station Information displays and wayfinding to ensure they were in the most appropriate location.

Back to IE Do the train station staff here not have radios and or internal phones, even if they don't get information from control, all it requires is one person in the station with access to the Twitter Feed at a minimum, and relay this information to the rest of the staff. Or some smart displays showing the twitter feed.

L1011 · 07-10-2014 9:43am

The worst UK TOC I've found for information / arse-covering is First Transpennine. They've a nasty habit of rearranging train times so that delays are just under the compensation/re-route levels and just point a terms and conditions that tells you to take a train, from memory, two hours earlier than you'd expect you'd need to.

I sincerely hope that Labour get back in with their promise for Directly Operated Railways (the current East Coast) to tender for *everything* and effectively re-nationalise the system.

devnull · 07-10-2014 9:48am

Thing is though the information systems that are provided at major stations in the UK are of a far higher quality in general (almost all by Infotec), compared to the Irish Rail ones.

With Irish rail it's not just the staffing and communications that are a problem, the systems need ripping out and replacing with much better ones as well.

It was very disappointing that when they installed new systems in Pearse, it was basically just white LED versions of the same thing with otherwise very minor changes to them, rather than going for something like the solutions in UK stations.

I hope the system is not re-tendered since East Coast staff simply remind me of the old BR staff who simply don't care, I've had nothing but bad experiences with them and the staff on the five occasions I've took them have had the attitude that I see in many public sector companies in both the UK and Ireland.

The problem Transpennine Express has is a lack of rolling stock caused by the government preventing them from ordering the number of carriages they need, so you should make your representation to them, that part of the network badly needs some investment and it's about time something was done about it and done on time, but the amount of political interference in the railways is ridiculous in the UK and is directly to blame for a large number of problems, especially overcrowding.

devnull · 10-10-2014 6:41am

Another (although smaller) breakdown in communications this morning.

devnull · 10-10-2014 7:16am

Although at least it was fixed within half an hour, but no announcements at stations, nothing on the LED displays (apart from saying DELAY next to each train) and nothing even on the website by way of an alert (unlike last time) but seems they did post on twitter.

My maiden DART voyage

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