South Hampshire Rail Users (SHRUG)

[whole diary]

[inspector_blakey]

Good news for fans of microfiche-style web pages, raNDoM capITALIZation and bile, edition 129 covering Sep - Dec 2010 is online at http://www.shrug.info/.

[grahame]

Good news for fans of microfiche-style web pages, raNDoM capITALIZation and bile, edition 129 covering Sep - Dec 2010 is online at http://www.shrug.info/.

Actually, although that approach probably isn't the one I would choose myself / within my area, nor to sponsor, it may just be that it's effective for indirect lobbying - helping to get MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s blood boiling for their constituents in the London suburbs, for example - elsewhere.

As part of a private presentation I was giving, I took some text from the daily reports on a similar page to the one you're linked to, and wrapped them around a spinning globe.  A good way to bring home to the audience a couple of points I was making;   I can't copy the globe here, I'm afraid, as it would no longer be private and I would have to seek copyright clearance from the author who may not be thrilled with that use of his/her feed in public.

[thefab442]

The approach taken by the SHRUG may have a positive effect on local MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament), but it has certainly alienated SWT^▸ (South West Trains) management! Which isn't a particularly clever thing to do if you are actually trying to improve local rail services rather than just have a good old rant. It is also rather suspicious that SHRUG never mentions the poor performance of Southern services to and from Southampton, with regular cancellations and missed stops. Likewise, CrossCountry are to be praised where Virgin Trains were to be hated as they were 49% owned by Stagecoach.

As part of a private presentation I was giving, I took some text from the daily reports on a similar page to the one you're linked to, and wrapped them around a spinning globe.  A good way to bring home to the audience a couple of points I was making;   I can't copy the globe here, I'm afraid, as it would no longer be private and I would have to seek copyright clearance from the author who may not be thrilled with that use of his/her feed in public.

I may be missing something, but isn't the graphic of which you speak shown on the previous page of this thread?

[grahame]

I may be missing something, but isn't the graphic of which you speak shown on the previous page of this thread?

Oh ... err ... looks like I was the one who missed something.  Yes, that *is* the graphic.

When I first got involved in working for a more appropriate train service, our fundamental need was to raise the profile of our line / case and to ensure that people knew that we'd come out of the new franchise agreement with a truly dreadful result. And at that stage, a strong approach was needed; as a naturally "work with" type I found that distinctly hard, and we also made sure that it was well informed and fair too - but never the less it was strong and almost adversarial at times.

But times move on and indeed you'll see us working in partnership now - and that has to be very much the strategy and be so all along, even if the tactics have occasionally had to differ.    I'm not privvy to SHRUG's shorter and longer term approach, but there are these phases where strength helps.  And a lack of strength can mean that the campaigning party is simply fillibustered through annual changes ...

[IndustryInsider]

Hogrider 131 now out:  http://www.shrug.info/

[Btline]

Just read their "history of SWT^▸ (South West Trains)" - surprised they havn't been sued. It had me in stithces!

I like one of their sources - private eye!

[eightf48544]

I must admit looking at part 3 SWT^▸ (South West Trains) don't seem to run a very good service there doesn't seem to be a day without at least 4 incidents which is probably low considering the number of trains SWT run, but there are other days when the I can't be bothered to count the number of trains involed, so as Grahame says the the whole list loses it impact.

I've posted before I would like to see a summary table of Total No. trains late, Total No. cancelled, Total number stopped short, Total No. missing stops, Total No. Short Formed. Each with a percentage  figure based on the number of trains SWT should have run over the period. I am sure that would give a better picture.

i could be done daily, weekly, monthly, 3 monthly and yearly.
The list could still be published so that one could go to specific dates to see what happened. The trouble is that it might prove that SWT don't in overall terms run a bad service.

Travelled with SWT on a 4 for 2 from Axeminster to Exeter Central, change for Exemouth, the other month both trains on time and plenty of seats.
I shall be traveling by them again on Sunday 14th from Teddington probably to Datchet so will see. Reminds is there any engineering work that weekend on the Windsor lines. if so have to use my bus pass to get to Hounslow and 81 to Slough.

[paul7575]

I must admit looking at part 3 SWT^▸ (South West Trains) don't seem to run a very good service there doesn't seem to be a day without at least 4 incidents which is probably low considering the number of trains SWT run, but there are other days when the I can't be bothered to count the number of trains involed, so as Grahame says the the whole list loses it impact.

The monthly tables NR^» (Network Rail - home page) publish almost always show SWT as one of the best, statistically. AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) all their services are reported on under the 5 min delay measure, because they are a London and SE TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company), so '10 min late = on time' doesn't apply, like it does with an intercity TOC. 

The SHRUG contribution to the 'Hampshire section' in the recent London and SE consultation (available online on NR website) is a fairly reasonable set of proposals, but at the same time some of it is just the normal rant about timekeeping, and the 'better timetable' that ran prior to 2004.  I think they are a stuck record, and I also suspect they have no credibility with the decision makers - I don't think they are representative of anyone but a few individuals.

I'm pretty sure SWT don't give them house room anymore...

Paul

[Btline]

How do they get all those details? do members send it all in?

If it's true, it's a shame that passengers are DUMPED at Southampton when all stops to bournemouth are AXED.

Who's got the time to collect, post and then read all that vitriol? Go home and rethink your life! (i.e. And get local job, not in London)

We all need the occasional rant, but that's excessive!

[grahame]

I'm afraid that HogRider reminds me of just how much I want to be involved in very different and very much more positive approach.  That much more positive approach is showing some dividends at the moment too ...

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=9113.msg95872#msg95872

[Worcester_Passenger]

I have to say that whenever I've travelled with SWT^▸ (South West Trains) over the last couple of years it's always been on time.

And their trains seem to be a lot cleaner than many that I travel on.

[devon_metro]

How do they get all those details? do members send it all in?

If it's true, it's a shame that passengers are DUMPED at Southampton when all stops to bournemouth are AXED.

Who's got the time to collect, post and then read all that vitriol? Go home and rethink your life! (i.e. And get local job, not in London)

We all need the occasional rant, but that's excessive!

Isn't 'AXED' one of your favourite phrases?

[Btline]

I do like the word axed. It's so veristile when reporting the news: "axe falls on vital link" or "trees AXED for new homes", "Love Never Dies AXED after poor reviews".... etc.

I've never seen it used so many times in one place!

I have to say that it does have me in stiches: 1715 runs 26 MINUTES LATE, all stops between Soton and Bournmouth AXED, tired passengers DUMPED at Soton. The images it conjures up...

(Now if only Cotswold line went like this: 1751 runs 26 mins late, all stops between Oxford and Worcester axed... )

[thefab442]

The other thing SHRUG never does is highlight the abominable performance of Southern services to Southampton, yet constantly plugs them as the "good value" option from Southampton or Portsmouth to London by comparing their fastest time with the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) stopping services! Yes, Southern are cheaper but you pay for this in terms of service reliability, quality of rolling stock and journey times. Things have improved considerably on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Wessex, but there's still plenty of room for improvement on punctuality, again this is not mentioned by SHRUG.

SHRUG also loves to suggest that only SWT cut stops for "OPERATIONAL CONVENIENCE", when in reality Southern and the other SE area TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) do this just as frequently but again this is glossed over so as to present Southern as the saintly company. Likewise, according to SHRUG, SWT's staff are all lazy jobsworths who will hand out penalty fares at the slightest opportunity, whereas all of FGW and Southern's staff are laidback and friendly.

It's no wonder SWT management stopped taking SHRUG seriously years ago.

[IndustryInsider]

It's no wonder SWT^▸ (South West Trains) management stopped taking SHRUG seriously years ago.

And Barry Doe, who has a side-swipe at them in the latest RAIL magazine for them accusing him of being a Stagecoach lobbyist.