Discussion
My trust in our train system is such that, if I have a London trip, the very first thing I do in the morning is see whether the trains are running (on time, or at all).
Not that that can't change at any point before my train. Or while I am on it.
But, fingers crossed...
22 minutes late.
The projected journey time was 40 minutes, so on that basis, we were delayed by (just) over 50% of the total journey time.
Not a big deal, but this is in part why I plan :)
Oops, I stopped counting too soon.
Driver has just said "nearly half an hour behind schedule".
@neil I hope your buffer time is large enough. In German it's called Pufferzeit :)
Driver has mentioned Delay Repay... Interesting.
@neil In my recent experience, all announcements of significant delay include a reference to Delay Repay. It's refreshing.
And the process of claiming has (in general) become much easier. Some companies even proactively email with a button/link to make the claim.
@neil GWR are always on top of that and announce it. I've never claimed because work's paid for the ticket anyway and it'd be hassle to pay it back to the company. Also I don't believe the rail companies should get punished for things out of their control (as delays often are). that's not going to result in better service!
Some people say it's compensation not a refund, but then technically you should pay tax on it. I feel there should just be a way to have it go straight to charity.
@neil delay repay shouldn’t take so long either; my last claim was 3rd September, it’s still pending, then it’s up to another 2 weeks from when it’s approved before getting the money. I travel twice a week and the previous one was July, so it’s not as often as it feels like.
@neil there was a really nice guard on a LNWR train to Euston once who offered to show passengers how to complete the delay repay form.
@neil my brother bought a digital display that looks exactly like the ones in train stations and has configured it to show a live display of the trains into London so that if it's running 15 minutes late as it frequently does he can just look at the board in the corner of his kitchen and see he has time to finish coffee at a leisurely pace
"Sorry for the delay in this service. We are following a slow-running stopping service. Hopefully we will be able to overtake it and get up to full running speed."
There we go :)
But fortunately I have planned for delays!
I went to Sheffield last week on the train. The fast path takes three trains, the slower one two. The first train is the same for both, so I had a choice of whether to get off at the first stop. The second train was showing on time and the first was so late that I had a minute to make it across the rail bridge.
I ran, only to discover that the second train was also late. But not by as much, so it caught up a bit. The third train was also late leaving (and arriving) so it all worked out, I arrived a couple of minutes late.
On the way back, the first train was on time, the second was a minute late leaving but arrived on time. The third was on time leaving but arrived about a quarter of an hour late.
I generally find the trains near London fairly reliable, it’s the further you get from London that gets worse.
@neil 🤔 Far be for it for me to tell you how to feel... I was just a bit surprised: I've never had this concern?
Trains by and large run to time and reliably. I never check in the morning. Photo from today.
I noted that the on time performance at Reading is worse than your station, but it is significantly bigger and with a diverse range of services: https://www.ontimetrains.co.uk/stations/RDG
I am on the platform, and the train is showing as delayed by 3 minutes, which is ~7% of the total journey time.
That will not inconvenience me, but then I have left enough time for at least one cancellation.
Were I at Reading (or could get to Reading, but that is a bit too far for a morning commute cycle for me!), I'd probably be able to get either the Elizabeth Line, or the slow line to Waterloo, as alternatives.
@neil @hugh I've only taken the Waterloo line a couple of times. It triples the journey time, so it's very rarely worth it.
One time I did do it was when I turned up at Paddington in the evening, took one look at the crowds on the concourse, and just walked straight down to the tube to get to Waterloo. (Which was just as crowded, but actually running).
@neil Bracing cycle down the canal!
Point taken; this is the advantage of living in Reading (and it's 'not Slough').
GWR/Elizabeth Line both go the same way, so tend to be similarly broken.
Via Waterloo (or even Oxford) is an option, yes!
I feel I tempted fate today, now being ~20 minutes late: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G15040/2026-09-16
@neil Wise. GWR has been an absolute shit show thanks to fire/cable damage and a seemingly endless list of other problems in the last couple of weeks.
That said, they got me into London on time yesterday and only slightly delayed on the way home.
I do note that you have significantly fewer train options for your line/local station so I wish you luck!
@neil checking in the morning: it's fine; checking before I leave the house: it's fine; checking as I buy my ticket: it's fine.
I walk through the ticket barrier...
🔊 Bing-bong "we regret to inform you that the 7:27 has been cancelled due to reasons. Your next train to destination is [clicking noises]. Greater Anglia wishes you a safe onward journey."
@neil When I used to live in Brighton I would go to the station and just hope for the best as the timetable didn't have much relation with the departure of trains going to London.
Has the 'wrong type of leaves on the tracks' season started yet?
@neil yep, heading into London today and it's the first thing I've done, checking London underground status... All good, bar what isn't, but that doesn't affect me. My tube line is fine! ...at the moment..
@cryptomoose Good luck!
I am to avoid the tube today, and to get some cycling in :)
@neil Arguably the trains have a known level of reliability.
Which is why you know to check the current status.
Wishing you smooth travels!
Yes, and a lot of the time, it is fine!
But that doesn't mean that it will be fine *today*, annoyingly.
This - and the price of trains here - is such a shame, as I much prefer taking the train.
@neil Yeah, same here. I’m currently running about half an hour late on my commute, due to a broken point machine.
Thanks to the Deutschlandticket, at least the price is ok. But it’s not fun.
To be fair, my car-driving colleagues also experience delays. Their 40 minute drive can easily turn into a 90 minute one.
@slothrop Yes, absolutely.
I don't enjoy driving at all, and I avoid it when I reasonably can. But I do feel that, for the most part, when I am driving, I have alternatives, and have more scope for avoiding closures etc. With the train, not so much.
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@neil I do the same thing in Melbourne. In fact I have a tablet running a Home Assistant dashboard by my front door as I come down the stairs that tells me when the next bus is scheduled, its actual ETA, and the status of the connecting train lines so I can tell whether it's even worth looking for my shoes (often, it's not)