I could not believe one of my fellow passengers today. Got on 9.18 at Norwood Junction proceeded to put feet on seat right next to passenger opposite and lean on one next to them. On hearing her speak on the phone would appear she had been out all night despite the fact she apparently has young children.
Then it came to light she had not got a ticket and was going on to South Croydon , which she said had no security.
I despair . The poor rail companies have to put up with such trash. No wonder they want barriers in all stations.
A poor lady reading the bible moved down the train. I think most people would have liked to do the same but fairly crowded.

At the weekend I had to travel to South West London for a change. This meant going to Waterloo and getting on a train operated by South West Trains.

The carriages appeared to be of a very similar design to our own beloved Southern Trains ones from the outside, but inside they'd obviously been thought out with the real world in mind - lower profile seats to give more leg room; decent-sized aisles, fewer bulkheads meaning people would be less likely to loiter by the door; and (most importantly) a load of floor-to-ceiling handles - something which would make the journey a lot more pleasant and a lot more safe for those of us who frequently stand for most of the way to and from London Bridge.

Do any of our regular rail correspondents have any idea why something similar (which also appears on some SouthEastern trains) can't be done by Southern?

Interesting comments davidl, and I have to say that I am going to make the comments that follow having travelled only twice on SWT since privatisation.

I would say that different TOCs have different priorities when it comes to kitting out their trains. Decent-sized aisles, for example - to have more space up the centre of a train for people to stand in means fewer or smaller seats for people to sit on. One TOC might see this as an advantage, in that more people can fit on their trains, whilst another might see it as acknowledging that it is okay for people to be herded onto trains like cattle, and go for more seats.

More floor-to-ceiling handles might be handy for commuters to cling to on overcrowded peak trains, but can be more difficult for mums with pushchairs or disabled in wheelchairs to negotiate around, and, people could trip over or bash into them.

Its very much a case of one man's meat is another man's poison, in my view.

I did not believe it possible
You can buy a Super Off Peak Saver Return which is very cheap.
For example
Forest Hill to Moor St , Birmingham return GBP 20.00.

There are time restrictions but still good option.
People seem to think trains expensive but not all the time.

What's happening to the trains this week? They seem to have doubled in passenger volume! I can't get a seat on the 8.45 from HOP any more, which is really irritating, as it's the last one I can get before becoming late for work. Surely it's not just everyone returning to work after summer hols? Are more people getting on further down the line for some reason? Has timetable changed yet?
Very unhappy!

I got the 21:15 train from London Bridge after work yesterday. I've don't usually get a train at that time but I was sure expecting to get a seat - how wrong can you be? Sardines!

Not just trains - the South Circ and Lordship Lane have been hell the last couple of days as well - a journey that took about 40 minutes in the Summer has been taking up to an hour and a half, and that's not including the half hour waiting in the p***ing rain in Brixton for a P4 that usually runs every 10-15 mins, and then being turfed out at the Horniman and having to hike up the hill.

Sorry, had to vent my spleen, I'll go and lie down now....

Re turfed off your bus at the Horniman -

Security alert closed Forest Hill station and a poprtion of the South Circ. Someone managed to leave a suspect package outside Smiths.

I was going to be sarcastic and post up on how easy my motorcycle journey into the City is every day but that wouldnt be fair. Seriously folks, two wheels rock (powered or unpowered).

a) bomb scare was around lunchtime and all clear by 2:30 - this was 6:30 in the evening.
b) bus goes up the hill, left at the petrol station, not through FH itself.

So, I don't think that's a valid excuse!

Traffic and train loads both appear to have got heavier in recent days although I was assuming it was a combination of poor weather and back to school.

The back to school doesn't entirely explain the slowness of the South Circular and the stretch up to London Road. I wondered if perhaps there's been some traffic phasing changes that aren't working out?

So far as trains go, any one know if any new housing developments have completed lately leading to an influx of new passengers? I know the new flats on the old TA site made a huge difference to the numbers getting on at that bus stop.

There have been anumber of traffic lights that have had their sequencing changed in the last few weeks, maybe that has added to the traffic woes.

For every year I can remember living in London, September always seems to be a particularly and noticeably bad month for getting around, whether it's bus, train or tube, and I?ve often pondered why (briefly!).

According to the stats that I recall from around time of the Olympic bid, the summer holidays account for a 15% dip in rush hour commuters. So as soon as September dawns there is presumably a 15% increase all in one go.

It could be that we all inaccurately perceive things to be suddenly busier by 20%-25% as soon as September hits. But I think there is something more going on than just a one off "shock to the system" that you get used to again after a few weeks.

I think that part of the reason is that this time of the year sees lots of people starting new travel patterns that they haven't done regularly before, whether that?s school kids starting a new school, students starting a college or university or parents taking their kids to school (perhaps just for the first few weeks). It may be that there is a bedding-in period and that after a few weeks people find that they can travel at slightly different times or on slightly different routes. Then things smooth out settle down again.

Any other theories?

I've got a theory......

It's about the straying of threads about train travel into the realms of traffic congestion

Those of you who really want to indulge in 'is it me or have they replaced our steam trains with electrics' will no doubt enjoy the getting on together on transport in London website:

http://www.togetherforlondon.org/discussions.php

It even dares to have a go about cyclists as well as our beloved trains. It talks about trains in deep tunnels as well - how futuristic, I don't think it will ever happen.

There have been quite a few postings on the Crystal Palace High Level line in the past, some of course prompted by .... One avid local train line spotter even posted the timetable. It went as I am sure the previous attachments may say well before Beeching, but now I think it would have made a wonderful alternative to our London Bridge line. And we would have had our own Honor Oak Station. It would be just what we need to regenerate the Moor Park area.

Coming from Sydenham (well for at least a few years) there was the Lawrie Park painting of St Barts. As for walks our posh neighbours have one that may assist in doing similar - http://dulwichonview.org.uk/2008/12/05/a...ce-part-2/