its not an alternative route if standard tickets aren't valid via canada water.

****EDIT - southern just directed me to their site saying "Alternatively, tickets will be accepted on London Underground between London Bridge and Canada Water for a change to London Overground services." - doesnt solve the overcrowding issue but its something i guess****

yesterday the 1720 train wasn't too busy but sure as people become more aware of the cancelled trains it will be. also that was delayed arriving/leaving london bridge so obviously doesn't help much on the congestion front. very annoyed that our line is constantly targeted because we have the overground that we cant use, either due to ticketing or simply because of overcrowding. as suggested on the brockleycentral blog - time to start tweeting pics of the state of the overground too.

*sigh*

This post was last modified: 08-01-2015 12:28 PM by EDjules.

Having cut the service to half hourly Southern have cancelled this evening's 17.20 and 17.53 services - so there will be no trains at all from LB to FH for 90 minutes (at least) in rush hour.

Well, on Twitter the Jubilee Line account is warning me that Canada Water is likely to be busy so I should avoid it. And I'm getting emails from TFL warning me about London Bridge.

Erm... So I'm being told to avoid London Bridge because it'll be busy, and I'm being told to avoid Canada Water because it'll be busy.

By any standards, this is shambolic. And I can't believe none of the planners involved saw this coming. Where did they think everyone was going to go to?

(Where are these hoverboards we were promised in 2015?)



Another side effect of the overcrowding: last night the Overground train I was on took so long to disgorge all its passengers at FH (*everyone* gets off at FH) that a poor lady on the platform with buggy and small child couldn't get on in time, and missed the train.

I'm persisting with southern but despite the new timetable and numerous other cancelled services, the train is half an hour late. Nice empty train though.

The New Cross service has to be suspended in peak hour if this continues. It's that simple.


Just like over the Christmas period when they ran extra services and took away the new cross service.

In total amazement today, the 0823 train pulled into LBG at 0843. So it is possible.

Similar experience on the 08:42 - I got on against my better judgement having having decided to take the Overground until Southern started to improve - and it pulled in to London Bridge (almost) on time.

Brings to mind the quote "It's not the despair, I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand"

Same on the 09.01! Left Forest Hill around 30 seconds late, got into LB just a couple of minutes after it was due.

It is Friday though. 15-20% less passengers on a Friday


Wow I'm negative this week! .

This post was last modified: 09-01-2015 12:06 PM by Decker.

Here's something positive. Southern Trains now travel at the speed of light, too. (minor issue- in the wrong direction, but I'm sure they're working on that). Just got on a LB train at HOP, only to be told that "we are now approaching Whyteleafe South". Amazing. Looks a bit like Brockley, mind.

This post was last modified: 09-01-2015 04:01 PM by Tinkerbell.

Southern have confirmed that the cancellations of the LB to West Croydon evening peak services will continue until the 16th January.

So, last weekend I had my train season ticket 'altered' at London Bridge station so that I can now use it on certain underground routes (LB to Waterloo, Waterloo to CX, for instance).
The new regime kicks in today, and I was in Waterloo underground looking to get the Jubilee to LB. But the ticket didn't work. This hardly surprises me, but the attendant told me to go through and ask at London Bridge. An attendant there told me I would have to ask to be let through the tube barriers every journey.... 'Can you imagine everyone doing the same thing at rush hour?' I asked. 'Yes, we are prepared for that'.
Surely this is rubbish? Should I waste my time going back to LB ticket hall and seeing if they've not done my ticket properly, or is this how it's going to be for 18 months? What's everyone else been told?

I watched forty minutes of parliamentary debate about the one day of disruption at Finsbury Park when King's Cross was closed.

I think we need to ask our MP for assistance!

This post was last modified: 11-01-2015 02:15 PM by Sherwood.

The following is an extract from an email I have just received from Jim Dowd, MP:-

"Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding the current situation at London Bridge station and I share you concerns.

I am due to attend a meeting in Parliament on Thursday 22nd January, along with representatives from the train companies that operate out of London Bridge, officials from Network Rail and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport. This meeting will address the matter of disrupted services during the redevelopment of London Bridge station.

There is also a Transport Select Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday (14th January) and it is expected that this issue will be raised as part of their enquiry into the wider service disruptions over Christmas, unfortunately I am not a member but will speak to the Chair before then and will try to attend for at least part of the hearing............."

This post was last modified: 12-01-2015 01:38 PM by Sherwood.

Keep an eye out for this from Southern:
"A signalling problem at London Bridge is causing delays of up to 30 minutes to Southern and Thameslink services to and from the station. There is no firm estimate yet of how long disruption will last but it is likely to continue until at least 15:00."
If that problem carries on may be sensible to leave early if possible to attempt to get to overground etc.

My first experience of the recent chaos this morning as I only returned back from a Christmas getaway yesterday. The 8.51 from Forest Hill arrived at 8.53 and pulled into London Bridge at 9.16am. From the looks of this thread that should be considered very good - but it shows how bad things have got that getting to LB 25mins after the advertised departure time from FH is now deemed a success. I can't believe that it isn't quicker to get the overground and jubilee (TFL suggests that is a 22min trip including the change), but obviously that assumes that the overground and jubilee aren't overcrowded.

The fact that this misery is compounded by the annual fare rise makes my blood boil - I'm trying to think of another industry where a business which routinely fails to fulfil its obligations to customers (in terms of overcrowding, punctuality etc) is allowed to up its prices whilst simultaneously actually worsening its performance and service?! Southern should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves and I urge anyone who hasn't already to let them know that in no uncertain terms (which, since we can't vote with our feet means direct contact, social media and refunds where possible).

Actually, the getting into London Bridge is not too bad (though I get HOP station half an hour earlier than before so that I aim for 08:01 or a delayed 07:53). And have a fallback of a 8:30 from Crofton Park.

It is the getting back which is the real problem where Overground users are advised not to use Canada Water in the peak (4:30 to 7:30pm) and London Bridge completely "cream-crackered" with half the southern trains down HOP / F Hill currently taken out of service in th epeak.

How has it been in the mornings the last couple of days, on Southern or Overground?

Keep an eye out for this from Southern:
"A signalling problem at London Bridge is causing delays of up to 30 minutes to Southern and Thameslink services to and from the station. There is no firm estimate yet of how long disruption will last but it is likely to continue until at least 15:00."
If that problem carries on may be sensible to leave early if possible to attempt to get to overground etc.

Pretty sure that above applies to today also

their website is currently saying:

It is an interesting definition of 'normal'.