The key player in all of this is the DfT, so that is where you must direct your resources. Obviously the DfT will deny any involvement but if you bow to that then you will end up going round in circles through the TOCs, TfL, Network Rail, ORR etc.

So far as I can tell the local Labour MPs have done all they can to resolve this. However, with the centralised nature of the DfT it is going to be difficult to get them to change their mind before the next round of franchising (in the year 2016). The problem is that it is normally expensive to get a TOC to make changes between franchise renewals.

Interestingly this is totally different with LOROL, the operators of London Overground. There they have a concession, where TfL take the revenue risk, and 'open book accounting', which is where the costs to make any change are totally transparent and all that happens is that LOROL adds on the previously agreed profit margin. I should mention that LOROL have a series of Key Performance Indicators, with fines and bonuses, on everything including state of station, working departure screen, presence of staff, etc.

TfL London Rail wanted to implement the London Overground type concession across the whole of Greater London but the DfT (and presumably their (Labour) ministers would not agree to that. The best that TfL London Rail were able to achieve were a number of station and service performance standards to be included in the franchise specification.

Obviously Forest Hill and Sydenham stations have already been transferred to LOROL and now comes under the KPI regime so far as the stations are concerned.

Peter Staveley

If you have a particularly tedious/stressful journey to work please can you let me know. I have a national television program interested in following your stress levels for a day.

If you would be interested in taking part in this television program please let me know by email: michael@foresthillsociety.com

Michael, are you inviting everyone to bombard your inbox? It would be easier to ask when we dont have a particular tedious journey! Frankly I'm sick of standing sandwiched between someone's fag ash and coffee breath and another's sweating armpit every morning.

Never mind the stress levels in getting TO work but getting home is now proving stressful as well. I've been coming home around 9-10pm and the trains have been as packed as a rush hour train. I just don't see how on earth it's going to work when they cut the off peaks.

I think this has already been suggested, but hanging off the side of the train (as they do in India) is always a possibility.

No emails recieved yet. Gingernut? Showtunesgirl? Anybody?

Nope, no email from Joan Ruddock which is foolhardy in an election year!

I am afraid that as someone who normally gets the 9:14am and then the 4:35pm I wont qualify. A stressful time for me a a train was when I forgot which page I was on in my book.

Sorry Michael, after REALLY suffering on Northern Trains between Darlington and Middlesbrough the FH to LB service is marvellous. I think it'll take me a few more months to grow to loathe it.

My most stressful experiences though have been on the Jubilee Line following gigs at the o2 - that truly is horrific, with everyone in panic mode pushing to get into North Greenwich station.

Is this limited to trains, or can P4 users play too?

Rymerster - Muse fans plainly more civilised - no trouble at all!

Hope this is the correct thread - got talking to one of the Overground drivers at New Cross Gate today as he had one of the new trains parked up there. Apparently everything is going well to schedule and they might be running the service towards the end of April, rather than May as previously announced.

They will be running in the central section (New Cross Gate to Dalston) from April but we will have to wait a little longer for the changes to the Southern timetable - 23rd May.

I mentioned to the guy that I was from Forest Hill though (and was looking forward to using the service from there) and it seemed he was telling me that it would be starting earlier. Oh well, I guess he could be unaware that it's not the whole line.

I know they are planning to run tests late at night when the lines are less busy. I don't think they will stop for passengers during this phase, but it is always possible.

I had a meeting today with TfL and LOROL they confirmed the following:

- The old East London Line stations are in the process, today and next week, of being handed over from the contractor to LOROL.

- As you know trial operations have already started between Dalston Junction and New Cross/New Cross Gate.

- It is still expected that public trial operations (between Dalston Junction and New Cross/New Cross Gate) will start mid-April.

- Trains are now running south of New Cross Gate for training purposes. However, there is not expected to be any public services (south of New Cross Gate) until 23rd May, i.e. the new timetable.

Peter Staveley

The National Rail Enquiries website now has the timetable post ELL online.

Nothing new that we haven't discussed, it confirms what we know already about off-peak services, 2x to Caterham via East Croydon at x19 and x49 (take away 2 mins for HOP) and Victoria via Crystal Palace at x05 and x35 past each hour with Sutton services scrapped.

Northbound services to LB (off-peak) are 15, 27, 45 and 57 past each hour.

Good news though with morning peak services, at least 6ph with services starting from Norwood Junction, Crystal Palace, Streatham Hill or Victoria and not from the further away towns of Guildford, Dorking or Epsom which increases the chance of getting a seat. The ELL should help that situation too.

The ELL timetable is not up yet.

It is also good that the departure times for the evening services from London Bridge to Forest Hill have been retimed from May to 05, 19, 35, 49 minutes past the hour. In other words, an evenly spaced service. The current service of 15, 24, 45,54 minutes past the hour might as well be half hourly.

I will be interested to see how the travel options in the other direction develop.

Weekday evening services to LB from FH are 15, 27, 45 and 57 from May 24th.

Incidentally, Caterham services will stop at Penge West and Anerley during the day, this replaces the Sutton service which calls at these stations currently. This will add 4 mins on a journey to East Croydon.

Evening peak services from LB will either go to Victoria or West Croydon. No more Guildford, Epsom, Dorking etc, which increases the chance of a seat on the train.

I am a member of the Train Disruption Panel and have just received this:

"Dear Passenger,

Southern and Gatwick Express disruption reports

I'd like to thank all of the passengers from the panel who have taken the time and trouble to complete reports and share experiences of disruption, the positive and negative aspects of the service that was experienced and suggestions about how the disruption could have been better handled.

Clear messages

I've been reading the reports with interest and note that there are some consistent themes and very clear messages coming out from the reports. It is obvious that passengers want the train operator to:

* acknowledge that there is a delay occurring
* apologise for the inconvenience to passengers
* explain what the reason for the delay is (or at least state if this is unknown at the time)
* provide passengers with information about how long the delay is anticipated to be and what options and alternatives might be available (for example, leave the train and use the underground service).

Working with Southern to drive improvements

Earlier this month I met with Southern's passenger services manager (PSM) and together we went through a large batch of the reports. We had a detailed discussion of the points that passengers have fed back and she has agreed to consider how some of these issues can be addressed.

The PSM is now receiving direct on a weekly basis each and every report we receive from passengers. She has agreed to pass on specific information to relevant members of other teams to ensure the messages are spread widely and the passenger perspective is understood by all involved in delivering the train service.

On a monthly basis I will use the panel reports to provide Southern with a summary highlighting the key issues and the positive and negative experiences passengers have had. This report will also identify the suggestions from passengers about what would improve their experience when journeys are delayed. This latter point is very important and I'd encourage panel members to make as many suggestions for improvements as they can think of.

I've made a number of specific comments in relation to the feedback we have received. Firstly, I've suggested that even when a delay is under five minutes (technically still 'on-time' in the industry's approach to time-keeping!) an announcement and apology should still be given. Another suggestion is for Southern to announce the 'Delay- Repay' scheme when any journey is delayed by over 30 minutes, as this is when the trigger for automatic entitlement to refunds begins. I've also asked that, in these circumstances, Southern make the forms easily available at stations and, ideally, on trains, although it is also possible to apply for refunds online.

Over the coming months I will be paying close attention to Southern's performance and how it deals with disruption, particularly in terms of the communication with, and information provided to, passengers. I'll be meeting regularly with the PSM but will also have this as a standing item on the agenda for my quarterly meetings with the managing director and franchise improvement director.

Your input

In the meantime, please keep completing and sending in the disruption reports, giving as many clear ideas for improvement as possible. I also encourage everyone to claim for refunds if and when a 30 minute delay is experienced.

I shall provide a further update in a few months and hope that there will be some positive actions and improvements within Southern to report.

Best wishes

Sharon Hedges

Passenger Manager

Please note that disruption reports shared with Train Operating Companies do not identify individual panel members or include any personal details of any panellists registered."

This shows that submitting the reports does have an impact. If you are not a member yet join here:
https://iaf.ipsos.ca/iaf/passenger/passe...ption.html

Well it sounds positive, at least!

I joined last night and will be making use of it as, more often than not, my train is delayed by over 5 minutes.