Dear all, would really appreciate some assistance with this.

I (like no doubt a lot of you) was very late into work on Wednesday following the cancellation of all train services from around 8.30am onwards. An announcement at around 8.50am advised that there were no services until 9.30am. Like many others I sought an alternative route and was eventually and thankfully given a lift into London by a friend. I eventually got to my north London office at around 11am. Unfortunately this meant I had to cancel a very important meeting and it has not gone down too well with the bosses to say the least.

My question is that given the ensuing fuss made by other colleagues I have been asked to provide ' evidence' of what happened to cause my late arrival .They seem to think that I should be able to provide a detailed techincal explanation for the problems of Southern Rail and probably also assume personal responsibility for resolving them.

I have searched the internet but cannot locate anything. Therefore short of asking you all to swear affadavits at my expense, if anyone has any suggestions as to where I can find the 'supporting evidence' for the rail problem it would be appreciated.

Thanks!

A letter to the train company should elicit an apology confirming the problems that morning and the reason for them. It will probably be a stock reply to all letters regarding the morning in question but at least you'll have something.

Southern should answer this yes. I can sympathise - I've been reporting to a new boss who sits directly behind me for the past month and have been late twice now because of the trains. Luckily he's quite understanding but it makes me feel lazy/inept and my confidence in going for the train each morning is constantly put to the test, so each morning becomes stressful with anticipation. The world's currently stressful enough as it is without disruptions to our basic need for efficient services to and from work.
I'd just like to point that out, seeing as it's something the train companies won't give two hoots about.

Roz,

Can't quite help with your current problem though I sympathise entirely. For any future issues - on the day itself - you might find this page on the National Rail website useful:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_di...eared.html

As an aside, South Eastern trains have recently started this:
http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/mai...age_id=429

Given that Southern and South Eastern are both owned by Govia, it's a pity that Southern don't seem to have an equivalent on their site.

The London Assembly Transport Committee have announced a public consultation on overcrowding on overground rail services.

See http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_rele...seid=18837 and http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/scruti...owding.jsp for more details.

They say:

Please send your overcrowding experiences to overcrowding@london.gov.uk or write to them at:

The SouthEastern link from ambient's post indicates signal problems at New Cross Gate on Wednesday morning - that would have affected Southern services too - maybe that would keep your employer satisfied.

As an aside, it sounds like they are really understanding people to work for.

If the above aren't enough, try an email to comments@southernrailway.com - I know some people have had problems getting info this way, but generally it's worked for me.

Your employer does seem particularly ignorant - but one thing which has worked for me (albeit only travelling as far as the City) is to jump on a bus outside the station. I still got to work late, but only about 45 mins or so after I would have done on the train.

I think the announcements were not helping. I waited at the station until about 20 past 9 and a train turned up a couple of minutes late and everything was fine. I think the easiest thing to do in such an instance is to jump on a bus to Catford and get the train from there.

Or P4 or 122 to Lewisham and then train to LB or DLR.

There was a notice on the Southern web site that day detailing the problems. I am not sure if it is still up. But an email to Southern may work.

I decided to go home that morning (I have a VPN'd laptop and can work from home) and leave later. I ended up getting to my office in the City at 11:45 when the trains started running again.

I sorry you don't have empoyers who trust their staff enough to belive them when the trains let us down, Roz. Good Luck.

I was told it was due to a broken down train at Anerley, after asking the ticket gate man (couldnt hear the ridiculously quiet announcement on the platform). But within a few minutes the 0922 arrived. I admit that I assumed this was a train infront of the Anerley disaster!

I have no idea if the problem persisted.

Roz are you an emergency child brain surgeon? My goodness I feel for you, your work colleagues must have a particularly high opinion of themselves saving babies lives. I gave up on the 8.11 cattle track into Dodge and have gone back to cycling into work. Takes an hour either way and most reassuringly, always takes an hour. Good luck with your evidence!
http://www.se23.com/forum/images/smilies/cursing.gif

Roz, or jump on a bus down to Catford (not Catford Bridge, the other one) which goes up to Blackfriars where you can get trains up through to King's Cross St Pancras (dont' know the next stops but a North London direction anyway). Might be a solution.

the same train Dotcom mentions goes through Crofton Park station as well, which is a 10 min (ish) walk from Honor Oak Park station and as well as going into blackfriars - it also stops at Elephant & Castle so you can get on the Northern or Bakerloo line there.

I checked the National Rail Enquiries website on wednesday morning and it referred to a broken down train at Sydenham that was due to be cleared by 10.30
Of course there is no history of the delay available now, but maybe there should be for demanding employers!

Perhaps they could stop some of the express trains passing through to let local passengers get on when this happens.

The 09.22 is one of the half-hourly trains that comes from Victoria via Crystal Palace, so it got through because it only joined our line at Sydenham, after the broken-down train at Anerley. It's useful to live in a place like Forest Hill where train lines converge! If one line further back up the tracks is down, another may still be working!

Express trains - unfortuantely the points on the track do not allow this on much of the network.

Alas, poor middle platform, how we need you now...

Yes unfortunately if a train breaks down in Sydenham on slow line nothing can be done to stop other trains.
I to remember the good old middle platform. How short sighted it was to close it , they could have stopped Capitol Connect Trains there.

I saw a poster at London bridge today advertising a 'meet the managers' session on thursday on the main concurse. I shall be sure to drop in - the trains between 8.11 and 8.35 have not managed to run on time for the last week and a half and frankly i'm fed up and chomping at the bit to release my frustrations!