New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

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chalkie911
Posts:10
Joined:Sat 31 Mar, 2018 10:29 pm
Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by chalkie911 » Sun 29 Apr, 2018 10:13 pm

The time taken to commute will not have increased by 25% due to the introduction of new trains, that simply is not factually correct.

The method of payment, access to decent bacon butties, provision of newspapers and the chance to secure more seats than an individual actually requires are somewhat unrelated.

I don’t think it is reasonable to expect a table for four, for single use, ideally with a table. Whatever next, a sea view perhaps?

I think you have have proved my original point.

Glass half full. New trains, happy days, I for one look forward to their introduction.

Ps Crispy or undercooked......what is “decent”? Perhaps for another thread.

JohnSmith
Posts:132
Joined:Thu 12 Dec, 2013 2:04 pm

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by JohnSmith » Sun 29 Apr, 2018 11:49 pm

Here are the comparisons of the current and proposed timetables between 0600 and 0900 (I believe that these are trains on which peak fares are charged) from Hertford North to Moorgate:

Time .....Length_____Time .....Length
05:08 ….. 52 mins_____05:15 ….. 55 mins
05:39 ….. 53 mins_____05:33 ….. 53 mins
......................._____05:48 ….. 53 mins

06:08 ….. 52 mins_____06:00 ….. 51 mins
06:24 ….. 45 mins_____06:10 ….. 54 mins
06:29 ….. 55 mins_____06:20 ….. 49 mins
06:45 ….. 44 mins_____06:28 ….. 51 mins
06:57 ….. 55 mins_____06:32 ….. 52 mins
......................._____06:42 ….. 52 mins

07:13 ….. 44 mins_____07:02 ….. 52 mins
07:20 ….. 53 mins_____07:11 ….. 53 mins
07:28 ….. 49 mins_____07:15 ….. 54 mins
07:34 ….. 53 mins_____07:32 ….. 52 mins
07:46 ….. 46 mins_____07:44 ….. 55 mins
07:51 ….. 52 mins

08:05 ….. 53 mins_____08:02 ….. 52 mins
08:18 ….. 45 mins_____08:12 ….. 52 mins
08:31 ….. 48 mins_____08:32 ….. 52 mins
08:48 ….. 54 mins_____08:44 ….. 55 mins

There is actually a nett increase of one additional service in the new timetable, although I suspect that the loss of the service between 0700 and 0800 will cause more discomfort than the two additional services between 0500 and 0700 will alleviate.

What is noticeable is that the services on the new timetable all appear to be "non-fast". The reason for this appears to be to make the timetable more robust. But this is guaranteed to fall apart as soon as we have the first unit failure, driver not working his/her rest day, signalling failure, etc. Then it's just a case of hope for the best.

Personally, I think they are just doing this to improve their performance figures. The prime example being that the journey time from Essex Road to Moorgate is now timetabled as EIGHT minutes.

Mack E. Avelly
Posts:25
Joined:Fri 07 Feb, 2014 1:14 pm

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by Mack E. Avelly » Mon 30 Apr, 2018 9:31 pm

I didn't say it was due to the new trains. What I said was that 40 years on, with the technology improvements that are now available in terms of trains and signalling, how come the best journey time is 25% slower than before?

When I travel to work I'd very often like the fastest way in. There may be other times when I'm very glad there is an extra train In the schedule if bowling up at random. I often just missed the 08:40 (or thereabouts) and was not impressed that the next one was 09:17, given the frequency just before.

Being able to use my debit card to pay at the turnstiles, which then flows seamlessly through the tubes and buses really does knock the trash that GoNowhere offer for six. It never even crossed my mind to add their stupid card to the plethora I already had and they were being badgered for ages by TFL/Mayor to sign up for Oyster (which implies debit cards).

Tables etc fine, each to their own. Bacon cooked any way you like, it's a proper café and you simply ask. Toilet versus no toilet... no contest after a good night out. I've been in agony on the HFN trip at times. Thankfully there are toilets at HFN.

You also get First for free, plenty of available seats as HFE is the terminus. I avoid that as the entitled ones tend to fill it up.

From another commuter.


Post by highwood38 » Thu 12 Apr, 2018 2:35 pm

I don't understand how they've binned all the fast trains that were in the last stage of the consultation. All they talk about now is frequency but they don't mention that what was three years ago a 42 minute journey (or 45/46 minutes now) is now 52 minutes...

JohnSmith
Posts:132
Joined:Thu 12 Dec, 2013 2:04 pm

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by JohnSmith » Wed 02 May, 2018 7:23 am

Of course, a "more robust" timetable and shiny new trains will have no effect on days like yesterday when the overhead lines came down (not GN's fault) and you are told to make your own way home. And then this morning you get to Hertford North and no one has a clue what is happening as the information boards haven't been working all week.

highwood38
Posts:52
Joined:Mon 20 Oct, 2014 5:14 pm

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by highwood38 » Thu 03 May, 2018 8:36 am

I think the more robust timetable is separate from the "non fast" issue. I think the addition of a minute here, a minute there to make the timetable more robust makes sense in theory but they've already been doing that for the past few years and I think most of the delays on the line seem to be caused by shortage of drivers or signalling or power problems rather than an over ambitious timetable. I had hoped the new trains might have more doors as people getting on and off packed trains at finsbury Park and Highbury causes problems but maybe the new 2x2 seating will improve that a bit.

The non fast issue just seems to be a decision for all the HFN trains to stop at every station such as Bayford, crews Hill, Grange Park. I presume this is to increase the frequency of services for people living further in but if that is the reason they should have consulted on that basis (which they didn't) and in any event given more trains start at Gordon Hill anyway it seems keeping one fast train every half hour for Hertford north and Cuffley services isn't unreasonable.

highwood38
Posts:52
Joined:Mon 20 Oct, 2014 5:14 pm

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by highwood38 » Thu 03 May, 2018 6:18 pm

And speaking of the new trains, here they are apparently:

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/trac ... eiled.html

Just to be clear, I'm not a subscriber but it seems Google knows how interested I am in great Northern...

beebopb
Posts:38
Joined:Thu 23 Apr, 2015 6:19 pm

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by beebopb » Fri 04 May, 2018 1:27 pm

So are we to expect that there will be no more failed trains at Drayton Park after these are introduced? Solving that problem should've been at the very top of the train operators requirements for the manufacturer.

newcomer
Posts:118
Joined:Mon 02 Dec, 2013 11:00 am

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by newcomer » Tue 08 May, 2018 11:16 am

highwood38 wrote:And speaking of the new trains, here they are apparently:

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/trac ... eiled.html
"Total capacity is 943 passenger per unit, with 362 seats". That's a lot of standing!

Is it only me who sees some kind of contradiction between:

"power points and wi-fi" and "there are no seat-back tables"?

TcfL
Posts:118
Joined:Mon 16 Oct, 2017 7:57 am

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by TcfL » Wed 09 May, 2018 8:28 am

Mark Prisk has posted a response he has received: https://www.facebook.com/Prisk.Mark/pos ... 5490222331

JohnSmith
Posts:132
Joined:Thu 12 Dec, 2013 2:04 pm

Re: New timetable from Hertford North - May 2018

Post by JohnSmith » Wed 09 May, 2018 6:11 pm

My word, his maths is worse than Diane Abbott's.

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