Discover Hertford Online Forum

I asked Govia if what information systems for customers they will have when they take over the GN route next week. Here is their reply

As soon as we’re up and running on Sunday 14 September, our new Great Northern and Thameslink customer website will go “live”. You’ll be able to access it at either greatnorthernrail.com or thameslinkrailway.com

It’ll be your one-stop-shop for everything you need to plan your journey including timetables, live train running information, service updates and ticketing purchasing to any UK rail destination. You can also find out more about our plans for the franchise and download a copy of ‘Connections’, our customer report.

Not only that, we’ll also be launching our new free On Track app, giving you instant access to personalised real-time information and super-fast journey planning on all National Rail routes.

Downloadable from Google Play and the App Store, On Track is:
incredibly easy to use
speedier to plan journeys using GPS
personalised to your own individual travel habits

On Track provides you with all that’s needed to plan a journey, one-touch email or phone contact to our Customer Service team, as well as claiming compensation if your journey is delayed. We’ll be adding plenty more innovative features as the franchise progresses.

And last but by no means least, our Twitter feeds @TLRailUK for Thameslink customers and @GNRailUK for Great Northern customers will kick into action - offering you prompt travel advice to ensure a smooth journey on our services.

seems bizarre to be splitting great northern and thameslink, when in a couple of years they'll be connected up and operating as a single service. hey ho!

Will they call out the stations enroute I wonder. Abellio does on the Hertford East line but it seems FCC employed drivers unable to speak on HN line. Either that or they did not bother to invest in the standard 'lady recording' which you hear on most trains. I really hope they do call out the stations as if will make a big difference especially at night when you have no idea which station you have arrived at!

Anybody noticed any improvements in service as yet? All I've seen is a slightly cack handed attempt to remove the FCC logos and lettering front the sides of the trains....

nope, had a moan about the short formed train this morning, they replied quickly, as FCC used to with an explanation though.

"meet the new boss, same as the old boss"

Maurader wrote:Will they call out the stations enroute I wonder. Abellio does on the Hertford East line but it seems FCC employed drivers unable to speak on HN line. Either that or they did not bother to invest in the standard 'lady recording' which you hear on most trains. I really hope they do call out the stations as if will make a big difference especially at night when you have no idea which station you have arrived at!

Although I have been on the train when the automated announcer was going the wrong way. As I left Liverpool St, it was 'next station will be Ware' and then gradually until I arrived at Hertford to be welcomed to Liverpool St. It kept me amused all the way home. I am a fairly simple soul.

Luckily travelling from Hertford East means you are the end of the line, when I am on the Hertford North route I could end up in Stevenage.

Kate I have to disagree - if its that easy how come Mrs G often ends up in Bishops Stortford or Harlow

Golden wrote:Kate I have to disagree - if its that easy how come Mrs G often ends up in Bishops Stortford or Harlow

That is why I always get a direct train from Liverpool St and don't try and beat it by getting a fast one to Broxbourne and changing. Recipe for disaster if I fall asleep.

I was impressed to see that they had taken the trouble to change the company logos on the ticket machines this morning.
It was a shame that they didn't repair them at the same time, only 1 of 3 was working !
And the poor guy at the counter could do with some help - didn't they use to have 2 ticket desks?

I agree with JohnSmith
"meet the new boss, same as the old boss"