It appears that the annual travelcard price anomoly has been 'fixed'. Annual from Southend to London has now been increased to £3,100 (from £2,980). Price from Wickford and all other stations back to Prittlewell now reduced by £68 to £3,060.

Also all waiting rooms and toilets reopened at Wickford station.

With the Southminster train now departing from Wickford, people should not be stranded at Shenfield on a regular basis. Hence the point made by the "railway insider" on Thu January 13 2005 at 15:23:56 GMT has come true. I still don't accept his account of what happend on the 5th January this year at Shenfield, with the not very helpful "Steve" at Shenfield though.

There's obivosuly one or more poeple who post messages anonymously to this guest book who work on the railway (most likely 'one' employees). It's very useful to have your comments.

It sounds as if someone has got the wrong end of the stick regarding the SRA's Community Railway Development Plan (Of which the Southminster Line is classified as one) Full details of which can be found by clicking that link, where it stresses that community railway isnt about replacing trains by buses, but reducing the costs involved in the maintenance of the infrastructure. (i.e as its only a branch with very little freight they can cut costs by cutting maintenance).

Also One are contracted to run all their current lines until their franchise expires.

I recently had a look at the web site of one's parent compant National Express Group. Under "Our Company - Group Overview" they set out their "four key values" for the group, number four states in part "We are a people business. People talk to us - we listen"

As one seem determined to ignore their parent's values perhaps it is time to change the direction of attack. Instead of complaining to one (and getting either no reply or standard garbage responses) why not try complaining to :-

Incidentaly all the talk about Tim Clarke is irrelevant - the power behind the throne at one is his number two, who is known affectionately throughout the company as The Weasel.

Nice to know that Mr Whittingdale has been assured that the line is safe, however we must all remember that it was his party and their blind doctrinare stupidity that gave us the dogs breakfast of a railway that we have to endure today. (Not that I hold a brief for any other political party - the rest are just as clueless)

Regarding the number of passengers permitted on a train there is no legislation whatsoever. You may be interested to know that you are unlikely to get much support from the Strategic Rail Authority. Currently there are massive problems with overcrowding on parts of the Virgin Cross Country system of which the SRA are fully aware. However, even though they are directly responsible for the franchise (Virgin Trains run it under an annual management contract to the SRA) they steadfastly refuse to let Virgin hire extra trains to relieve the overcrowding.

With the Government's determination to put ever more housing in the south east problems with peak hour overcrowding can only get worse. How any legislation could ever control overcrowding on trains is extremely problematical.

There has been a major points failure. A train carrying the legal maximum number of passengers arrives at (say) Shenfield roughly 30 mins late. 47 people travelling in five of the eight carriages get off. There are 827 waiting to get on. Calculate
a) The number of platform staff needed to ensure compliance with the law,
b) The length of time taken to comply,
c) The number of trains held behind the train above due to b),
d) The number of police needed to quell the ensuing riot.

How we might get 'one' to take notice

Here's a suggestion which might just cause 'one' to think a bit more about our line, and perhaps allow 'one' to put a decent case to Network Rail, for increasing the number of passing points, so getting us a more frequent and relieable peak service. I'd be interested in comments to this plan of action. Anyone with any legal background that can help? Any experts on safety or the rail industry?

When bus replacments are used at Wickford when the rail service goes wrong, they are often overcrowded at peak times? (The same applies to morning buses too). By overcrowded I mean the number of standing passengers clearly exceeds the maximum permisable number stated on the bus.

That may be illegal. This may well affect the insurance of the bus, although I am not a lawyer and have no legal training at all.

• Photograph the bus, showing the number of standing passengers, with the station in the background. Lots of people have phones with cameras now, although personally I don't even know how to "text" and forever fight my phone!
• Photograph the notice on the bus showing the maximum permisable number of standing passengers.
• Ask the staff at Wickford (or wherever) to provide the excess passengers (including you) with a Taxi, stating you are willing to share the Taxi with the maximum legal number in that Taxi, but not willing to get on an overcrowded bus. If the staff refuse, get a Taxi anyway and pay for the Taxi.
• Request a refund from Customer Services by letter, stating that if they refuse to pay, you will seek legal redress and copy the photographs to the Health and Safety Executive, the Ministry of Transport or other legal body that might be more appropiate - I have not reseached who this would be, but a search of the web should find the most appropiate body. The do so if necessary.

This might allow 'one' to put a good case to Network Rail for expanding the number of crossing points, so bringing a more relieable and frequent peak-time service.

Most large companies are very aware of the problems safety issues can create, and whilst 'one' can tend to ignore our complaints about the poor service, they might have more difficulty if safety issues are bought to their attention.

As regards closing this line, or replacing it by buses, Tim Clark, the MD of 'One' told John Whitingdale MP on the 11th December 2004, that one regards the service as a key stategic service and has absolutely no plans to close the line. Read it on John Whittingdale's web site

Can you really imagine how many buses it would take to move the commuters currently using the line in the peak time?

The people who represent one at these meetings are all earnest and hard working, but in management structure terms are at the bottom of the heap and seem to have no ability to improve matters. One even wonders if one's senior management take any notice of what transpires at the meetings.

The Meet the Management sessions are just another example of one's ability to weasel it's way out of the commitments that they entered into when awarded the franchise. Harking back to the much maligned days of B R you could find the equivalent of Tim Clarke spending two hours on the platform in the morning peak slugging it out with the commuters. What chance of Tim ever putting his head above the parapet?

Regarding the post by Anonymous on 01/06/05 re rumours about the closure of the branch. There could be a grain of truth here, the Railways Act that was rushed through Parliament just before the election makes closure of lines and substitution by bus services much easier. With the Rail Passenger Committees emasculated to the point of vanishing and the Strategic Rail Authority being subsumed into the Department of Transport future poilcy will be fully in the hands of civil servants. The Act facilitates closure proposals and makes it almost impossible to oppose them.

Privatisation was supposed to make the level of taxpayer support for railways decline, instead the level of support is now 3 to 4 times higher than in the last days of B R and there is immense pressure from the Treasury to get costs under control.

Noted your comments Ray. So how do One propose to resolve the over crowding issue on the 17.17 by making our train available to Billericay commuters when the 17.15 is always crowded in the first place. Who actually plans these changes and based upon what data.

Was caught on the 17.54 last Friday and was interested to be told that the bus that was waiting for us at Wickford had been there for some time i.e. they knew that the train would be terminated at Wickford. Therefore, it was disappointing that this message was not relayed to the passengers stuck on the train outside Billericay for what seemed an age rather than telling us that "we should be on the move soon". We are not fools and considering the weather was rather impressed how good-natured everyone seemed to take this news. Funny event was finding that the bus driver did not his way to SWF so had to be directed!

It seems to me more logical to run the Southminster at 1717 and let the 1715 go to Southend , with the 1717 calling at Stratford for those Southminster people needing to connect.

However, after the "Keystone Cops" type fiasco last friday 27/5 evening what else can we expect.

Shame the manager never came to the meeting! This in bold is added by the webmaster. If you mean the scheduled for the 19th May 2005, the manager was ill, so I think we can excuse that fact. She had in fact sent an email to John Perry of the ESSCRP asking him to let me know so it could be put on this website, so this can be excused.

Still no answer about the plus one card...

Has anyone else heard anything along these line's?????

I'm not aware of any further information about the one for the 25th at Burnham, so have marked it as 'subject to confirmation'.

1. Removal of weekend +1 ticket - One company policy - currently with marketing developing new scheme. "one" day.
2. Charges for parking on Saturday - One company policy - implemented across the board.
3. Sunday timetable - i.e. almost hour to London with extra stops. Network Rail engineering works.

• Thursday 19th May 2005 at Woodham 0600-0800 hrs
• Wednesday 25th May 2005 at Burnham 0600-0800 hrs

I personally think the whole of the road need attention, and this is just going to be yet another bodge job that lasts for a few years. But we shall see. Anyway, more to the point, the implications for those who drive to Althorne Station are important in the short term.

I heard recently that they credited people's accounts on the existing Inter-City Mainline scheme instead of debiting them.

Also, I can't imagine the new scheme will incorporate completely free weekend travel like the old First Great Eastern. It will probably be like the C2C scheme where you have to purchase an additional ticket (admitedely for a reasonable £2.50).

It seems the answer from "One" is that they have introduced a new system and the only way we can use this is to give up our season tickets and pay additional fee's or increased fares to join the scheme. The scheme also requires a direct debit to be made whereas the majority of annual season ticket holders will be making arrangements with their employer for season ticket loans !

The answer to get information requires the season ticket holder to take active steps. Why are "one" not taking active steps to keep their customers informed!!

If others value the price of their properties, they should consider that having dumped cars and fly tipping around an area is likely to reduce the value of your house, so it makes economic sence to do your best to get them removed asap.

The other rubbish dumped along with the fridge, and the glass door from the fridge are still there, but it does not look quite the eyesaw it did once do.

I'm not taking any bets on how long it will be before another gets dumped though.

There have been several fridges dumped in Station Road in Althorne in recent months, along with some other rubbish. Station Road is owned by Network Rail, not the local council and is the only road giving access to Althorne Station.

One fridge was cleared by a local resident, but he left the other rubbish - it is not his job to remove it of course.

A second fridge was removed by someone else (no idea who).

A third is still there, several months after being dumped, and several months after the land owner has been made aware of it. I don't think this is a domestic fridge, but an industrial one, with the front door all being glass (now smashed of course).

I'm attaching a picture of couple of pictures of it, although you can see them at http://www.southminster-branch-line.org.uk/guest-book/guest-book.php#fridge too.

Is there any chance anyone can do something about this?

• The fridge was restricting the use of one of the places where vehicles can pass on the road, although someone has pushed it back into a field a little now. You can see from the photo where is was originally dumped with all the smashed glass, but it has been moved back a few feet.
• is clearly a safety hazard with broken glass.
• It is clearly corroding now, having been left out all winter, so there is a risk of the refridgerment escaping - if it has not already.

John Perry of the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership has contacted Network Rail about this, and whilst he has received a response from Network rail saying: Regarding dumped material we have arranged clearances from time to time and will continue to do so when reports of such a requirement is received. no such removal has taken place.

I have today contacted Network Rail myself by Telephone (08457 114141) and gather this will be passed onto the "London and South East Community Relations Team". I offered to email pictures, but apparently Network Rail do not have an email address - I'm sure they do, but just refuse to give one. Neither can I get an email address for their London and South East Community Relations Team.

I have for several months now been trying to get the fridge removed without success.

Can anybody do anything to hurry the process along?

Perhaps the press can do something to highlight the issue, and perhaps do something to discourage fly tipping.

I realise John Whittingdale my MP is busy now, but perhaps if he is re-elected, he could take this matter up.

• An eyesaw
• Partially blocks one of the passing points which makes it possible for larger vehicles to pass - such as the rail replacment buses. (The fridge was formallly dumped nearer the centre of the road, where the glass is all smashed, but someone has pushed it towards the field a bit so it does not obstruct traffic)
• Is bad to the enviroment. The fridge is obviously rusting, so it seems likely futher corrosion will eventually lead to the escape of greenhouse gases.

"Will you kindly add to you Web page the following dates etc for Meet the Manager meetings arranged by 'one'

Please pass on this information, as I doubt it will be well publicised. Let's hope some commuters will turn up with some constructive comments.

Avantix the larger, newer black touch screen devices:

which can issue gate compatiable tickets

I have asked the ticket examiners if there is the ability to save popular tickets, but I am told not on the machines they have. It just seems so silly to not have that ability. Or perhaps it does exist, but none of them were shown how to use the facility. Certainly none of the ticket examiners use such a feature, so it is not just one individual that makes hard work for himself.

Let's hope the situation is resolved. I for one get fed up with buying exchange travelcards only to have to queue up at Liverpool St to exchange them.

Looking at the present ticket machines, it seems they are poorly designed. One would expect commone tickets (a daily return to Liverpool St, a Travelcard, a Travelard with a Network card etc) could be programmed into a memory, so only one button push is needed - much like most of us use one button to dial phone numbers we regulary use.

All the ticket examiners I speak to so new machines are at Wickford, but the staff are awaiting training. Today I learned the person doing the training is off sick.

One other thing just to warn rail users, Drivers union are meeting with One, over some issues about the way they are treated, and RMT have balloted their members (The Guards) over an issue with the new Avantix ticket device.

• It's really good news to hear Gwen at Burnham-on-Crouch Station has received an award for outstanding service. Although I have only met her on a few occasions, so don't know her well, I gather from others that she does do an excellent job. Well done Gwen!
• One of the ticket examiners said to me the other day that some commuters were telling him new timetables were available on the internet. He requested I print them off, as he was not aware of them. However, I can't find any new timetables, and even after entering future dates into the National Rail Enquires web site (the trick that worked before to find changes ahead of offical annoucements), I am unable to find an changes occuring within the next 3 months - the maximum period in advance the web site will accept.

  Does anyone else know of any timetable changes published anywhere?

• Am I the only one to feel that increasing the number of blue badge disabled car parking places from 1 to 3 at Althorne Station car park is excessive? It is good to see the needs of the disabled being taken seriously, but I think in a car park that can only hold about 30~33 cars, allocating nearly 10% for disabled drivers is excessive, especially given the car park is often full.

  For medical reasons (epilepsy) I am unable to drive myself, so from a purely personal point of view it makes no difference to me at all. But I do feel that overall 3 places is excessive in such a small car park

  As far as I can assertain, from asking in the uk.legal newsgroup, there is no specific legislation about the number of disabled car parking places there should be, so I don't believe that 3 is a legal minimum.

  I'm sorry if this offends any disabled people, but if you feel three places are necessary at Althorne station, please let us know why. I suspect increasing the number to 3 is likely to be counter-productive as commuters are quite likely to think the number is excessive and just ignore them.

• Do other users of Althorne Station feel the car park is too small? With extra land owned by Network Rail beyond the car park, expanding it should be quite easy.
• I noticed some children playing by the fridge dumped in Althorne car park yesterday. Clearly if a child got trapped, he/she could suffocate. I have reported this to Maldon Police, who said they will contract the British Transport Police about the issue. I've also emailed onerailway (not that they they ever reply to emails from me), as w