trains that move backwards (Connex)

Member Name: pixie1902

Product:	Connex
Date:	03/05/01 (105 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: ideal for those that like to wait

Disadvantages: crowded, late, expensive

Is it only Connex trains that actually travel backwards or is this something that is catching on all over the country?
I have the misfortune of having to travel by Connex train to work every morning (not for much longer - when we move at the end of the month the delights of South West Trains await me), and over the past six months or so have noticed this ever-increasing habit for travelling backwards.

One morning, I was waiting for the 7.51 am train, which - according to the information screen - was scheduled to arrive at 7.53 am. This constant delay has become more the rule rather than the exception so it doesn't bother anyone any more. But the arrival time of my train soon jumped to 7.55 am and almost immediately to 7.56 am. The train had started to go backwards and was moving further and further away from my station!
For the next 20 minutes my eyes were glued to the information screen and I was amazed to see that every minute the arrival time was pushed back by another minute or two, thus increasing the delay and leading me to wonder what had happened to this poor train and the unfortunate passengers already aboard.
The train eventually arrived at 8.13 am, 22 minutes late. For a 15-minute journey this is disgraceful as it represents a delay of more than 100% of the journey time. I just breathed a sigh of relief that they are not responsible for long-distance services and that I was not planning to travel to Glasgow that morning!
Needless to say, once aboard the train there was no word of apology or explanation as to why the train was so late. In fact, the driver made no communication with the passengers whatsoever - not even the usual 'This train will be calling at...' speech. When the train arrived the illuminated board at the front was blank and as this train was so late and we had constantly been given misleading information as to its actual arrival time, I was somewhat dountful that it was even my train.

As
usual the train was overcrowded, dirty and far too small to carry all the commuters to Victoria. I now hear that Connex is spending the equivalent of the wealth of a small country on cleaning the trains, ridding them of grafitti, etc. Good move, Connex. But after paying my hefty train fare (which, per mile, works out more expensive than British Airways Club World to Australia) what matters to me most is that I get to work on time. I have had enough of being late and causing inconvenience to my colleagues and customers because of the inefficiency of Connex.

Summary: