Should get you there on time (South West Trains)

Member Name: h27gooner

Product:	South West Trains
Date:	03/06/09 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Modern Trains

Disadvantages: It's a train.

SWT is the largest operator in terms of passenger kilometres travelled on the rail network. Approximately 160 million passenger journeys a year are made on their routes. I use South West trains everyday for my commute from Feltham to Vauxhall and also use them at weekends to go out or to go to football.

First, the staff. At all the destinations I use on this line I find the platform staff generally pleasant but at Clapham Junction they are often hiding away in their little cabin - particularly the women - and when you open the door to ask a question it's as if you've just walked in to their living room uninvited.

The line I use employs 2 types of train depending whether it originates in Windsor and Eton or Reading. I don't know the locomotive numbers but the Reading train is a "Desiro" and looks more modern. The trains are air conditioned which in this recent hot weather has been welcomed. At Feltham I always get a seat (unless there is disruption) but if you board a couple of stops down (Twickenham) you will likely be standing. Those services which call at Putney will find a large hoard of people trying to pack themselves in. From here until Clapham Junction (about 10 mins) can be uncomfortable.

Both types of train have toilets which I have found particularly useful after a long night in the pub. However, on about 30% of occasions they are out of order.

Each train has a guard and the majority of the time they are very good at making announcements and letting you know of any problems. A few, however, could do with improving their English as they can be difficult to understand. Similarly, many of the announcers seem to begin their speech before turning the mic on so you don't get the first 5 seconds of any message.

In terms of punctuality. the DfT's measurement called "Public Performance Measure", shows that SWT's Moving Annual Average of the above measure is 92.9%. In other words 93 out of 100 trains run on time. I have to say that this is borne out by my experience.

SWT operates trains between London and Surrey, Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Devon, Somerset, Middlesex, East and Greater London and the Island Line. Serving a mix of commuter and longer-distance travellers, running 1,698 trains every weekday.

So fact is that whatever the reviews say, if you want to travel these routes you will have to use SWT!

Summary: Not bad for a neccessary evil.