No trains

[SueEllen]

FTFY. Network rail is Nationalised. It and Southern are the only ones not able to make it pay. The common denominator is both are heavily unionised.

All rail operators are heavily unionised.

However unlike Southern they have sufficient staff members trained up to do the role in different unions so when the guards or platform staff go on strike they can still run trains.

For example South West Trains had a guard strike a few years ago. As Stage Coach had trained lots of members of staff including all graduate trainees to be train guards around the country they just made some of those now in management and doing other jobs in the company were train guards for the duration of the strike. The result was around 85% of their trains ran and none of the unions apart from train drivers ever bother threatening and going on strike.

[NigelJK]

That's true but on Southern and in NR they have yet to 'break' the moronic job demarcation. How can it be acceptable on one line to have the Doors closed by the driver and not on another?

[Old Greg]

How can it be acceptable on one line to have the Doors closed by the driver and not on another?

Good Lord! The country is in a more parlous state than I ever imagined.

[NigelJK]

The country is in a more parlous state than I ever imagined.

If your contract was dependent on getting to work via Southern this week you might not be so unimaginative.

[kaiser78]

If your contract was dependent on getting to work via Southern this week you might not be so unimaginative.

A lot of people from my place of work and travel via Southern are working from home this week, for the entire week. I guess they are the fortunate ones who are able to do so.

[MarillionFan]

Trains are for peasants.

[DaveB]

FTFY. Network rail is Nationalised. It and Southern are the only ones not able to make it pay. The common denominator is both are heavily unionised.

Network Rail was brought back into public ownership in 2001 when the company running it couldn't make it pay and wanted more subsidies. East Coast trains was making a profit after it came back into public ownership in 2012 when the franchise holders walked away as they couldn't make it pay. Then Virgin took over in 2014 and it's running at a loss again.

[The_Equalizer]

Trains are for peasants.

Not sure there's any other sensible way of getting into London. Nonsense about chauffeur driven limos doesn't count as a reply.

[LondonManc]

Not sure there's any other sensible way of getting into London. Nonsense about chauffeur driven limos doesn't count as a reply.

He's a fantasist with a helicopter on standby.

[DaveB]

Not sure there's any other sensible way of getting into London. Nonsense about chauffeur driven limos doesn't count as a reply.

Depends how close you can get by car or other means. The tubes go out a pretty long way. Amersham, Watford, Cheshunt, Epping are all posibilities coming from the North