45% of my commuter train journeys were significantly delayed last month, amounting to over four hours’ lost time or over 48 hours in a year.

During October 2016, I recorded the timings of my train journeys to and from work. I defined significant delays as being five minutes or over. Lost time was calculated from when I should have arrived  if the train I got to the station on time to catch had been on time.

Monday 3rd October 2016

7:56 (preferred train) delayed by 25 mins due to overrunning engineering works. 8:03 cancelled, so caught 8:12. 15 mins late leaving London Bridge.

Home journey. 17:50 from Charing Cross departed 2 mins late. Stopped on bridge: ‘congestion in London Bridge and Waterloo East area.’ Left London Bridge 15 mins late and arrived Erith 15 mins late.

Running totals. Delayed services: 2/2 (100%). Time lost: 46 mins

Tuesday 4th October

7:56 departed 2 mins late. Was only 1 min late at Lewisham. Arrived Charing Cross on time.

Home journey. 17:50 from Charing Cross expected 18:00 ‘due to signalling problems in Woolwich Arsenal area and an obstruction on the line.’ Now 18:01, now 18:02, now 18:03, now 18:04. Spotted it wasn’t calling at Erith, so changed to 17:54 Bexleyheath line train to Barnehurst. Arrived Lewisham 4 mins late. Arrived Barnehurst 8 mins late. Bus home, arriving 19:07, 25 mins later than if original train had been on time.

Running totals. Delayed services: 3/4 (75%). Time lost: 1hr and 11 mins

Monday 10th October

‘The 7:56 to Charing Cross is delayed by approximately seven minutes. Southeastern Trains apologise for the delay and the inconvenience caused.’ Arrived Charing X four mins late.

Home journey. 17:50 left Charing X on time and arrived Erith four mins late.

Running totals. Delayed services: 3/6 (50%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 1hr and 19 mins

Wednesday 12th October

“We are sorry that the 7:56 to Charing Cross is delayed by approximately eight minutes. This is due to earlier late-running engineering works.” The true cause of the delay becomes apparent as the fast train speeds through the station yet again. It’s raining, so people are crowding under the sheltered area. Now 11 minutes delay. Arrived Charing Cross 10 minutes late.

Home bound journey. 17:50 left Charing Cross on time. Arrived Erith one minute late.

Running totals. Delayed services: 4/8 (50%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 1hr and 30 mins.

Friday 14th October

8:03 to Cannon Street is 1 minute late. Arrived on time. Time to leave platform = 5 mins. This is because SE brings two packed trains into a narrow platform at the same time despite other platforms being free.

Did not commute home.

Running totals. Delayed services: 4/9 (44%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 1hr and 30 mins.

Monday 17th October

7:56 to Charing Cross was 2 mins late, but made up time by Abbey Wood. Arrived on time at Charing Cross.

Home commute. 18:10 from Charing Cross departed 10 mins late. Arrived Erith 19 mins late.

Running totals. Delayed services: 5/11 (45%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 1hr and 49 mins.

Tuesday 18th October

8:03 from Erith to Cannon Street departed 1 min late. Arrived on time.

Home journey. 17:50 from Charing Cross departed on time. Arrived 6 mins late.

Running totals. Delayed services: 6/13 (46%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 1hr and 55 minutes mins.

Wednesday 19th October

“South Eastern Trains is sorry to announce that the 8:03 to London Cannon Street is delayed by approximately three minutes.” Arrived 5 mins late. Train came into nice wide platform 4!

Home: Caught the 18:56 from Cannon Street. Left on time. Arrived on time.

Running totals. Delayed services: 7/15 (47%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 2hrs.

Thursday 20th October

8:03 to Cannon Street was 1 min late and arrived on time. And into nice wide platform 4.

Home journey. 18:48 from Cannon Street departed 1 min late. Arrived Erith on time.

Running totals. Delayed services: 7/17 (41%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 2hrs.

Tuesday 25th October

8:03 to Cannon Street left Erith 1 minute late and arrived on time. 7 mins to leave the platform due to another train coming into to other side of narrow platform.

Home journey. 18:48 from Cannon Street left on time. Arrived Erith 3 mins late.

Running totals. Delayed services: 7/19 (37%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 2hrs 3 mins

Wednesday 26th October

8:03 to Cannon Street left 3 mins late. Arrived 10 minutes late.

Home. 19:47 from Cannon Street arrived Erith 5 mins late.

Running totals. Delayed services: 9/21 (43%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 2hrs 18 mins

Monday 31st October

7:56 cancelled, so had to catch the 8:03. It left Erith 7 mins late and arrived Cannon Street at 8:48, 5 mins late.

Didn’t commute home.

Running totals. Delayed services: 10/22 (45%) <5 mins allowed. Time lost: 2hrs 23 mins in 12 days = 4 hrs 10 mins over 21 working days.