Visitors to the page since yesterday, 21st July 2010, have been greeted with this message (left):  “First Capital Connect has no more posts.”

This was certainly not the case just 24 hours before, when the page was filled with more than six months’ worth of messages from angry passengers asking – and getting answers to – their questions about FCC’s operations and failings.

Members of the “I Hate First Capital Connect” group on Facebook noticed the missing posts:

That “human-ness” I referred to in my last post? Completely deleted, just like the posts. And I’m taking bets as to how long the page will stay up – anyone want to give me some odds?

FCC also disclose that their target is for 90.32% of planned Thameslink services to run less than 5 minutes late at their final destination. Therefore, in the May – June period FCC underperformed even by their own standards! Why they do not have a target score of 100% is unclear, but at least they are now prepared to admit they do not offer customers a 100% train service, although we don’t we get a 9.68% reduction in our fares!

First Capital Connect’s excuse this time was as follows;

Performance was on target up until near the end of the period, however major signal problems occurred on the 22 June and a combination of factors including infrastructure and driver availability affected performance for the remaining days of the period. FCC is recruiting extra drivers and working with Network Rail to get performance back above target. This was the first period out of the last four, which have been below target. Periods 13, 1 and 2 running from 7 March to 29 May 2010 were above target.

FCC also cite a number of incidents that affected performance including a ‘Staff incident at Blackfriars’ on the 25th June. Could they be any more vague?!

On the great Northern route performance was 93.3%, against target of 94.65%.

The full report can be accessed by clicking here (PDF)

The performance stats are bad – but here at Ihatethameslink.co.uk we believe FCC do not disclose statistics which truly represent the route’s performance. We will shortly be launching a petition to ask FCC to disclose meaningful statistics. The petition will highlight the following points.

1. The Thameslink route is used primarily as a commuter route, but the statistics measure performance at the final destination. This should be changed to i.e. St Pancras International.
2. The statistics combine both rush hour and off peak travel. These should be separated.
3. Cancellation statistics are combined for Thameslink and the Great Northern route. These should be separated.
4. Services should be classified as ‘late’ after 1 minute, and not 5 minutes which is currently used.

If you have any other points to raise please email admin@ihatethameslink.co.uk or give me a shout on twitter @ihatethameslink or leave a comment below!

The move comes after many negative comments posted on its page since “The Troubles” of late 2009 and early 2010, when the beleaguered train company was running an emergency timetable, citing “Force Majeure” due to drivers refusing to work overtime. The Facebook messages from angry commuters were met with fairly light-touch moderation, and regular – if somewhat “toeing the line” – responses direct from the company’s PR department, who did seem to make an effort to answer some of the more difficult questions.

The staff member (known to regulars as “Miss FCC”) who had been moderating the Facebook page seems to have disappeared, leaving many posts unanswered. Suddenly, before the weekend, changes were made to the Facebook page settings – including the removal of the ability to make new Wall posts – but still no replies to existing messages.

Other changes mean that comments, even to existing posts, are hidden by default – meaning an extra click for each comment thread you might want to read. The comment threads were perhaps where the more vocal complaints were made, so this is a convenient way of hiding – but not entirely repressing – the most negative responses. The discussion board, where users could post longer complaints and queries, has also been removed – presumably with all the previous messages too.

While FCC’s responses to complaints were generally short, simple and corporate, many users appreciated the direct responses rather than going through the website contact form, and forgetting all about their query until “up to 28 days” later, when they would receive a flat response. With these changes to the Facebook page (which could potentially be permanent), a little bit more “human-ness” has been lost from what little was left of FCC’s corporate image.

The response noted that whilst the disruption experienced at the end of 2009 was unacceptable, FCC did not breach their franchise terms, and so the franchise cannot be taken away. The response then goes on to say that FCC have been improving and are recruiting additional drivers to lessen the reliance on drivers volunteering to work overtime and rest days

Given the severity of the disruption we feel this response is particularly weak. What is your view? Leave a comment.

The full statement can be read here.

Limited service this eve on Thameslink route, don’t travel unless you have to. Advise that you leave London by 7pm. May not be later trains.

Morning commuter services were severly disrupted, by up to 2 hours in some cases,  and nearly all services were cancelled by mid afternoon. A snapshot of the live departure table, submitted by one of our readers shows the extent of the disruption.

Comments on Twitter suggest that some train operators managed to run an acceptable service (such as Southern), so why did FCC fall on its face once again? Who knows.

Today, FCC are running two service per hour on the Thameslink route, but expect crowded trains, and most probably extended delays later this afternoon.

It wont add up to much, but I encourage everyone affacted to claim compensation from FCC .

It looks like a train broke down which caused unimaginable chaos. This combined with the bad weather and the ongoing dispute with drivers was just just too much for FCC to cope with.

A selection of tweets are posted below. Shocking.

At Kentish Town. There was no service from StP so we got sent there, stacks of us. They kept us on footbridge for 30 mins……then announced to go to plat 1. Then train arrived at plat 2 … so we were trapped on wrong platform…..People crossed the lines to get to train only for the doors to close and not allow anyone on the train.

Broken down train at Farringdon means EVERYTHING cancelled for hours, both directions… You really are a joke…

one guy had a panic attack cos it’d taken him 3 hours to get from city thameslink to kentish tn. They called him ambulance

Wishing today never ended. First Capital Connect are doing their best to make it come true. First train delayed, next two cancelled!

Delay: (First Capital Connect) Kentish Town to St Albans on 10/12/2009 at 00:18 (delayed by 2hrs 30mins)

4 hrs Ldn to flitwick with 1 hr of that spent on a footbridge at kentish town. People crossed live tracks coz of shit crowd control @FirstCC

evidently jealous of #Eurostar, manages a pre-Xmas foul-up of its own: no cross-London service because of failed train #thameslink

Am totally disgusted with FCC – waited at St Pancras for nearly 90 mins with wrong info onscreen – no thoughts for deaf ppl.

2 hours train stuck in tunnel, journey from hell! No more trains till after Xmas. Damn u First Capital Connect!

ASLEF has withdrawn the ballot for industrial action.
The union has considered our revised pay offer and agreed to recommend it for acceptance to members. The offer is spread over two years and includes productivity based increases. We are working jointly with Aslef to encourage our drivers to resume rest day and overtime working, our aim being to provide a full, normal service to our customers as quickly as possible.

Despite this, the reduced timetable is stil in operation. Leaflets were distributed at thameslink stations this morning that state;

Fewer than the anticipated number of drivers have put themselves down to be rostered next week given that they only learned on Tuesday night of the ASLEF decision.

Another poor excuse, and being the betting man I am, I would put money on the disruption lasting longer than just this week.

I have also picked up on a few posts at the Rail Forums (where train industry workers and customers are active) and found the following from an FCC ticket booth officer.

They still think they are going to run a full service next week or the week after……..

They reckon drivers didn’t sign up for rest days this week as they only just found out the new deal and they are hoping that drivers will sign up for the following week. Sorry to disappoint FCC but no one is going t sign up for RD work, well maybe one or two but the majority are staying off.

Happy Christmas everyone!