First Capital Connect - They are so crap that there's now an app !

Many people who live in Mill Hill, use the Thameslink ( or First Crapital Connect) service.  This blog regularly features articles on the subject, as we feel that First has failed to meet their commitments over the term of their franchise. They have recently revamped their website and I've had many comments that this is now far harder to use and many features seem to have disappeared. This blog gives information on a few useful links for those who use the service.

You can now see how badly they are doing in real time for any given period. Needless to say, this useful little tool hasn't been developed by First Capital Connect, it's been developed by Stuart Pinfold. First Capital Connect used to display the stats on the front of their website, but have removed the summary (presumably because they continually fail to meet their targets)

You can look at stats for any day, train or period of time.


http://apps.stuart-pinfold.co.uk/fccstats/

First Capital Connect have rather unhelpfully removed the Journeycheck page from their website links (at least I can't find it anywhere). Here's a link to it which I suggest you bookmark. The route I've saved is Mill Hill to Blackfriars, but you can change this to any one you like

http://www.journeycheck.com/firstcapitalconnect/route?action=search&from=MIL&to=BFR&savedRoute=-1

I'd recommend that if you want to check on a train, use the National Rail Enquiries page.


http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Oh yes, if you want to check the First Capital Connect website, here's the link.


http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?sEvent=HomeCommuter

And here's a few of the comments I've had about the service from regular readers, all fair comment. I'd welcome a few answers from FCC :-

"Why can't you top up your Oyster card at Mill Hill, given that many commuters use it to pay for their journey ?"

"Why are the Message Boards so innacurate?"

"Why do trains which show up as "on time" on the web services when I leave the house, become cancelled or late by the time I reach the station 2 minutes later?"

Watch out for our next FCC blog "First Capital Connect : The Greatest Cockney Rip Off - Moorgate branch closure" - coming soon to a computer near you !!!!