Whilst the platform changes were an inconvenience, it really does become an accessibility issue for anybody who can't move that quickly. Really poor from Thameslink not to wait
I'd say the problem here is that there is the "Delay Repay" scheme and someone upstairs is making a decision between: * Looking after passengers on the platform and paying refunds to passengers on the train making longer journeys or * Looking after money and screwing over passengers who miss the platform change. We need people running trains to be looking after passengers.
I agree that a station that doesnt have a little bit of love even if it is in the form of flower pots or a waiting shelter, feels like a threat. Even worse when there is no safe pavement to walk on, free of pot holes, level and lit.
Everytime railway UA-camrs find a waiting room that is closed, they should submit a Freedom of Information request asking how long the waiting room has been closed. It is especially important that waiting rooms are available in cold weather as passengers get very uncomfortable if made to stand in cold weather for long periods of time.
I was last in Luton 🚽⚖ in 2007-2008 when the company I worked for had a customer there I had to visit regularly. Nothing about the place encouraged me to go back for non work-related reasons.
Re that platform alterations 3 & 4: I few months back, I had the same here in Cologne Hauptbahnhof, Germany, where the automatic announcement announced a platform alteration (as with your train, with about a minute to spare), however, while we were running down the stairs, a human announcement "stepped in" to tell us that the other one was a false announcement, thus cancelling the (otherwise also non-existent) platform alteration. That was fun. Sort of.
i had similar at the hateful berlin hbf a couple years back. but they kept switching between the bottom floor and the top deck. just 'brilliant.' in the end they came clean a nd cancelled, just before the train finally pulled in.... utterly useless, as per db's usual...
I've had that last minute platform thing happen at Reading a few times - hateful GWR!! When my cousins lived near Earley station, I used to use Reading mainline whenever I visited.
Has somebody who has a disability and anxiety platform alterations 😮😢 are not okay at all just the thought of them upsets me and it makes me really anxious
Great video Jen and I love your humour. I often cycle to Harpenden and Luton using disused railway lines. Harpenden😀 is a lovely town to stop off at for a coffee but the less said about Luton😬 the better.
I go on thameslink south of London fairly frequently, but it’s fun to see the stations that I only hear about on the announcements! I did laugh at the editorial comments on the platform changes 😜
Ah you came my way - to Luton! Glad you enjoyed it there! The town certainly is getting better, with more work being done to make it inviting to all. Unfortunately the stations aren't great. The only accessible station in the area is Luton Airport Parkway, otherwise going north it is Bedford. There were talks to make Luton accessible in recent years but I haven't heard much recently so not sure when that will happen.
We went to Elstree and Borehamwood when seeing Strictly once, which felt like as long a day as you had! My wife died earlier this year, and we enjoyed watching your videos together as always said how pretty you were. Hope you have a peaceful Christmas and 2025! 😀
i agree with your point about forming your own opinions on towns and cities. i’ve been to birmingham many times recently and i absolutely love whenever i’m there… im also quite fond of nottingham, coventry, leicester, and sheffield
I know for a fact Centre Parcs is still a thing, I had 3 adverts for them when I went to the pictures yesterday. Even had “less than 2 hours from this cinema” in the ad, no warnings to parents that you will have to remortgage your house, or sell a kidney to go in the school holidays.
Perhaps Govia Thameslink Railway should upgrade some stations including Flitwick, Harlington, Leagrave and Harpenden to have step-free access. Plus Wixams is to open in few years because of Universal Studios is to build a theme park and resort.
@@highpath4776 presumably the actual upgrading of stations is currently in nr's hands. they suck at it, so effectively expanding the network-railisation into everything via gbr will fix it how exactly? -the state owned part, nr is responsible for most of the problems including most delay. =well lets hand it 'all' over to the state. genius, this is going to be a car crash just like br was last time, lol
I gave up commuting by rail when Thameslink Great White Worms took over most of our services as it became not just uncomfortable but very unreliable. Plus our station suffers from last minute platform changes via the subway. Our last two trips on Thameslink our trains were cancelled.
Nice video Jen! Just a bit of bad weather... Strange about that DART airport link is that they haven't extended the line until underneath the terminal. Now you still have to walk some 100 meters to the terminal in all the weather types...
Little interesting fact: Flitwick may not be, if Universal UK get planning permission to build a new UK theme park by 2030, that on that line, there will be a new station to visit, opposite Kempston Hardwick.
another issue with Harlington is that the footbridge is inaccessible and the platform the entrance is on is the fast line platform meaning that unless their is disruption wheelchair users can't use the station
As the Luton DART replaced the bus, bus pass holders can use the system for free. But nothing is simple these days, so have to set up a concessions account to take advantage of it.
The Luton Dart feels very Copenhagen-esque. And I have a lot of love for the Copenhagen metro, so that immediately endears it to me, even if I never fly out of Luton because it's otherwise a faff to get to from Oxfordshire 🤣 Well done braving the weather, Jen!
These platforms remind me of our Metra line: suburban rail, little protection from the elements, a lot of unfriendly designs, and broken down. Step-free access? Unlikely. Access to the waiting area? Nope, could be slept in by the unhoused. Announcements when they change platforms? Absolutely not. Why is ridership down? 🤷♂️
The advantage of the Luton Airport bus from the station was that there was a stop by a couple of hotels if you were staying there before an early flight. Now I presume you have to choose the least awful amount of walking - from the station or the airport. (No-one flying early morning from Luton is splashing out on a five minute taxi ride. Or I'm not, anyway...) And the roads round there are particularly awful for walking.
oooh lots of 700 class trains! 700125* 700060 700133 700145* 700039 700112* 700022* 700108* 700026 * marks the ones ive ridden, didnt know they went on the bedford line too
Since the Luton DART shuttle car was built and is now in service. It doesn’t take that long to get to the main terminal at Luton Airport than it used to take like 15-20 minutes on the shuttle bus. Such a shame that Luton is depressing and most people say that Luton is so deprived.
Great video Jen✨ - As for the last minute changes, they are frustrating and I deal with the issues on a daily. Leagrave & Flitwick have a junction just outside north so it’s hard to predict if the signaller is going to change it, nevertheless it’s not good practice and lifts should be added to those stations from Luton to Flitwick. I was looking to see if I could be spotted on video, but I believe I was off on this day 😂
Funny enough I was at Luton Parkway on Tuesday (10th) whilst travelling from Inverness to Brighton (EasyJet), was so cold when I was there. I was under the impression I live in the “frozen North”, that’s a lie, it was absolutely freezing cold at Luton Parkway.. I was actually shivering when I got on the train
I used to commute from St Albans to Hendon. Can't wait to see what you think of Hendon. Clue: It will make all the other stations seem really really good! Also, hope you saw the big concrete bridge beside the tracks at Napsbury (south of St Albans) which is being rolled in over the Xmas extended shut down of the whole line.
One time when you are back in Birmingham, I recommend a full video on Smethwick Galton Bridge Station. Not only High and Low Level trains but High and Level canals plus the disused station across the road as well as Telford's bridge.
You were lucky with the first class being empty. Everyone now seems to know they can use first class, and on busier trains the declassified first areas are now usually much busier than standard !
I worked in Borehamwood for a few months at Elstree Studios working on Big Brother, so I know that station fairly well. One time when we were going home, the staff had accidentally locked a passenger in the station building, but they didn't have the keys to open the building to let him out! They said the only thing they can do is wait for someone else to arrive with the keys. I believe the police were called, but I was too tired to stick around to see what happened - I just wanted to get home after a long shift :(
After the 3rd platform alteration I would've just waited for the train on the footbridge at that point. I wonder if it's a glitch with the announcement system.
I hope everyone who missed that train at Flitwick put in a claim for delay repay A useful tip if the Marston Vale service is a replacement bus, you can get the X5 from outside Milton Keynes Central which takes about 50 minutes to get to Bedford
Much easier to take the local bus in my experience from the Luton Airport Parkway Hampton stop! Every 10 minutes, only 2GBP and saves you a fair chunk of walking once you get to the airport!
Brilliant video Jen, honestly that's far too many platform changes lol. I'm not a massive fan of Luton station to be honest, it doesn't look good. I prefer Luton Airport Parkway station as it looks nicer, good to see the DART was made so people don't have to get a bus to the airport anymore.
As someone who grew up in Luton, moving away 2009, the station has always been awful...I remember getting the old DMUs to St Pancras in the 1970s....at least the bridge down to the town centre was demolished years ago...there was talk in the 1980/90s of building a spur line off the main track just before where Parkway station is now, under the hill to a new station built under the terminal allowing for direct trains.....also, Harpenden would have been a better choice for lunch
Windy, but not moist! We could do with a bit of moist here, proper moist. All we get right now is rain on roads that are below zero. Slippery stuff! Snow and -25 C is never fun, +5 and no snow? Yes please! -47 C was interesting, for a bit. One month of -35 C was definitely too much! Moist is way better! :-D
to be honest i think most of the stations featured need refurbishing as they all dont look very welcoming & most would make me not visit the area but St Albans is a lovely city as theres a cathedreal & i went to Luton a few years ago & not a fan but need a revisit in the future as sometimes places change anyway brilliant vlog
Hi Jen, good vlog, pity about the ironing board seats, and the wind making your hair do "hair things". Luton isn't a particularly great place to visit, I had to overnight there once and hated it... Take caee and take your time, we'll wait...unlike Thameslink...🙂 Jon B.
Shame whilst in Luton you never had a ride on the guided busway, said to be the busiest of the few now in uk. A double decker ride on it is most enjoyable and there is even a short scenic rural stretch. Ok not a train, but it does have stations !
I wonder if people can like, hold the doors open when there's a platform alteration to help keep the train there while people move to the right platform
Done that many times when I've known before they announced and got there in time, but as someone with reduced mobility myself I really dislike Thameslink doing this so much on the mml route
icl just stay ln the footbridge until the train arrives, simple. but ive never seen platform alterations and ive been on the midland maknlkne a fair amount of times
great video, but the quality of service is absolutely ridiculous, that many platforms alterations, unloved stations, waiting rooms closed and customer information points being broken, honestly awful for what it should be. really good video despite the storm!
Whilst the platform changes were an inconvenience, it really does become an accessibility issue for anybody who can't move that quickly. Really poor from Thameslink not to wait
Absolutely!
I'd say the problem here is that there is the "Delay Repay" scheme and someone upstairs is making a decision between:
* Looking after passengers on the platform and paying refunds to passengers on the train making longer journeys or
* Looking after money and screwing over passengers who miss the platform change.
We need people running trains to be looking after passengers.
When this happens I stand in the doors and wait for other people to make it - train can’t go without all the doors clear 🤷🏻♀️
It was great to see another video on the Midland Main Line! It definitely looked difficult visiting the stations especially in Storm Bert!
I agree that a station that doesnt have a little bit of love even if it is in the form of flower pots or a waiting shelter, feels like a threat. Even worse when there is no safe pavement to walk on, free of pot holes, level and lit.
2:01 i go to centreparcs every year on holiday, its most definitely not retro! 😂
I work there so I win 😂🎉
Everytime railway UA-camrs find a waiting room that is closed, they should submit a Freedom of Information request asking how long the waiting room has been closed.
It is especially important that waiting rooms are available in cold weather as passengers get very uncomfortable if made to stand in cold weather for long periods of time.
Hopefully there is an automated system to make Freedom of Information requests easier.
Some of those platform changes are ridiculous, but an enjoyable video Jen, love some of the Kristy side notes as well
I've been to Luton airport a few times and took the shuttle bus from the station. Thank you for sharing Jen
i feel the meeting point is for fire alarms
I was last in Luton 🚽⚖ in 2007-2008 when the company I worked for had a customer there I had to visit regularly. Nothing about the place encouraged me to go back for non work-related reasons.
Luton Hoo, and the park with the collection of Horse Drawn Carriages
Great edit Kirsty! Oh and Center Parcs is definitely still a thing, have used that bus many times.
Re that platform alterations 3 & 4: I few months back, I had the same here in Cologne Hauptbahnhof, Germany, where the automatic announcement announced a platform alteration (as with your train, with about a minute to spare), however, while we were running down the stairs, a human announcement "stepped in" to tell us that the other one was a false announcement, thus cancelling the (otherwise also non-existent) platform alteration. That was fun. Sort of.
Just a lovely bit of Deutsche Bahn chaos
i had similar at the hateful berlin hbf a couple years back. but they kept switching between the bottom floor and the top deck. just 'brilliant.' in the end they came clean a nd cancelled, just before the train finally pulled in....
utterly useless, as per db's usual...
@@andrewyoung749 Oh, Berlin Hbf. changing between levels, back and forth, must be the ultimate overkill
I've had that last minute platform thing happen at Reading a few times - hateful GWR!! When my cousins lived near Earley station, I used to use Reading mainline whenever I visited.
but surely network rail (or HMG if you prefer) is the party responsible for signalling and thus platform alterations...
Oh! Your date story made me laugh! I really do sympathize, though. And, your Platform Change theme song gave me a chuckle. Cheers Jen!
Has somebody who has a disability and anxiety platform alterations 😮😢 are not okay at all just the thought of them upsets me and it makes me really anxious
Nice station route one of my friends lives here, great video 😊
Great video Jen and I love your humour. I often cycle to Harpenden and Luton using disused railway lines. Harpenden😀 is a lovely town to stop off at for a coffee but the less said about Luton😬 the better.
We luv Jen
Yay! A new Jen video to watch with my Sunday coffee. Especially love the "station meeting point" story.... that is TOTALLY something I would do. ❤🧡💚💙💜
I go on thameslink south of London fairly frequently, but it’s fun to see the stations that I only hear about on the announcements!
I did laugh at the editorial comments on the platform changes 😜
Ah, St Albans! Around my neck of the woods now
You were braved enough filming while storm Bert.👍
it really does feel like GTR has given up on trying to run a usable service tbh
Thameslink is run by the government noe isn't it?
@nathanw9770 nope, not yet. they haven't set a date for when GTR gets brought under the DOHL
Ah you came my way - to Luton! Glad you enjoyed it there! The town certainly is getting better, with more work being done to make it inviting to all. Unfortunately the stations aren't great. The only accessible station in the area is Luton Airport Parkway, otherwise going north it is Bedford. There were talks to make Luton accessible in recent years but I haven't heard much recently so not sure when that will happen.
We went to Elstree and Borehamwood when seeing Strictly once, which felt like as long a day as you had! My wife died earlier this year, and we enjoyed watching your videos together as always said how pretty you were. Hope you have a peaceful Christmas and 2025! 😀
i agree with your point about forming your own opinions on towns and cities. i’ve been to birmingham many times recently and i absolutely love whenever i’m there… im also quite fond of nottingham, coventry, leicester, and sheffield
Jen; you're fab - love your humour! 🫂🏳️🌈
Yay for hot cocoa!
I know for a fact Centre Parcs is still a thing, I had 3 adverts for them when I went to the pictures yesterday. Even had “less than 2 hours from this cinema” in the ad, no warnings to parents that you will have to remortgage your house, or sell a kidney to go in the school holidays.
Perhaps Govia Thameslink Railway should upgrade some stations including Flitwick, Harlington, Leagrave and Harpenden to have step-free access. Plus Wixams is to open in few years because of Universal Studios is to build a theme park and resort.
Why if Great British Railways can do the job
there's plans but look at Biggleswade why it won't ever happen
@@highpath4776 presumably the actual upgrading of stations is currently in nr's hands.
they suck at it, so effectively expanding the network-railisation into everything via gbr will fix it how exactly?
-the state owned part, nr is responsible for most of the problems including most delay.
=well lets hand it 'all' over to the state.
genius, this is going to be a car crash just like br was last time, lol
I would like to see Wixams railway station built and to see how it looks like. Similar to Brent Cross West.
I gave up commuting by rail when Thameslink Great White Worms took over most of our services as it became not just uncomfortable but very unreliable. Plus our station suffers from last minute platform changes via the subway. Our last two trips on Thameslink our trains were cancelled.
I think Oyster should be valid to Luton Town as well as Contactless Payment. I'm pleased that you liked the Opened River Area
Nice video Jen! Just a bit of bad weather... Strange about that DART airport link is that they haven't extended the line until underneath the terminal. Now you still have to walk some 100 meters to the terminal in all the weather types...
Little interesting fact: Flitwick may not be, if Universal UK get planning permission to build a new UK theme park by 2030, that on that line, there will be a new station to visit, opposite Kempston Hardwick.
it's not even happening in Flitwick where I live.
another issue with Harlington is that the footbridge is inaccessible and the platform the entrance is on is the fast line platform meaning that unless their is disruption wheelchair users can't use the station
As the Luton DART replaced the bus, bus pass holders can use the system for free. But nothing is simple these days, so have to set up a concessions account to take advantage of it.
The Luton Dart feels very Copenhagen-esque. And I have a lot of love for the Copenhagen metro, so that immediately endears it to me, even if I never fly out of Luton because it's otherwise a faff to get to from Oxfordshire 🤣 Well done braving the weather, Jen!
These platforms remind me of our Metra line: suburban rail, little protection from the elements, a lot of unfriendly designs, and broken down. Step-free access? Unlikely. Access to the waiting area? Nope, could be slept in by the unhoused. Announcements when they change platforms? Absolutely not. Why is ridership down? 🤷♂️
The advantage of the Luton Airport bus from the station was that there was a stop by a couple of hotels if you were staying there before an early flight. Now I presume you have to choose the least awful amount of walking - from the station or the airport. (No-one flying early morning from Luton is splashing out on a five minute taxi ride. Or I'm not, anyway...) And the roads round there are particularly awful for walking.
Does the bus not run anymore?
Just so you know class 221 is GAWN it’s all withdrawn from EMR their last one went last night…. So it’s just CC who use them now
oooh lots of 700 class trains!
700125*
700060
700133
700145*
700039
700112*
700022*
700108*
700026
* marks the ones ive ridden, didnt know they went on the bedford line too
Since the Luton DART shuttle car was built and is now in service. It doesn’t take that long to get to the main terminal at Luton Airport than it used to take like 15-20 minutes on the shuttle bus. Such a shame that Luton is depressing and most people say that Luton is so deprived.
Ahh yes that windy day. The day of train cancellations.
Harpenden is a very nice area, not that most of us can begin to think about affording to live there !!
Great video Jen✨ - As for the last minute changes, they are frustrating and I deal with the issues on a daily. Leagrave & Flitwick have a junction just outside north so it’s hard to predict if the signaller is going to change it, nevertheless it’s not good practice and lifts should be added to those stations from Luton to Flitwick. I was looking to see if I could be spotted on video, but I believe I was off on this day 😂
Funny enough I was at Luton Parkway on Tuesday (10th) whilst travelling from Inverness to Brighton (EasyJet), was so cold when I was there. I was under the impression I live in the “frozen North”, that’s a lie, it was absolutely freezing cold at Luton Parkway.. I was actually shivering when I got on the train
I used to commute from St Albans to Hendon. Can't wait to see what you think of Hendon. Clue: It will make all the other stations seem really really good! Also, hope you saw the big concrete bridge beside the tracks at Napsbury (south of St Albans) which is being rolled in over the Xmas extended shut down of the whole line.
Hendon didn’t end up being my least favourite on the line, and I’m sure you can guess which one my least favourite will be!
9:49 The what project? Oh, you said HAT.
One time when you are back in Birmingham, I recommend a full video on Smethwick Galton Bridge Station. Not only High and Low Level trains but High and Level canals plus the disused station across the road as well as Telford's bridge.
You were lucky with the first class being empty. Everyone now seems to know they can use first class, and on busier trains the declassified first areas are now usually much busier than standard !
Nice 1940s Crittal windows on Luton station.
damn jen that was hectic and thoses platform changes way to piss folks off and make them missn thier train.
I worked in Borehamwood for a few months at Elstree Studios working on Big Brother, so I know that station fairly well. One time when we were going home, the staff had accidentally locked a passenger in the station building, but they didn't have the keys to open the building to let him out! They said the only thing they can do is wait for someone else to arrive with the keys. I believe the police were called, but I was too tired to stick around to see what happened - I just wanted to get home after a long shift :(
Jen where are you?. I'm at Smith's in Newtownabbey
lol 😂
meeting points should be in places that are easy to find. they should extend the luton dart.
I am surprised Jen did not start singing the Luton Airport song from the 1970s!
After the 3rd platform alteration I would've just waited for the train on the footbridge at that point. I wonder if it's a glitch with the announcement system.
I hope everyone who missed that train at Flitwick put in a claim for delay repay
A useful tip if the Marston Vale service is a replacement bus, you can get the X5 from outside Milton Keynes Central which takes about 50 minutes to get to Bedford
They aren’t designed for comfort! The trains are v frequent and 24hrs on that line. Functional not designed to linger about! Love the video!
Much easier to take the local bus in my experience from the Luton Airport Parkway Hampton stop! Every 10 minutes, only 2GBP and saves you a fair chunk of walking once you get to the airport!
Breezy and moist
Brilliant video Jen, honestly that's far too many platform changes lol. I'm not a massive fan of Luton station to be honest, it doesn't look good. I prefer Luton Airport Parkway station as it looks nicer, good to see the DART was made so people don't have to get a bus to the airport anymore.
As someone who grew up in Luton, moving away 2009, the station has always been awful...I remember getting the old DMUs to St Pancras in the 1970s....at least the bridge down to the town centre was demolished years ago...there was talk in the 1980/90s of building a spur line off the main track just before where Parkway station is now, under the hill to a new station built under the terminal allowing for direct trains.....also, Harpenden would have been a better choice for lunch
Great video Jen. Platform change is terrible. Looking forward to the next one.
Windy, but not moist! We could do with a bit of moist here, proper moist. All we get right now is rain on roads that are below zero. Slippery stuff! Snow and -25 C is never fun, +5 and no snow? Yes please! -47 C was interesting, for a bit. One month of -35 C was definitely too much! Moist is way better! :-D
to be honest i think most of the stations featured need refurbishing as they all dont look very welcoming & most would make me not visit the area but St Albans is a lovely city as theres a cathedreal & i went to Luton a few years ago & not a fan but need a revisit in the future as sometimes places change anyway brilliant vlog
Hi Jen, good vlog, pity about the ironing board seats, and the wind making your hair do "hair things".
Luton isn't a particularly great place to visit, I had to overnight there once and hated it...
Take caee and take your time, we'll wait...unlike Thameslink...🙂
Jon B.
....metal and plastic! There, finished it for you, Jen.
I'm very behind on my UA-cam viewing. The DART looks very impressive, but is it worth the ticket price?
Shame whilst in Luton you never had a ride on the guided busway, said to be the busiest of the few now in uk. A double decker ride on it is most enjoyable and there is even a short scenic rural stretch. Ok not a train, but it does have stations !
I wonder if people can like, hold the doors open when there's a platform alteration to help keep the train there while people move to the right platform
Done that many times when I've known before they announced and got there in time, but as someone with reduced mobility myself I really dislike Thameslink doing this so much on the mml route
@@memediatek are thameslink doing it. surely platform selection comes under signalling ultimately, which is a network rail activity.
Missed Radett
icl just stay ln the footbridge until the train arrives, simple. but ive never seen platform alterations and ive been on the midland maknlkne a fair amount of times
Jen can u do more races pls. Possibly in Liverpool
2:14 . . . of FirstGroup
First Group Buses are getting a new logo/corporate image, are you going to the launch of it ?
I mean First Capital Connect was only...10 years ago...
If in doubt, eat at spoons
I personally avoid spoons!
@ oh ok fair enough it’s not for everyone
great video, but the quality of service is absolutely ridiculous, that many platforms alterations, unloved stations, waiting rooms closed and customer information points being broken, honestly awful for what it should be. really good video despite the storm!
First time I've seen a complete clip of the DART, shame you sped it up though.
luton dart to luton airport should have a sheltered walkway, like north greenwick to the o2 or something
Great Editing , BUT the opening "title card" should have a & not and after Elstree.