Notices by Jon Worth (jon@gruene.social), page 5

The funniest was this road

I couldn’t work out if it was France or Belgium (mix of cars and road signs)

Until I discovered the road is the border 😊 It’s here https://maps.app.goo.gl/LXpFXVFRPwzVgKnQA?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

I’ve teleported myself to Brandenbu… ah no Hauts de France

And SNCF TERs don’t have on board WiFi to help me overcome it

And taking TER trains in most of France is a disheartening experience

The vast majority of passengers are too young or too poor to have cars - they’re only here because they have no other choice

Many stations are knackered and run down

Most of the trains are modern-ish, but information provision is poor

At thanks for that SNCF you jerks

TER Paris - Amiens arrives +5, Platform 9

As *it’s rolling in*, the TER to Lille rolls out of Platform 10, so I missed it (having seen it)

When those who defend SNCF say different operators on French rail will worsen the service for passengers I honestly struggle to see how

Here this morning in Amiens is one of those moments where a very minor adjustment - holding a train for 2 minutes in an empty station - could have benefitted passengers

But SNCF couldn’t be arsed

There are times trains can’t wait. There are times when - operationally - a railway has to take decisions that seem customer unfriendly.

But at 10:50 on a Wednesday morning at an empty Amiens station, with a train taking a route with plenty of capacity towards Arras isn’t one.

SNCF has left me and others stranded an hour here because their approach to TER customers is we’re the lowest form of pond life *and don’t matter*.

And to those going “it’s Hauts de France at fault, not SNCF” ok, but then they’re setting the performance criteria wrong

In the semi liberalised railway in Czechia it’s stipulated per train and per station what has to wait for what, with extra waits for the last connection of the day

And yeah I know. France learning lessons from a country like Czechia… that’s not happening

+15 approaching Hazebrouck (delay due to a broken level crossing)

I’m going to have to cycle to Poperinge damned fast so as to not end up late in Brussels

A new bus between Poperinge and Hazebrouck started in 2023, but given it’s only 6x a day I fear it’s not much more than a token gesture

Also an aside on Trump

I’m a straight white middle aged guy with a university education, two citizenships, and I live in the EU

All things considered I’m as sheltered from the shit to come as much as pretty much anyone in this world

But I feel hopeless - there’s nothing that feels appropriate I could do or say

All I can keep doing is working in my small way in my own field - to improve EU politics and public transport, however insignificant that seems

The cream of today’s #CrossBorderRail

(Sorry for the other passenger in the pic - there was no sign my side!)

Next up: Amiens-Arras on this. No idea about the data for this one yet as I wasn’t even meant to take it

I’ll resist the urge to… #CrossBorderRail

Just chatted to the train manager here (in French)

“Why did the previous train not wait, even 1 minute?”
“It never waits”
“But you left passengers stranded”
“We have to leave on time, it’s stipulated”
“But why does SNCF Connect even show me this connection?”
“It’s a stupid computer”

Like really. A railway that doesn’t even have a system to pay attention to connections between regional trains? 🤦♂️

(The guy was friendly and understanding but powerless)

#CrossBorderRail 2024 Extra Days Baltic Circuit Train 2 of 29
TER48511
09:06 Paris Gare du Nord - Amiens 10:45
SNCF for TER Hauts de France

Train type: Bombardier Regio 2N EMU, single and double deck, 10 sections
⚡️
🚲: ✅
🦽: ✅ (step free if station allows, Paris Nord does)
🛜: ⛔️
🍽️: ⛔️
🧳: 😐 (multi use areas small, loads of stairs, no overhead racks)
🧽: 🙂

(I really don't get the design of Regio 2N - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regio_2N - esp with 2+3 seating it's not pleasant)

And this train is a TER 2N NG https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_24500?wprov=sfti1#

Not to be confused with the Regio 2N I took earlier

Built between 2000 and 2009 these are the best EMUs for French rural services. Smooth ride. Quiet. Decent luggage space. Reasonably comfy seats. Definitely better than the newer Regio 2N

TER48511
09:06 Paris Gare du Nord - Amiens 10:45

Distance: 130.7km
Average speed: 79km/h

11 stops:
Orry-la-Ville-Coye
Chantilly-Gouvieux
Creil
Laigneville
Liancourt-Rantigny
Clermont-de-l'Oise
St-Just-en-Chaussée
Breteuil-Embranchement
Ailly-sur-Noye
Longueau
Amiens

This train, mapped: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/crossborderrail-extra-days-2024_1030682#9/49.5350/1.9487

Sat in my final TER today (I’m finally getting close-ish to Hazebrouck) and the defeatism of the tone of my conversation with @corentin is getting to me

We’ve both seen enough and know enough to know what to do to prevent circumstances like my missed connection earlier in Amiens from happening

And neither of us has any hope any politician with decision making power will ever understand it

And back to the border I crossed earlier

Border 285 of the #CrossBorderRail project

It was the long-dismantled Godewaersvelde 🇫🇷 - Poperinge 🇧🇪

You can in most places see where it ran. In a few places the alignment is a very muddy footpath. But the alignment has been built on in a few places, inc next to Godewaersvelde (charming old station is now a school, pictured)

This line isn’t coming back

Using the excellent unofficial Railer app I get super info on my next train

Poperinge. With 2 mins to spare. Never have I been happier to hear the “Beste Reizigers” welcome from NMBS 🙂