Free copy OnFor your Southeastern journeyBoardSummer 2019 Driver Kelly-Joe wants more women to join her Women with drive Plus Station improvements Out and about Ticket office opening times On Board. March 2019 – October 2019 Hello, Welcome to the Summer 2019 of On Board. On page 8, meet Southeastern driver Kelly-Joe Ballard who’s blazing a trail for women on the railway, while on page 10 you’ll discover more about the hidden gems that the Southeastern network has to offer around Canterbury and Whitstable if you’re looking for a day Contents trip this summer. Throughout this magazine, you’ll find uplifting stories too of how Southeastern staff have gone the extra mile, and there’s plenty of hints and tips on how to find your best value ticket with a new 26-30 Railcard. Our improved Key card also offers regular and occasional passengers alike new benefits. A report released in June by independent passenger watchdog Transport Focus shows a year-on-year improvement in passengers’ overall satisfaction with our train services. Overall satisfaction among Southeastern passengers has increased by five per cent since spring 2018 and four out of every five passengers (80 per cent) now rate themselves as very or fairly satisfied with their journey. We are one of only three train operators in Metro line driver Beat Britain to show a significant year-on- Kelly-Joe Ballard year improvement in the spring 2019 National Rail Passenger Survey. 4 Information board 16 The Creative Kent Coast The survey results also show that News from around the Southeastern Galleries and exhibitions by the sea the heat passengers’ satisfaction with the network to keep you in the loop and up 18 Performance punctuality of our trains has increased to date To keep comfortable in hot Statistics, punctuality and opening hours by eight per cent over the past 7 Battle’s beauty weather carry water with you. year, reflecting a near ten per cent The small, Gothic-style station in Battle, improvement in train punctuality since East Sussex has undergone a revamp St Augustine’s Abbey, 2017. This improvement has been and it’s looking great Canterbury Feeling unwell on a train? delivered through close partnership 8 Women with drive Ask for help at the next station. working with Network Rail, and 2018 Find out what it’s like to be a Metro line Don’t use the emergency alarm was Southeastern’s most punctual ever driver with Kelly-Joe Ballard, who is on a autumn for the second year running. mission to get more women to apply onboard, it can cause delay in Enjoy exploring the Southeastern to drive trains network – and have a great summer. help reaching you. 10 Out and about Whistable and Canterbury have plenty Paul Prentice, Editor to offer day trippers this summer. From Find out how we prepare oysters to cathedrals, there’s something for summer at for everyone southeasternrailway.co.uk/ Disclaimer 12 What’s on The opinions expressed in this guide are not necessarily those There’s plenty to do across the network summer-weather of Southeastern. Editorial about Southeastern products and services may not include all of the applicable terms and 14 Unlock your journey conditions. Visit southeasternrailway.co.uk call 0345 322 7021 Introducing your upgraded Key and the or write to Southeastern Customer Relations, P O Box 10422, Unit 16, Coalfield Way, Ashby-de-la-Zouch LE65 9EL. Registered 26-30 Railcard in England (CN 4860660) Southeastern is part of Govia, a joint-venture between Go-Ahead Group plc and Keolis UK ltd. Produced by beetroot. beetroot.co.uk 0207 749 0180 Summer 2019 33 News News The information board Charitable souls assengers across the District Samaritans. In addition, Get up to speed with Southeastern’s latest news PSoutheastern network have £2,245 went to support hospice given generously to conductors patients with terminal illnesses, Jen Smith and Colin Offord as their families and carers. The they carried collection buckets charitable conductors had both through trains. chosen their charities to receive Life saving The duo raised £1,652 for the funds and then raised money actions the Tunbridge Wells and for each other’s choices. railway enforcement officer’s A quick thinking saved a young Petts Wood-land wonder woman from choking, Ian Harrison was off duty when he heard panic icket Office colleague team and Network Rail have breaking out further down the TMichael Gould has put helped by uprooting an carriage. He rushed over to find the plenty of care and attention unwanted tree and reinstating passenger in distress. into the station garden at Petts a wall. The result? A beautiful He slapped her on the back a few Wood. He spends hours tending garden filled with dahlia, times and she coughed up the food she the patch, weeding and begonia and geraniums that was choking on and the colour returned planting, with trees and plants offer rail passengers a spot to her face. Ian was recognised for his donated by colleagues. of colour on their morning quick actions and smart thinking with The Southeastern facilities commute. an award. Special This one’s on us delivery ustomer Experience Ambassador e like to take care of our CJamie Martin recently went above and W passengers and when one beyond to help a passenger who had left her passenger’s train was cancelled, we belongings on a train. did just that. Jamie spotted some important documents Amy Fraser discovered her train from and a passport in the London Cannon Street Dover Priory had been cancelled and lost property office and decided to reunite them tweeted, “I’m cold, tired and I want to get with the owner – student Jiayue Ren studying at home” to the Southeastern Twitter team. Entertaining Rainham the University of Birmingham. Team member Anna Richards saw it and ustomer Services Assistant Tom He shares jokes with colleagues With the support of his manager, Jamie suggested Amy pop over the road to the CMcGilloway has helped make and makes passenger birthday hopped on a tube at London Bridge and Priory Hotel to wait. the platform at Rainham station a announcements on his PA system and headed to Euston where he got a train to Amy replied, saying it was “expensive cheerier place in the morning. it’s earned him a bit of a fan club. But Birmingham. Then he nipped over to the and pay day tomorrow”, asking “you While giving his information, Tom’s just happy that he’s been able university, handed the personal items into buying then?” Anna was quick to respond he noticed passengers waiting in to make a difference. “Passengers are Jiayue’s halls of residence and then headed Solar savvy and organised for a drink to be waiting silence and decided to do something now speaking to one another. I love back to London. All in all it was a 250-mile rove Park depot has panels were funded by the for Amy when she got to the bar. about it by injecting a bit of humour it that they’re a lot friendlier towards round trip. Greceived 504 solar Department for Transport “It was a level of customer service I and singing into his announcements. each other,” he said. “It’s my job to help people,” said Jamie. “This panels on its roof, which feed and will generate enough didn’t expect!” said Amy. girl’s whole life was in that bag, her passport sustainable energy to power electricity to run 37 households and visas for all over Europe.” engineering work below. The a year. 4 On Board Summer 2019 5 News Station upgrades More from the information board Tools down in 1066 Country Passengers using Battle Station will benefit from a revamp this summer he refurbishment of Battle programme of other works. not only preserved the building but has railway station, considered The consent secured from Rother ensured that it will continue to serve to be one of the finest Gothic- District Council by Clague involved passengers and visitors for generations Tstyle small stations in the the removal of a chimney that was to come.” country, has been completed. structurally unsafe. It was replaced by While the conservation works The project was undertaken Redec in brickwork consistent with the were being undertaken, a separate on behalf of Southeastern by the original 1852 design of the building. programme saw the installation of new conservation team at Canterbury- Huw Merriman, MP for Bexhill and bicycle racks for train passengers. based Clague Architects, and Redec Battle (pictured below with local David Statham, Southeastern’s Refurbishment, a chartered building representatives), said: “The refurbished Managing Director, said: “As well as company based in Ashford. station at Battle looks fantastic. It is a preserving the fabric of an iconic, It also undertook the discharging significant local building being used by historic building, this restoration work of the planning conditions, which hundreds of people each day and for will enhance the experience of the required securing approval for the many others it’s their first impression of more than 500,000 passengers who use materials used, including the mortar for the historic town of Battle. The attention the station every year and is part of our the repointing of the Wealden Ragstone, to detail involved in restoring the station ongoing programme of investing in the replacement roof and extensive to its original glory is remarkable. It has improved facilities.” Delays repaid n June, Southeastern announced but if they are it’s really important that claims and regular journeys. Ian improved compensation we compensate them properly.