Michael is right about how Southern are quick to get money from Network rail all the time.

Overall they are measured on the % of trains arriving "ontime" defined as within 5 minutes of scheduled time.

The first trick is extending the official arrival times to give wriggle room. HOP trains used to take 11 minutes to LB, now its 17.

If your train is running 5 minutes late, they have failed to get it over the line for statistics for that train, and its then in their interests to, for example, hold you at a signal before a junction (e.g.between Crystal Palace and Sydenham)to make sure other trains arrive within the 5 minute time, knowing they have another 25 minutes to play with you before they have to compensate the few passengers who actually manage to negotiate the repay bureaucracy. I have been proactively offered £25 in total for over 6 months of nearly everyday poor service. I declined as I want a good train, not small amounts of cash.

Or there is the old run fast trick to "recover the service" i.e. avoid fines the other end. Its certainly not for passenger convenience and why would it be when legally they are obliged to maximise profits for their often State owned shareholders.

I am sometimes convinced that Southern has an army of accountants in a bunker somewhere in Sussex with a mind boggling supercomputer model deciding the exact timings of each train according to the likely fines.

As stated above, with an election coming, this might be the only time to apply pressure.

The only thing we can rely on with Southern in the meantime is the annual fare rise.

At least I am getting some responses although with a heavy dose of corporate propaganda from the following e-mail when I complain.

sr_vip@postroom.com

VIP Complaints team

Southern & Gatwick Express