The 0730 semi-fast service from Woking to London Waterloo left on time this morning. The guard proudly announced that the service would be calling at West Byfleet, Byfleet and New Haw, Weybridge, Walton on Thames and London Waterloo arriving at 0808. Most unusual to get an announcement.

Then again, at our first stop, West Byfleet, "Good Morning and welcome to those passengers who have joined the 0733 semi-fast service to London Waterloo calling at….." and then they again told us that there were South West Train managers on board.

We arrived at Waterloo a minute early, the guard announcing which platform we would be arriving at and which side of the train it would be. He then thanked us for travelling with South West Trains and wished us a pleasant day.

Is it any wonder that the train companies will not get any better. This mornings service achieved two things. First, it showed us the great-unwashed-travelling public that SWT can run trains on time and can use the intercom to give us information. That can only be good. Second, and rather disappointingly, it showed the managers of the company that there really is no problem with their rail service and that the train using public are just a bunch of moaners who don't know when they have got it good. If train companies really want to see what kind of service commuters put up with day after day they need to indulge in a bit of mystery-shopping. Send managers on trains out of uniform and unannounced. Make them get on the trains during the rush hour like everyone else rather than allowing them to board at the depots. Let them see how good their service really is.

The rolling stock that is used is, in the main, rather outdated. The old slam door trains with corridored first class compartments seem to prevail over the electric door modern trains although I must say that I prefer the slam doors as there is much more ventilation. The trains tend to be dirty and rather tatty with graffiti and gum all over the place.

You may recall that it was the SWT guards who kicked off the latest round of rail strikes, supposedly over their refusal to wear red waistcoats and display name badges. After an incident that appalled me earlier this week I can see why they do not wish to wear name badges. It is because they do not wish to be identified in complaints. I travelled home in the same carriage as a blind man. To give the station staff their due they spotted him as he left the train and a guard promptly came along the platform to, announced who he was, and then started to lead the man towards the exit. As the guard passed the guards van on the train he clearly spotted his friend in the guards van and left the blind man to go ahead on his own. Not only must a station be a very dangerous place to try to navigate if you have no vision (and Woking does not yet have the raised paving slabs indicating the edge of the platform) Woking station is not easy to get out of. From the platform we were on the gentleman would have had to walk along the platform to locate the steps up (set going back towards the direction he had just come from), at the top of the steps you then walk across the train lines to the left or right and down another set of steps onto the opposite platform from where you have to identify the exit to your left or right about 20 metres down. Not exactly simple. I led the man out of the station, having seen what had happened and he confirmed that quite often he did not get any assistance at all. I was disgusted.

6 - Give us information when we are being held up, the technology is there and this morning proved it could be done.

8 - When something does go wrong get creative with your response. Simply cutting out stations to make up time is not constructive and angers passengers who have already waited ages.