Last year we had a good view of the fireworks from the Embankment but
the impossibility of getting into Charing Cross put us off ever going
back (we caught two night buses home instead, taking three hours to get
to our home, in Zone 6).

This year, however, we were lured back into London after all, to a great
party at the Royal Festival Hall. We finally left there at 01.40, and
crossed the footbridge to go to Charing Cross.

As we were crossing, we saw a twelve-carriage train to Dartford via
Bexleyheath departing on the railway bridge next to us. It was pretty
much empty - by which I don't mean only half the seats were taken, I
mean it was literally almost empty. I think there were more people on
the 05.55 Crayford to Gravesend train I caught one Friday in November.

All the back entrances to Charing Cross, and the whole of Embankment
station, were closed so we were forced around near Trafalgar Square and
past a load of police, some on horseback, etc. in the Strand.

Then we saw the most enormous queue of people waiting to get into
Charing Cross. The back end of the queue was almost at Aldwych. This was
a good 90 minutes or more after the fireworks had ended. In all the time
we were walking past the station we didn't see anyone getting let in
from the queue.

My question is this: when that many people are standing in a queue
outside a station, why on earth are twelve-carriage trains leaving that
same station completely empty? They could have filled that train up to
rush-hour levels and still had the same number left to go onto the next
one.

When we realised the night buses' starting points had been moved even
further from Trafalgar Square than last year, we decided to cross
Waterloo Bridge and go to London Bridge station instead. As we crossed,
we could again make out a distinctly empty-looking train leaving Charing
Cross in the distance.

Ultimately we got into Southwark tube without any problem to save a bit
of walking, then of course caught our train at London Bridge, which was
no busier than during a typical weekend 'closing time' period. The train
was of course about 75% empty (or nearer 90% by rush-hour standards!) so
we were able to choose from a wide selection of vacant double seats.

Quite why I'm posting that previous paragraph on the internet when my
plan for next year (if we go back) is to head straight for London Bridge
via Southwark, is anyone's guess - now our fast-track route will be full
of Usenet users

Does anyone know what on earth was going on at Charing Cross? Why did
they not let enough people in to fill the available trains? Is the crowd
management always that atrocious?

Paul