COMMUTERS faced even more train misery on Monday and Tuesday with Haslemere the only local station operating any kind of service.

With South West Trains' services cut to just 10-15 per cent of its normal timetable of some 1,700 services, travellers caught up in the 48-hour strike found themselves piling into already crowded early morning trains and leaving work early to face an equally frustrating journey home.

Sue Green from SWT, who was on duty on Monday morning at Haslemere station and ready to face the problems, told The Herald: " There were a few seats available on the 6-40 am semi-fast train to Waterloo, but by the time it left the station the train was heaving with passengers."

She added that generally "the travelling public had been brilliant" in putting up with the difficult conditions.

An hourly train service operated to and from Waterloo and terminated at Haslemere. Buses and coaches brought in from across the country for journeys from Portsmouth and Haslemere were well used, stopping at Haslemere, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Havant and Portsmouth.

With no SWT services stopping at Liphook, Witley and Milford, some travellers suffered further delays as they faced long bus journeys to and from their final destinations.

Around three inter-city Virgin trains on regular journeys to and from Birmingham New Street railway station and Portsmouth Harbour also stopped at Haslemere.

Although conditions were slightly better than during the rail strike last Friday, rail users The Herald met faced their extended delays and travelling times with stoicism and resignation.

Russ King from Liphook, who was returning from a holiday in Switzerland arrived at Heathrow from Zurich at 1-45 pm on Tuesday and was still trying to get home at 5-30 pm.

"I had no idea there was a rail strike on until I arrived back at Heathrow. I think it it's going to take me at least another half-an-hour to get home," he said.

Jason Horton from Havant said Haslemere had become his nearest station.

He sid his normal journey time of just over an hour to and from work had taken him around three-and-a-half hours on strike days. It included catching a train to Southampton and using the Basingstoke and Woking service to get to work. Unable to return on the same route, he too was stuck at Haslemere waiting for a bus connection.

For her friends returning to university after the Christmas break, Sarah Pullar said the journeys had been a "nightmare".

She was waiting at Haslemere station to catch a bus to Havant and another train to her home in Chichester.

Another passenger waiting in the cold for friends to pick her up from the station on Tuesday was Cheryl Freemantle from Woodside Close in Bordon, who works in Guildford. "My family has given me a lift to Haslemere station so I can get to work on time," said Miss Freemantle.

"But it has cost me more money and my boss is not happy," she said.

For Miss Freemantle, who normally travels from Liphook Station, the strikes have meant early morning starts and up to three hours to get to and from work.

With another 48-hour strike threatened for January 24, which also set to include Arriva Northern services, a spokesman for South West Trains said on Wednesday morning that it was hoping to resolve the issue with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).

"We have a long-term relationship to maintain with RMT and are willing to talk at anytime.

"The 2001 pay negotiations have been concluded with a 7.6 per cent pay increase," he added.

Commuters will be compensated for the rail strikes with season tickets extended to take account of the days they were affected by the strikes.

Andrew Haines, managing director for South West Trains said: "The recent strikes have been a damaging and painful experience for our passengers, our employees and our company."

Some 2,000 union members took part in the strike, protesting over the ongoing pay dispute and the demotion of a union representative from train driver to ticket collector.

ALTON Line Users' Association chairman Chris Campbell, while sympathising with Better Rail Advisory Group members, led by David da Costa, whose aim it is to embarrass the government into action by launching a one-day national rail boycott on March 1, feels support may be limited.

But he supports the call by Winchester MP Mark Oaten for passengers to express their frustration by quiet refusal to show their tickets. Mr Oaten told The Herald: "Passengers have had their goodwill stretched to the limit by endless delays and cancellations. It is time that they had their own day of peaceful protest. We could register our concerns through quiet refusal to co-operate with on-board ticket inspectors. The time has come to say that enough is enough."