Govia get Thameslink Franchise

[mister-sparky]

Apart from the 2tph to Sevenoaks, are there actually going to be any other SE services (or anyone else) using the Blackfriars bays off-peak?

 

[Bald Rick]

Apart from the 2tph to Sevenoaks, are there actually going to be any other SE services (or anyone else) using the Blackfriars bays off-peak?

The Sevenoaks trains will GTR and going through the core...

 

[DJL]

I understood it to be the current "peak extras" that will be using the bays - such as those to Ashford & Rochester.

Very handy for me as it means the currently busy trains will be half empty!

 

[swt_passenger]

The original plan in the 1990s was four through platforms (two islands). There was also serious consideration to making Blackfriars the OHLE/Third Rail changeover.

I'd call those 'proposals'. The finalised 'plans' are surely what was put in the TWA Order application?

(Can't disagree that all sorts of other ideas will have been discussed and evaluated.)

 

[ert47]

Sorry for the slight derail of the convo;
Got a couple of rest days and some quality time with Illustrator. Just put together what Southerns logo could look like if brought in line with the other GTR operations;



Click to embiggen

 

[Aictos]

Sorry for the slight derail of the convo;
Got a couple of rest days and some quality time with Illustrator. Just put together what Southerns logo could look like if brought in line with the other GTR operations;

This is what I think the Southern brand is more likely to be like.....

 

[stut]

They should just save their money and go for:

 

[Class377/5]

What original plan is that then? I've been following this Thameslink project for over ten years and a four platform station has never been a part of it.

There are readily available published plans for reasonably full use of the bay platforms by Southeastern, just because the loop isn't using them doesn't mean they aren't going to be used at all in the final timetable.

Its not so much a planning but as part of the planning inquiry there was a document that showed multiple track layouts and four platforms was a variant looked at. Wonder if I've still go a copy somewhere.

 

[jon0844]

They should just save their money and go for:

Wasn't the Wagn 313 livery for 'kids for a quid' (or whatever it was) a multi-coloured use of Comic Sans on a near white background?

 

[backontrack]

Wasn't the Wagn 313 livery for 'kids for a quid' (or whatever it was) a multi-coloured use of Comic Sans on a near white background?

Not quite.

 

[jon0844]

Ah, that's it. And they should have gone with Comic Sans!!

 

[ModernRailways]

I thought they were keeping the current Southern branding and logo? The only change would come to Thameslink and Great Northern with them getting a different branding?

 

[physics34]

I thought they were keeping the current Southern branding and logo? The only change would come to Thameslink and Great Northern with them getting a different branding?

Yes the Southern logo is not changing...yet, what the future holds we never know. Go Ahead are very "brand orientated". They believe the current SOuthern logo is the way to go!....Whereas the current Gatwick Express logo (National Expresses design), is woeful and should be changed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

This is what I think the Southern brand is more likely to be like.....

It looks okay.!

How about a gatwick express version..

 

[HowardGWR]

Are there any data for Gatwick Express loadings? They seemed a bit sparse to me.

 

[pitdiver]

I called in at my local FCC stn (Flitwick) todau wnd enquired whether they had heard anything about Govia. The only information they had received was from the local Rail Users Group.
BRUG had told them that GOVIA would be installing gates at all FCC stns
This should be interesting as Harlington isn't staffed after 1315, and not at all on Sundays. Fltwick is unstaffed after 1945 Mon-Fri, 1600 Sat, 1600 Sun.

Slightly off topic none of the B/O staff had heard of the Priv rate for off peak travel.

 

[Stats]

Flitwick will be staffed all day in the new franchise

Ticket gatelines to be introduced at Cricklewood, Flitwick, Mill Hill Broadway and Radlett

First to last station staffing will be introduced at Cricklewood, Elstree & Borehamwood, Flitwick, Harpenden, Leagrave, Mill Hill Broadway, Radlett and West Hampstead Thameslink

 

[thelem]

BRUG had told them that GOVIA would be installing gates at all FCC stns
This should be interesting as Harlington isn't staffed after 1315, and not at all on Sundays. Fltwick is unstaffed after 1945 Mon-Fri, 1600 Sat, 1600 Sun.

Then they'll extend the opening hours and/or leave the gates open when there aren't staff available for them. If the gates were only closed from 6am - 11am that would cover the majority of commuters, as singles don't tend to be much cheaper than returns. Even if the gates were only closed once a week, that would be enough to deter many people from chancing a free journey.

 

[ert47]

How about a gatwick express version..

Here we go!



The more I look at the logos, the more of a "Tesco" feel I get.

 

[pitdiver]

As far as I am aware there are no First and Last trains on the Thameslink route they run all night albeit a limited service. I wonder what will be considered the last train.
As a regular user of Flitwick It appears that the vast majority of passengers travel to destinations that already have gates. In the case of Flitwick it could be quite interesting as passemgers have direct access to the platforms from the road bridge I assume they will have either build some sort of shelter or close the access from the bridge . I'm am not against gates per se but it will be interesting to see them in operation at Flitwick. ( I have a PTAC so I always buy a ticket)

 

[physics34]

Here we go!



The more I look at the logos, the more of a "Tesco" feel I get.

Ha ha, nice. !

 

[jon0844]

Can you do one saying Gatwick Express with 'We're Southern really' underneath?

 

[stut]

Yes, I was going to suggest that this should be the Gatwick Express logo:

 

[MotorcycleAlan]

It would not be cheap to replace the logo on those combined seat/flower containers on may Southern stations, that have it carved in to the timber back. Likewise those lovely entrance mats which look very impressive when clean. Wish I knew how to get hold of one! (legally)

 

[Deerfold]

As far as I am aware there are no First and Last trains on the Thameslink route they run all night albeit a limited service. I wonder what will be considered the last train.

There's a last train on Saturday nights (0139 Sunday morning from St Pancras to Flitwick then a 4.5 hour gap; 2352 with a six hour gap in the other direction so Flitwick is without trains for 3 hours 11 minutes).

If it's staffed First to Last train it'll probably get 24-hour staffing rather than a gap in one of the half hours between trains (in both directions).

 

[Aictos]

There's a last train on Saturday nights (0139 Sunday morning from St Pancras to Flitwick then a 4.5 hour gap; 2352 with a six hour gap in the other direction so Flitwick is without trains for 3 hours 11 minutes).

If it's staffed First to Last train it'll probably get 24-hour staffing rather than a gap in one of the half hours between trains (in both directions).

Agreed, there's only 40 minutes between the last service and the first service at Huntingdon so rather then being unmanned for 40 mins, I would say it's a safe bet it would go over to 24/7 manning.

 

[JaJaWa]

Can you do one saying Gatwick Express with 'We're Southern really' underneath?

Gatwick Express is just going to be one of the 4 GTR brands rather than a Southern sub-brand.

 

[jon0844]

Yes I know, but GTR wouldn't have been so funny.

 

[infobleep]

Gatwick Express is just going to be one of the 4 GTR brands rather than a Southern sub-brand.

Wonder if they will allow off peak tickets on Gatwick Express services in the future? At the moment it's rather silly. In the evening there are trains running South from Gatwick for which you need a peak ticket but as far as I am aware, they don't publicly state off peak tickets are not valid on these services. So passengers just have to know which services they are allowed to travel on.

At least with a Southern or FCC only ticket it states that on them.

 

[GodAtum]

I hope they keep the 24hr FCC services intact as I would lose my job if I cannot get to work.

 

[jon0844]

There will be a three year trial of a more regular night service, and I don't believe anything is being cut. I've travelled on those trains through the early hours and they're usually pretty well loaded with airport travellers, late night revellers and shift workers.