Last Thameslink trains at Ashford

[TheJRB]

I understand the last direct Thameslink services from Ashford to Bedford are running this month. The services appear to be 1E61 0543 Ashford International to Bedford, 1E63 0624 Ashford International to Bedford and 1N93 1636 Bedford to Ashford International on Friday 19th December.

I have a couple of questions about the details around the last workings. Firstly 2N74 2037 London Victoria to Ashford International is usually formed of the two 377s from the Bedford to Rochester evening service. Will this still be the case on Friday? Also when will the stock be heading back up? There was a 1940 to Blackfriars empty stock movement scheduled but that seems to have disappeared.

 

[Aictos]

I understand the last direct Thameslink services from Ashford to Bedford are running this month. The services appear to be 1E61 0543 Ashford International to Bedford, 1E63 0624 Ashford International to Bedford and 1N93 1636 Bedford to Ashford International on Friday 19th December.

I have a couple of questions about the details around the last workings. Firstly 2N74 2037 London Victoria to Ashford International is usually formed of the two 377s from the Bedford to Rochester evening service. Will this still be the case on Friday? Also when will the stock be heading back up? There was a 1940 to Blackfriars empty stock movement scheduled but that seems to have disappeared.

From what I can see 2N74 will terminate at Ashford Int and run as 5N74 into Ashford Int CS, I can't say when the stock used will be heading back up as I don't know.

 

[TheJRB]

Looks like the last services have run and both 5N93 and 5N74 have run to the Hitachi Depot. No sign of the ECS runs back to London yet on RTT though.

Be handy for me if it was late tomorrow morning!
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Passing at 12:05 and at 19:00, the two eight car sets were still at Ashford. One set in the Hitachi depot (377513+377514) and another set (which I couldn't identify) in the Up Sidings as there normally are at weekends.

The next scheduled move out of the Up Sidings is 5E63 on Monday morning which forms 1F63 to Blackfriars. Maybe continued usage of Thameslink stock on the Southeastern services for a short while?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Thameslink stock will continue to work the Ashford - Blackfriars for now .....(on a lease arrangement)

 

[Aictos]

Thameslink stock will continue to work the Ashford - Blackfriars for now .....(on a lease arrangement)

Pardon for asking a stupid question but as that route is fully 3rd rail capable, could we see other SE stock stand in for the leased TL stock if they happen to be unavailable?

 

[Class377/5]

Thameslink stock will continue to work the Ashford - Blackfriars for now .....(on a lease arrangement)

That's the 377/2. The 377/5 will be returned.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

SE are just a bit tight on vehicles at the moment - however , they will eventually get a cascade of 377x vehicles after the 700 introductions.

Observed the 0833 arrival at Blackfriars this am - very well loaded. A good 8 cars worth to say the very least.

 

[user15681]

With regards to Ashford, from 12/01/15, there should be morning peak 377s from Ashford to Blackfriars/Victoria and evening peak Blackfriars/Victoria to Ashford, as well as some Ashford to Victoria post peak services.

(The 0833 arrival this morning would have been the AM peak Rochester)

 

[387star]

I never knew thameslink trains continued as far as Rochester and Ashford

Have they been operated by 319s in the past or is the service quite new?

 

[yorksrob]

Well, that was a chapter of Ashford's history that passed me by !

Saw a couple of Thameslink units in the sidings every now and again but don't recall seeing Bedford advertised as a destination !

 

[Class377/5]

Well, that was a chapter of Ashford's history that passed me by !

Saw a couple of Thameslink units in the sidings every now and again but don't recall seeing Bedford advertised as a destination !

Unless you used the station around 0500, you never would have.

I never knew thameslink trains continued as far as Rochester and Ashford

Have they been operated by 319s in the past or is the service quite new?

377s have been used since 23rd March 2009. In fact during 2009 the Rochester went as far as Gillingham but was cut back after the introduction of HS1 services.

 

[yorksrob]

Unless you used the station around 0500, you never would have.

That would explain it !

 

[387star]

Unless you used the station around 0500, you never would have.



377s have been used since 23rd March 2009. In fact during 2009 the Rochester went as far as Gillingham but was cut back after the introduction of HS1 services.

When did said services begin though or you mean from 2009?

 

[user15681]

There are still 377s at Ashford, although only going as far as/from Blackfriars/Victoria.

0624 Ashford to Blackfriars
0711 Ashford to Victoria
1742 Victoria to Ashford
1747 Blackfriars to Ashford
1938 Ashford to Victoria
2122 Victoria to Ashford
2222 Victoria to Ashford

 

[Class377/5]

There are still 377s at Ashford, although only going as far as/from Blackfriars/Victoria.

0624 Ashford to Blackfriars
0711 Ashford to Victoria
1742 Victoria to Ashford
1747 Blackfriars to Ashford
1938 Ashford to Victoria
2122 Victoria to Ashford
2222 Victoria to Ashford

And a few Maidstone East services too.

When did said services begin though or you mean from 2009?

As from March 2009.

 

[mister-sparky]

377's are running peak-only to Tunbridge Wells and Hastings too.

 

[user15681]

And a few Maidstone East services too.

The Maidstone East services in the morning have been 465+466 for about two months now.