Southern Further Timetable changes from 19th Feb

[gray1404]

I am not overly confident that the twice-daily Milton Keynes Central to Clapham junction services by Southern actually be reinstated this month. I could see them getting cancelled.

 

[Southern Dvr]

Both ran yesterday

Realtime Trains | Departures from Milton Keynes Central all day on 01/03/2022

Train information at Milton Keynes Central all day on 01/03/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The MKC service will not be running both of Hemel Hempstead from May though.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Watford Junction all day on 16/05/2022

Train information at Watford Junction all day on 16/05/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It appears to me that this is indeed a managed decline and that when a new TOC runs the franchise there will be great news as ‘new’ services are introduced.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

It appears to me that this is indeed a managed decline

A managed decline to match a decline in usage and income, same across most of the network.

 

[Bishopstone]

I see that today, the 16.33 Uckfield-London Bridge is cancelled, leaving a 3-hour gap between departures.

Also cancelled are the 16.06 and 17.06 East Grinstead-Victoria.

I thought the point of running a much-reduced timetable was to ensure the remaining services ran reliably, but clearly even these cannot be relied upon.

 

[OliverH68]

I see that today, the 16.33 Uckfield-London Bridge is cancelled, leaving a 3-hour gap between departures.

Also cancelled are the 16.06 and 17.06 East Grinstead-Victoria.

I thought the point of running a much-reduced timetable was to ensure the remaining services ran reliably, but clearly even these cannot be relied upon.

A couple of London Bridge - Caterham via Norbury & return circuits were also cancelled this morning I saw due to no crew.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I see that today, the 16.33 Uckfield-London Bridge is cancelled, leaving a 3-hour gap between departures.

Also cancelled are the 16.06 and 17.06 East Grinstead-Victoria.

I thought the point of running a much-reduced timetable was to ensure the remaining services ran reliably, but clearly even these cannot be relied upon.

Been over at friends at Upper Warlingham since early afternoon and the half hourly grinsteads were running reliable until people need to get home of course.

 

[Tomp94]

The west coastway service is really poor now.
I'm sat on a banger (albeit 313201) from Brighton to Chichester.
This used to be an electrostar!

 

[swt_passenger]

The west coastway service is really poor now.
I'm sat on a banger (albeit 313201) from Brighton to Chichester.
This used to be an electrostar!

The way other threads are going I’m fairly sure it will be again shortly…

 

[Bishopstone]

The west coastway service is really poor now.
I'm sat on a banger (albeit 313201) from Brighton to Chichester.
This used to be an electrostar!

Really poor. Given it’s basically a Sunday service in operation all the way along the coast from Hastings to Southampton, and also to East Grinstead etc, the only place the 313s should be is in the depot. No excuse for not using Electrostars on everything.

The Saturday service still requires the bangers.

 

[Tomp94]

Really poor. Given it’s basically a Sunday service in operation all the way along the coast from Hastings to Southampton, and also to East Grinstead etc, the only place the 313s should be is in the depot. No excuse for not using Electrostars on everything.

The Saturday service still requires the bangers.

Agreed.
There were electrostars parked next to hove station, usually frequented by the unused Gatwick express stock.
where have the electrostars that were doing the Brighton Southampton runs gone?
GTR got rid of the electro stars and replaced it with a banger for the Brighton portsmouth service a while ago…at least for the daytime services !

 

[foggy69]

Really poor. Given it’s basically a Sunday service in operation all the way along the coast from Hastings to Southampton, and also to East Grinstead etc, the only place the 313s should be is in the depot.

Passengers using the East Grinstead service on a weekday probably wish for a Sunday service.
It is 1/2 hourly all day on a Sunday, which is better than the generally hourly weekday.

 

[gray1404]

Can I just clarify what is happening to the Milton Keynes Central to Clapham junction service? I was on board the service heading towards Milton Keynes central yesterday and a chat from a rail users group was coming through speaking to passengers encouraging them to write their MP. He told me that the service will not be running north of Watford junction from May at all?

Is that correct or will some services still be extended North of Watford junction during the peak?

 

[Lewlew]

Can I just clarify what is happening to the Milton Keynes Central to Clapham junction service? I was on board the service heading towards Milton Keynes central yesterday and a chat from a rail users group was coming through speaking to passengers encouraging them to write their MP. He told me that the service will not be running north of Watford junction from May at all?

Is that correct or will some services still be extended North of Watford junction during the peak?

Two trains a day (one morning, one evening) extended to Hemel Hempstead. Everything else to Watford only.

 

[30907]

Two trains a day (one morning, one evening) extended to Hemel Hempstead. Everything else to Watford only.

....with (it seems) immediate connections to/from Tring, less good for Northampton.
The northbound ECR-MKC trains are shown on RTT as Q paths, but southbound have vanished.

 

[gray1404]

So nothing to Milton Keynes Central from Clapham junction any more at all from May

 

[Southern Dvr]

So nothing to Milton Keynes Central from Clapham junction any more at all from May

Nope. 2 services to Hemel. Gather there *may* be potential for Tring at some point.

 

[physics34]

Hemel hempstead also covers the Bourne End shunt which is used with the Watford slow lines are closed

 

[Lewlew]

Hemel hempstead also covers the Bourne End shunt which is used with the Watford slow lines are closed

It'll be reversing off the platform

 

[Bletchleyite]

....with (it seems) immediate connections to/from Tring, less good for Northampton.

Hopefully the new timetable (which is Dec or later, not May, I checked) will fix that so the new 2tph MKC all-stations stopper connects in both directions, which retains basically all the utility.

From Northampton, Wolverton or MKC there's little point using it other than for cheaper fares onto Southern/SWT, via London is quite a bit quicker if you use a fast.

Notably last time it was a shuttle there was actually a Virgin train from MKC (0708 I think) that was a perfect connection onto it, meaning a quicker journey than now! Though staying on it to Euston and going from Vic was probably quicker if more expensive.

 

[physics34]

It'll be reversing off the platform

They probably keep the route knowledge for bourne end too for shunting on the fast lines

 

[cle]

Could there ever be a case for reinstating that side platform at Hemel? Even if for this (as I don't think it could be 12 car)

 

[JonathanH]

Could there ever be a case for reinstating that side platform at Hemel? Even if for this (as I don't think it could be 12 car)

Does that cost money? What would be the point with Tring not that far away? It doesn't seem as if Hemel Hempstead would ever be the natural all day terminus.

 

[387star]

So Brighton to West worthing/Hove/Lewes shuttles not running?

 

[Southern Dvr]

They probably keep the route knowledge for bourne end too for shunting on the fast lines

Not plans for that currently.
Hence Tring is being evaluated.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

To save starting a new thread, where can I find (older) Southern timetables for 2020 and 2021 please?

 

[JonathanH]

To save starting a new thread, where can I find (older) Southern timetables for 2020 and 2021 please?

May 2021 here https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blo...PDFs/03. May 2021 Timetable separate PDFs.zip

Not sure where to go for anything earlier.