SWR 1st September ASLEF Strike Potential Timetable

[philosopher]

What do people think South Western Railway’s likely timetable will be on Friday 1st September? The 1st September would be the first day the SWR train drivers have been on strike during this current industrial dispute.

My initial assumption was that they would run no services at all, like most of the other operators when ASLEF are on strike. However their industrial action webpage says:

On Friday 18 August we were notified of strike action by the ASLEF union taking place on Friday 1 September.

We are still confirming our services for this date, however, it is likely that a significantly reduced service will operate on a limited number of lines.

Please check back for updates.

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This implies that they will or at least think they can run some services.

 

[Surreytraveller]

They'll just see how many managers they've got who can drive trains and go from there. So, not much if anything will run I suspect

 

[PTR 444]

I’m supposed to be heading back to Poole from Brussels that day. If service provision really is going to be bad as the article makes out, then there’s not much hope for me getting home the same day. Once again a hotel will be gaining my custom.

 

[philosopher]

SWR have updated their website:

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www.southwesternrailway.com

Previous ASLEF strikes were limited to SWR depot drivers, who bring trains in and out of service. This strike action will involve mainline SWR drivers for the first time. As a result, services on this date will be different to previous strikes.

We are still confirming our services for this date, however:

• An extremely limited service will operate, with fewer trains than other strike days
• There will be no service on the Island Line
• Trains will only run between the hours of 0700 and 1900

Journey planners will be updated on Friday 25 August.

So it definitely looks like they will run some trains, but not as many as the RMT strike days.

I’m supposed to be heading back to Poole from Brussels that day. If service provision really is going to be bad as the article makes out, then there’s not much hope for me getting home the same day. Once again a hotel will be gaining my custom.

I am in a similar predicament as I am travelling to Guernsey with Condor Ferries via Poole on that day. My guess is that will run one train an hour from London Waterloo to Southampton Central but not any further. I suspect I will end up getting a coach to London to Poole as there does not seem to be any relatively straightforward non rail connection from Southampton to Poole.

 

[PTR 444]

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So it definitely looks like they will run some trains, but not as many as the RMT strike days.


I am in a similar predicament as I am travelling to Guernsey with Condor Ferries via Poole on that day. My guess is that will run one train an hour from London Waterloo to Southampton Central but not any further. I suspect I will end up getting a coach to London to Poole as there does not seem to be any relatively straightforward non rail connection from Southampton to Poole.

Unfortunately it appears that there are no National Express coaches from London to Poole or Southampton to Poole until the 3rd September. Presumably fully booked with passengers displaced from the railway. I can’t really give you any firm advice until final timetables are released, but if Salisbury trains are running on the 1st then I’d suggest going there and getting local buses for the rest of the journey as it will be quicker than going via Southampton. Morebus operate the X3 Salisbury to Bournemouth and m1/m2 Bournemouth to Poole.

morebus

Your friendly local bus operator, providing links across Bournemouth, Poole, Ringwood, Blandford, Wimborne and Swanage. All buses accept contactless

www.morebus.co.uk

Within the past hour, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and book a Travelodge on the outskirts of London, since at least then I can return home on the 2nd September when more trains should be running.

 

[Kite159]

In theory, you could reach Southampton by local buses (Poole to Bournemouth on the M1/M2) then to Lymington then to Southampton, if SWR are running trains from Southampton

 

[PTR 444]

In theory, you could reach Southampton by local buses (Poole to Bournemouth on the M1/M2) then to Lymington then to Southampton, if SWR are running trains from Southampton

You can, but it would take hours.

Assuming one leaves Poole bus station on the 09:03 m2 departure, you would arrive in Bournemouth at 09:45. It’s then a 20 minute wait for the 10:05 X2 departure to Lymington, arriving 11:43, then if you’re really lucky you could quickly dash for the 11:45 Bluestar 6 to Southampton. If you miss it, you’re riddled with another hour waiting around. You’d be looking at at least three hours to get from Poole to Southampton, let alone going anywhere beyond.

 

[philosopher]

Unfortunately it appears that there are no National Express coaches from London to Poole or Southampton to Poole until the 3rd September. Presumably fully booked with passengers displaced from the railway. I can’t really give you any firm advice until final timetables are released, but if Salisbury trains are running on the 1st then I’d suggest going there and getting local buses for the rest of the journey as it will be quicker than going via Southampton. Morebus operate the X3 Salisbury to Bournemouth and m1/m2 Bournemouth to Poole.

morebus

Your friendly local bus operator, providing links across Bournemouth, Poole, Ringwood, Blandford, Wimborne and Swanage. All buses accept contactless

www.morebus.co.uk

Within the past hour, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and book a Travelodge on the outskirts of London, since at least then I can return home on the 2nd September when more trains should be running.

Fortunately there is a Megabus from London to Poole that arrives into Poole two hours before the ferry leaves, so I will mostly use that service.

 

[david1212]

SWR have updated their website:

Cheap Train Tickets | No Booking Fees | South Western Railway

Find cheap train tickets with South Western Railway. Save up to 51% with Advance tickets, pay no booking fees and enjoy SWR Rewards.

www.southwesternrailway.com

So it definitely looks like they will run some trains, but not as many as the RMT strike days.


I am in a similar predicament as I am travelling to Guernsey with Condor Ferries via Poole on that day. My guess is that will run one train an hour from London Waterloo to Southampton Central but not any further. I suspect I will end up getting a coach to London to Poole as there does not seem to be any relatively straightforward non rail connection from Southampton to Poole.

Unfortunately it appears that there are no National Express coaches from London to Poole or Southampton to Poole until the 3rd September. Presumably fully booked with passengers displaced from the railway. I can’t really give you any firm advice until final timetables are released, but if Salisbury trains are running on the 1st then I’d suggest going there and getting local buses for the rest of the journey as it will be quicker than going via Southampton. Morebus operate the X3 Salisbury to Bournemouth and m1/m2 Bournemouth to Poole.

morebus

Your friendly local bus operator, providing links across Bournemouth, Poole, Ringwood, Blandford, Wimborne and Swanage. All buses accept contactless

www.morebus.co.uk

Within the past hour, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and book a Travelodge on the outskirts of London, since at least then I can return home on the 2nd September when more trains should be running.

From National Rail Saturday 2nd September is also a day of industrial action by the RMT. Friday 1st is ASLEF.
Bournemouth Airshow is Thursday 31 August – Sunday 3 September so everything running to or through there will be rammed.
Trains to Salisbury might be better but then again demand for buses to Bournemouth/Poole probably way beyond capacity at least until the afternoon.

Incident: SWR Strike | National Rail

Industrial action affecting South Western Railway. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Industrial action has been announced on the following dates, affecting South Western Railway:

Saturday 26 August (RMT Union)

Friday 1 September (ASLEF Union) Island Line services will also be affected on this date

Saturday 2 September (RMT Union)

 

[Terence Hart]

There won’t be any Southampton trains.

Basingstoke
Woking
Twickenham
Guildford - Woking shuttles.

 

[philosopher]

There won’t be any Southampton trains.

Basingstoke
Woking
Twickenham
Guildford - Woking shuttles.

It looks like you were correct after looking at the timetable today. Although SWR’s timetable on the 1st September is less than the RMT strike days, it is quite a bit a more than most other rail operators, who are generally not running anything.

 

[PTR 444]

Fortunately there is a Megabus from London to Poole that arrives into Poole two hours before the ferry leaves, so I will mostly use that service.

I completely overlooked Megabus for some reason, otherwise would have considered travelling with them. Now have a hotel in Tolworth booked for the 1st so it’s just a case of getting from St Pancras to Surbiton before the SWR strike day service shuts down.

 

[Kite159]

I completely overlooked Megabus for some reason, otherwise would have considered travelling with them. Now have a hotel in Tolworth booked for the 1st so it’s just a case of getting from St Pancras to Surbiton before the SWR strike day service shuts down.

I'm sure you could reach Surbiton/Tolworth by bus if needed, or even using LU to Hounslow for the 281

 

[PTR 444]

I'm sure you could reach Surbiton/Tolworth by bus if needed, or even using LU to Hounslow for the 281

Another option I had was to change at Earl’s Court and use the District Line to Putney Bridge, then catch the 265 bus from there to Tolworth. Now with SWR running to Surbiton (probably the best served station on the network that day), it makes sense to catch the tube to Waterloo and travel onwards by train, unless there is disruption of course.