London Victoria to Littlehampton services calling pattern

[Halsebee]

Trains on this route now call at 12-13 stations before Worthing typically. This is considerably more than 50 years ago, when I think there were at most 6, Clapham J, E Croydon, Gatwick, Haywards Heath, Hove and Shoreham.
I have vague memories that these trains usually didn't call at Clapham Junction or Gatwick in the early 1970s,but may be wrong. Does anyone know, and additionally does anyone have an idea of when various additional calls were introduced, and why?

 

[Cricketer8for9]

Because more people live in Mid-Sussex.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

The current ~2 hour journey time does seem quite long for Littlehampton.

 

[ChrisC]

I‘ve often wondered why Littlehampton doesn’t have some faster trains via the Arun Valley.

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

Trains on this route now call at 12-13 stations before Worthing typically. This is considerably more than 50 years ago, when I think there were at most 6, Clapham J, E Croydon, Gatwick, Haywards Heath, Hove and Shoreham.
I have vague memories that these trains usually didn't call at Clapham Junction or Gatwick in the early 1970s,but may be wrong. Does anyone know, and additionally does anyone have an idea of when various additional calls were introduced, and why?

My September 1992 to May 1993 timetable shows it as you say; Clapham Junction (pick up only), East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Haywards Heath, Hove and Shoreham then all stops from Worthing

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I‘ve often wondered why Littlehampton doesn’t have some faster trains via the Arun Valley.

Am I right in saying that there's currently just the one direct, (midweek) train service, between Littlehampton and London Victoria, each way, which is actually routed via the Arun Valley?

 

[devon_belle]

Am I right in saying that there's currently just the one direct, (midweek) train service, between Littlehampton and London Victoria, each way, which is actually routed via the Arun Valley?

You might be thinking of the Bognor to London Bridge (via Littlehampton) train which runs out in the morning peak and back in the evening peak?

 

[Magdalia]

1974 is the first all line timetable.

There was an hourly Victoria-Littlehampton via Hove. On the main line it only called at East Croydon and Haywards Heath.

There was also an hourly slow Victoria-Bognor via Gatwick, Horsham and Littlehampton.

In those days the main hourly Victoria-Portsmouth/Bognor train was still running via Dorking.

Am I right in saying that there's currently just the one direct, (midweek) train service, between Littlehampton and London Victoria, each way, which is actually routed via the Arun Valley?

There is a morning Bognor up train via Littlehampton and Arundel, and corresponding down evening train. on Monday-Thursday. But it runs to/from London Bridge not Victoria.

 

[devon_belle]

Trains on this route now call at 12-13 stations before Worthing typically. This is considerably more than 50 years ago, when I think there were at most 6, Clapham J, E Croydon, Gatwick, Haywards Heath, Hove and Shoreham.
I have vague memories that these trains usually didn't call at Clapham Junction or Gatwick in the early 1970s,but may be wrong. Does anyone know, and additionally does anyone have an idea of when various additional calls were introduced, and why?

Some of the calls (e.g. Lancing) on the West Coastway were introduced in 2024 I think, formerly 1 tph skipping some stops. I believe it's because there simply isn't room on that stretch of track to run the desired local frequency as well as semi-fast services.

 

[30907]

1974 is the first all line timetable.

There was an hourly Victoria-Littlehampton via Hove. On the main line it only called at East Croydon and Haywards Heath.

There was also an hourly slow Victoria-Bognor via Gatwick, Horsham and Littlehampton.

In those days the main hourly Victoria-Portsmouth/Bognor train was still running via Dorking.

That was (give or take) the pattern from the mid 50s; Clapham Jn and Gatwick came with the timetable recast of the late 70s (with the 15-min interval 4VEG Gatwick service).
Offpeak stops at the likes of Hassocks are a spin-off from losing the Victoria-Brighton semi-fasts - and of course the doubled frequency to both Coastways.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

That was (give or take) the pattern from the mid 50s; Clapham Jn and Gatwick came with the timetable recast of the late 70s (with the 15-min interval 4VEG Gatwick service).
Offpeak stops at the likes of Hassocks are a spin-off from losing the Victoria-Brighton semi-fasts - and of course the doubled frequency to both Coastways.

The Brighton Expresses at one point in 2016, had a random Hassocks call after East Croydon...

Interesting thread, perhaps there is scope for a greater timetable recast on the Brighton Line? Although I imagine even if there was, the Windmill Bridge problem rear its head immediately

 

[mike57]

I remember going from Victoria to Shoreham a few times with my parents in the early 60s. Certainly didn't call at Clapham Junction in those days or we would have joined there as it was slightly nearer home than Victoria. Calls then (60 years hazy memory) East Croydon, Gatwick, Haywards Heath, Hove, Shoreham from memory, certainly didnt call at any of the smaller stations.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

There was a much smaller population in the Mid-Sussex area then. The long distance commuters of the south lived on the coast in the 1950s. Only now, with the south coast being less God’s Waiting Room are these places attracting the young; often those priced out of London and then Brighton. There seems to be an expectation that timetables should be set in aspic even though the populations change.

 

[DJ_K666]

My September 1992 to May 1993 timetable shows it as you say; Clapham Junction (pick up only), East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Haywards Heath, Hove and Shoreham then all stops from Worthing

Iirc it used to split at Worthing with the front portion heading to (at the time) Bournemouth, calling at Barnham, Chichester, Havant, Cosham, Fareham, Swanwick, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst then Bournemouth. Headcode 46

The rear portion was then all stations to Littlehampton. Headcode 2

 

[nw1]

In 1982 (timetable available on Timetable World) it was as above but skipped Clapham, surprisingly few mainline trains called there then, i.e. the two Brighton stoppers, the Bognor stopper (via Arun Valley) and Horsham stopper plus the Portsmouth/Bognor via Arun Valley fast.

By 1985, the Clapham stop had been introduced, it was likely introduced in 1984 with the Gatwick Express recast.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==

Iirc it used to split at Worthing with the front portion heading to (at the time) Bournemouth, calling at Barnham, Chichester, Havant, Cosham, Fareham, Swanwick, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst then Bournemouth. Headcode 46

The rear portion was then all stations to Littlehampton. Headcode 2

A bit more info: the split as present as early as 1985 (probably 1984) when it was Portsmouth and Littlehampton. In 1990 the Portsmouth portion was diverted to Southampton, at the time of the Solent electrification, and Portsmouth got the Arun Valley service back (which didn't exist in the mid- or late-80s).

Incidentally, does anyone have a 1984 timetable? Would be good to see confirmation that it was indeed 1984 when the changes above happened; I know they were there by 1985.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==

1974 is the first all line timetable.

There was an hourly Victoria-Littlehampton via Hove. On the main line it only called at East Croydon and Haywards Heath.

There was also an hourly slow Victoria-Bognor via Gatwick, Horsham and Littlehampton.

In those days the main hourly Victoria-Portsmouth/Bognor train was still running via Dorking.

Presumably there was also a Horsham terminator via Gatwick too? Certainly in both the 60s (according to timetables on Timetable World) and the 80s, there were 2tph stoppers over the Three Bridges-Horsham section.

 

[DJ_K666]

In 1982 (timetable available on Timetable World) it was as above but skipped Clapham, surprisingly few mainline trains called there then, i.e. the two Brighton stoppers, the Bognor stopper (via Arun Valley) and Horsham stopper plus the Portsmouth/Bognor via Arun Valley fast.

By 1985, the Clapham stop had been introduced, it was likely introduced in 1984 with the Gatwick Express recast.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==


A bit more info: the split as present as early as 1985 (probably 1984) when it was Portsmouth and Littlehampton. In 1990 the Portsmouth portion was diverted to Southampton, at the time of the Solent electrification, and Portsmouth got the Arun Valley service back (which didn't exist in the mid- or late-80s).

Incidentally, does anyone have a 1984 timetable? Would be good to see confirmation that it was indeed 1984 when the changes above happened; I know they were there by 1985.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2025 ==


Presumably there was also a Horsham terminator via Gatwick too? Certainly in both the 60s (according to timetables on Timetable World) and the 80s, there were 2tph stoppers over the Three Bridges-Horsham section.

ISTR the headcode of the Vic- Portsmouth via Hove was 38. If I'm not mistaken it remained that way on Sundays.

 

[nw1]

ISTR the headcode of the Vic- Portsmouth via Hove was 38. If I'm not mistaken it remained that way on Sundays.

It was 38, yes. No idea about the Sunday service at that time, I have to admit.