Last second platform changes at Gatwick

[Tunnel Bore]

Last night trains were being flipped from platform 7 to 6 and then the next train from 6 to 7.

The previous day some were moved from 6 to 5 which is a cross-platform change, but 6 to 7, and 7 to 6, are up and over the bridge. The changes were announced as the trains were running into the platform.

You've then got airport passengers struggling with luggage and regular commuters running from the ends of the platform ("this is a 12 coach train, please use the full length of the platform"). The train then has a long dwell in the platform while the dispatchers make sure there is not anyone still dashing for the train.

What operational benefit is gained from this thoughtless inconvenience to passengers? Almost none, it appears.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Tunnel Bore. Around what time was this? Just after half six?

I can see a late running Southbound Gatwick Express service for Brighton switched over to platform 5 at or around 1845 (should have been the 1831 departure using platform 6). However, at 1841, there was still the Bognor/Portsmouth Harbour service stood on platform 7, about to depart and, two minutes later at 1843, a Thameslink service for Brighton was still stood on platform 6.

How far North of Gatwick Airport is the route set? Possible that this may have had something to do with it?

 

[Class73Electro]

Seems to be fairly common! I was there a couple of Fridays ago and was waiting with my bike then about two minutes before it arrived the annoying, platform alteration. Not so fun trying to make a mad dash when dragging a bike with you! Even worse if you just came off a flight with a lot of luggage!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Seems to be fairly common!

Certainly not ideal. But how common, is common? Gatwick Airport railway station must see something like 600+ departures during the course of a typical weekday. And at least a changed platform still allows arriving rail passengers the opportunity to alight and get up to the Airport terminal(s) without further delay.

 

[jfollows]

It’s pretty common across the network.
My train from Crewe went from platform 6 to 5 to 1 in a few minutes, so I trogged across the footbridge twice for no reason.
But at least there was enough time.
We had a thread recently in which it was concluded that on many occasions when the changes are last minute, the information was available in some ways much sooner, eg from route settings on track diagrams.
And at least the changed train waited on this occasion.
There are times when platforms are changed, announcements at the last minute and passengers don’t make it.

 

[CHAPS2034]

It’s pretty common across the network.
My train from Crewe went from platform 6 to 5 to 1 in a few minutes, so I trogged across the footbridge twice for no reason.
But at least there was enough time.

Platform 6 to 5 at Crewe requires crossing the footbridge. But 5 to 1 is cross platform.

 

[jfollows]

Platform 6 to 5 at Crewe requires crossing the footbridge. But 5 to 1 is cross platform.

Yes, I do know that!
Arrived on 5, crossed to 6, crossed back to 5 …….

 

[CHAPS2034]

Yes, I do know that!
Arrived on 5, crossed to 6, crossed back to 5 …….

Makes sense now that you have said you arrived on 5..

My experiences at Crewe is that platform changes are fairly frequent, and are usually done to speed up the flow and reduce conflicting moves when some things are running late. More often than not, they seem to be done in reasonable time before the train arrives.

 

[dastocks]

@Tunnel Bore. Around what time was this? Just after half six?

How far North of Gatwick Airport is the route set? Possible that this may have had something to do with it?

The key junctions are just outside the station to both north and south.

I pass through Gatwick once or twice/week for most of the year and platform changes are unusual when things are running roughly as advertised. Yesterday and the day before both look to have been subject to quite severe disruption so platform changes are hardly surprising.

The provided passenger information at Gatwick is generally piss-poor when the service is disrupted and just about adequate for normal running. A mobile with Open Train Times and one or more third-party applications are your friend...

 

[BeijingDave]

Teenagers would have been having a field day about those 6, 7 announcements

 

[norbitonflyer]

Very common across the network. Happened to a train I was on at Wandsworth Town last week. Train switched at Clapham Junction from plaform 5 to platfom 6. Nio problem there as it's cross platform. Reason seemed to be work being done on the track between there and Wandsworth Town.
But despite the decision clearly having been made before the train arrived at Clapham Junction, it was evident that insufficient warning had been given at Wandsworth Town, where the change is through the subway. There were still people coming up the stairs, one of them encumbered by a bicycle, when the train departed. The guard ignored them.

Clearly not acceptable when the next train is half an hour away (unless you were going to Putney or Barnes, which would be odd to do by train if you have a bike with you!) .

Well, 2tph is not acceptable in inner London anyway, but reinstatement of the Hounslow Loop service doesn't seem to be high on SWR's agenda.

 

[jfollows]

But despite the decision clearly having been made before the train arrived at Clapham Junction, it was evident that insufficient warning had been given at Wandsworth Town, where the change is through the subway. There were still people coming up the stairs, one of them encumbered by a bicycle, when the train departed. The guard ignored them.

That’s the problem that I’ve seen myself and seen reported here. It used to be rife at Manchester Oxford Road.

The railway doesn’t care about you. It cares about minimising any disruption to the least number of people. So if that means changing lines or platforms without any notice, that’s the way it is. A few people have to wait 30 minutes - tough. Claim Delay Repay.

 

[Minstral25]

The provided passenger information at Gatwick is generally piss-poor when the service is disrupted and just about adequate for normal running. A mobile with Open Train Times and one or more third-party applications are your friend...

I think this is the key problem at Gatwick - all the lovely new overbridge where there is virtually no passenger information meaning passengers must rely on their phone.

I change regularly at Gatwick and often find myself on platform 6 and see a train arrive for my destination on platform 7. It's made worse that Brighton Gatwick Express trains are booked P6 and Brighton Thameslink all booked P7. With the lack of "next train" style passenger information system for the passengers to read on the overbridge - means you need to be very careful as a Brighton train could be shown as next in P6, but an earlier one not yet shown will call at P7 or vice versa.

 

[Bikeman78]

Seems to be fairly common! I was there a couple of Fridays ago and was waiting with my bike then about two minutes before it arrived the annoying, platform alteration. Not so fun trying to make a mad dash when dragging a bike with you! Even worse if you just came off a flight with a lot of luggage!

I've seen consecutive northbound trains altered. The first from 4 to 5 and the second from 5 to 4. Each with about 90 seconds warning. Both platforms were vacant as the first train approached. The railway doesn't want people to run, and wants people with luggage to use the lift. There were a lot of luggage laden people scrambling up the escalators that day!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Nov 2025 ==

Very common across the network. Happened to a train I was on at Wandsworth Town last week. Train switched at Clapham Junction from plaform 5 to platfom 6. Nio problem there as it's cross platform. Reason seemed to be work being done on the track between there and Wandsworth Town.
But despite the decision clearly having been made before the train arrived at Clapham Junction, it was evident that insufficient warning had been given at Wandsworth Town, where the change is through the subway. There were still people coming up the stairs, one of them encumbered by a bicycle, when the train departed. The guard ignored them.

Clearly not acceptable when the next train is half an hour away (unless you were going to Putney or Barnes, which would be odd to do by train if you have a bike with you!) .

Well, 2tph is not acceptable in inner London anyway, but reinstatement of the Hounslow Loop service doesn't seem to be high on SWR's agenda.

I saw the same thing at Barnes. Late running train switched from 1 to 2 with zero warning. Cue lots of people running over the bridge. The late train ran non stop to Waterloo so anyone booted off for intermediate stops had to leg it over the bridge in the opposite direction.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Some passengers just can’t be helped, though.
Catching a train for London at St Albans the other day, I heard several announcements that a late-running train for Bedford ‘will now be departing from Platform 4’. The first of these was at least 6 minutes before it arrived, yet some people in their earphone/headphone bubbles seemed not to notice that at least 25 others had hastily raced towards the two footbridges.

 

[jfollows]

Some passengers just can’t be helped, though.
Catching a train for London at St Albans the other day, I heard several announcements that a late-running train for Bedford ‘will now be departing from Platform 4’. The first of these was at least 6 minutes before it arrived, yet some people in their earphone/headphone bubbles seemed not to notice that at least 25 others had hastily raced towards the two footbridges.

I’m sure you’re right, but the railway’s addiction to repetitive, pointless and patronising announcements all the time means that many passengers choose to ignore them all.
I don’t listen either, but I get information from web sites well known here, which show me what’s really happening.

 

[blimmo]

I very much enjoyed the platform alteration information in Germany: both the original platform and the new one have orange backgrounded sections on the platform information screens for each altered service.

This meant that even when I didn't really understand the announcements I could just look at the screen, see orange, know I needed to change platform and which to change to, and when I got there have reassurance I had changed correctly.

Much better than the announcement plus a small scrolling message under the new next service I saw in Coventry recently.

 

[Bikeman78]

I’m sure you’re right, but the railway’s addiction to repetitive, pointless and patronising announcements all the time means that many passengers choose to ignore them all.
I don’t listen either, but I get information from web sites well known here, which show me what’s really happening.

At places like Gatwick I wait close to the stairs/escalators and keep an eye on open train times. If one waits until the auto CIS announces the change of platform, there is no guarantee of making the train because the escalator will get clogged very quickly.

 

[greaterwest]

Doesn't Gatwick have a station control room where they would have access to the CIS as well as direct contact with the signaller to coordinate things like platform changes in good time? I feel like "short notice platform changes" should almost never be a thing at a station like this.

 

[Horizon22]

Doesn't Gatwick have a station control room where they would have access to the CIS as well as direct contact with the signaller to coordinate things like platform changes in good time? I feel like "short notice platform changes" should almost never be a thing at a station like this.

It ultimately depends on whether the signaller calls ahead or not, control room or not. This is not universal. Nor can an controller stare at CCF/TMIS/[insert mapping software] 24/7.

 

[greaterwest]

It ultimately depends on whether the signaller calls ahead or not, control room or not. This is not universal. Nor can an controller stare at CCF/TMIS/[insert mapping software] 24/7.

In locations that I am familiar with, the signaller will almost always contact the station to advise of a platform change a while before it is due to happen. I would not expect controllers to be staring at CCF/TMV/whatever 24/7.

 

[Horizon22]

In locations that I am familiar with, the signaller will almost always contact the station to advise of a platform change a while before it is due to happen. I would not expect controllers to be staring at CCF/TMV/whatever 24/7.

I can confirm this is definitely not universal.

 

[greaterwest]

I can confirm this is definitely not universal.

Oh I don't doubt it! It certainly should be standard procedure, but there you go. Things like this make the railway look disjointed (and let's be honest, it is!)

 

[Horizon22]

Oh I don't doubt it! It certainly should be standard procedure, but there you go. Things like this make the railway look disjointed (and let's be honest, it is!)

No of course. Unfortunately it often comes down to how proactive individual(s) are and the general culture at certain locations and the associated importance attached to accurate customer information over pure operational convenience. It should be more consistent than this.

This is one area that fundamentally comes up time and time again as an annoyance for not just passengers but staff too, but on the flip side it is also hard to get right all the time despite best endeavours. You would hope technology can make advancements in this area, but for the short-term it will be a pain point up and down the country.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

What was the reason for the Gatwick rebuild not having an up fast and a down fast island?

 

[Sunset route]

What was the reason for the Gatwick rebuild not having an up fast and a down fast island?

I’m guessing space and money were the main limiting factors to a total track, signalling and building rebuild.

 

[tehmarks]

Some passengers just can’t be helped, though...some people in their earphone/headphone bubbles seemed not to notice that at least 25 others had hastily raced towards the two footbridges.

The only reason I wear headphones on a station is because the inane non-stop automated announcements drive me to distraction within a few repetitions of the loop.

 

[Ant1966]

No of course. Unfortunately it often comes down to how proactive individual(s) are and the general culture at certain locations and the associated importance attached to accurate customer information over pure operational convenience. It should be more consistent than this.

This is one area that fundamentally comes up time and time again as an annoyance for not just passengers but staff too, but on the flip side it is also hard to get right all the time despite best endeavours. You would hope technology can make advancements in this area, but for the short-term it will be a pain point up and down the country.

"No of course. Unfortunately it often comes down to how proactive individual(s) are and the general culture at certain locations and the associated importance attached to accurate customer information over pure operational convenience. It should be more consistent than this."

Exactly this.
In my local area; Basingstoke are almost always excellent during time of disruption, with regular clear announcements and visible station staff.
Woking, by contrast, varies from Ok to downright appalling. I can remember a number of occasions during severe disruption where passengers have been left behind at Woking after poor or non existent station announcements.
Been like that for years, no idea why?

 

[Taunton]

In my local area; Basingstoke are almost always excellent during time of disruption, with regular clear announcements and visible station staff.
Woking, by contrast, varies from Ok to downright appalling. I can remember a number of occasions during severe disruption where passengers have been left behind at Woking after poor or non existent station announcements.
Been like that for years, no idea why.

Caught up in disorganisation at Woking one morning a while ago, no Down services coming, indicators blank, no staff around. Large crowd. Then the PA suddenly boomed into life.

"May I have your attention please", delivered in measured basso-profundo tones. All conversation instantly drops off.

*Please keep your luggage with you at all times". General sighing all round.

 

[MartinC]

Has anybody seen the opening sequence of M. Hulot's Holiday ?