Direct southern services between Brighton and London Victoria

[ow3n]

I was under the impression that southern stopped their Brighton - Victoria direct services, meaning having to change at either Hove or Preston park, but I now see there are direct services again. Were the services ever stopped? If so for how long?

 

[PGAT]

I was under the impression that southern stopped their Brighton - Victoria direct services, meaning having to change at either Hove or Preston park, but I now see there are direct services again. Were the services ever stopped? If so for how long?

Have always existed on Sundays. They also run regularly on the weekdays as the first/last trains out. It was dropped after the pandemic in favour of running the Littlehampton and Eastbourne trains separately instead of joining at Haywards Heath.

 

[dontteleport]

I was under the impression that southern stopped their Brighton - Victoria direct services, meaning having to change at either Hove or Preston park, but I now see there are direct services again. Were the services ever stopped? If so for how long?

Checking timetables I can't see any change to how things have been for the past few years, either this or the other side of the May rollover. So that's just a few Southern services between Brighton and Victoria at the very edges of service, plus all day Sundays. It's unfortunate as I regularly travel between Clapham Junction and Brighton as many others do, and you'll usually lose at least 10 minutes unless you're prepared to sprint to platform 2 at Gatwick having arrived from Brighton on a GX.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Have always existed on Sundays. They also run regularly on the weekdays as the first/last trains out. It was dropped after the pandemic in favour of running the Littlehampton and Eastbourne trains separately instead of joining at Haywards Heath.

Why is this? Surely having them as separate trains is not that important? Another example of ex-Southern Region timetable decline post 2018

 

[PGAT]

Why is this? Surely having them as separate trains is not that important? Another example of ex-Southern Region timetable decline post 2018

It's incredibly important as the previous arrangement necessitated one of the portions be 4 cars and caused fierce overcrowding. We've had this discussion before but the real frivolity is keeping the direct Gatwick Express trains to Brighton at the cost of Southern.

 

[Kite159]

Why is this? Surely having them as separate trains is not that important? Another example of ex-Southern Region timetable decline post 2018

Wasn't the split done due to the works at Gatwick Airport and simply hasn't changed back to how it was beforehand?

(Of course, in an ideal world, Gatwick 'Express' should be axed with those services run as regular Southern services calling at Clapham Junction (pick up only heading from London), Gatwick Airport & Brighton, but that's a topic which has been done to death)

 

[NSE]

Wasn't the split done due to the works at Gatwick Airport and simply hasn't changed back to how it was beforehand?

(Of course, in an ideal world, Gatwick 'Express' should be axed with those services run as regular Southern services calling at Clapham Junction (pick up only heading from London), Gatwick Airport & Brighton, but that's a topic which has been done to death)

Yes, it was done to for the Gatwick works and not placed back.