December 2026 Timetable Change

[JonathanH]

Helena Dollimore is taking credit, she's posted a reel about the new services.

The comments on the reel (Facebook) point out that this isn't at the times when commuters want fast services (although it is somewhat unlikely they could run in the high peak).

 

[GoneSouth]

The comments on the reel (Facebook) point out that this isn't at the times when commuters want fast services (although it is somewhat unlikely they could run in the high peak).

Leisure punters don’t want them either as they’re still peak fares. Seems like a hollow victory for their mp

 

[evergreenadam]

Also from the same Southeastern press release on website:

This service forms part of a wider package of improvements being introduced across Kent, East Sussex and south-east London from December. Customers on the Hastings line will benefit from the return of half-hourly semi-fast services between Tunbridge Wells and Charing Cross throughout the day on weekdays and Saturdays, alongside additional late-evening journeys to and from Hastings. Customers on the Maidstone East line will benefit from more frequent services, additional direct trains to Charing Cross and, for the first time, a train to Charing Cross every hour on Sundays, creating a train to London approximately every 30 minutes when combined with existing Victoria services.

On the Isle of Sheppey, customers at Sheerness-on-Sea, Queenborough and Kemsley will gain trains every 30 minutes throughout the day, seven days a week, delivering the most frequent timetable on the line in 30 years and improving connections at Sittingbourne.

Other timetable improvements include:

• Half-hourly semi-fast services between Charing Cross and Tunbridge Wells throughout off-peak periods on weekdays and across Saturdays, providing more frequent journeys to Orpington, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells.
• Restored half-hourly services between Victoria and Ashford via Maidstone East throughout the day, alongside additional direct Charing Cross services.
• Additional 16:58 evening peak service between Cannon Street and Ashford via Tonbridge and Headcorn, providing extra capacity at the busiest time of the day
• Two trains an hour throughout the day, seven days a week, on the Sheerness branch, providing the best timetable on the line for 30 years and better connections at Sittingbourne.
• A more connected Metro network across south-east London, with almost all Metro routes operating at least four trains an hour during the daytime from Monday to Saturday and improved links to the Elizabeth line at Abbey Wood.
• More frequent services on the Bexleyheath line, including up to six trains an hour and half hourly all day direct services to Charing Cross.

 

[bramling]

Note that this is only four minutes faster than the current semifast stopping pattern, so I don't really understand the point of these expresses. Perhaps skipping Wadhurst/High Brooms/Sevenoaks was the only way to fit it inbetween other services?

Psychologically having a limited-stop service is still worthwhile for people, even if from a railway point of view it isn’t necessarily the best use of resources.

The journey from Hastings to London has always been fairly torturous because of the number of stops, so having the option of a more undisturbed journey I can imagine being fairly popular, even if there’s no real time saving.

 

[brad465]

I would suggest services being too busy due to passengers from Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge etc. being the issue more than time, but I'd expect the 'express' service to be thirty or sixty minutes earlier northbound and later southbound if that were the case.

Yes I would say this is more likely. You see similar on the Sidcup line with trains fast to London Bridge from New Eltham; they're not actually any faster, but the trains are already packed at New Eltham so they can't call at anything else after.

 

[moonarrow458]

Psychologically having a limited-stop service is still worthwhile for people, even if from a railway point of view it isn’t necessarily the best use of resources.

The journey from Hastings to London has always been fairly torturous because of the number of stops, so having the option of a more undisturbed journey I can imagine being fairly popular, even if there’s no real time saving.

^^^ This could well be true, although whether its the best use of capacity and resources in a budget constrained railway i'm not sure.

From my experience a better use of resources might be to introduce some crack expresses in high summer on weekends between Thanet & London when you have 12 car Javelins full & standing all the way from the coast to the capital - something like Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Canterbury West then non-stop to London terminal of choice. Or Ramsgate - Broadstairs - Margate - Herne Bay - Whitstable then non-stop to London terminal of choice. On-top of the current service offering.

 

[Bald Rick]

From my experience a better use of resources might be to introduce some crack expresses in high summer on weekends between Thanet & London when you have 12 car Javelins full & standing all the way from the coast to the capital - something like Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Canterbury West then non-stop to London terminal of choice. Or Ramsgate - Broadstairs - Margate - Herne Bay - Whitstable then non-stop to London terminal of choice. On-top of the current service offering.

Perhaps, but the December 2026 timetable doesn’t cover high summer.

 

[evergreenadam]

^^^ This could well be true, although whether its the best use of capacity and resources in a budget constrained railway i'm not sure.

From my experience a better use of resources might be to introduce some crack expresses in high summer on weekends between Thanet & London when you have 12 car Javelins full & standing all the way from the coast to the capital - something like Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Canterbury West then non-stop to London terminal of choice. Or Ramsgate - Broadstairs - Margate - Herne Bay - Whitstable then non-stop to London terminal of choice. On-top of the current service offering.

Are the trains that are full and standing running via Medway towns or Ashford?

 

[Zeremony]

Two express services per weekday will serve Hastings on Southeastern.

Hastings to London Charing Cross at 0805 calling at St Leonards Warrior Square, Battle and Tunbridge Wells which arrive at London Bridge at 0923, Waterloo East at 0929 and Charing Cross at 0933.

The return journey leaves Charing Cross at 1611, Waterloo East at 1613, London Bridge at 1618 departing at 1620 calling at the same stations arriving at Hastings at 1742.

Formed of four carriages which, although I was slightly surprised at first, does make sense for this service.

 

[Stephen42]

Note that this is only four minutes faster than the current semifast stopping pattern, so I don't really understand the point of these expresses. Perhaps skipping Wadhurst/High Brooms/Sevenoaks was the only way to fit it inbetween other services?

The semifast pattern doesn't run at peak times and this additional train is 14 minutes faster than the ones around it.

It would be disappointing if this were the only reason but based on the departure times of the service and the fact that it's only a handful of services, it seems likely.

While pandering to local politicians isn't inherently a bad thing here, as normally local MPs act on behalf of constituents who seemingly do want faster trains, the implementation of it is dreadful. Just because a local MP isn't detailing exactly how they'd like faster services to their constituency, that doesn't mean it's NR's job to take it exactly by their word and run services like these which are really not a good use of the limited line capacity. Alternatively, if that's just not possible, then explain why - in this case you'd either need a capacity upgrade on the Tonbridge-Hastings line or a HS1 extension from Ashford - and then maybe the MP could push for that instead.

In my view it's likely there have been conversations in the background of what's possible and why this isn't viable in the heart of the peak. The slot used is taken by trains via Ashford at busiest times so it won't be just the Tonbridge-Hastings part with trade offs. No one wants to say any of that in a press release though.

It might also be low cost, with frequency uplifts the schedules appear setup for a lot more 4-coach running off peak. This change looks like it ends up with two 4-coaches towards end of peak period instead of one 8-coach avoiding splitting at the London end for 4-coaches off peak. Drivers seem relatively available given some of the splitting into sidings is done for a single round trip in the new timetable.

 

[Bikeman78]

The semifast pattern doesn't run at peak times and this additional train is 14 minutes faster than the ones around it.

In my view it's likely there have been conversations in the background of what's possible and why this isn't viable in the heart of the peak. The slot used is taken by trains via Ashford at busiest times so it won't be just the Tonbridge-Hastings part with trade offs. No one wants to say any of that in a press release though.

It might also be low cost, with frequency uplifts the schedules appear setup for a lot more 4-coach running off peak. This change looks like it ends up with two 4-coaches towards end of peak period instead of one 8-coach avoiding splitting at the London end for 4-coaches off peak. Drivers seem relatively available given some of the splitting into sidings is done for a single round trip in the new timetable.

I can't immediately see any other shoulder peak trains on the Hastings line that are likely to be four cars.

The new 1H96 works 1H22/1H80/1H38, arriving in Hastings at 15:29. It then attaches to 5H56 to form 1H56.

Of the five Tunbridge Wells cycles, four appear to be Networkers all day. The fifth retires to Grove Park off the 2H66 arrival at 09:46. 1H64 from Hastings forms 2H30 09:56 to Tunbridge Wells. However that splits in the turnback siding so it must be eight cars. The single class 375 then works 2H76/2H40/2H86/2H04 before attaching to 1H56 at Tunbridge Wells at 1641. The Networkers work 5Y56 Grove Park to Tunbridge Wells to form 2H56.

 

[DunsBus]

Those campaigning to have the hourly LNER service restored at Berwick-upon-Tweed are likely to be disappointed as the current two-hourly service is set to remain.

 

[Starmill]

All the problems with it are fitting around Micklefield Jn with TPE.

Heading west, if the 1Pxx Scarborough - Victoria service is a few mins late, the Hull to Halifax service gets held for it. This means it arrives at Halifax late and has minimum turn around time, so often leaves late

Heading east, if the 9Exx TPE is a few min late at Leeds, the Halifax - Hull is held for it. This in turn delays the 1Sxx Cross Country behind it, and sometimes the 1Pxx TPE to Teeside as well. If the 2Kxx ends up more than 5 late as a result, chances are it gets put behind the Doncaster to Hull all stops service, which then means getting to Hull after it is due to leave back to Halifax.

Cutting at Leeds basically gives 30 min recovery time there and also means that delays aren’t imported to the clockface 15 min Leeds - Halifax service

It's an interesting paradox isn't it?

Usually, joining two services together improves platform occupation time and improves performance by reducing unnecessary movements at peak times. Certainly back when the Hull - Halifax service was first being considered this was the thinking, though that was before the addition of platform 0 and extension of platform 7.

Very unusually, the through service now hinders platform occupation time, because of the additional bay capacity, and the fact that nearly everyone gets off and back on again at Leeds on those services. Taking a turnaround time rather than a dwell time actually saves time rather than costing it.

In addition to the performance improvement and platforming efficiencies at Leeds, one train an hour which is very lightly used and runs very close to the another will eventually drop out of Halifax - Bradford Interchange. This slightly reduces some near-dead unit mileage.

 

[Jturner98]

What trains are going to work the additional Tunbridge Wells trains? Because I’m sure I read somewhere that they will be air conditioned. So that excludes networkers. So I’m guessing the 375s stabled at Grove Park? Or have they quietly dropped this and will use networkers after all. Either way a trains a train!

 

[Bikeman78]

What trains are going to work the additional Tunbridge Wells trains? Because I’m sure I read somewhere that they will be air conditioned. So that excludes networkers. So I’m guessing the 375s stabled at Grove Park? Or have they quietly dropped this and will use networkers after all. Either way a trains a train!

One of the five turns will definitely be a class 375 off peak, as described in post #401. I expect the rest to be Networkers all day, unless they get swapped to another route. Another thing to note is that four sets split in Tunbridge Wells turnback siding, with part of them going to stable in Tonbridge sidings. So most will likely be four car (possibly six) off peak.

 

[yorksrob]

Also from the same Southeastern press release on website:

This service forms part of a wider package of improvements being introduced across Kent, East Sussex and south-east London from December. Customers on the Hastings line will benefit from the return of half-hourly semi-fast services between Tunbridge Wells and Charing Cross throughout the day on weekdays and Saturdays, alongside additional late-evening journeys to and from Hastings. Customers on the Maidstone East line will benefit from more frequent services, additional direct trains to Charing Cross and, for the first time, a train to Charing Cross every hour on Sundays, creating a train to London approximately every 30 minutes when combined with existing Victoria services.

On the Isle of Sheppey, customers at Sheerness-on-Sea, Queenborough and Kemsley will gain trains every 30 minutes throughout the day, seven days a week, delivering the most frequent timetable on the line in 30 years and improving connections at Sittingbourne.

Other timetable improvements include:

• Half-hourly semi-fast services between Charing Cross and Tunbridge Wells throughout off-peak periods on weekdays and across Saturdays, providing more frequent journeys to Orpington, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells.
• Restored half-hourly services between Victoria and Ashford via Maidstone East throughout the day, alongside additional direct Charing Cross services.
• Additional 16:58 evening peak service between Cannon Street and Ashford via Tonbridge and Headcorn, providing extra capacity at the busiest time of the day
• Two trains an hour throughout the day, seven days a week, on the Sheerness branch, providing the best timetable on the line for 30 years and better connections at Sittingbourne.
• A more connected Metro network across south-east London, with almost all Metro routes operating at least four trains an hour during the daytime from Monday to Saturday and improved links to the Elizabeth line at Abbey Wood.
• More frequent services on the Bexleyheath line, including up to six trains an hour and half hourly all day direct services to Charing Cross.

Good to see half hourly Maidstone East - Ashford services again.

Still no sign of that Charing Cross - Kent Coast via Tonbridge express though, sadly.

 

[Stephen42]

I can't immediately see any other shoulder peak trains on the Hastings line that are likely to be four cars.

I was thinking of the 0815 1H66 Hastings to Charing Cross, that is currently formed of a unit already in service and from St Leonards with the St Leonards unit instead running the new train.

One of the five turns will definitely be a class 375 off peak, as described in post #401. I expect the rest to be Networkers all day, unless they get swapped to another route. Another thing to note is that four sets split in Tunbridge Wells turnback siding, with part of them going to stable in Tonbridge sidings. So most will likely be four car (possibly six) off peak.

Yes it looks very minimal use of 375s on the Tunbridge Wells stoppers. 2H72 2019 from Tunbridge Wells and 2H30 from Charing Cross come off a Hastings service so wouldn't be a Networker as well.

A local MP said air conditioned trains would be introduced, a timeframe wasn't given or a statement that all trains off peak would be air conditioned.

 

[NCT]

The Hastings Superfast execution seems odd, and does feel like a result of pressure to create a headline come what may.

Ordinarily, taking stops out of peak time commuter services from an otherwise regular pattern is revenue negative, so having a shoulder-peak super-fast causes less harm while still allowing an MP to claim a win.

On the other hand, Hastings has a 4tph peak service pattern. It seems quite feasible to have one fast one slow every half an hour, so minor stations would still retain their half-hourly services. However, this relies on all Cannon Street services being fast and all Charing Cross services being slow. Non-equal distribution between Cannon Street and Charing Cross services must have been deemed a political no-no.

 

[Class 466]

People on here acting like the Hastings fast services are new - they’re basically identical to those that ran pre-covid which were “popular” as 4 car 375s despite the departure/arrival times being a bit off high peak.

 

[Bikeman78]

I was thinking of the 0815 1H66 Hastings to Charing Cross, that is currently formed of a unit already in service and from St Leonards with the St Leonards unit instead running the new train.

Ah, fair enough. I take it that 1H66 is the first off peak train up from Hastings. A four car could get rather cosy.

 

[Watershed]

Ah, fair enough. I take it that 1H66 is the first off peak train up from Hastings. A four car could get rather cosy.

It shows as attaching an additional unit at Tunbridge Wells:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Y17182/2026-12-16/detailed

Could still be cosy between Hastings and Tunbridge Wells of course...

 

[Bikeman78]

It shows as attaching an additional unit at Tunbridge Wells:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Y17182/2026-12-16/detailed

Could still be cosy between Hastings and Tunbridge Wells of course...

Good spot. The attaching unit splits off 1H14 and waits in platform 1. The same thing happens now so 1H66 is currently 12 car north of Tunbridge Wells. It retires to Grove Park, both now and in December.

 

[brad465]

Of the five Tunbridge Wells cycles, four appear to be Networkers all day. The fifth retires to Grove Park off the 2H66 arrival at 09:46. 1H64 from Hastings forms 2H30 09:56 to Tunbridge Wells. However that splits in the turnback siding so it must be eight cars. The single class 375 then works 2H76/2H40/2H86/2H04 before attaching to 1H56 at Tunbridge Wells at 1641. The Networkers work 5Y56 Grove Park to Tunbridge Wells to form 2H56.

While a 4-car off peak on top of all other services probably is enough for demand, you do get 12-car Hastings' services in the peak that drop/gain a 4-car as needed. So that 375 Tunbridge Wells' off peak diagram could easily be an 8-car after that split has taken place. There are currently 5x up services from Hastings that are 12-car in the morning peak, with 4/5 of them 12-car from the start, so plenty of options that meet the above theory.

 

[Minstral25]

It seems the late night 9R's (Three Bridges to Bedford) that were cut back last year to Luton are being extended to Bedford again from December.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It seems the late night 9R's (Three Bridges to Bedford) that were cut back last year to Luton are being extended to Bedford again from December.

Can we have some to Cambridge too please?

 

[Cletus]

Good to see half hourly Maidstone East - Ashford services again.

Still no sign of that Charing Cross - Kent Coast via Tonbridge express though, sadly.

Have you seen this from Charing Cross to Dover, etc on the 29th November?
London Bridge - Tonbridge - Ashford

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:J23481/2026-11-29

 

[JonathanH]

Have you seen this from Charing Cross to Dover, etc on the 29th November?
London Bridge - Tonbridge - Ashford

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:J23481/2026-11-29

North side of Ashford International shut so no HS1 services (or Canterbury West line) and consequent one day only run of 'fast' Ashford to Charing Cross services via Tonbridge.

Victoria SE also shut that day with 'interesting' non-stop runs from Ebbsfleet to Faversham on St Pancras to Dover services.

 

[yorksrob]

They have done that on a Sunday before !

Wouldn't mind it more often !

1 hour 4 mins to Ashford's pretty good.

 

[A S Leib]

(I think this is for December 2026 rather than 2027 if approved) RAIL are reporting that CrossCountry want to increase Glasgow services (not new news), including Sundays-only services via Shotts (which is a bit I hadn't heard before).

CrossCountry is looking to bolster its Scottish services from the December 2026 timetable change, with 27 new or extended services.

The operator has applied to extend five of its one train per hour (tph) Edinburgh Waverley-Plymouth services to Glasgow Central, as well as adding four new return journeys between the two Scottish cities.

Currently, there are two direct services from Glasgow to the south west. These extensions are expected to increase that to seven. All the new services are expected to stop at Motherwell, in keeping with current timetables.

It has also applied for a new service, operating on Sundays only, between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central, stopping at Shotts.

CrossCountry does not currently operate passenger services on the Shotts line, preferring to operate services on the Argyle line via Motherwell and the Midcalder section of the West Coast Main Line. However, it does run empty coaching stock (ECS) movements to Glasgow Central via Shotts from its depot in Craigentinny.

 

[quartile]

Open train times is showing a 1745 Waterloo to Southampton, first stop Farnborough which is of personal interest. The current 1750 is very crowded as first train fast to Woking for 20mins and this looks to be a split with a new 1747 Waterloo to Basingstoke.
Prompted to check after SWR sent me a 16 page improving your Railway booklet over email.

Improving Your Railway | South Western Railway

www.southwesternrailway.com