Beyond May 2018 the service is curtailed at Hastings, requiring just three 171s, I believe, including the Rye shuttle unit?
It will be interesting to see whether they can string together a reliable service when the operation is drastically simplified. What with the GTR dispute, and diesel units which don't last a full day in service without falling apart, I'm surprised there are any passengers left on Marshlink. They must be a hardy bunch.
The Uckfield line shows what can be done with a reliable relatively cheap service. Passenger numbers have increased significantly since Southern first took over the service and introduced the Class 171s. Before then there were no more than 2 direct trains to London and changing at Oxted was necessary at all other times. There was no early train and the last train was ridiculously early.
The arrival of an hourly direct service, early trains, late trains, and a broadly reliable service brought passengers flocking. Prior to Southern it was always felt the line was being run down and prepared for closure. Instead of which last year they extended all the platforms to run 10 car trains.
Since then it has gone totally downhill. The industrial dispute hasn't helped, the closures for the works didn't help, but the reliability of the units has been a total disaster. Quite often they don't even have enough trains to operate the train lengths they did before the Class 170s arrived.
It will be very interesting to see what has happened to passenger numbers but it does appear they have reduced significantly. The car park at Crowborough not being full, there being empty seats between East Croydon and London Bridge, empty seats at Edenbridge even when short formed.
The real odd decision was to change the 170s to 171s and make them 2 and 4 units. It would have been much more sensible to have left them as 3 car units and put them on the Marshlink and bring all the 2 car units up to Uckfield. Increasing capacity on both lines. However the DfT had made a decision and therefore we have to live it.
People seem to be wanting bi-mode trains on the Marshlink which seems like a good idea, no need to change, if they ran them to London, but passengers might miss the comfort of the 171s as despite the faults they are comfortable.
I have no idea what is happening with fleet maintenance, last time it was this bad I sent an email to Southern applying for the vacancy of fleet manager which I assumed existed as it was so bad. I said I didn't have a clue about train maintenance but as it appeared their staff didn't either this shouldnt be a problem. Strangely I got no reply!
However I do hope that as autumn approaches they can sort the reliability issues on these units. It would also help if they actually told the passengers what was wrong. Passengers might be more sympathetic!
