Class 442 on the Brighton Express

[agerj001]

Yesterday, I came home on a 'southern' class 442 Brighton express, is this normal for them to operate this service as Southern and not Gatwick express?

Also the driver missed Haywards Heath station.

 

[causton]

If you were on one of the services in this post then yes it is normal:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1478941&postcount=14

There is a little bit of confusion over what is 'Gatwick Express' and what is 'Southern', as they are both the same TOC, the same trains, the same staff... but let's not open that can of worms again!

At a small guess your train might have been this one:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W83061/2015/07/06

If it was, this is a Southern service, as shown at the top.

 

[physics34]

well 6 of them will be exclusively southern soon... but will they get a repaint???!!!!!

 

[lewisf]

Yesterday, I came home on a 'southern' class 442 Brighton express, is this normal for them to operate this service as Southern and not Gatwick express?

Also the driver missed Haywards Heath station.

Brighton Express is Victoria > Clapham Junction > East Croydon > Brighton only so wouldn't have called at Haywards Heath anyway.

But yes, 442s are common on these services along with 377/6 and 377/7.

 

[gazthomas]

How is reliability of the 442's at the moment? I remember in the 1980's the stir the 442's created, but that was in an era of austerity. They were such an amazing "lash up" and I remember them fondly on Weymouth services

 

[Carlisle]

Brighton Express is Victoria > Clapham Junction > East Croydon > Brighton only so wouldn't have called at Haywards Heath anyway.

But yes, 442s are common on these services along with 377/6 and 377/7.

But the RTT link provided clearly shows Haywards Heath as "not stoping " was it a late decision due to running late or something

 

[Jordy]

As far as I know "not stopping" appears if the train physically didn't stop at the station, regardless of whether or not it was planned.

 

[Carlisle]

As far as I know "not stopping" appears if the train physically didn't stop at the station, regardless of whether or not it was planned.

Ok thanks for clearing that one up

 

[agerj001]

Brighton Express is Victoria > Clapham Junction > East Croydon > Brighton only so wouldn't have called at Haywards Heath anyway.

But yes, 442s are common on these services along with 377/6 and 377/7.

This one was meant to, it said on the announcements. The driver literally applied the brake afterwards and we waited just outside the station. And he apologised.

 

[Bishopstone]

How is reliability of the 442's at the moment?

More reliable than Network Rail's infrastructure on the Brighton line, but less reliable than a class 377.

Lots of wheelslip in the motor carriages when a leaf falls. Hellfire (etc).

 

[JaJaWa]

As far as I know "not stopping" appears if the train physically didn't stop at the station, regardless of whether or not it was planned.

Surely it would say that for the other stations on the route (e.g. Gatwick Airport!) then.

 

[yorkie]

Yesterday, I came home on a 'southern' class 442 Brighton express, is this normal for them to operate this service as Southern and not Gatwick express?

Southern is the operator. Gatwick Express is operated by Southern and is just a sub-brand (in the same way that Stansted Express is just a sub-brand of Abellio Greater Anglia).

If the train isn't calling at Gatwick then it's a Brighton Express.

Yes, it's normal for Class 442s to be used on Brighton Express as well as Gatwick Express, though most Brighton Expresses are Electrostars. 442s are also used on a daily service to/from Eastbourne.

Between London and Brighton, Southern's Gatwick Express trains are slower than their Brighton Express trains as they call at more stations. Most trains during peak hours are Gatwick Express rather than Brighton Express. But that doesn't stop a small, but vocal, minority of people thinking you should be paying more money to use the slower Gatwick Express trains!

 

[Dart34518]

Yesterday, I came home on a 'southern' class 442 Brighton express, is this normal for them to operate this service as Southern and not Gatwick express?

Also the driver missed Haywards Heath station.

What time was your train?

 

[agerj001]

What time was your train?

I was on the 20:37 southern service to Brighton, calling at Clapham Junction, East Croydon, Hayward's Heath and Brighton, but failed to stop at Hayward's Heath.

 

[antharro]

I'm sure I recall correctly that during their time at SWT, they were the most reliable 3rd rail EMU. Their time in warm store didn't do them any favours, and I don't think Southern's maintenance people were quite expecting the "quirks" of this class, which the Bournemouth maintenance people were used to, having maintained them since they were built! I wrote to Southern about this some time ago, and (I don't have the letter to hand, so this is from memory) was told that they had increased the reliability so they were now the third most reliable EMU.

It surprises me to hear they're working services with more stops than their 377 stablemates; I would have assumed the 377s have a much better acceleration profile which would make them better suited to services with more stops, whereas the 442s are better off on express or fast services with few stops as they are slower to accelerate. I did travel on one a couple of years ago which was very fast - Victoria, Gatwick, Brighton. That was good fun, but not as much fun as Winchester - Woking back in the day. EE scream at its best.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

It surprises me to hear they're working services with more stops than their 377 stablemates; I would have assumed the 377s have a much better acceleration profile which would make them better suited to services with more stops, whereas the 442s are better off on express or fast services with few stops as they are slower to accelerate. I did travel on one a couple of years ago which was very fast - Victoria, Gatwick, Brighton. That was good fun, but not as much fun as Winchester - Woking back in the day. EE scream at its best.

I would have thought that the door layouts would mean that the 377s would be better on the services with more stops

 

[MCR247]

I would have thought that the door layouts would mean that the 377s would be better on the services with more stops

The door layout means 377s are better in pretty much every case - but 442s have to be used somewhere!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

The door layout means 377s are better in pretty much every case - but 442s have to be used somewhere!

The 442s could be used for making baked bean cans

Really it's time the 442s were sent to the scrapyard

 

[sarahj]

The 442s could be used for making baked bean cans

Really it's time the 442s were sent to the scrapyard

I like them, they have a proper guards van. For boarding, folks with bags, acceleration etc etc they are, well a bit crap. The Ac is a bit iffy as well. But the seats are decent, first class is a proper first class as well.

You are more likely to see them on the Brighton expresses in the after pm peak as they come down to Brighton in the peak on the Gatex extensions and rather than send em all to lovers, they go back up north.

If they missed the heath, naughty. will be asking questions when I'm in work today to find out the guilty party.

As for tickets, can, worms everywhere. Could say things, but wont.

 

[Yabbadabba]

Really it's time the 442s were sent to the scrapyard

Is that how they are going to market the "TransPennine Express" route in the future post electrification fallout. Scrapyard rail supporting the northerner power house Lmao

But in all seriousness I always use them on the Eastbourne runs if I have to travel to the big smoke as they ride better over tracks on Sussex roller coaster route. Not to mention if we get a snowy winter it's only them and 319s that can seem to plough through as electrostars fail everywhere. Yes they are getting old and a little tired but they are better than the 3-2 crush seating on the 377s, yes I will miss them down here.

 

[physics34]

Is that how they are going to market the "TransPennine Express" route in the future post electrification fallout. Scrapyard rail supporting the northerner power house Lmao

But in all seriousness I always use them on the Eastbourne runs if I have to travel to the big smoke as they ride better over tracks on Sussex roller coaster route. Not to mention if we get a snowy winter it's only them and 319s that can seem to plough through as electrostars fail everywhere. Yes they are getting old and a little tired but they are better than the 3-2 crush seating on the 377s, yes I will miss them down here.

staying on the eastbourne to LBGs til 2018

 

[Yabbadabba]

staying on the eastbourne to LBGs til 2018

Yep fully aware of that, then comes the last of the stock reshuffles with the last of the 700s being commissioned and then it's good bye to the 442s

 

[notadriver]

If they wanted to increase acceleration they could reform the units as 6 cars by adding an extra motor vehicle.

 

[dave12435]

the 442s are not the same since modification i.e loss of snug and compartments but they are still pretty good units

 

[southern442]

well 6 of them will be exclusively southern soon... but will they get a repaint???!!!!!

That's what I've been wondering. Does anyone have any info on this?

 

[Bletchleyite]

the 442s are not the same since modification i.e loss of snug and compartments but they are still pretty good units

The refurb is a particularly shoddy one. They deserve one of the quality of the fGW HSTs or the ATW Mk3 hauled coaches, in my view.