Cuts to Brighton Main Line local services with Gatwick Express

[nw1]

The ongoing Coulsdon North thread has triggered this post.

One thing I've known for a while is the significant cuts to BML stopping services which (probably) came in when Gatwick Express was introduced in 1984, though I cannot be certain (as I've only seen the timetables of 1983 and 1985).

In the early 80s up to the 1983/84 timetable, the typical BML pattern south of Redhill, viewable via the 1982 GBPTT and 1981 ABC timetable on Timetable World was:

1tph Brighton fast
1tph Brighton semi-fast
1tph Ore
1tph Littlehampton (Hove)
1tph Portsmouth/Bognor (Gatwick and Horsham)
2tph Brighton stoppers (semi-fast to Gatwick, via Redhill, then slow). Conveys Rapid City Link (VEG) portion to Gatwick
2tph Horsham stoppers (one Redhill, one Quarry; Horley then stopping). One tph extended to Bognor. Conveys Rapid City Link (VEG) portion to Gatwick
2tph London Bridge-Crystal Palace-East Croydon-Redhill stoppers. Interestingly and atypically for a mainline service, called at most stations within Inner London. (classed as mainline, not suburban, as they were VEP operated).

I have never seen the 1984/85 timetable, so cannot be certain of the service pattern but it would be very interesting to see it if anyone has a timetable for that year.

The rest is from memory, but I am sure of what is described below as the 1985-88 period was my peak period of visits to, and interest in, the Central Division.

By 1985/86 one Brighton stopper and one Horsham stopper had been lost, so a net loss of 2tph. This was presumably due to the additional paths required for Gatwick Express, though there was no attempt to retain the stoppers with different timings. Additionally, the Bognor service gained Ifield and Littlehaven stops to compensate for one lost stopper per hour. The Horsham stoppers mostly terminated there, with irregular and very "un-Southern-like" extensions to Littlehampton in certain hours, meaning Christs Hospital and Amberley had an erratic daytime service (the Bognors not calling at either).

By 1986/87 the pattern changed again somewhat though with the same base departure times, give or take, from Victoria. The Redhill stoppers were lost, while the Brighton stopper was diverted to Horsham (restoring 2tph stoppers here) and called additionally at Coulsdon South and Merstham due to the lost Redhill stoppers. An additional London Bridge-Brighton (Quarry, all stations beyond Gatwick IIRC) was added, to compensate for the lost Brighton stopper diverted to Horsham. The Bognor services skipped Ifield and Littlehaven again. Thus in 1986/87 we were only 1tph "down" compared to 1983 south of Redhill, but as many as 3tph "down" north of Redhill.

Brighton itself thus had only 3tph down the mainline from the London/Gatwick direction, compared to 4tph in pre-GatEx days.

By 1988 the London Bridge-Brighton became a Thameslink in (IIRC) the same path, and was joined by a second Thameslink per hour to Gatwick, this marking the start of some of the lost services coming back. South of Redhill was now on parity with 1983, though still 2tph down south of Purley.

So it does appear that the stoppers on the Brighton line were seen as less important in the mid-80s compared to earlier in the 80s. Obviously Gatwick Express caused a recast but when that recast was done, preserving 2 stoppers to each of Brighton and Horsham was presumably considered less important. Presumably loadings on these stoppers were down in the period immediately before GatEx, and it was not seen as a priority to retain all four of them? (These were the "Rapid City Link" services, the forerunner of GatEx, but even still, they also served as stoppers south of Gatwick).

 

[izvor]

Here's the spec hour for May 1984 if that helps. I was using these trains then but the various service patterns are well beyond my memory now!

(Same pattern for Oct 1984 except seasonal train omitted. Cover states "Includes alterations due to Brighton Signal Box Fire")

 

[nw1]

Here's the spec hour for May 1984 if that helps. I was using these trains then but the various service patterns are well beyond my memory now!

(Same pattern for Oct 1984 except seasonal train omitted. Cover states "Includes alterations due to Brighton Signal Box Fire")

Thanks for that. It looks identical to what I remember from the 1985/86 timetable including the rather quirky services to Redhill (not clockface, one going via Crystal Palace, and one going direct). Also notable is that the more direct of the two extends to Reigate, something that didn't occur off-peak pre-1984. This didn't survive into 1986/87 however - the norm in the late 20th century was for Reigate to have no through services at all to London.

Looking at the connection timings from London Bridge, New Cross Gate and Norwood Junction, I wouldn't mind betting that the pattern was a 20-min service on this route, with 2tph going to Caterham and 1tph going to Reigate as shown, unless the Reigate service carried a Caterham portion in addition? If the former, that would be a change from a half-hourly Caterham service to a 20-40 pattern.

ISTR in 1985 the Tattenham branch was reduced to an hourly shuttle service from Purley off-peak. However it re-gained its through services in 1986, albeit to Victoria this time, but still with only 1tph (plus 1tph to Smitham).

While obviously a recast was needed to allow paths for Gatwick Express, it does appear that at the same time, reductions in frequency and a less-clockface pattern was introduced on the slower services. I can only presume demand for the stoppers had dropped so that 2tph Brighton and 2tph Horsham stoppers per hour could not be justified. Also, the erratic nature of extensions beyond Horsham is present, so looks like it was 1984 when Christs Hospital and Amberley lost their hourly off-peak service. These came back IIRC in 1990 when the Bognor carried a Portsmouth portion once more, and the Portsmouth portion of the via-Hove service was diverted to Southampton.

Crawley, Ifield and Littlehaven would all have had two down trains within 21 minutes according to the above, rather than the half-hourly service for the latter two and the 3tph for the former which was typical. The 1986 tweaks did rectify this though, back to 3tph this way. IIRC the xx08 and xx38 stoppers were slightly retimed at xx10 and xx40 and both went to Horsham, while a new xx03 London Bridge-Brighton was introduced on the opposite half-hour to the xx32 shown above. However the separate stoppers to Redhill/Reigate disappeared, with Coulsdon South and Merstham added to the Horsham stoppers.

Regarding Coulsdon South and Merstham, given how lightly-used the Sydenham route was back then, I wonder why they didn't just run all services that way, say on the opposite 15-min to the Caterham? (That would apply to pre-GatEx too).

Meanwhile note that Earlswood and Salfords were not served at all off-peak, though this was typical throughout the 80s. Not sure when the all-day service came back but it was present in 1996 (OAG Rail Guide on Timetable World).

It's also of note that the 1996 timetable wasn't radically different to the 1986 pattern, or indeed the 1984 pattern above, despite the addition of Thameslink with 4tph by that time (so the BML had a significantly more frequent off-peak service). The Bognor and Brighton fast basically swapped (xx02 Portsmouth/Bognor and xx08 Brighton fast), while the Littlehampton/Southampton (formerly Portsmouth) and the Hastings left 3 mins earlier at xx17 and xx47. The basic timetable of 1984 was thus quite tenacious - not sure what happened next but I'm guessing the same basic pattern lasted throughout the remainder of the slam-door era. I do remember a further tweak later in the 90s when a second Brighton fast per hour was added as well as an additional Chichester (replacing the Brighton semi-fast at xx32) but still the same basic 1984 pattern with enhancements.

One question incidentally, was the 1984 pattern above planned to allow Thameslink to slot in easily later, as presumably Thameslink was in the planning stage by 1984?

 

[izvor]

Looking at the connection timings from London Bridge, New Cross Gate and Norwood Junction, I wouldn't mind betting that the pattern was a 20-min service on this route, with 2tph going to Caterham and 1tph going to Reigate as shown, unless the Reigate service carried a Caterham portion in addition? If the former, that would be a change from a half-hourly Caterham service to a 20-40 pattern.

You are right. And the off-peak Tats were still a regular 2bph shuttle then, connecting off the fast Vics (presumably cross-platform 4>5 in 2 mins). (It's been suggested elsewhere that, given the low usage of this branch, this could be reintroduced to avoid splitting/joining; though the stats don't look that bad (apart from Coulsdon Town!), and no doubt further up the branch the regulars get more vociferous)

Of note, of the 3tph from CHX, 2 called additionally at New Cross Gate, Forest Hill, Sydenham and Norwood Jc, while the 3rd (at xx.00, to Caterham) called at these plus Brockley and Honor Oak Park. What a horrible mess! I'd forgotten about the 20/40s everywhere, but do remember the usefulness of the off-peak REI-CHX, even if it was slow.

(Can't seem to post the extract, will try again later)

 

[nw1]

You are right. And the off-peak Tats were still a regular 2bph shuttle then, connecting off the fast Vics (presumably cross-platform 4>5 in 2 mins). (It's been suggested elsewhere that, given the low usage of this branch, this could be reintroduced to avoid splitting/joining; though the stats don't look that bad (apart from Coulsdon Town!), and no doubt further up the branch the regulars get more vociferous)

Ah it was 2tph, for some reason I remember hourly but maybe I was getting confused with the 1986 pattern where Tattenham did indeed have only 1tph with the other terminating at Smitham (these originating from Victoria, can't remember which route but I think Norbury).

Of note, of the 3tph from CHX, 2 called additionally at New Cross Gate, Forest Hill, Sydenham and Norwood Jc, while the 3rd (at xx.00, to Caterham) called at these plus Brockley and Honor Oak Park. What a horrible mess! I'd forgotten about the 20/40s everywhere, but do remember the usefulness of the off-peak REI-CHX, even if it was slow.

(Can't seem to post the extract, will try again later)

Indeed - I know they'd reverted to a simple 30-min service from Charing Cross to Caterham by 1986, calling at New Cross Gate, Forest Hill, Sydenham and Norwood Junction. This was the same pattern as 1982, except they carried a Tattenham portion then.

It's interesting how lightly used the London Bridge-Norwood Junction section was used at this time, though there was also a stopper as well, possibly to West Croydon/Epsom. The fast lines however carried 0tph off-peak, if I remember, in 1985. This became 1tph to Brighton in 1986 and then 2tph in Sep 1987 with an East Grinstead service in addition, and finally 3tph from May 1988 when Thameslink opened (two Thameslinks, one East Grinstead).

I also remember from the 1985 timetable that the Balham corridor suburbans were 6tph, half going via Norbury and the other half via Crystal Palace - down from 8tph in 1982.

In 1982 the pattern was East Croydon via Norbury (2tph); Epsom Downs via Norbury and West Croydon (2tph); Beckenham Junction (2tph) and West Croydon via Crystal Palace (2tph).

In 1985 the pattern was (and I remember this clearly): xx02 and xx42 Sutton Loop via Norbury/West Croydon, eventually to Holborn Viaduct; xx22 Epsom Downs via Norbury/West Croydon, xx12 and xx32 West Croydon via Crystal Palace and xx52 Beckenham Junction. The clockface 10-min pattern stuck in my head.

Does look like a number of cuts were made at the same time as GatEx. Presumably you could have had GatEx without the cuts, because later on, in the 90s, they did manage that.

Back to the mainline and one might imagine that there could have been a path for an xx36 to Horsham via Quarry on the opposite half hour to the xx06, with the xx38 continuing to provide a second Brighton stopper. Perhaps this could have continued to Littlehampton every 2 hours rather than the erratic extensions that actually occurred.

 

[izvor]

The specimen hour for the Tats & Cats, May 1984.

It's interesting how lightly used the London Bridge-Norwood Junction section was used at this time, though there was also a stopper as well, possibly to West Croydon/Epsom. The fast lines however carried 0tph off-peak, if I remember, in 1985. This became 1tph to Brighton in 1986 and then 2tph in Sep 1987 with an East Grinstead service in addition, and finally 3tph from May 1988 when Thameslink opened (two Thameslinks, one East Grinstead).

That's pretty amazing. I hadn't realised this. Shows the remarkable transformation of the London Bridge area from a mostly commuter zone.

The other remaining hourly stopper down the main, starting at London Bridge, went to Sutton, then back round the Wall of Death to Holborn Viaduct!

 

[nw1]

The specimen hour for the Tats & Cats, May 1984.

Thanks for the extract. A couple of other interesting things there: firstly it looks like there was a 20-min interval service from London Bridge to East Croydon via Crystal Palace, one of these extending to Redhill. I presume the other two terminated East Croydon? Or perhaps they extended to Sanderstead: I remember 2tph going down there in 1986, presumably just somewhere to get the units out of the way rather than using platform space at East Croydon.

Also I note an xx36 Victoria-East Croydon. I presume this was the Oxted line service, if so it's of note that, despite being diesel, it was no slower in reaching East Croydon than the other service which went non-stop, i.e. the xx02 Brighton fast. (I remember the Oxted being xx24 in 1985 and then xx36 in 1986 - if so, for some reason they re-timed it just for one year. Additionally, the Victoria-East Grinstead was xx36 post-electrification).

It does look like there was a significant "gap" out of Victoria around xx23 and xx53 or so which in theory could have been used for additional services on the BML, e.g additional services to Redhill to make a 15-min service there, and then possibly on to Horsham or Brighton though not sure if the paths would work out further south. If I remember this time in the hour remained unused for many years: there's a big gap between the xx20 Littlehampton/Portsmouth and xx50 Hastings, and the xx00 and xx30 GatEx.

That's pretty amazing. I hadn't realised this. Shows the remarkable transformation of the London Bridge area from a mostly commuter zone.

The other remaining hourly stopper down the main, starting at London Bridge, went to Sutton, then back round the Wall of Death to Holborn Viaduct!

I'm guessing this then formed part of a 20-min interval service into Holborn, as I remember Victoria had xx02 and xx42 loop services as stated above.

I'd also guess this was on the opposite half-hour to the Caterham that made the additional stops. ISTR Penge West and Anerley completely lacked an off-peak service at ths time?

It's interesting that the 1984 philosophy seemed to be to standardise on a 20-min pattern on all routes, even if that meant some oddities such as the Caterham having somewhat-bunched services. On the other hand the Sutton loop increased from 2tph to 3tph. So some routes gained, others lost out.

It's also interesting to note that there was quite a bit of reliance on changing. Not only was the Tattenham branch a shuttle, but the slower Redhill (the one which didn't go to Reigate) left London Bridge only 10 mins or so after the Reigate, so in practice a lot of its users from London would have changed at East Croydon e.g. off the 1040 Charing Cross or 1050 Victoria.

As stated above there was a further change in 1986 which involved moving back to a 30-min-based pattern, though whether that in general was mostly a 20 min > 15 min increase or 20 min > 30 min reduction, I cannot remember.