Over Slack Runtime of Southeastern metro westbound

[hkstudent]

Since the Dec22 and May23 timetable implemented, there seems to be a great imbalance of runtime of westbound to eastbound, which often from stations like Welling, Abbey Wood and Sidcup to London Bridge has runtime of 8 minutes longer than the eastbound equivalent over a 25 minute running time.

The lengthening of runtime seems to be having the runtime of westbound between stations to have one or two minutes in runtime, which at the end have caused an unofficial dwell time of two full minutes. This is also worsen by SE drivers often close door right at 30 seconds prior and often have caused 20 seconds early departure (which I often suggest DOO don’t require 30 seconds for door closing but 15 seconds would be more than enough [Tokyo metro can do with 7 seconds even with conductor and communication]).

It seems to be a total waste of passengers time for having slow running / long dwell, and even sometime Google Map even suggested that I can travel faster on a bus parallel to the railway (e.g. Welling to Blackheath and Lewisham)

 

[The exile]

It’s presumably to increase the likelihood of trains reaching the pinch point junctions at the right time and in the right order. Fairly certain that the entire timetable will be built around parallel moves at various flat junctions, where “the odd minute”’s delay can start a spiral into chaos.

 

[30907]

On a quick search I can't find examples on the Dartford Loop, but the Bexleyheath services seem to have more generous station dwells towards London (perhaps because they are very busy in the morning peak?) plus some pathing through Lewisham, for the reason already suggested..

 

[hkstudent]

On a quick search I can't find examples on the Dartford Loop, but the Bexleyheath services seem to have more generous station dwells towards London (perhaps because they are very busy in the morning peak?) plus some pathing through Lewisham, for the reason already suggested..

The "generous" dwell time also happen in off peak time and the trains are pretty empty.
While for peak hours, only half of the dwell time were used to load/unload passengers.

 

[30907]

The "generous" dwell time also happen in off peak time and the trains are pretty empty.
While for peak hours, only half of the dwell time were used to load/unload passengers.

In that case the problem will be one of pathing. You can try the exercise yourself using RTT or similar and work out whether you could leave Dartford 5min later or arrive Victoria/Charing X 5min earlier, and similarly with Cannon St trains via Slade Green

 

[43066]

The lengthening of runtime seems to be having the runtime of westbound between stations to have one or two minutes in runtime, which at the end have caused an unofficial dwell time of two full minutes.

Any RTT examples of services you have in mind?

This is also worsen by SE drivers often close door right at 30 seconds prior and often have caused 20 seconds early departure (which I often suggest DOO don’t require 30 seconds for door closing but 15 seconds would be more than enough [Tokyo metro can do with 7 seconds even with conductor and communication]).

From direct experience, closure 30 seconds prior to departure would get the wheels turning 5 to 10 seconds “early”, once all the relevant checks had been completed, so was about right.

 

[hkstudent]

Any RTT examples of services you have in mind?



From direct experience, closure 30 seconds prior to departure would get the wheels turning 5 to 10 seconds “early”, once all the relevant checks had been completed, so was about right.

Realtime Trains | 1344 Dartford to London Charing Cross | 26/05/2023

Real-time train running information for 1344 departure from Dartford to London Charing Cross on 26/05/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Often is, wheels start turning at around :42-47, it’s too early .