Pigs will Fly

[paul1609]

According to the new timetable the 17.45 Gatwick Express service from Victoria to Brighton will depart Gatwick at 18.14 and arrive at Haywards heath at 18.25.
I reckon that will be retimed before long but its probably the fastest scheduled timings to Gatwick and Haywards Heath ever.
Presumably the class 442s have been fitted with special catapults and Gatwick passengers and their bloody large wheely suitcases will be fired out of the train on arrival!
I guess some of the drivers will have fun trying!

 

[91101]

1A56:

VICTORIA 17:45
GATWICK 18:11 18:14
HAYWARDSH 18:24 18:26
PRESTONPK 18:42 18:43
BRIGHTON 18:48

 

[Coxster]

According to the new timetable the 17.45 Gatwick Express service from Victoria to Brighton will depart Gatwick at 18.14 and arrive at Haywards heath at 18.25.

I reckon that will be retimed before long but its probably the fastest scheduled timings to Gatwick and Haywards Heath ever.

Eleven minutes is what trains are currently given to travel between Gatwick / Haywards, but to get to Gatwick in that time to start with should be interesting. Can't imagine the 442s will be able to reduce the current Juniper times by that much, or are they currently just badly pathed?

Also, does anyone know if the current 1-Alphas will be retained under some other headcode? They currently offer a 52 minute journey, where as the new services appear to take an extra 11 minutes to complete the journey with one additional station stop.

 

[91101]

Yeah those are retained, still with 1AXX designations at XXX6 and XX36 ex VIC.

 

[paul1609]

Eleven minutes is what trains are currently given to travel between Gatwick / Haywards, but to get to Gatwick in that time to start with should be interesting. Can't imagine the 442s will be able to reduce the current Juniper times by that much, or are they currently just badly pathed?

Also, does anyone know if the current 1-Alphas will be retained under some other headcode? They currently offer a 52 minute journey, where as the new services appear to take an extra 11 minutes to complete the journey with one additional station stop.

I think that the 30 minute journeytime was always a marketing issue. Its unusual to hear the Gat-ex stock referred to as Junipers although thats what they are. The nick name is usually Vaders or just gat Exs. Off peak there are pathing issues that involve a trundle accross to Platforms 1 and 2 wheras the through services will presumably call at platform 5 which is a stop from line speed.

I dont think the 1As have ever been timed at under an hour in the peaks. I'd guess its not so much the number of stops as where they are, both Gatwick and Haywards heath must cost around 4 minutes as the non stop trains pass through at 90 wheras East Croydon is 30/45 mph and Clapham 50.