Questions about Thameslink

[bionic]

700s are route certified for all kent routes. If they were diverted that way, they would need the ability to stop.

Would they need to stop though? EMT HSTs and Meridians are (obviously) cleared for the Midland Mainline but you don't see stop boards for them other than at places they are regularly booked to call. EMT don't do special stop orders at places like Hendon and Radlett. In the same way you don't see 375 coastal units stopping specially at St John's, although of course if they did they could use the existing stop marks.

I don't see why they would need to put up stop boards at places they were never booked to call. In a dire emergency surely the 8 and 12 car stop marks would more than suffice. 700s are cleared via the Mid Kent too but you don't see RLU and FLU boards along there.

I can only assume they stuck them in because there are aspirations to stop 700s at these particular stations at some point in the future.

 

[ComUtoR]

In the same way you don't see 375 coastal units stopping specially at St John's, although of course if they did they could use the existing stop marks.

I think the problem is that the 700 needs the stop marks and can't use existing infrastructure.

I can only assume they stuck them in because there are aspirations to stop 700s at these particular stations at some point in the future.

Which is what I suspect and what happened down the Bexleyheath.

 

[bionic]

Whereas they've always been open about their aspirations to put the Hayes line over to TFL rather than GTR. Which explains why there are no 700 boards down there even though they are cleared for the route. That's why the boards at Grove Park etc are confusing because the talk has always been of the Sevenoaks stoppers via Grove Park going to TFL. Could just be belt and braces as the 700s will eventually run fast that way on the Ashfords.

 

[ComUtoR]

I think it will all be academic in the future. IF Southeastern get 707s then they will most likely (I know nothing about how they operate) use stop boards too and IF/WHEN Southeastern get new stock to replace Networkers, their replacement will also, probably, maybe use stop boards. Without getting too off topic. New stock will have bodyside cameras and with any luck they will finally resolve the issue with stopping points at stations.

 

[Bald Rick]

Whereas they've always been open about their aspirations to put the Hayes line over to TFL rather than GTR. Which explains why there are no 700 boards down there even though they are cleared for the route. That's why the boards at Grove Park etc are confusing because the talk has always been of the Sevenoaks stoppers via Grove Park going to TFL. Could just be belt and braces as the 700s will eventually run fast that way on the Ashfords.

Who is ‘they’ in this context? The only organisation that wants the Hayes line to transfer to TfL is TfL itself.

 

[bionic]

It's not exactly a secret that SE Metro is going to be carved up sooner or later... the Hayes line isn't going to Thameslink so it must be going to TFL. I have this on pretty good authority from someone in a position to know. Everything I've seen with regard to the Southeastern franchise, local politics and current pay talks gives me no reason to think they aren't telling the truth.

So I guess for the purposes of what's currently in the public domain, "they" is officially just TFL at the moment. After the Williams Report is published we will presumably find "they" is TFL and everyone else. The only reason it hasn't gone over already is petty party politics.