Southern Staff Trains

[OpsWeb]

Hi,

Can I ask any Southern or "in the know" people, if it is true Southern operate a "staff only" train for staff to get to the London depots?

Is it just for the early shift or is it for late shifts as well?

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[A-driver]

Hi,



Can I ask any Southern or "in the know" people, if it is true Southern operate a "staff only" train for staff to get to the London depots?



Is it just for the early shift or is it for late shifts as well?



Thanks in advance for your input!

they used to but like most staff trains it is now open to the public to. Most staff trains have now been cancelled and replaced by a taxi agreement. The closest you may find is a set down staff stop at somewhere like Selhurst or Norwood stations which won't be advertised in the timetable.

 

[OpsWeb]

they used to but like most staff trains it is now open to the public to. Most staff trains have now been cancelled and replaced by a taxi agreement. The closest you may find is a set down staff stop at somewhere like Selhurst or Norwood stations which won't be advertised in the timetable.

Thanks. I was just wondering how people made it into the London depots when public transport was off (eg early or very late), short of walking or cycling.

Just out of curiosity more than anything, as at my own depot (no where near London), parking is virtually non-existant for people who started in the last 5 years!

 

[A-driver]

Thanks. I was just wondering how people made it into the London depots when public transport was off (eg early or very late), short of walking or cycling.



Just out of curiosity more than anything, as at my own depot (no where near London), parking is virtually non-existant for people who started in the last 5 years!

There are rains which will get you in on time for many shifts, the first train up from
Brighton used to get most drivers into Selhurst and Victoria for earlies. Other than that it's night bus, car, cycle etc.

 

[greatkingrat]

There is at least one left

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W78729/2015/03/13/advanced

 

[tsr]

Because the Brighton Mainline runs through the night - or at least down to Three Bridges, anyway - there are usually regular services to London Victoria, Selhurst / Norwood Junction, and Three Bridges depots. There are also one or two staff trains/buses between Brighton and Three Bridges, and a few via Redhill.

It is generally accepted that stops at either Selhurst or Norwood Junction in the small hours serve to cater for workers throughout the whole of the depot complex and both traincrew depots. These stops are probably the most well-known amongst non-railway-employees, and unless the platforms are unsuitable for public access, most staff stops on trains in public service will see doors released throughout the appropriate coaches. Trains which run with no public stops, as in the link in the post above, are obviously not advertised or accessible to the public. Often, these are effectively run as glorified ECS movements, for simplicity. Under no circumstances should any member of the public attempt to board a train which is marked as "Not in service" (for pedants - unless given permission because of a fault with the information systems).

There are also decent car parks at most Southern train crew depots, although - like walking routes to station platforms - they may involve quite a walk from the actual booking-on points.

As you can tell, I'm not just going to post specifics on here, especially and obviously about depot access. However, special staff stops on public passenger services can quickly be found with discerning searches on Realtime Trains and even (in a hidden sort of way, and in real time) on NRE/popular phone apps.

 

[OpsWeb]

Because the Brighton Mainline runs through the night - or at least down to Three Bridges, anyway - there are usually regular services to London Victoria, Selhurst / Norwood Junction, and Three Bridges depots. There are also one or two staff trains/buses between Brighton and Three Bridges, and a few via Redhill.

It is generally accepted that stops at either Selhurst or Norwood Junction in the small hours serve to cater for workers throughout the whole of the depot complex and both traincrew depots. These stops are probably the most well-known amongst non-railway-employees, and unless the platforms are unsuitable for public access, most staff stops on trains in public service will see doors released throughout the appropriate coaches. Trains which run with no public stops, as in the link in the post above, are obviously not advertised or accessible to the public. Often, these are effectively run as glorified ECS movements, for simplicity. Under no circumstances should any member of the public attempt to board a train which is marked as "Not in service" (for pedants - unless given permission because of a fault with the information systems).

There are also decent car parks at most Southern train crew depots, although - like walking routes to station platforms - they may involve quite a walk from the actual booking-on points.

As you can tell, I'm not just going to post specifics on here, especially and obviously about depot access. However, special staff stops on public passenger services can quickly be found with discerning searches on Realtime Trains and even (in a hidden sort of way, and in real time) on NRE/popular phone apps.

I didn't know trains ran through the night tbh. So realistically if you worked out of Vic or Selhurst, and lives anywhere between London and Three Bridges, you could always make it into work using the trains (which would be ideal from a commuting point of view).

 

[A-driver]

I didn't know trains ran through the night tbh. So realistically if you worked out of Vic or Selhurst, and lives anywhere between London and Three Bridges, you could always make it into work using the trains (which would be ideal from a commuting point of view).

In theory. Although it's not a very regular service overnight so you could find yourself having to arrive at Selhurst at 0230 to book on for work at 0325 etc.

 

[tsr]

In theory. Although it's not a very regular service overnight so you could find yourself having to arrive at Selhurst at 0230 to book on for work at 0325 etc.

It's a pitfall, but as you know, people cope if needs must! There are also the Thameslink staff calls on services from places like Gatwick Airport, and a handful of options for doubling back if the train is running in the "wrong" direction.

 

[Class2ldn]

At gtr on nights we call at selhurst or Norwood as staff stops, doors get released but it is a passenger service but the stop isn't announced on the pis.

 

[grid56126]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W79116/2015/03/12/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W79034/2015/03/12/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/W78848/2015/03/12/advanced

A few more.

Worth noting of course that a lot of the stops at Norwood / Selhurst and Streatham Hill are as much for drivers getting to / from those depots having booked on elsewhere / booking off elsewhere, as they are for occasional use of staff with an early start elsewhere.

I was a regular user of the Thameslink that stops at Selhurst about 05.30 when I had a six o'clock start at Croydon a few years back. I never ever saw anyone else get on or off. This was of course interspersed with walking out the front for a bus when it was diverted by last minute dot com engineering works.

As an aside would you believe the first passenger service from Selhurst to East Croydon after this staff stop is not until 06.40 !

Anyway, I can always have my memories of catching the 03.30 (ish) Biggleswade to Hitchin staff train in the mid 1980s 2 car class 101 that had the lights out and you had to climb over outstretched legs of the sleeping staff to find your own bed.

It's regular cancellation would result in a call to Control and an up parcels stopping in it's place for a snooze on mail bags. Having missed the parcels by a few minutes one morning control asked if I would be OK in the cab of a freightliner and tube from Finsbury Park. Reassuring to see the signal on the Up fast go back to red and the driver waving me down to 47001.

How times have changed.

 

[JB25]

At Selhurst we had a night turn where we run one up to Victoria from East Croydon about 4 in the morning. Runs back down as a staff train and stops at Norwood Junction at 05:14, then another driver takes it still as a staff train down to Epsom.

I have another Night turn next week and love the fact there is a staff train that stops at Norwood going to Sutton about 05:44. Saves me waiting for the 05:53 Epsom Downs.

Still most of that isn't relevant to what you asked... Sorry.

 

[InMotion]

Hi,

Can I ask any Southern or "in the know" people, if it is true Southern operate a "staff only" train for staff to get to the London depots?

Is it just for the early shift or is it for late shifts as well?

Thanks in advance for your input!

Yes they do!

The main purpose is to move stock around so it's not advertised to the public but staff can use it to get in on the early shifts. Not too sure about the late.