Thameslink Services/Timetable from May 20th 2018

[MikeWM]

I can only find one afternoon cancellation - the 1724?

...and the 1924, 2054, 2124, 2254... and that's ignoring those that are in the Saturday (or weekday, depending on what they were actually trying to run today) 'interim' timetable but didn't appear to be scheduled at all today, such as the 1654.

I only see one train every 2 hours that ran after 1624 from PBO. Northbound looks similar from about 1800.

(perhaps I should have said 'early evening' rather than 'late afternoon' - the difference seems rather ambiguous in summer days

 

[Hadders]

I travelled on the 1737 Blackfriars to Stevenage. I was going to go to Kings Cross to pick up a train there but realised that a direct service was running and it would likely be empty as tourists wouldn't realise a service was running through the core. Turned out I was right - only a handful of us on board.

 

[DaveN]

Meanwhile on the MML, they were running the full 4 tph to Bedford (as opposed to the interim Saturday timetable 2tph), hurrah, but...
I was getting the 16:12 from Blackfriars to Bedford. This waited 10 minutes at Blackfriars waiting for a relief driver. We then stopped on the fast lines at Cricklewood (presumably to actually change drivers).
Then at Luton we were told that the train was going to be fast to Bedford - and the one behind was a few minutes late too - presumably because it nearly caught us up.
If they had made the switch to change at Cricklewood sooner they could have avoided the skip stopping. The lack of warning about the changed stopping pattern was poor also.

 

[AM9]

Meanwhile on the MML, they were running the full 4 tph to Bedford (as opposed to the interim Saturday timetable 2tph), hurrah, but...
I was getting the 16:12 from Blackfriars to Bedford. This waited 10 minutes at Blackfriars waiting for a relief driver. We then stopped on the fast lines at Cricklewood (presumably to actually change drivers).
Then at Luton we were told that the train was going to be fast to Bedford - and the one behind was a few minutes late too - presumably because it nearly caught us up.
If they had made the switch to change at Cricklewood sooner they could have avoided the skip stopping. The lack of warning about the changed stopping pattern was poor also.

The delay in the driver change may have been a late decision due to sickness etc..

 

[BRX]

I'm lucky enough that I usually don't need to use Thameslink at peak times. However this morning I travelled through the core around 8.30am. I was braced for crowded platforms at St Pancras, packed trains and timetable mayhem.

Everything was fine though. I even got a seat (there were several available).

 

[ianBR]

That's because the city is deserted this week as huge numbers of people take the rest of the week off after bank holiday. Try doing it next week as a comparison.

 

[uglymonkey]

Saw a Midland Main Line liveried HST heading north through Hitchin last night. Perhaps it was lost.

 

[Bungle965]

Saw a Midland Main Line liveried HST heading north through Hitchin last night. Perhaps it was lost.

Probably on hire to LNER.
Sam

 

[tsr]

That's because the city is deserted this week as huge numbers of people take the rest of the week off after bank holiday. Try doing it next week as a comparison.

I reckon more people try to work flexibly, perhaps with shorter hours, around this time of year - but I'm really not so sure everyone tries to take the time off so much as they used to around the Bank Holiday "just gone". I've been on some pretty crowded trains towards London Bridge and the TL Core over the last few days, but they seem a bit more evenly loaded through the peaks, with a bigger AM "shoulder peak". Also, various off-peak ones were only carrying the tiniest handful of people both to and from London, when normally they'd be a tad busier. Aside from the really major events such as sports matches, carnivals, air shows and the infamous Brighton Pride, GTR leisure traffic certainly seems pretty dead at the moment, echoing what other people have said about this (in general terms).

Judging by the road commutes that both family members and myself have endured over the last week, people are definitely driving around for work, but just at odd times of day. It seems busier at 1400 than at 1800ish this week, for example.

 

[Ianno87]

Saw a Midland Main Line liveried HST heading north through Hitchin last night. Perhaps it was lost.

The 1718 Hull Exec is a booked EMT set every day.

 

[Bikeman78]

They regularly go to Ely - one was going there earlier.

Don't think any have been to King's Lynn since the May 2017 timetable change. Lynn drivers may no longer sign them?

As I understand it, only King's Lynn drivers sign north of Cambridge North now and they only sign 387s.

 

[gm671]

Deleted

 

[uglymonkey]

The 1718 Hull Exec is a booked EMT set every day.

Thanks - that must have been it !

 

[Jona26]

Sadly a person has been hit by a train earlier this afternoon between Three Bridges and Horsham with no service between those stations expected until 21:00.

 

[neilm]

I reckon more people try to work flexibly, perhaps with shorter hours, around this time of year - but I'm really not so sure everyone tries to take the time off so much as they used to around the Bank Holiday "just gone". I've been on some pretty crowded trains towards London Bridge and the TL Core over the last few days, but they seem a bit more evenly loaded through the peaks, with a bigger AM "shoulder peak". Also, various off-peak ones were only carrying the tiniest handful of people both to and from London, when normally they'd be a tad busier. Aside from the really major events such as sports matches, carnivals, air shows and the infamous Brighton Pride, GTR leisure traffic certainly seems pretty dead at the moment, echoing what other people have said about this (in general terms).

Judging by the road commutes that both family members and myself have endured over the last week, people are definitely driving around for work, but just at odd times of day. It seems busier at 1400 than at 1800ish this week, for example.

Peak and Off peak has been very quiet, will be interesting to see the ORR stats for GTR. I would bet they are down by a considerable amount. Considering they never really recovered from the southern strikes and the way the contract is, DfT must have quiet a short fall from revenue than they expected.

 

[tsr]

Sadly a person has been hit by a train earlier this afternoon between Three Bridges and Horsham with no service between those stations expected until 21:00.

Indeed, unfortunately so. The train involved (a Southern service) has moved now, after a delay of just over 2 hours, and in fact lines may now reopen by 2000hrs ish, since the site should be clear by then.

Thameslink have done as well as one might reasonably expect in terms of train service recovery, perhaps a little better, although passengers may not have felt this, as some had been waiting for buses to replace trains for quite a while. One service, 9J54, was even diverted via Dorking (possibly a first for a 700 in passenger service).

 

[387star]

Indeed, unfortunately so. The train involved (a Southern service) has moved now, after a delay of just over 2 hours, and in fact lines may now reopen by 2000hrs ish, since the site should be clear by then.

Thameslink have done as well as one might reasonably expect in terms of train service recovery, perhaps a little better, although passengers may not have felt this, as some had been waiting for buses to replace trains for quite a while. One service, 9J54, was even diverted via Dorking (possibly a first for a 700 in passenger service).

They must have cleared the route? I saw a photo of one at Epsom
Ex Southern Horsham drivers at TL Horsham will maintain the Dorking route.. perhapa eventually the whole depot will sign it. Makes sense

 

[tsr]

Three Bridges-Horsham has reopened. First Southern services to run through imminently. Thameslink to follow when possible. GTR service recovery may need to continue to end of service according to latest considerations.

They must have cleared the route? I saw a photo of one at Epsom
Ex Southern Horsham drivers at TL Horsham will maintain the Dorking route.. perhapa eventually the whole depot will sign it. Makes sense

I don’t know about any plans for the whole depot signing it eventually, but I do agree it is clearly a useful option, and I’m glad its use today was one positive to emerge from such an incident in the absence of all that much else (although there’s been some nice staff praise as well).

 

[Jona26]

Indeed, unfortunately so. The train involved (a Southern service) has moved now, after a delay of just over 2 hours, and in fact lines may now reopen by 2000hrs ish, since the site should be clear by then.

Thameslink have done as well as one might reasonably expect in terms of train service recovery, perhaps a little better, although passengers may not have felt this, as some had been waiting for buses to replace trains for quite a while. One service, 9J54, was even diverted via Dorking (possibly a first for a 700 in passenger service).

I noticed the missing stops on RTT and assumed it just didn't report.

And only 6 minutes late at London Bridge!

 

[bramling]

Couple of Saturday KL diagrams have 365s. Only KL and CB depots sign the Lynn route, no change from pre-May.

Are you sure? The diagrams I've seen show no 365 work north of Ely -- which is still better than the proper diagrams which don't have 365s north of Royston, which itself is better than the very original plan which was no 365 work north of Baldock! The second Cambridge/Brighton, if it ever happens, is likely to see the peak Royston services cut back to Baldock though.

 

[Bikeman78]

Indeed, unfortunately so. The train involved (a Southern service) has moved now, after a delay of just over 2 hours, and in fact lines may now reopen by 2000hrs ish, since the site should be clear by then.

Thameslink have done as well as one might reasonably expect in terms of train service recovery, perhaps a little better, although passengers may not have felt this, as some had been waiting for buses to replace trains for quite a while. One service, 9J54, was even diverted via Dorking (possibly a first for a 700 in passenger service).

Interesting. Will Horsham based Thameslink drivers keep route knowledge via Dorking?

 

[387star]

Interesting. Will Horsham based Thameslink drivers keep route knowledge via Dorking?

Yes and possibly arun valley too

 

[jon0844]

Are you sure? The diagrams I've seen show no 365 work north of Ely -- which is still better than the proper diagrams which don't have 365s north of Royston, which itself is better than the very original plan which was no 365 work north of Baldock! The second Cambridge/Brighton, if it ever happens, is likely to see the peak Royston services cut back to Baldock though.

This might be the reason for the sudden curtailment of the services to Kings Lynn, as in they can't go to Kings Lynn but they had been diagrammed to do so - and when someone realised, they were immediately terminated short and turned around.

 

[philjo]

I understand that the GN morning peak on Tuesday was bad - fortunately I was not travelling that day.
Southbound departures from Letchworth on Tuesday:
0615 cancelled
0621 Brighton on time
0630 stopper 3 min late
0648, 0700 & 0715 - all cancelled
0721 Brighton - on time
0750 - started from Letchworth at 0825 (so cancelled at Royston and Baldock)
0800 stopper on time
I gather a Kings Lynn train did make additional stops around 0710 & also at Stevenage though was very full

 

[Hadders]

A departure board for Kings Cross has finally been installed next to the St Pancras gate line. This really should’ve been in place on 20th May and I really fail to see how something so basic was overlooked.

It’s not the best format but at least it’s better than nothing.

 

[route101]

Thanks - that must have been it !

Seen it on Leeds on Monday , seat reservations cancelled on it . Then on Tuesday i seen it heading south between PBO and Stevanage .

 

[route101]

Used 3 Thameslink services this week .
1454 from Peterborough to Stevanage , fairly quiet but i thought the ride was quite bad .
Second , was a late Horsham or Brighton bound bound service from Finsbury park .Only used it off a connection from Hertford loop , same platform connection of around 7 seconds . Got at St Pancras .
Third was East Croydon to Gatwick , found the ride better on the third rail maybe lower speed .

Seatsare for sure harder than Scotrail class 385s ones

 

[uglymonkey]

I caught the 16:54 or thereabouts platform 9 KX to Baldock, 8 car 365 looking tidy, made an unscheduled stop at Finsbury park - driver told us after we boarded. No one got on or off at Finsbury - driver tooted the horn several times - doors didn't open. Also 1st train I've ever been on that didn't stop at Stevenage ( Yes I know I've lead a sheltered life!) Terminated at Baldock by running over the crossover into platform 1 & then departed straight back to KX. Packed to standing till Hitchin then almost empty to Baldock.

 

[gm671]

Deleted

 

[bramling]

Yes, KL drivers have some Saturday 365 work to maintain competency. Whilst the units may be restricted to south of Ely, KL drivers cover 365 work CAM-KGX.

Ah, apologies, thought you were referring to the trains not the crews!