Why does Southeastern manage Hastings station?

[mister-sparky]

These are two very important points to consider.

I save £10-£20 even with a railcard on my most common train journey by using Southern to Victoria via Eastbourne, rather than using the Southeastern service which goes to Charing Cross and avoids Eastbourne, only shaving 30-45 minutes from the journey time.

Southern is much more prominent in the Hastings area, Southeastern is much more of a secondary service. ITSO is an important feature, how can they expect to implement such a feature and then only enable it across some of the most unpopular stations across the line and continously expect it to be used? Hastings isn't the only station being blocked by the ITSO implementation on Southern routes.

The SE service from Hastings to Charing Cross is more expensive than the SN service to Victoria because it's quicker. 1hr 40mins compared to 2hrs approx.

 

[JamesRowden]

The SE service from Hastings to Charing Cross is more expensive than the SN service to Victoria because it's quicker. 1hr 40mins compared to 2hrs approx.

Off-peak, the journies to London terminals each hour are:

1hr24m Southeastern (London Bridge)
1hr35m Southeastern (London Bridge)
1hr45m Southern / Southeastern (St Pancras changing at Ashford) (25m connection)
2hrs1m Southern (Victoria)
2hrs2m Southern (Victoria changing at Hampden Park) (10m connection)

 

[paul1609]

The reason the Southern service is competitive is that certainly on off peak services the West End is the destination rather than the City so people are more likely travelling through to Charing Cross than alighting at London Bridge.
For places like Westfield at Sheppards Bush the southern service with a change at clapham junction is probably the best option.
This will be one of the weaknesses of the Thameslink project off peak most people from the South will still want to alight at East croydon for Victoria rather than travelling through the core which remains quite peripheral to the main destinations.

 

[transmanche]

This will be one of the weaknesses of the Thameslink project off peak most people from the South will still want to alight at East croydon for Victoria rather than travelling through the core which remains quite peripheral to the main destinations.

Although that may change once interchange with Crossrail at Farringdon becomes available.

 

[bicbasher]

Southern is much more prominent in the Hastings area, Southeastern is much more of a secondary service. ITSO is an important feature, how can they expect to implement such a feature and then only enable it across some of the most unpopular stations across the line and continously expect it to be used? Hastings isn't the only station being blocked by the ITSO implementation on Southern routes.

How times have changed! I lived in St Leonards in the 90s and dreaded using the Eastbourne route despite being cheaper, so would pay the premium to travel to London using the semi fasts via Tunbridge Wells every weekend.

In those days, the Kent Coast/Connex trains were the main provider of services as what became Southern had 1tph to Victoria and 1tph to Brighton and no through service to Ashford which required a change at Hastings. Sunday's were worse if you needed to travel to Brighton which required changing at Lewes.

 

[yorksrob]

How times have changed! I lived in St Leonards in the 90s and dreaded using the Eastbourne route despite being cheaper, so would pay the premium to travel to London using the semi fasts via Tunbridge Wells every weekend.

In those days, the Kent Coast/Connex trains were the main provider of services as what became Southern had 1tph to Victoria and 1tph to Brighton and no through service to Ashford which required a change at Hastings. Sunday's were worse if you needed to travel to Brighton which required changing at Lewes.

I think the Tunbridge Wells line is still very much the main route for London, having access to the West End and the City.

Having travelled around the Hastings area relatively frequently throughout the 90's and 00's, It's struck me that for off-peak and weekends Coastway services have always been busier than the main line. I think it's because the Coastway acts as a sort of all day "Metro" system for the south coast towns.

Of course, in the good old days, the south central route did at least have the most comfortable trains on the Southern Region to entice !

 

[bicbasher]

I think the Tunbridge Wells line is still very much the main route for London, having access to the West End and the City.

Having travelled around the Hastings area relatively frequently throughout the 90's and 00's, It's struck me that for off-peak and weekends Coastway services have always been busier than the main line. I think it's because the Coastway acts as a sort of all day "Metro" system for the south coast towns.

The great thing is now that at least 3tph operate between Lewes and Hastings, ensuring that a real metro style frequency operates on the East Coastway connecting Hastings with Eastbourne making it a viable link.

I agree that the Southeastern service is still the main commuting route and is also an important local service for those East Sussex stations on the route between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings. TW is as much a shopping and working town for locals as much as it is for Eastbourne or Brighton.