Southend Airport non stop express services.

[stadler]

Why do the express non stop journeys between London Liverpool Street and Southend Airport and vice versa exist? Does anyone know the story behind these odd services?

There is early morning eastbound London Liverpool Street to Southend Airport service and a late evening westbound Southend Airport to London Liverpool Street service. Both services run seven days a week and are non stop other than calling at Stratford where they are pick up only eastbound and set down only westbound. The fact that these are the only trains on the Southend line to have pick up and set down restrictions at Stratford and the only trains on the Southend Line to not go to or from Southend Victoria (despite still running empty to and from there) makes it clear that they are running these two trains specifically for the airport only.

I checked the airplane arrivals and departures and these trains do not even seem to connect with flights as all flights seem to be during the day and not early morning or late evening. So it is not like there a bunch of flights arriving and departing at these times so it does not seem like these trains exist to connect with flights. So the only other thing i can think of is for airport staff and maybe the trains are timed around shift changes. But then surely most staff live locally in Essex and not in Central London miles away. So even that makes no sense.

So i am just curious if anyone knows anything about these trains? Why do they exist and what is the main purpose of them?

 

[Trainguy34]

The late evening London-bound service also has a drop off at Shenfield, aswell as forming the next morning's Southend Airport Express.

Edit: Although it says it does on RTT, the unit numbers don't match up, with the evening service forming a Hertford East service the next morning and the morning service coming from a Lea Valley Shuttle and a service from Hertford East the previous night.

 

[30907]

The lengthy booked stop at the Airport suggests it might have something to do with staffing there?

 

[Class 170101]

The late evening London-bound service also has a drop off at Shenfield, aswell as forming the next morning's Southend Airport Express.

Edit: Although it says it does on RTT, the unit numbers don't match up, with the evening service forming a Hertford East service the next morning and the morning service coming from a Lea Valley Shuttle and a service from Hertford East the previous night.

The Up Express normally forms the Down Express the next morning, but maybe it was swapped over for maintenance purposes.

 

[Trainguy34]

The Up Express normally forms the Down Express the next morning, but maybe it was swapped over for maintenance purposes.

That does make sense looking at RTT, hopefully I can remember to check more then 1 day/night then.

 

[Rheilfordd]

Why do the express non stop journeys between London Liverpool Street and Southend Airport and vice versa exist? Does anyone know the story behind these odd services?

There is early morning eastbound London Liverpool Street to Southend Airport service and a late evening westbound Southend Airport to London Liverpool Street service. Both services run seven days a week and are non stop other than calling at Stratford where they are pick up only eastbound and set down only westbound. The fact that these are the only trains on the Southend line to have pick up and set down restrictions at Stratford and the only trains on the Southend Line to not go to or from Southend Victoria (despite still running empty to and from there) makes it clear that they are running these two trains specifically for the airport only.

I checked the airplane arrivals and departures and these trains do not even seem to connect with flights as all flights seem to be during the day and not early morning or late evening. So it is not like there a bunch of flights arriving and departing at these times so it does not seem like these trains exist to connect with flights. So the only other thing i can think of is for airport staff and maybe the trains are timed around shift changes. But then surely most staff live locally in Essex and not in Central London miles away. So even that makes no sense.

So i am just curious if anyone knows anything about these trains? Why do they exist and what is the main purpose of them?

The service to the airport doesn’t run on Sunday mornings. I can only assume, to avoid use by Essex party animals. I guess the same reason applies for the 23:59 omitting pick up at Southend Victoria.

They were introduced in pre-covid days, when Southend airport had significantly more flights than it does now. The airport is now slowly increasing the flight schedule once again.

A common complaint was that there was no way of travelling by train to catch the early morning outbound flights. Similarly, inbound passengers arriving at the airport station after 22:30, would find the last train to London, had departed. Not a great look for an airport that had just paid to build their super convenient station.

Greater Anglia and London Southend Airport are delighted to announce a new agreement that will see extra train services, allowing passengers to easily connect to early morning and late evening flights.

From Monday 10 June (2019) Greater Anglia will be running an extra service, Monday to Saturday mornings, from Liverpool Street, departing at around 04.30, dependent on day, to connect with early morning outbound flights.

There will also be an additional late-night service, Sunday to Friday nights, from the airport to Liverpool Street, departing 23.59, for passengers landing later in the evening that need quick and easy access to London.

New train services make it easier for passengers using London Southend Airport | RailBusinessDaily

Greater Anglia and London Southend Airport are delighted to announce a new agreement that will see extra train services, allowing passengers to easily

news.railbusinessdaily.com

 

[Class 170101]

The service to the airport doesn’t run on Sunday mornings. I can only assume, to avoid use by Essex party animals. I guess the same reason applies for the 23:59 omitting pick up at Southend Victoria.

I thought it was meant to be an Airport Express. In terms of Sunday morning, the first train is 06:15 from Southend Victoria and 07:15 from Liverpool Street. I would suggest you are totally impinging on NRs maintenance access by running an 04:30 from Liverpool Street.

They were introduced in pre-covid days, when Southend airport had significantly more flights than it does now. The airport is now slowly increasing the flight schedule once again.

A common complaint was that there was no way of travelling by train to catch the early morning outbound flights. Similarly, inbound passengers arriving at the airport station after 22:30, would find the last train to London, had departed. Not a great look for an airport that had just paid to build their super convenient station.

To be honest it would be better if the Airport train just carried normal passengers too by calling at the intermediate stations down the branch.

Greater Anglia and London Southend Airport are delighted to announce a new agreement that will see extra train services, allowing passengers to easily connect to early morning and late evening flights.

From Monday 10 June (2019) Greater Anglia will be running an extra service, Monday to Saturday mornings, from Liverpool Street, departing at around 04.30, dependent on day, to connect with early morning outbound flights.

There will also be an additional late-night service, Sunday to Friday nights, from the airport to Liverpool Street, departing 23.59, for passengers landing later in the evening that need quick and easy access to London.

The 23:59 actually runs 7 days a week. The 04:30ish runs 6 days a week.

New train services make it easier for passengers using London Southend Airport | RailBusinessDaily

Greater Anglia and London Southend Airport are delighted to announce a new agreement that will see extra train services, allowing passengers to easily

news.railbusinessdaily.com

 

[Southend Rider]

To be honest it would be better if the Airport train just carried normal passengers too by calling at the intermediate stations down the branch

Totally agree, now that Easy Jet are reopening their base in March with more early morning and late evening flights. Could also perhaps stop at Romford, the stations are already open for services in the other direction.