I believe you are correct. I can't remember when it was introduced but it definitely pre-dates the new franchise and the LBG works. The issue was lack of capacity at abound 9am from Oxted to LBG as the train from Uckfield was only 2 car full and standing at Oxted. Sending what was at the time an 8 car back from LBG to Oxted to relieve that and avoid it clogging up lines to get in to Selhurst was in theory a good idea.
Whether it's needed with longer trains on the Uckfield line, the perceived drop in use on the line etc is a different question.
The 2+2 formation train which the shuttle relieves is still very busy from Oxted, ludicrously so if short-formed. 1L99, the Up 10 car shuttle, barely has more than 5 people per coach, even towards the front of the train. From East Croydon to London Bridge it is loaded just right - everyone seated but few, if any, standing.
In the meantime it appears that the 10 unit trains from Uckfield are all back in the timetable although I don't know how this can be confirmed, but his morning due to unit faults they ran as 8s.
Just as the availability of 2 car units finally seemed to be getting a bit better, I believe 171201 failed on depot the other day. It might be an engine fault but I can't confirm that.
1E10 is often a couple of mins late arriving into LBG due to congestion therefore often leaves late..but has a lot of time to make it up before oxted.
Ample so long as the East Grinstead service doesn't get in the way! I've still known it to be late on arrival quite a few times (indeed, this morning is a case in point!). For which the conductor must, of course, issue apologies to a lot of fresh air.
Three Bridges still continue to be very skow at clearing signals to a point that you slow down to stop and then have to SG them and then it immediately pings off to green. This loses up to 2mins sometimes and therefore the domino affect. The priority of thameslinks is also odd sometimes as our train couldve been gone and out of way but we are stopped for up.to 5 mins to make way for them.
TL services - and for some reason the Caterham line services - always seem to get in the way of the 1L81 Down shuttle around Windmill Bridge. Then it catches up with the East Grinstead service around Upper Warlingham. Alas!
Also... there has to be a way of running the east grinsteads on time, they often hold us up!!!
As above, quite so. Some of the driver resourcing at that time of the day seems to be a bit tight. Not sure if that has anything to do with it in this specific case, though.
It might seem i always have a pop at Three Bridges but its just frustrating. I know they have a tough job.
It always strikes me that they have the short straw and often there's actually no way for them to get everything right all in one go, if the trains have become slightly misaligned with their timings for whatever reason.
