Barnham Depot

[JB25]

Guys,

I spent a lot of time down around Barnham, Bognor Regis and Chichester when I was younger but I don't remember seeing the depot down there, how big is it, in terms of actual size, and how many drivers / links do they have? Also what sorts of routes do they sign?

If anyone happens to have pictures of the Depot I wouldn't mind seeing them if possible please? I have looked on google but it tends to mainly be pictures of the station which come up.

Many thanks.

 

[swt_passenger]

It's only a train crew depot at Barnham - there's basically nothing to see. It's just an office on the platform, no more interesting than the waiting room really...

 

[JB25]

It's only a train crew depot at Barnham - there's basically nothing to see. It's just an office on the platform, no more interesting than the waiting room really...

Oh really... I thought there might be more to it than that.

Do they have sidings to berth trains in?

 

[swt_passenger]

Oh really... I thought there might be more to it than that.

Do they have sidings to berth trains in?

Not as far as I can see. I think the trains are berthed at Littlehampton and Bognor...

 

[JB25]

Not as far as I can see. I think the trains are berthed at Littlehampton and Bognor...

Ah right cheers for the info.

I always thought it was strange when I was little how I could have missed a depot. Still doesn't explain a Barnham duty diagram I saw the other day though.

 

[LBSCR Times]

There are usually 3 units berthed overnight in the Down Loop at Barnham, the rest are, as said, in either Bognor or Littlehampton.
The traincrew depot is not on the station, it is over the road above the local Co-op shop!

Depending on age, it is a fairly new depot. In my earlier days on the Central Division, there were traincrew depots at Bognor, Littlehampton and West Worthing,
assisted by Fratton too!

 

[Timothy Turtle]

Do they have sidings to berth trains in? Not as far as I can see. I think the trains are berthed at Littlehampton and Bognor...

Didn't they used to berth in the 2 or 3 former sidings to the south of the loop?

 

[Southern313]

As a Barnham guard now driver here goes...

The depot is the upper floor above the CO-OP across the road and was the result of a merge of Bognor, Littlehampton and West Worthing depots around mid 90's I believe. We currently have approximately 120 guards and 135 drivers. Drivers are spread over the following

Shunt driver link. Three drivers who do shunt turns only at Bognor and Littlehampton

Relief link has now been absorbed into Link 4 which sign Portsmouth - Brighton, Arun Valley and BML to Gatwick, Littlehampton and Bognor branches plus associated sidings, yards and depots (not Fratton yard obviously)

Link 3 sign the above plus Victoria

Link 2 sign the above plus London Bridge and Streatham Hill (not from Balham)

Link 1 sign the above plus Southampton via Netley and Eastleigh and minus Lovers Walk (possibly Streatham Hill)

DI link sign all minus Eastleigh.

We all sign 313's and 377's with Link 2 and DI link signing 442's

Guards links 3/4 sign Portsmouth - Brighton, Bognor, Littlehampton and Victoria/London Bridge via Arun Valley/BML with links 1/2 signing Southampton via Netley/Eastleigh as extra. No guards sign 442's.

The three units berthed in P1 make 04:48 to Brighton and 04:35 (ish) empties to Havant (8 car) this sometimes makes an additional ghost train run at 03:30 if it's a bit chilly out.

 

[JB25]

Thanks for the info S313. Funny you mention the not Balham but. I had a Barnham guy get in my cab a while back at Streatham Hill because he can't drive a train through Balham. So effectively you can sign the route except Streatham Hill to Clapham Jct which is slightly odd.

So you sign the Arun Valley & BML to Gatwick and can go no further?

 

[LBSCR Times]

The other quirk in the London area, mostly affecting coastal depots, is that whilst drivers will sign the route from Streatham Hill to London Bridge, it is via Crystal Palace / Sydenham, and not Tulse Hill. Also they do not sign the route from Crystal Palace to Norwood Jct either, so in the event of a late departure from Streatham Hill, then the train cannot be diverted direct to East Croydon.
Similarly, in the event of a line blockage via Selhurst, Victoria trains cannot be diverted via Crystal Palace.

 

[Southern313]

Yep no further than Gatwick at the moment

 

[JB25]

I kind of asked as it is a depot in future I might look to put a move in for, but trying to get information out of people is bloody difficult. Trouble is I need to persuade the other half she wants to move to Barnham.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Purely out of interest, where else do Southern have (traincrew) depots?

(Thanks for the info on Barnham, made an interesting read!)

 

[JB25]

Selhurst, Norwood, London Bridge, London Victoria, Epsom, Caterham, Redhill, Three Bridges, Horsham, Brighton, Barnham and Eastbourne.

 

[MarkyT]

Didn't they used to berth in the 2 or 3 former sidings to the south of the loop?

Yes there were two sidings there. I don't know when they fell out of use but the associated point and signal levers were still in the old signalbox secured out of use in latter years, although much of the track had gone. When the new signalling came into operation in 2008 all remnants of the connecting points were removed although some track in the sidings themselves remains on the current Google maps satellite image, dated 2013.

Attached photo dates from 2005. A train approaching Barnham around the sharp curve from Bognor Regis. The image clearly shows the siding track out of use for many years with point crossing components removed.

 

[andy19_64]

Barnham also has a siding country end of Platform 3 along side the NR yard that is non electrified. It is sometimes used to hold there units if there is engineering work coming up at the weekend in the area. Also it is used by the FGW Great Malvern-Brighton service if it is running well late and they then teminate it there.

 

[ashworth]

I know this is a bit off topic but I thought whilst this thread is open, and there are people reading this who know Barnham, it would be a good time to ask.

Later this year I will be staying about 2 miles from Barnham for 2 weeks. Whilst there I want to take a few days out by train, making use of many relatively low priced off peak day returns to various destination in the South and South East.
What is parking like at Barnham if I was to be arriving at the station after the morning peak to make use of off peak tickets? Will there be any spaces left?
Are there any safe places to park around Barnham, I don't mind walking a bit, where I could avoid paying station car park fees?

 

[Southern313]

If your thinking of parking during the week, forget it. It's usually full by 8am unless it's school holidays then a few spaces are left. The surrounding area is mostly residential and as far as I'm aware free of parking restrictions and generally safe to walk at night, much nicer now the Barnham Bridge pub has closed. Car parking I believe is £4.50 all day and £1 on Sundays so quite good value really.

Chichester usually has spaces all day, sometimes hit and miss and both LA/Bognor always have spaces. All three easy to get to driving from Barnham area.

 

[sarahj]

Selhurst, Norwood, London Bridge, London Victoria, Epsom, Caterham, Redhill, Three Bridges, Horsham, Brighton, Barnham and Eastbourne.

Of course the number one depot for both drivers and conductors is Brighton.

Beware if your thinking of moving to Barnham depot, they only allow you in on 3 terms:
Marrige to close relative.
More than, or less than one thumb. (per hand)
Close friendship with sheep.

SJ
(now waiting for the brighton depot jokes, mmm I wonder what they will be)

 

[JB25]

Of course the number one depot for both drivers and conductors is Brighton.

Beware if your thinking of moving to Barnham depot, they only allow you in on 3 terms:
Marrige to close relative.
More than, or less than one thumb. (per hand)
Close friendship with sheep.

SJ
(now waiting for the brighton depot jokes, mmm I wonder what they will be)

Funnily someone up here said something similar about Barnham... But I don't ever recall it being like that.

Brighton the number one depot, as long as you aren't from London otherwise we're going to give you dirty looks and make you feel uncomfortable the whole time you're in our mess room. hock:

 

[sarahj]

Funnily someone up here said something similar about Barnham... But I don't ever recall it being like that.

Brighton the number one depot, as long as you aren't from London otherwise we're going to give you dirty looks and make you feel uncomfortable the whole time you're in our mess room. hock:

Thats just the drivers side of the room.

Of course there is the main mess room at Victoria

Work for south eastern, go sit over there.
If you want to sit here and are not from victoria, please sit down. We might give you funny looks. no talking please.
Some one from Brighton talked about the outside world, lets quickly talk about a shunt route at streatham hill depot.

 

[JB25]

Thats just the drivers side of the room.

Of course there is the main mess room at Victoria

Work for south eastern, go sit over there.
If you want to sit here and are not from victoria, please sit down. We might give you funny looks. no talking please.
Some one from Brighton talked about the outside world, lets quickly talk about a shunt route at streatham hill depot.

When I go to Vic I tend to sit with people I know otherwise I go and sit on my own somewhere.

 

[Varney]

The building of a new "super" depot was seriously considered for Barnham in the early 90's. This would have then enabled the closure of Littlehampton and Bognor Regis depots. Plans were however dropped in the lead up to privatisation.

 

[MarkyT]

The building of a new "super" depot was seriously considered for Barnham in the early 90's. This would have then enabled the closure of Littlehampton and Bognor Regis depots. Plans were however dropped in the lead up to privatisation.

Isn't Bognor really just a bit of extra remote stabling for Littlehampton? There are presumably some cleaning staff there but all the main facilties are at Littlehampton. Including all four platforms and the middle siding Bognor can stable up to 100 20m cars overnight.

 

[andy19_64]

Bognor is it's own berthing station as most of the services in the morning are up the Arun Valley to Vic & LBG with a couple to Brighton and a couple to LA. They have CES emptying facilities and there own southern cleaners. The only difference at LA is that they have a washer. All of the LA London services bar one go via Worthing.

 

[RichardN]

Was the "bar one" service from LA a recent thing, or was it previously an ECS move to Horsham? I ask because with the December timetable there is an extra early morning "slow" service from LA - LBG via Horsham (2C78).

 

[JB25]

What is LA?

 

[LBSCR Times]

What is LA?

Los Angeles.....

LittlehAmpton

 

[Hophead]

Was the "bar one" service from LA a recent thing, or was it previously an ECS move to Horsham? I ask because with the December timetable there is an extra early morning "slow" service from LA - LBG via Horsham (2C78).

Previously started at Horsham, but there's no room to stable the stock now, with all the 377/6s needing somewhere to stay overnight. So the train has to start back from the coast.

 

[ashworth]

If your thinking of parking during the week, forget it. It's usually full by 8am unless it's school holidays then a few spaces are left. The surrounding area is mostly residential and as far as I'm aware free of parking restrictions and generally safe to walk at night, much nicer now the Barnham Bridge pub has closed. Car parking I believe is £4.50 all day and £1 on Sundays so quite good value really.

Chichester usually has spaces all day, sometimes hit and miss and both LA/Bognor always have spaces. All three easy to get to driving from Barnham area.

Thanks for that information. I thought it could be a problem during the week at Barnham. I presume there would be spaces on a Saturday after 9am. Bognor will be quite close for me but as for most journeys I would have to change trains at Barnham, which can be annoying on the return journey in the evening if you just miss a connection. I think I will have a drive around Barnham on a day before I plan to travel and see if I can finds somewhere on a quiet street to park. I'm quite happy to walk a reasonable distance.