Brighton Main Line Closure (16 - 24 February)

[ar10642]

Also lots of drainage work at Haywards Heath. I live near the line and they've been creating a building site and moving in lots of equipment for weeks now in prep for this blockade. Looks like a 24 hour operation.

 

[R G NOW.]

The stuff that I’m aware of

Replaceing Balcombe Tunnel Junction with a modified layout,
Relining Clayton Tunnel
Replacing the signaling controls Keymer Junction to Preston Park (the FDM system)
Replacing the signalling controls for Preston Park interlocking (the TDM system)
Work on Ouse Viaduct

OH!! Quite substantial works then and sounds very necessary to me, but sounds like somebody cannot arrange buses, This same thing happened in Bristol parkway at xmas, people were finding buses not even turning up.

I assume NR are trying to get this done before the end of their CP5.

 

[Glenn1969]

RTT has buses from Brighton calling all stations to Balcombe (but not beyond) and another bus to Three Bridges only. The all stations bus to Three Bridges starts from Preston Park. But will any of these actually show up?

 

[R G NOW.]

With the kids on holiday, parents may decide to take them to Brighton and the situation could be worse than a normal week.

 

[tsr]

If the bus driver is not competent to manage dispatch requirements (aka to get off his backside and go and look if the train has arrived), then yes, there needs to be one at each point where there are connections to be maintained, or if not a marshal as a "conductor".

This is the exact problem. It's all done on the cheap. Hired bus drivers just drive, there needs to be someone with the appropriate authority to dispatch and direct passengers either on board the bus or at each station, whether they would normally be staffed or not. The number of times I as a passenger have ended up doing this over the years is an absolute and utter disgrace.

As I previously posted, Uckfield can be staffed by Southern outside normal hours. There are several roving and relief staff (employed by GTR on a full-time basis) who can open the station and/or help out with buses quite easily. But whether the rostering and staff availability allows this is something yet to be seen.

The stuff that I’m aware of

Replaceing Balcombe Tunnel Junction with a modified layout,
Relining Clayton Tunnel
Replacing the signaling controls Keymer Junction to Preston Park (the FDM system)
Replacing the signalling controls for Preston Park interlocking (the TDM system)
Work on Ouse Viaduct

Also, amongst other things, major work on the trackbed at Balcombe Tunnel Junction as well, third rail renewal work, cable ducting renewal, station infrastructure renewals, and various drainage works on the track at Haywards Heath station.

 

[Surreytraveller]

With the kids on holiday, parents may decide to take them to Brighton and the situation could be worse than a normal week.

But that'll be leisure travel, and leisure travel is voluntary unlike going to work. I suspect parents will find out there's buses, and decide not to go to Brighton

 

[R G NOW.]

But that'll be leisure travel, and leisure travel is voluntary unlike going to work. I suspect parents will find out there's buses, and decide not to go to Brighton

Yes, could put them off a bit then?

 

[Surreytraveller]

Yes, could put them off a bit then?

I would have thought so

 

[Tunnel Bore]

The stuff that I’m aware of

Replaceing Balcombe Tunnel Junction with a modified layout,
Relining Clayton Tunnel
Replacing the signaling controls Keymer Junction to Preston Park (the FDM system)
Replacing the signalling controls for Preston Park interlocking (the TDM system)
Work on Ouse Viaduct

And lifting out the old pre-fab concrete footbridge at Balcombe station on 20th and lifting in a new steel one on 21st. That concrete bridge is 1936 era first install at Gatwick and moved to Balcombe in 1958.

I thought there was going to be drainage and leakage work in Balcombe Tunnel as well but not heard anything to confirm that.

 

[Ian Hardy]

RTT has buses from Brighton calling all stations to Balcombe (but not beyond) and another bus to Three Bridges only. The all stations bus to Three Bridges starts from Preston Park. But will any of these actually show up?

That is because GTR did not want any journey planners to show through buses between Three Bridges and Brighton.

If you have ever been to Balcombe you will realise that there is nowhere for buses to wait and then turn around to go back to BTN.

Also you will note that the BTN - BAB buses run at exactly the same times as the PPR - TBD buses between PPR and BAB, as I discovered yesterday (Sat 16th) they are same service running through all the way from BTN - TBD, but don't tell anyone.

 

[MadCommuter]

Yes, could put them off a bit then?

Try telling a 6 year old their trip to the seaside is cancelled.

 

[Killingworth]

I'm advised the playground at the junior school nearest to Wivelsfield station is full of white vans from B Keogh Construction together with other vehicles. The job has clearly been arranged over the half term period for that reason. My informant who lives next to the school has not been impressed by their early morning start, but conceded it's best to get it over with in a quieter period when there's always less road and rail traffic in that area.

 

[sammyg901]

It would be fantastic - and there have been murmurings for a very long time about the traceability and transparency of rail replacement. Some of the bus controllers on GTR operations do now have a bit of a better idea about where their buses are, and some of the bus companies have GPS tracking, but on a large operation it’s more than a bit piecemeal, and any such data certainly hasn’t made it back to customer facing apps/websites/station CIS screens.

Also, a number of the companies who supply replacement bus services during major operations are quite small, not large well-established city bus companies with sophisticated IT arrangements. So if you wrote this sort of infrastructure into their contracts, there’s a good chance they might just pull out, or else submit poor quality and misleading data to the rail companies and the public. It doesn’t entirely excuse the lack of information, but the reality is that rail replacement is quite complex, and can barely ever cope as it is, so any complications like this really can become quite lengthy and tortuous.

That's the beauty of an app, all the driver needs is a smartphone and a clip which the company could provide pretty cheaply.

 

[bramling]

Try telling a 6 year old their trip to the seaside is cancelled.

Trip to the seaside in February?

At the end of the day if the work has to be done some time then inconveniencing a few 6-year olds on a discretionary day out at the seaside is the lesser of two evils. And, of course, Brighton isn’t the only seaside in southern England, nor is seaside the only leisure pursuit available.

 

[mmh]

Try telling a 6 year old their trip to the seaside is cancelled.

Anyone unable to tell a 6 year old that is someone who shouldn't be in charge of a 6 year old.

 

[Bedpan]

Also you will note that the BTN - BAB buses run at exactly the same times as the PPR - TBD buses between PPR and BAB, as I discovered yesterday (Sat 16th) they are same service running through all the way from BTN - TBD, but don't tell anyone.

Took me a while to fathom out what all this means. Then I went to NationalRail.com which showed BTN as Brighton, BAB as Balcome but draws a blank on PPR! I can only assume that PPR stands for "Park Preston".

 

[swt class 450]

I think that Ian Hardy made a typo. PRP is the correct code for Preston Park station.

 

[swt class 450]

I much prefer when actual station names are used as the codes cause confusion! I can only remember a very few of them but otherwise i have to look them up on the National Rail website or app!

 

[swt class 450]

Also i must say i am always surprised that they are still using coaches on rail replacement these days. I have seen quite a few coaches on these services. The bus company i work for has a fleet of 100% low floor buses but many other operators are running coaches. I am surprised that they still allow this. I am surprised that the DDA compliance rules do not apply to rail replacement as well. It is not very good for the disabled or OAPs or those with lots of bags.

 

[adrock1976]

Are the present Victoria - Brighton via Gatwick limited stop (the green trains I am referring to, not the red "Gatwick Express" branded trains) still running?

A thought that has come into my mind is that these could be (if this is not the case already) diverted to call at Clapham Junction, Mitcham Junction, Sutton (Surrey), Epsom, Horsham, Littlehampton, Worthing, Hove, and Brighton, thus making it the shortest route solely by rail.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Are the present Victoria - Brighton via Gatwick limited stop (the green trains I am referring to, not the red "Gatwick Express" branded trains) still running?

A thought that has come into my mind is that these could be (if this is not the case already) diverted to call at Clapham Junction, Mitcham Junction, Sutton (Surrey), Epsom, Horsham, Littlehampton, Worthing, Hove, and Brighton, thus making it the shortest route solely by rail.

Sutton is in London, not Surrey. Besides, there wouldn't be the pathways in between all the other trains on those routes. Then there's driver route knowledge

 

[tsr]

Are the present Victoria - Brighton via Gatwick limited stop (the green trains I am referring to, not the red "Gatwick Express" branded trains) still running?

A thought that has come into my mind is that these could be (if this is not the case already) diverted to call at Clapham Junction, Mitcham Junction, Sutton (Surrey), Epsom, Horsham, Littlehampton, Worthing, Hove, and Brighton, thus making it the shortest route solely by rail.

No need to divert via Mitcham as the route via East Croydon is open for business.

They are diverting via Littlehampton as you suggest. 2 trains per hour.

Sutton is in London, not Surrey. Besides, there wouldn't be the pathways in between all the other trains on those routes. Then there's driver route knowledge

Sutton (Surrey) appears on a few maps and journey planners. Others do show Sutton (Greater London).

There are paths (not “pathways”) and they are being used. Driver route knowledge is varied and again it is being used.

 

[Antman]

Try telling a 6 year old their trip to the seaside is cancelled.

Would a 6 year old know the difference between Brighton and and another seaside resort? Probably better left until later in the year anyway?

 

[Antman]

Also i must say i am always surprised that they are still using coaches on rail replacement these days. I have seen quite a few coaches on these services. The bus company i work for has a fleet of 100% low floor buses but many other operators are running coaches. I am surprised that they still allow this. I am surprised that the DDA compliance rules do not apply to rail replacement as well. It is not very good for the disabled or OAPs or those with lots of bags.

Surely it's a case of what is available?

 

[Antman]

Who is going to give the bus driver that authority?

Honestly it's not rocket science is it? The sole purpose of the bus is to take passengers from that train to Newhaven and Seaford.

 

[londonboi198o5]

Try telling a 6 year old their trip to the seaside is cancelled.

well the works have been planned well in advance i would even go as far to say 6 months in advance so you have had plenty of warning

 

[MadCommuter]

Trip to the seaside in February?

At the end of the day if the work has to be done some time then inconveniencing a few 6-year olds on a discretionary day out at the seaside is the lesser of two evils. And, of course, Brighton isn’t the only seaside in southern England, nor is seaside the only leisure pursuit available.

Have you seen the weather forecast for the week ahead?

The point being that the ad hoc leisure traveller is less likely to be aware of the closure than the daily commuter.

 

[MadCommuter]

Anyone unable to tell a 6 year old that is someone who shouldn't be in charge of a 6 year old.

I consider myself sacked from parental responsibilities.

 

[Carlisle]

We do not receive any route training or any form of training. Luckily i have very good knowledge of all the roads in the area but many other drivers from further away do not. All they normally give out to those drivers is a simple basic map printed out on an A4 sheet for them to follow and some don't even get that. There is certainly no route training being provided (.

Route training levels will primarily be at the discretion of the bus company’s who are employing the drivers rather than GTR or any other TOC using RRBs

 

[trainmania100]

Not my photo
Track renewal at balcombe