• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Connection time at Beccles

Status
Not open for further replies.

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
Looking at a rail trip at the weekend involving a 3 minute connection time at Beccles, is this enough in peoples experience? (For reference, I am comming from Lowestoft and returning there, so need to change platforms.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

SuffolkRaider

Member
Joined
6 Oct 2012
Messages
34
Location
Beccles
Should be mate as the trains are there together and its only a quick walk over the bridge lol
Did't I post some pics to your blog showing them there ??
 

edwin_m

Veteran Member
Joined
21 Apr 2013
Messages
24,793
Location
Nottingham
Looking at a rail trip at the weekend involving a 3 minute connection time at Beccles, is this enough in peoples experience? (For reference, I am comming from Lowestoft and returning there, so need to change platforms.

Since a few months ago there is a passing loop at Beccles, which is how two trains can be there as close as 3min apart. So you will have to go over the bridge to the other platform. It is possible that if your train is a bit late in the other one will be signalled out as soon as yours arrives, in which case you might struggle to get over in time.
 

barrykas

Established Member
Joined
19 Sep 2006
Messages
1,579
Purely from a timetabling point of view, nothing is shown against Beccles in the eNRT so the default of five minutes would apply and it wouldn't be a valid "connection".
 

TheEdge

Established Member
Joined
29 Nov 2012
Messages
4,489
Location
Norwich
The Ipswich bound trains generally come in 2 to 3 minutes before the Lowestoft bound one so if all is going well it should be fairly easy as long as you move at a good pace. Saying that however the down signal is cleared pretty much as soon as the up train is in the platform so the down train wont wait long if the up is running late.
 

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
Any ideas as to where to position myself on the train to get the optimum connection time at beccles?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
If I miss it, the plan is to hike up the hill to the bus station and catch the first bus I can to Norwich, and then go down to the railway station from there.
 

TheEdge

Established Member
Joined
29 Nov 2012
Messages
4,489
Location
Norwich
I would say front coach, probably second set of doors and aim for the rear door of the down train.

Bear in mind the Beccles footbridge is a fairly tortuous affair, not a simple up across and down.

Do you have to change at Beccles? If you want a more comfortable change carry on to Halesworth.
 

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
I did it, and Yes, I did have to change at Beccles, no problems at all, got off the 170 front carraige second set of doors, got across the bridge fine only for the down train to be late so I didn't need to worry. I shall do a trip report soon.
 

dk1

Veteran Member
Joined
2 Oct 2009
Messages
15,823
Location
East Anglia
We changed crews there the other week (must be the first time in donkeys years) & i got over pretty quickly but it obviously wasnt going without me. As said the up train runs in first at xx.22 with the down running in at xx.25. Be near the front then go left, left up the stairs & over. Its an interesting brick walled ramp down to the Lowestoft bound platform. The contrast between the new & old platforms is very noticable.
 

306024

Established Member
Joined
23 Jan 2013
Messages
3,940
Location
East Anglia
While Network Rail were doing the work at Beccles they also laid a proper path to the scout hut by the station, where previously there was just a muddy puddle. A nice touch that was very much appreciated by the local community.

And while on the East Suffolk Line the connections at Halesworth with the bus to Southwold work well, making Southwold an excellent day trip.
 

Trainfan344

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2012
Messages
2,306
But from Lowestoft if I want to get to Southworld, I'll get the 601 there direct.
 

306024

Established Member
Joined
23 Jan 2013
Messages
3,940
Location
East Anglia
So would I, but then I am not starting from Lowestoft. It was the connections from the south I was suggesting. With an hourly service now it makes the day much more flexible.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top