Govia get Thameslink Franchise

[Saint66]

At the moment, they're every hour, aren't they?

 

[Deerfold]

At the moment, they're every hour, aren't they?

That's the lowest frequency they get down to most nights.

 

[infobleep]

If there wasn't the airport passengers, would the trains be reasonably loaded? I ask because other stations I London, such as Waterloo, don't have a 24 hour service.

 

[Class377/5]

I hope they keep the 24hr FCC services intact as I would lose my job if I cannot get to work.

The 24hr services are staying.

 

[LLivery]

Living next to a station where the Thameslink trains run though 24hrs its annoying that they dont stop! Seeing as they stop at the North London suburbs they should start stopping at New Cross Gate, Brockley, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Penge W, Anerley & Norwood Jun. Seeing as LO operate those stations I wonder if they would want to staff them 24 hrs...

 

[GatwickDepress]

I use the "Tin Can Couchettes" fairly often, and I know people who would use them if they did extend to Brighton. I'm aware engineering works mean it's impossible most nights, and the costs of long term rail replacement buses would counteract any potential income... plus extra stock and crew costs and allocations... I can still dream though.

Brighton & Hove buses used to run a night connection to FCC/SN services at Three Bridges on Friday and Saturday nights. It must have proven unsustainable, as it was discontinued after a couple of years.

Of course, I'm not complaining. The night services are more than most areas get, and I'm content with them.

 

[cle]

Living next to a station where the Thameslink trains run though 24hrs its annoying that they dont stop! Seeing as they stop at the North London suburbs they should start stopping at New Cross Gate, Brockley, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Penge W, Anerley & Norwood Jun. Seeing as LO operate those stations I wonder if they would want to staff them 24 hrs...

I think New Cross Gate, Forest Hill and Norwood Junction might be useful. Maybe Brockley too - probably not the others. And you'd not want to completely slow the journey down... agreed that it's stopping on the northern side.

The northern stations all have 4 platforms hence could use all lines. Not the case for Forest Hill, for example. New Cross Gate and Norwood Junction would work though.

 

[westcoaster]

Living next to a station where the Thameslink trains run though 24hrs its annoying that they dont stop! Seeing as they stop at the North London suburbs they should start stopping at New Cross Gate, Brockley, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Penge W, Anerley & Norwood Jun. Seeing as LO operate those stations I wonder if they would want to staff them 24 hrs...

Problem is FCC night services are run via crystal palace 90% of the time, 9% via selhurst ( both are 2Wxx)and less than 1% via London bridge (2Txx)in my opinion. So you have to reroute the night trains.
The problem with this is the sheer amount of isolations that have to be shortened or cut back for just 1tph overnight going via London bridge.

Totally unofficial but all FCC overnight services call at either Norwood junction or selhurst for staff purposes.

 

[infobleep]

If they call for staff purposes, what is the reason they don't call to allow passengers to alight or join?

 

[91103eastcoast]

Presumably to avoid having to arrange alternative transport for passengers if the train has to take a diversion or can't call.

 

[Yabbadabba]

If they call for staff purposes, what is the reason they don't call to allow passengers to alight or join?

The only problem I see with that is, often due to planed possessions and emergency possessions the trains often get diverted around the various routes to or from Blackfriars, even to the point where the drivers don't know what route they are going on until they challenge the route and get told of the diversion. How you would plan that into the passenger TT when it could change on a nightly basis within the same week?

 

[westcoaster]

The only problem I see with that is, often due to planed possessions and emergency possessions the trains often get diverted around the various routes to or from Blackfriars, even to the point where the drivers don't know what route they are going on until they challenge the route and get told of the diversion. How you would plan that into the passenger TT when it could change on a nightly basis within the same week?

It's can be exactly as explained above I've even had it south via norbury, north via crystal palace ,south via crystal palace and north via London bridge and all were booked via norbury in one night shift.

 

[hassaanhc]

It's can be exactly as explained above I've even had it south via norbury, north via crystal palace ,south via crystal palace and north via London bridge and all were booked via norbury in one night shift.

Ouch, anything other than the straight London Bridge route makes for an extremely tedious and slow journey due to speed restrictions and junctions. It took me 27 minutes out of the 30 booked to cover Elephant to East Croydon last weekend (via Loughborough Junction, Crystal Palace and Norwood Junction) and if it drove me insane during the day I'd hate to imagine it at night when you just want to get home . Never fun trundling along at 20 on a train.

 

[Class377/5]

And there is a brand new overnight route coming soon. So new infact no driver yet signs it.

 

[Yabbadabba]

And there is a brand new overnight route coming soon. So new infact no driver yet signs it.

Just a very wild guess, via Clapham Junction, Pouparts Junction, Longhedge Junction, Factory Junction and Canterbury Road Junction, well new to FCC Drivers

 

[Aictos]

Just a very wild guess, via Clapham Junction, Pouparts Junction, Longhedge Junction, Factory Junction and Canterbury Road Junction, well new to FCC Drivers

What if any passenger services use that route already?

 

[Yabbadabba]

What if any passenger services use that route already?

None, but it would be a great get out of jail free card at times.

 

[Class377/5]

Just a very wild guess, via Clapham Junction, Pouparts Junction, Longhedge Junction, Factory Junction and Canterbury Road Junction, well new to FCC Drivers

Bingo.

 

[Yabbadabba]

When do they start route learning?

 

[Class377/5]

When do they start route learning?

Currently learning the Herne Hill to Victoria route. Timescales are in the GTR 'franchise' for Clapham Junction route.

 

[Yabbadabba]

Currently learning the Herne Hill to Victoria route. Timescales are in the GTR 'franchise' for Clapham Junction route.

Ok I'll have a look at that later.

 

[Fincra5]

Currently learning the Herne Hill to Victoria route. Timescales are in the GTR 'franchise' for Clapham Junction route.

Ah thats why I had two Brighton based FCC drivers on my train from Vic to Brighton!

 

[Aictos]

Bingo.

Would they call at Clapham Junction though, be very useful if they did

 

[lev441]

As far as I am aware there are no First and Last trains on the Thameslink route they run all night albeit a limited service. I wonder what will be considered the last train.
As a regular user of Flitwick It appears that the vast majority of passengers travel to destinations that already have gates. In the case of Flitwick it could be quite interesting as passemgers have direct access to the platforms from the road bridge I assume they will have either build some sort of shelter or close the access from the bridge . I'm am not against gates per se but it will be interesting to see them in operation at Flitwick. ( I have a PTAC so I always buy a ticket)

So does this mean that staff will be manning stations basically 24/7 in the new franchise where thameslink trains run all night? As other people have mentioned, most stations are unstaffed past 9pm or so (at least on the northern part of the route).

 

[jon0844]

I think I might have already said this, so apologies if so, but since the lifts went on at Hatfield, the station is now staffed until midnight. Thus, the station building is left open (good you don't need to walk down to the temporary exit).

Yet, I've seen the security guard that seems to be on platform 1 (or chatting to gateline staff) during the day, but don't know where he ends up at night. Does he go into the ticket office and just look over the station via CCTV?

The gates are still open late at night, but presumably once they're staffed from start to finish, the gates will be in operation the whole time? Or at least most of the time (accounting for breaks). In other words, will it be staffed by a few people or just one security guard?

 

[Fred26]

Hatfield will be staffed by 4 platform staff, with three working each day (generally). Looking at their roster briefly it seems each member of staff will be solo apart from half an hour overlap in the evening, Monday-Friday.
The job of these staff will be/is customer assistance.

It's likely that there'll be no change made to the times the barriers are manned.

 

[jon0844]

Hmm. Opening the gates between 8 and 9pm (as now) seems like a silly move, but what do I know?!

 

[infobleep]

The 11.56 from Haywards Heath to Brighton is being advertised as full and standing. I assume it must be extremely full then as they don't always advertise trains that are crowded. I wonder will this be the case under the new franchise once all the new timetables are in place.

 

[Stats]

The 11.56 from Haywards Heath to Brighton is being advertised as full and standing. I assume it must be extremely full then as they don't always advertise trains that are crowded. I wonder will this be the case under the new franchise once all the new timetables are in place.

As the reason is because the proceeding FCC service was cancelled than probably not.

As for information that trains are full and standing the GTR say their new app will give live train loading information from November.

 

[Class377/5]

As the reason is because the proceeding FCC service was cancelled than probably not.

As for information that trains are full and standing the GTR say their new app will give live train loading information from November.

No it doesn't. It states....

Easier journeys - better information
- New customer app giving train ‘loading’ information (Nov 2014), door to door journey planning, car park availability (2016)

Would they call at Clapham Junction though, be very useful if they did

No they won't in normal passenger service.