Great Northern and Thameslink May 18 service changes

[jon0844]

This is correct, the full timetable should be available to view from Sunday/Monday.

Tomorrow apparently.

 

[Skimble19]

Tomorrow apparently.

Indeed. Started as Monday, then Sunday, now tomorrow...!

All four brand websites, as well as railplan2020 will be updated over the weekend - the railplan2020 site will have a station checker so people can see quickly and easily what will change for them.

 

[GoatSarah]

Realtime trains now has GN services up from Cambridge for late May, but there appears to be no Kings Cross stopper!

Surely some mistake?

 

[Deerfold]

Realtime trains now has GN services up from Cambridge for late May, but there appears to be no Kings Cross stopper!

Surely some mistake?

As the posts before yours mention, the full timetable has not yet been loaded.

 

[SprinterMan]

It is interesting to note that all 700-operated services are operated as "Thameslink", even the ones that go into Kings Cross :P

 

[AM9]

It is interesting to note that all 700-operated services are operated as "Thameslink", even the ones that go into Kings Cross :P

Which is the same as the London Bridge terminators that used to be Southern.

 

[crazystripe]

Looking at the timetables now uploaded to RTT, it looks like station procedures are going to need to speed up for services to keep to time. The “GN” stretch of the TL services from/to Horsham, for example, are at least 2-3 minutes quicker from May than they are now, on the stretch calling St Neots, Sandy, Biggs, Hitchin and Stevenage. Today’s services using the 700 FLUs are almost invariably accumulating 2-3 minutes’ delay on that portion of the journey, mostly because station procedures are lax. I’d like to say there’s an opportunity to exploit the superior acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the Class 700, but as a passenger, it already feels like drivers are taking advantage of this.

What is the plan to improve things from May?

 

[IKB]

Looking at the timetables now uploaded to RTT, it looks like station procedures are going to need to speed up for services to keep to time. The “GN” stretch of the TL services from/to Horsham, for example, are at least 2-3 minutes quicker from May than they are now, on the stretch calling St Neots, Sandy, Biggs, Hitchin and Stevenage. Today’s services using the 700 FLUs are almost invariably acclimating 2-3 minutes delay on that portion of the journey, mostly because station procedures are lax. I’d like to say there’s an opportunity to exploit the superior acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the Class 700, but as a passenger, it already feels like drivers are taking advantage of this.

What is the plan to improve things from May?

I had similar thoughts about some operations south of the river. The consultation hype suggested longer dwell times at key stations to ensure on-time departures, but I notice Clapham Junction and East Croydon still only have one minute of dwell time on the majority of mainline services. Some turnarounds on SN Metro services have been increased, however.

 

[arb]

Realtime trains now has GN services up from Cambridge for late May

Interesting that all the southbound services from King's Lynn/Ely now seem to be booked to use platforms 7 or 8 at Cambridge. Presumably this saves a minute or two as they no longer have to cross northbound trains around platforms 1 or 4?

Slightly annoying for me as I base my choice of trains for my morning commute on those that mean I don't have to use the footbridge from platforms 7/8. I guess I should be grateful I'm not losing services though!

 

[GoatSarah]

Which is the same as the London Bridge terminators that used to be Southern.

Thameslink trains that don’t terminate also go via London Bridge though, so they’re on the same route, just terminating early. That’s not true for Kings Cross (unless you count the defunct Kings Cross Thameslink which is even further from Kings Cross station than St Pancras is)

 

[Skimble19]

It is interesting to note that all 700-operated services are operated as "Thameslink", even the ones that go into Kings Cross :P

The fast services from Peterborough are showing as GN if they go into Kings Cross, although they should be operated by 365s (lucky passengers, suspect those services are going to be rather popular!).

 

[GoatSarah]

Slightly annoying for me as I base my choice of trains for my morning commute on those that mean I don't have to use the footbridge from platforms 7/8. I guess I should be grateful I'm not losing services though!

Given the large number of people routinely running to catch Kings Cross trains on platform 1 at present, I can see this causing tears before bedtime.

 

[AM9]

Given the large number of people routinely running to catch Kings Cross trains on platform 1 at present, I can see this causing tears before bedtime.

But a proportion of those will have come from locations near to the core. Come next year, a load more will have arrived at Farringdon via Crossrail so they are more likely to get on a Thameslink train that goes through Finsbury Park and beyond. Passengers soon sort themselves out when new routes become available.

 

[arb]

Given the large number of people routinely running to catch Kings Cross trains on platform 1 at present, I can see this causing tears before bedtime.

But a proportion of those will have come from locations near to the core. Come next year, a load more will have arrived at Farringdon via Crossrail so they are more likely to get on a Thameslink train that goes through Finsbury Park and beyond. Passengers soon sort themselves out when new routes become available.

The original quoted message was referring to people running for trains going towards London from Cambridge platform 7/8 instead of platform 1, not people running to platform 1 at King's Cross.

 

[Ianno87]

The original quoted message was referring to people running for trains going towards London from Cambridge platform 7/8 instead of platform 1, not people running to platform 1 at King's Cross.

The Up Fasts seem to move to depart Cambridge at 14/44, slightly earlier than the current 17/47.

Looks like that'd make it conflict with the equivalent Down Fast trains if it were to come over to Platform 1 and back, including the various split/join the Lynn have to do - hence using 7/8.

 

[Ianno87]

...but no doubt will catch many regulars out for the first couple of days! When there's the occasional platform alteration today, people still continue to wait on platform 1 in spite of multiple announcements and the platform being oddly quieter than usual...

 

[MikeWM]

The Up Fasts seem to move to depart Cambridge at 14/44, slightly earlier than the current 17/47.

Looks like that'd make it conflict with the equivalent Down Fast trains if it were to come over to Platform 1 and back, including the various split/join the Lynn have to do - hence using 7/8.

Those from Kings Lynn have to pick up coaches split from the down fasts though, so in general either the downs are also going to use 7/8 or the ups are actually still going to use 1, despite what’s on RTT so far.

The Ely ones could use 7/8 as they (generally) don’t split at Cambridge.

 

[MikeWM]

I note GN trains make much greater use of Cambridge North, including in the morning peak, as was predicted here a while back.

I’m not sure this is a good plan with their already very overcrowded morning peak up services. GN didn’t think so either last year - they specifially said so - and nothing has changed since, so I’m surprised to see this change before they can run 8 cars north of Ely.

 

[London Trains]

Seems that Epsom, Ewell East, Cheam see a major increased service from 5:30 to 7 with a normal all day service between 5:45 and 7! But then a major decrease between 7 and 8, with no LBG trains and what should be fasts to VIC slowed down.. Hopefully this is RTT having not loaded LBG trains. The off-peak is all round better except for the annoying (to me) fast stops at Carshalton.

 

[GoatSarah]

...but no doubt will catch many regulars out for the first couple of days! When there's the occasional platform alteration today, people still continue to wait on platform 1 in spite of multiple announcements and the platform being oddly quieter than usual...

Will have to leave the house a few minutes earlier to give me time to get my cuppa in and cross the bridge.

 

[class387]

Are timetables still expected this weekend given the apparent delays (as reported in BBC) to some TOCs' timetables?

 

[Mike395]

Are timetables still expected this weekend given the apparent delays (as reported in BBC) to some TOCs' timetables?

Not sure if we'll get final timetables confirmed, but the ones on OpenTrainTimes now look more or less complete.

 

[GoatSarah]

Not sure if we'll get final timetables confirmed, but the ones on OpenTrainTimes now look more or less complete.

Still don’t have the Cambridge Kings Cross stoppers.

 

[whoosh]

Looking at the timetables now uploaded to RTT, it looks like station procedures are going to need to speed up for services to keep to time. The “GN” stretch of the TL services from/to Horsham, for example, are at least 2-3 minutes quicker from May than they are now, on the stretch calling St Neots, Sandy, Biggs, Hitchin and Stevenage.

Looks the same to me. 30 minutes from departing Huntingdon to departing Hitchin.

 

[Skimble19]

Are timetables still expected this weekend given the apparent delays (as reported in BBC) to some TOCs' timetables?

Yes, should still all be up by Monday, with the GTR Brand sites also being updated, and the RailPlan 2020 site having the info and Station Checkers etc. (Can’t guarantee it of course but that’s still the plan for now!)

 

[TEW]

Seems that Epsom, Ewell East, Cheam see a major increased service from 5:30 to 7 with a normal all day service between 5:45 and 7! But then a major decrease between 7 and 8, with no LBG trains and what should be fasts to VIC slowed down.. Hopefully this is RTT having not loaded LBG trains. The off-peak is all round better except for the annoying (to me) fast stops at Carshalton.

Looks like the Guildford trains are still mostly missing, that should add some extras to London Bridge.

 

[Nadine]

Redhill to Earlswood/Salfords/Horley timetable has a gap between 19:27 and 20:52. I hope it's a mistake, today we have 8 trains in this interval!

 

[crazystripe]

Looks the same to me. 30 minutes from departing Huntingdon to departing Hitchin.

I wonder whether today's services are subject to 2-3 mibute variations across the day, versus the May TT where it seems like every service is identically timed. The example I had was 0702 ex Sandy (0632 ex PBO) which is currently 42mins to Finsbury Park. May's equivalent as is 40 mins (or at least was on Sat morning when I checked, but now looks like 41 minutes, so maybe a moot point!)

That said, I think it's still worth asking whether GN station staff are going to need to be quicker off the mark with despatch to avoid delays accumulating, especially on the way towards London/Core.

 

[Fred26]

GTR want dispatch to start 40 seconds before time, leading to RA at 20 seconds before time. (If this happens and the drivers play ball, trains will leave early all over the place. Granted it'd be by ten or so seconds, but that's not much consolation when passengers see their train leaving before time.)
Frankly, it's not about being 'quicker off the mark' - when the train is ready to go, it goes. If it comes in early enough it'll leave on time. No dispatcher stands there watching the time pass.

 

[Downthelane]

Granted it'd be by ten or so seconds, but that's not much consolation when passengers see their train leaving before time.

Isn't the answer to arrive ahead of time rather than arrive within seconds of departure time?

I can't believe some people are unhappy about the 'threat' of trains running on time.

Just get out of bed a few minutes earlier.