GTR services towards Eastbourne, Sunday 1st November...

[transportphoto]

Hi All,

Yesterday I wasted 26 minutes of my life that I shall never get back on the phone to GTR Southern's Customer Service department enquiring as to what the heck is going on to prevent a journey between London and stations towards Eastbourne on Sunday 1st November.

I shan't go on about the incompetence of the call taker (the department in general) for too long, as that's for another discussion and has been done to death before, however it seemed he was relying on their public website and NRE to try to find an answer :roll:

Needless to say, he wasn't able to offer me one and suggested I try again in early October as that would be within the 12 week window... I refused. I now have a reference number and my query / complaint should be being escalated to 'Head Office' for their attention.

In the mean time, could anyone please advise what is going on to affect services on this line on this day please? Something is obviously stopping GTR finalising their plans for the day.

Cheers,

TP

 

[ajb690]

I suspect it is this:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/currentAndFuture.aspx?TravelDate=01/11/2015&TOC=sn

Route affected Between London Victoria and Brighton/East Grinstead/Uckfield
Train operator affected Southern
Description

Engineering work is taking place between Selhurst and Purley with various line closures.
A reduced service will operate between London Victoria and Brighton.
A replacement bus service will operate between Purley and Oxted.
An hourly rail shuttle service will operate between Oxted and East Grinstead.
Sanderstead station will be closed, passengers are advised to travel to Purley Oaks.
A half hourly Gatwick Express service will operate.
Planning your Journey
These changes are not currently shown in the National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner, please check back nearer to the time of travel.

Note that lower down on the same page it also mentions buses between Lewes and Eastbourne.

 

[berneyarms]

2 minutes looking on the National Rail website would have answered that question:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/currentAndFuture.aspx?TravelDate=01/11/2015&TOC=sn

 

[transportphoto]

In which case then, could anyone please give an approximate and typical time frame for the finalisation of service provision, be this rail replacement or otherwise?

 

[GatwickDepress]

In which case then, could anyone please give an approximate and typical time frame for the finalisation of service provision, be this rail replacement or otherwise?

Realtimetrains shows replacement bus services to/from Eastbourne to Lewes every 20 minutes, with an hourly rail service to London Victoria at xx:20/departing from Victoria xx:47. There's also a half-hourly service from Brighton. I've no idea how finalised those will be.

 

[berneyarms]

The journey planner on the National Rail Enquiries website shows bus services operating and will offer journeys to Eastbourne (with bus transfers).

 

[philjo]

On a similar note I need to return from Eastbourne to GN route on sunday 4 october.
There are works blocking the main line through Haywards Heath with buses form Three Bridges to Brighton & Lewes.

In the past the any permitted fares from GN stations to Eastbourne were valid on HS1 & change at Ashford but this seems to have been removed a couple of years ago.

The southern webtis is quoting a journey time of 3:59 including the replacement bus via Lewes.
However I can get a timetables time of 3:28 via Ashford & St pancras but it won't list any fares. Will there be an easement in place allowing this route on that day as it the quickest route & avoids use of the buses.
There should really be a fare that allows use of HS1 to Eastbourne as is it often the quickest avoiding having to cross London (to other stations e.g. Hastings there are 2 fares one is the not HS1 and also the any permitted)
I have emailed southern but suspect they may take a while to answer!

 

[Philip C]

In the past the any permitted fares from GN stations to Eastbourne were valid on HS1 & change at Ashford but this seems to have been removed a couple of years ago.

There should really be a fare that allows use of HS1 to Eastbourne as is it often the quickest avoiding having to cross London (to other stations e.g. Hastings there are 2 fares one is the not HS1 and also the any permitted)
I have emailed southern but suspect they may take a while to answer!

I wish you well with this. Please do post the outcome.

In the past there have been occasions when, during incidents on the Hastings Line, SouthEastern has refused to allow passage via HS1 (to London) by ticket-holders from St Leonards/Hastings. Perhaps under a different top management they may be less customer unfriendly now?