Had a look at some of the detail of the GA (GEML) changes. Off peak appears mostly unchanged, the London peaks not surprisingly are reduced on pre-COVID levels but better than today. 13-14 trains an hour in the high peak hour (down from 20 TPE pre C19) slightly less at the shoulders. Seems a sensible compromise.
Highlights or lowlights depending on your perspective on the rest are;
No Norwich in 90s, the 17:00 down calls as now Mann, Ips, Stow and Diss (Norwich in 101). No 08:00 or 09:00 up but 08:03 and 09:03. So possibly leaves potential for reintroductionin the future if necessary. Still a couple of gaps in the Norwich service 06:48 up and 18:10 down which at one time were to be 720 operated.
Two trains vice three trains per hour in peak to/from Clacton and restoration of 40 minute frequency to/from Braintree in the peaks and 4 tph tofrom Southend V, one of the Clactons an hour calls at the intermediate stations between Thorpe-le-Soken and Wivenhoe.
No Chelmsford starters in the morning peak, (operationally a pain as they start from the down platform), so that should help performance and only the odd Witham service. The burghers of Chelmsford will probably be the most aggrieved as all the trains will start elsewhere so no chance of bagging the best seats!
The services on the branches however are less satisfactory, whilst 1 direct train (vice 3) is provided to/from Southminster the times esp in the morning aren’t ideal, 07:19 arrival in Liv St, though a return at 17:57 is better though a bit late. There’s also a 50 minute gap at the end of the morning peak in the shuttles to Wickford. As mentioned Braintree regains its 40 minute interval and retains its direct off peak service, though there’s a gap in the through trains from London between 18:04 and 19:48, connection provided at Witham though.
The Harwich branch is an hourly hourly all day except there’s one through train at the end of the morning peak to Liverpool St. There are still the ‘boat trains’ from London to International but in the main these don’t serve the intermediate stations. Pre C-19 the local service was half hourly in the peaks with the odd extension to/from Colchester.
Similarity the Walton branch is hourly, though there’s a extra early shuttle to Thorpe, worryingly there’s a 82 minute gap at the end of the morning peak with no departures from Walton between 07:38 until 09:00.Not much use for the students going to the college at Tendring Tech college at Frinton. In the evening only an hourly service again is not helpful connecting out of the half hourly London services and where it used to be up to 3 trains in the busiest hour. Also no through trains at all to London at all for the first time (except during C-19) in living memory? Not very helpful for some of the most deprived coastal communities in the country, not exactly levelling up!
Still a chance that some of the gaps may be filled before May, we shall see.
