Southeastern new timetable and excessive journey times!

[blakey1152]

I was reading the article on the Southeastern web site about the forthcoming changes to the timetable in December.

And I saw something of interest to myself and that is the Cannon Street to Slade Green service will be extended round to Barnehurst and form the corresponding return service back to Cannon Street in a similar way to the current timetable where there is a loop service from Cannon Street to Cannon Street via Slade Green and Sidcup line.

However, what concerned me was the journey time.
If I've read the new timetable correctly and I'm looking at the Saturday service here - the first train departs Slade Green heading towards Barnehurst at 0847 and this same train leaves Barnehurst at 0908 - so a journey time of 21 minutes between Slade Green and Barnehurst!!!!

Can someone double check I'm not going totally insane

I personally would be catching the bus!!

Chris

 

[MCR247]

Its due to arrive at 0904, so a 17 minute journey, which is odd as others seem to take 5 minutes? But i don't know the area

 

[andchafri]

I was reading the article on the Southeastern web site about the forthcoming changes to the timetable in December.

And I saw something of interest to myself and that is the Cannon Street to Slade Green service will be extended round to Barnehurst and form the corresponding return service back to Cannon Street in a similar way to the current timetable where there is a loop service from Cannon Street to Cannon Street via Slade Green and Sidcup line.

However, what concerned me was the journey time.
If I've read the new timetable correctly and I'm looking at the Saturday service here - the first train departs Slade Green heading towards Barnehurst at 0847 and this same train leaves Barnehurst at 0908 - so a journey time of 21 minutes between Slade Green and Barnehurst!!!!

Can someone double check I'm not going totally insane

I personally would be catching the bus!!

Chris

Departs Slade Green at the 08.47 and than waits at Barnehurst until 09.08. This is also a very useful recovery time!

 

[barrykas]

I was reading the article on the Southeastern web site about the forthcoming changes to the timetable in December.

However, what concerned me was the journey time.
If I've read the new timetable correctly and I'm looking at the Saturday service here - the first train departs Slade Green heading towards Barnehurst at 0847 and this same train leaves Barnehurst at 0908 - so a journey time of 21 minutes between Slade Green and Barnehurst!!!!

Southeastern artificially increasing journey times? As if they would! *coff* Like scrapping the "fast" Ashford - Cannon Street services and adding extra stops on most of the Mainline ones to make Highspeed look better than it really is...

Cheers,

Barry

 

[HH]

This sort of tweak has been done many times. SWT put large buffers in their whole TT a few years back; no doubt why their performance is so much "better" than it used to be.

The downside to this piece of PR malarkey is that it actually costs TOCs money in Schedule 8 Performance payments from NR. But if you're in full Revenue Support then DfT bears 80% of the cost, so it may well be seen as worth it, especially if you use it tactically to sort out a particular problem.

 

[camperdown9]

Hi

They have also dropped some stations that they stop at.

Currently my other half gets the 0644 from Chestfield to Cannon Street arriving at 0817. From December this train no longer calls at Chestfield. So its either a later train thats too late for a 9am start at work or take the 0639 and change at Whitstable.

Its the same on the way back. The 1752 Cannon Street which gets to Chestfield at 1921 has gone. So it will be 1814 arriving 1939 ( ok only 18 mins later but makes a long day even longer). Or the 1752 and change at Whitstable.

Alex

 

[pemma]

A few years back Northern added in 8 minutes additional recovery time for some peak services for leaf fall season. They seem to have cut it back to a maximum of 5 minutes additional time now.

 

[tbtc]

Is this just combining two existing services as a "through" train, without actually changing the times of either one (hence the long wait between the two stations)?

So not actually increasing any existing journey times?

(correct me if I've misunderstood)

 

[Matt Taylor]

This sort of tweak has been done many times. SWT put large buffers in their whole TT a few years back; no doubt why their performance is so much "better" than it used to be.

It was not really a tweak, it was a complete rewrite of the timetable, and other TOCs soon followed the lead as it has lead to a more robust system. People will complain that journeys are longer now but some of that is a result of Desiros having longer dwell times at stations than the slam door stock.

 

[HH]

It was not really a tweak, it was a complete rewrite of the timetable, and other TOCs soon followed the lead as it has lead to a more robust system. People will complain that journeys are longer now but some of that is a result of Desiros having longer dwell times at stations than the slam door stock.

It's also the case that if there are no delays you can be held at stations or outside Waterloo for 5 minutes, because there's so much slack.

More robust, or obviating the need to manage performance properly? You decide.

 

[Matt Taylor]

A small number of trains wait a while outside Waterloo, but my experience of travelling into Waterloo on a daily basis is that we don't usually wait more than a minute before being allocated a platform.

 

[HH]

A small number of trains wait a while outside Waterloo, but my experience of travelling into Waterloo on a daily basis is that we don't usually wait more than a minute before being allocated a platform.

That's probably because you travel inners, and you probably need all of that extra time. Try travelling on a fast off peak. Last time I did that I spent around 15 minutes waiting in total, i.e. the journey could have been made 15 minutes more quickly without the padding. Robust? You betcha!

 

[Southern]

LM's Cross City branch has some interesting timings, sampled it for the first time on Friday between Lichfield - Birmingham and it often got to most stations a minute or two early. I imagine it has something to do with paths in the New Street area.

 

[craigwilson]

One I am pleased to see:

19:12 St Pancras to Dover Priory will start at 19:10 and will convey a portion to Margate. Arrival time at Canterbury of 20:11, Ramsgate 20:31, Broadstairs 20:37 & Margate 20:43

As someone who works in Sandwich and lives in Margate, when I have a late finish, I get the 19:41 to Ramsgate (ex-Cannon Street service), connecting with the 19:59 or 20:04 to Margate. If the 19:41 is any more than 5 mins late, you risk missing both and having to wait for the 2100, or get a bus.

So for me this is a useful extra addition

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I can see the new timetables, but is there a page anywhere that details the changes?

 

[Barn]

I can see the new timetables, but is there a page anywhere that details the changes?

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/news/latest-news/december-2011-timetable-changes/

 

[Bungle73]

I can see the new timetables, but is there a page anywhere that details the changes?

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/news/latest-news/december-2011-timetable-changes/