Southern Railway much improved?

[PGAT]

The power sockets are welcome, but the end of carriage screens aren't terribly useful. I think they've only displayed the same few Southern advertisements since installed. Be nice if they displayed realtime information for the tube like the 700s.

Maybe when the whole fleet is refurbished?

 

[ngood77]

Hi all. Why does the NDL service run by Southern extend to Reigate instead of just starting/terminating at Redhill ?

 

[JonathanH]

Hi all. Why does the NDL service run by Southern extend to Reigate instead of just starting/terminating at Redhill ?

That is only during the period of industrial action.

Tonbridge to Redhill trains get extended to Reigate when there is industrial action (or a reduction in line capacity north of Redhill due to engineering work) simply to ensure Southern still run a service to Reigate, as the Victoria trains are cancelled.

 

[PGAT]

I think @ngood77 wanted to know why Southern ran to Reigate in general

 

[JonathanH]

I think @ngood77 wanted to know why Southern ran to Reigate in general

Presumably the custom on offer justifies it. For some time, Southern and its predecessors only served Reigate at peak times.

 

[ngood77]

Ok thanks both

 

[GatwickDepress]

With the electrical supply issues on the East Coastway last night between Lewes and Eastbourne, I was pleasantly surprised that the 2322 started from Eastbourne as a Turbostar instead of being cancelled and a replacement bus ran instead - perhaps the 171 needed to return to St Leonards depot anyway, but I appreciated it nonetheless. It was novel being one of about three passengers on what is usually a decently loaded service though.

 

[Deepgreen]

Presumably the custom on offer justifies it. For some time, Southern and its predecessors only served Reigate at peak times.

The majority of the traffic from Reigate uses Southern. Reigate is virtually a twin town population centre with Redhill.

 

[WizCastro197]

Maybe on the outside, but it's hard to miss the changes in the interior. You have the bold dot-matrix, new screens and clearer announcements. Even if you aren't savvy and none of that matters or takes your notice, the plug sockets will.

Not sure if anyone else is encountering this minor problem, but I’m finding that some refurbished sets haven’t got the updated PIS screens, despite having the light towards the bottom indicating they have been refreshed. Minor problem obviously.

 

[jack31439]

Not sure if anyone else is encountering this minor problem, but I’m finding that some refurbished sets haven’t got the updated PIS screens, despite having the light towards the bottom indicating they have been refreshed. Minor problem obviously.

/6s and /7s were built with the track debris light installed and are yet to have the Aurora overhaul to fit the new PIS screens. I don't believe there are any earlier builds that have the light but no new screens.

 

[ag1816]

Hi all. Why does the NDL service run by Southern extend to Reigate instead of just starting/terminating at Redhill ?

The third rail ends at Reigate level crossing.

 

[WizCastro197]

/6s and /7s were built with the track debris light installed and are yet to have the Aurora overhaul to fit the new PIS screens. I don't believe there are any earlier builds that have the light but no new screens.

No I meant the /4s and /1s that have been visibly been refreshed. The /6 and /7s already have the ‘new’ PIS installed and I think they were delivered with that one.

 

[ThameslinkUser]

The GX 387s have begun to be refurbished. 387211 had the mods applied with TV screens and notably new bulky plug sockets bolted atop of the old ones to give USB ports.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

No I meant the /4s and /1s that have been visibly been refreshed. The /6 and /7s already have the ‘new’ PIS installed and I think they were delivered with that one.

Just need GTR (Tlk) to fit sockets in all the 700's now

 

[PGAT]

The GX 387s have begun to be refurbished. 387211 had the mods applied with TV screens and notably new bulky plug sockets bolted atop of the old ones to give USB ports.

What happened with the announcements? Were they at the normal speed or the slightly altered ones you hear on the refurbished 377/1s and /4s?

 

[ThameslinkUser]

What happened with the announcements?

As it wasn't set up as a GX service, it did the usual badly stitched 'this train is the ...... service .... to .... brighton' style ones. As I try my hardest to tune the constant bombardment of crap, I can't really comment. Will try and note any differences if I have it on the GX, if that ever comes back after an ASLEF OT ban.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Gatwick Express is back tomorrow, Sunday 6 August. Admittedly for only one day.

 

[TrainGeekUK]

Gatwick Express is back tomorrow, Sunday 6 August. Admittedly for only one day.

And a good job too… I’m on the 09.00 from Eastbourne to Victoria and it’s full and standing from Eastbourne. We got to Gatwick and it’s absolutely rammed to the hilt, so much so that we left loads of people on the platform unable to board.

8 coaches is not enough and a disgrace.

 

[Jason48]

Having a reason doesn't mean it is an improvement. An improvement would be replacing stock with an appropriate number of new units.

As the DFT seem to be poking their nose in everywhere at the moment it would appear there is no replacement stock for the 313s. SER have just been forced to run a lot of 4 car services off peak to save £10 million a year

 

[JonathanH]

it would appear there is no replacement stock for the 313s

No additional stock - they were clearly replaced as in the end it only needed eight displaced units.

The 313s were replaced by revising train lengths in the Metro area. If there is further passenger and revenue growth it may be possible to justify more stock, as discussed in the thread on the Great Northern Fleet Tender https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/great-northern-fleet-tender.247756/page-7#post-6350771 and other speculative threads.

As the DFT seem to be poking their nose in everywhere

Unfortunately it is the DfT and in turn the Treasury who have the upper hand because of the funding they are paying to keep the railway going.

 

[ar10642]

And a good job too… I’m on the 09.00 from Eastbourne to Victoria and it’s full and standing from Eastbourne. We got to Gatwick and it’s absolutely rammed to the hilt, so much so that we left loads of people on the platform unable to board.

8 coaches is not enough and a disgrace.

Crazy thing is I was in Seaford today (not by train) but I saw half hourly 7 car trains going to and from the station, not lookinh busy.

 

[PGAT]

Crazy thing is I was in Seaford today (not by train) but I saw half hourly 7 car trains going to and from the station, not lookinh busy.

Well Seaford trains are usually 3 coaches

 

[ar10642]

Well Seaford trains are usually 3 coaches

Yes, that's what I mean, I'm not sure why they were running 7 car Seaford services but only 8 on the mainline.

 

[TrainGeekUK]

Yes, that's what I mean, I'm not sure why they were running 7 car Seaford services but only 8 on the mainline.

I think the game at the AMEX was the reason for the 7 car running on the Seaford branch.

The journey back was rather cosy too from Victoria…

 

[ar10642]

I think the game at the AMEX was the reason for the 7 car running on the Seaford branch.

The journey back was rather cosy too from Victoria…

Ah I see, makes sense.

 

[ThameslinkUser]

What happened with the announcements? Were they at the normal speed or the slightly altered ones you hear on the refurbished 377/1s and /4s?

On 387211 at the time of writing, the announcements for the non-GX services are better stitched and significantly faster.