-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Thameslink/ Class 700 Progress
- Thread starter fgwrich
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
OFFDN
Member
The vast majority of management and office staff travel in by train.
Even on strike days, all members of staff are expected to turn up for work. In some cases staff may have no option but to get a pre-arranged taxi in to their office, or a pre-arranged taxi to the nearest station from where another operator or running service is provided (this is mainly to Thameslink and Southeastern services, with far fewer using South West Trains). Those in the London area just have to use alternative transport such as tube or bus, even if it does extend journeys. At the end of the day, we're still expected to turn up for work, and to be there on time.
The only other option for those for whom travelling in is very difficult, is working from home by remotely logging, but only if this is possible or if it is easier.
It would sound funny to say to your boss that it was easier to work from home because you couldn't get to work - due to problems caused by your own company!
Just out of curiosity, I wanted to know if Class 700 trains have started doing Sevenoaks runs, as I found an article online published today talking about it:
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/sevenoaks/news/cutting-edge-new-train-begins-service-118146/
Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/sevenoaks/news/cutting-edge-new-train-begins-service-118146/
Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk
Class377/5
Established Member
- Joined
- 19 Jun 2010
- Messages
- 5,594
Sevenoaks started getting class 700 on 28th November. This was posted on this very thread!
However there is more than 8 trains a day to Sevenoaks! 38 passenger trains arrive and 41 passenger services depart! (Figures taking from the carriage working notice for 20th-22nd December 2016).
Unless of course they have confused the 8tph Thameslink service into Kent from December 2018 with 8 trains a day?
Last edited:
urpert
Member
"The first ever Thameslink train". Ha
Wow, I didn't even know that they started serving Sevenoaks that early! Does that mean that beyond St Pancras International, they call at local stopping points like Cricklewood?
Sent from my SM-T713 using Tapatalk
The local stations north of St Pancras will have been seeing 700s since they started going round the Wimbledon Loop
urpert
Member
Most off-peak Sevenoaks services only go as far as Kentish Town or West Hampstead (and terminate at Blackfriars at weekends). Peak ones go to St Albans, Luton or Bedford.
Verulamius
Member
- Joined
- 30 Jul 2014
- Messages
- 293
I read that press release, also available on the Thameslink website, as 8 700 trains per day. So is that 20% or 10% of services on Sevenoaks being 700?
Do we have a new set of 700 diagrams for the new year?
Do we have a new set of 700 diagrams for the new year?
Brian Aylott
Member
- Joined
- 11 Oct 2012
- Messages
- 262
[QUOTE-Currently Thameslink has 26x 377s, 377207/208/210/212-215/509-508]
Could you clarify what this means?
I agree the 7 x 377/2s but the 3775s don't finish at 508 but 23 and even that doesn't make 26 in all
Brian
Could you clarify what this means?
I agree the 7 x 377/2s but the 3775s don't finish at 508 but 23 and even that doesn't make 26 in all
Brian
Kite159
Veteran Member
And it was very odd seeing all the red crosses on a 700/1 when it called at Kentish Town with SDO locking out the rear four coaches
Class377/5
Established Member
- Joined
- 19 Jun 2010
- Messages
- 5,594
No. No deal is done so no changes to the design as yet.
Next week is the same as before Xmas diagrams. Next change is a week Monday.
Oops that should have been 508-523 at the end.
No doubt they will just hope the moaning blows over and they will never be fitted....!
(me being cynical).
bramling
Veteran Member
Or people start going by car. I know a fair few people who are thoroughly fed up with Great Northern, and have been increasingly taking the car to the point where season tickets haven't been renewed. Partly down to GN's current unreliability, and partly down to the issues associated with the 387s. I can only imagine the 700s will have a similar effect.
they may do on the east grinstead line.... with no tables and less seats. People at Oxted and Woldingham who used to get a seat to London Bridge, will no longer!
bramling
Veteran Member
Perhaps just as well there won't be a guard to have umbrellas poked at him!
(Is that line still like that, or have things moved on a little?)
Last edited:
My view as well. There are much more important issues with Thameslink to be dealt with. Maybe at the mid-life refit, the seats will be replaced with a different arrangement.
I can see some people bothered by the cramped nature of the 387s. I can definitely see people bothered by the unreliable nature of Great Northern in the last year, including not only weekends but trains in the week.
I do think when the 700s come and hopefully there are drivers to work them, people will come back. Well, they may not if they prefer their other chosen method of travel - but I drove to Old Street for a while and when it was good, it was great (comfy car, my own music, air con etc) and when it was bad, it was bloody horrible (3 hours to get back to Hatfield with the A1 snarled up and most other roads I could use just as slow - plus my car isn't automatic).
Sure, people will have to accept that the train bit of their journey will be just like the tube part once the 700s are here (if using the tube) but so be it. You should at least get to where you want to go without much fuss compared to today.
Stew998
Member
That may be okay for suburban commutes but if there is a serious suggestion that people may have to stand for 45 minutes plus then that's unacceptable. For many people the "train bit" of their journey is the majority of their journey - standing is a lot more fuss than sitting in my opinion!
Stew998
Member
Being a resident of Sussex the 700s are our first exposure to Desiros so I'm not familiar with them, just seems odd, seems like a deliberate sound effect to warn you of its presence, pretty irritating in any event!
SpacePhoenix
Established Member
- Joined
- 18 Mar 2014
- Messages
- 5,491
Is the equipment for the ATO and anything else that means only they can run in the TL core hardwired in or as removable modules?
D365
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 29 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 12,311
I have no idea what it is you are asking.
bramling
Veteran Member
I think if it was just the 700s they people would probably just lump it and suffer, as long as it was just a case of hopping on the train and being on it for the minimum time possible. Having said that, a journey like Huntingdon to London will still be over the hour mark.
Add in the inherent unreliability associated with Thameslink, and associated with this will be some long waits on core platforms, and the package becomes quite unattractive.
I predict commuters will drift towards the 365 and 387 services where they have that option, as long as they know they can get a seat on a given service. Hopefully over time there will be some lengthening, thus easing the '387 less seats' effect. At least the 387 does offer decent legroom, it's just a shame about the uncomfortable Fainsa seats.
Some will lump it and use the 700s. Others will certainly drive where they can, perhaps to places like High Barnet which offers parking and a highly reliable service. As I say, I know people who are already doing the latter because of GTR. It may be a less attractive option in the high peak, but for those who are prepared to be a little flexible then it pays dividends.
Last edited:
Class377/5
Established Member
- Joined
- 19 Jun 2010
- Messages
- 5,594
One issue that is over looked is people on the BML are already standing on service for 45mins plus in high Peak. The 700 will mean more get thier Train of choice instead of having to wait and let trains go. This has been a point proven by commuters on the MML on this very thread where the 700s rarely leave people behind at St Albans where prior to the 700 they could have to sometimes wait for the 3rd Train to be able to board.
There is a limit to what you can do with the infrastructure and we are reaching it in the 2018 TT change. Not that's the end of the plan of course.
When you have more, longer, trains you'd hope that there's still a good chance of getting a seat - even if you may need to work out the best train(s) to get.
I agree the running through the core is likely to be make getting services almost random and a case of checking real time info like a hawk morning and night, but I guess what's going to happen is that with an increased frequency, SOME users will forget looking at the timetable and just look for when the next service is.
Depending on your destination, that may be doable. For others, with less frequent trains, it's going to be a total nightmare. Hence why I'll probably avoid STP and KGX and go straight to Finsbury Park.
(That said, given the long routes the 700s will do, it should be fairly easy to check the status of your train once it has started, when you've still got a long time to go before catching it).
I agree the running through the core is likely to be make getting services almost random and a case of checking real time info like a hawk morning and night, but I guess what's going to happen is that with an increased frequency, SOME users will forget looking at the timetable and just look for when the next service is.
Depending on your destination, that may be doable. For others, with less frequent trains, it's going to be a total nightmare. Hence why I'll probably avoid STP and KGX and go straight to Finsbury Park.
(That said, given the long routes the 700s will do, it should be fairly easy to check the status of your train once it has started, when you've still got a long time to go before catching it).
bramling
Veteran Member
I think you've neatly summed things up there. If Thameslink was providing an intensive 4tph service to, say, Welwyn, or even Peterborough, things wouldn't be so bad. But if you're travelling to somewhere like Huntingdon it's going to be a total nightmare as you say. Unfortunately, a fair few popular journeys on GN involve longer distances.
Meanwhile, I notice even the Queen decided not to bother with GTR this year, thus missing what might have been her last year when the annual trip to Sandringham is operated by a 365. Wonder what she might make of the first class in the 387?
D365
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 29 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 12,311
Are you not confident that the "via Huntingdon" 2tph weekday service will hold up?
Then again, with the number of services that I've seen cancelled lately, I wouldn't be either.
bramling
Veteran Member
I used Thameslink for seven years in the 1990s, when the off-peak service to St Albans consisted of 4tph fast from King's Cross Thameslink, and 4tph all stations.
So, in theory, I should never have had to be on the platform at King's Cross Thameslink for more than 15 minutes. The reality was somewhat different, and it wasn't uncommon to be there for half an hour or more.
A half-hourly service will be much worse, of course.
It's quite obvious the 2tph service (no more than today) will be erratic at times. Generally nowadays the down service from King's Cross tends to be reliable. On the rare occasions when the service is delayed leaving King's Cross, you have the train to sit in if it's there, or worse-case scenario can use facilities on the concourse. So Thameslink gives a double hit - more chance of delay, and a less pleasant environment to wait.
Why bother with this nonsense when I can just drive?
Last edited:
- Status