Not southbound they didn't, so GTR customers were delayed 90 minutes by the skip stopping decision.
Was there time/staff to issue stop orders in time?
Not southbound they didn't, so GTR customers were delayed 90 minutes by the skip stopping decision.
Between 1548 and 1605? Seems there was a very short shortage of staff if that's the case!
Was there time/staff to issue stop orders in time?
So, second day in and it looks like it's fallen apart somewhat on GN. Outers 66%, Inners 73%. Crew unavailability, train faults...
You'd have hoped, but it's now sitting at 67%.Inners should look better soon as two trains affected this morning makes a big impact on the percentage. One due to a train not prepped and another for a driver running late. Hopefully not a recurring issue all day.
They did just that this morning though (PBO to KGX), due to a Horsham train being late and being run fast. Also stopped a Brighton train at WGC to give them a replacement service through the core.
Isn’t that WGC stop on selected early morning and late night services also considered a Staff pick up/drop etc.
Yes, but it was cancelled this morning (well, terminated at SVG to run back quickly to form another train). The idea being that people at Stevenage could change to the Brighton train for services to the core and to beyond (how many people go all the way to Horsham?) and WGC passengers could also get the Brighton train for the same reason.
While the train is more for staff, it does now have rather a lot of people use it because it goes through the core.
Indeed, it turned via Langely Junction and performed a Zulu service on the down back to Peterborough. I’m under the impression that the Brighton stopped additionally to ferry Welwyn based drivers to WGC nearer to the time the original service was due to stop at Welwyn to enable services off the yard to depart on time.
I think it was for both reasons. I imagine the 0522 WGC train is considered a 'golden' train and when it had to be caped 'for the greater good' this solution was good for everyone and demonstrated that control can get things right!
I sampled the Rainham service once out pf interest and it takes a long long time to make it out of London with very frequent stops although there are a few omissions.. woolwich dockyard Erith and belvedere from memory
Would it make sense to alternate some of the stops or do all stations require the high frequency? Deptford to Abbeywood is painfully slow
Yes, but it was cancelled this morning (well, terminated at SVG to run back quickly to form another train). The idea being that people at Stevenage could change to the Brighton train for services to the core and to beyond (how many people go all the way to Horsham?) and WGC passengers could also get the Brighton train for the same reason.
While the train is more for staff, it does now have rather a lot of people use it because it goes through the core.
Whilst this train doesn't mean much for the Peterborough and Stevenage crowd to get to Horsham at 5:15 in the morning. It gets a lot busier by Purley, Redhill and Horley as passengers are waiting to get to work in Gatwick, Crawley and Horsham at 6:30 in the morning.
At Merstham and Earlswood for example it was a 50 minute wait for the next Southbound train.
On a different note, will we see a 365 reach Kings Lynn some time over the next couple of weeks carrying the Queen to Sandringham?! It was GTR themselves who said she prefers 365s...
Let’s hope a 365 makes it to Kings Lynn with HM on board. Must’ve been pretty embarrassing for GTR to have to admit that the Queen said she preferred the old trains
Let’s hope a 365 makes it to Kings Lynn with HM on board. Must’ve been pretty embarrassing for GTR to have to admit that the Queen said she preferred the old trains
Let’s hope a 365 makes it to Kings Lynn with HM on board. Must’ve been pretty embarrassing for GTR to have to admit that the Queen said she preferred the old trains
I think everyone thinks the 365s are one of the best train interior layouts ever, but they just weren't/aren't suitable for modern times and needs. It's good that they still run on GN at all, and it wouldn't be just the Queen that misses them when they finally go.
I think everyone thinks the 365s are one of the best train interior layouts ever, but they just weren't/aren't suitable for modern times and needs. It's good that they still run on GN at all, and it wouldn't be just the Queen that misses them when they finally go.
There's no reason the 700s couldn't have been fitted with a 365 style interior. It would've been a much better passenger experience.
What short memories we have! It’s only been 7 years (almost to the day) since there were any 12 car trains on Thameslink services, and barely 2 years since there were more than just 3 in the high peak hour only. It’s not so long ago we had 4 car services in the evening peak (and plenty of them).
There is an option for more orders isn't there? Plus I'd have more faith that Siemens could make more trains in 5 or 10 years time to be compatible with the current 700s than, say, Bombardier who seem to struggle to get anything right these days.
The 365s can't remain forever. New signalling and a desire to have all drivers self-dispatching means the 365s are a problem. It means drivers either looking at platform screens that won't likely be working or maintained forever, or using platform staff that seems even more unlikely (staff may remain, but they won't be dispatching except in emergencies).
So when the 365s go, what comes in to replace them?