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Post by rif153 on Nov 24, 2019 21:26:24 GMT
New Cross Gate needs to be added to the Thameslink network, for the simple fact that it’s a major interchange station, that means Sydenham metro passengers can change there for Thameslink rather than London Bridge, Also for connections to Gatwick Airport from the ELL. I think running the Ashford service via Bromley would be operationally better as it involves less conflicting moves (Chislehurst junction springs to mind as a potential delay) Thameslink works better as a inter-regional service, a larger scale Crossrail rather than a glorified tube line, I can see the difficulty in terminating Sevenoaks services at Blackfriars, but don’t the majority of them terminate there anyway for the moment? Sevenoaks is similar to the Watford-Euston line and seems to fit the LO branding rather than a Thameslink one, but that’s just me I think it makes much more sense to stop Thameslink services at New Cross Gate for interchange with the ELL than it does to stop them at Norwood Junction but I guess others may differ
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Post by Dillon95 on Nov 24, 2019 22:56:23 GMT
New Cross Gate needs to be added to the Thameslink network, for the simple fact that it’s a major interchange station, that means Sydenham metro passengers can change there for Thameslink rather than London Bridge, Also for connections to Gatwick Airport from the ELL. I think running the Ashford service via Bromley would be operationally better as it involves less conflicting moves (Chislehurst junction springs to mind as a potential delay) Thameslink works better as a inter-regional service, a larger scale Crossrail rather than a glorified tube line, I can see the difficulty in terminating Sevenoaks services at Blackfriars, but don’t the majority of them terminate there anyway for the moment? Sevenoaks is similar to the Watford-Euston line and seems to fit the LO branding rather than a Thameslink one, but that’s just me I doubt very much if there would be any significant delays at Chislehurst Junction and if the Ashford service went via Bromley South it wouldn't serve London Bridge. There is also very little spare capacity via Penge East or Catford, fast trains are often reduced to a crawl as it is getting stuck behind stopping services. There used to be peak services from Maidstone East to Charing Cross that ran via Chislehurst Junction so I don't see why it would be a problem to run Thameslink services through there.
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Post by busman on Nov 28, 2019 10:19:07 GMT
How is everyone finding the expanded Thameslink services? Has it changed your commute or travel for better or for worse? How would you run Thameslink if given a magic wand. I know that this thread is a bit similar to my other Fantasy Rail thread but we discussed Thameslink quite a bit on there, so I thought I’d make a new thread After a terrible first 6-12 months, services are excellent from my local station (Plumstead). With the amended South Eastern timetable the overcrowding problem has been resolved and it’s now possible to get a seat when travelling in the morning peak. Services are very well used through London Bridge and overall it has been a great addition. There is even some Thameslink envy from our Bexleyheath line neighbours, who never miss an opportunity to lobby for more trains at the expense of the Greenwich line. I’ve heard complaints about slow journey times into Rainham as it serves most stations, but for me I find travelling to and from Gravesend not so bad. I hope in the future that a regular limited stop SouthEastern service can run via Woolwich to the Kent coast to improve journey times and connectivity, but not at the expense of Thameslink. Yes the seats are hard and give me back ache, but no worse than the horrible Electrostar 376’s on SouthEastern and at least Thameslink trains have toilets. I’m wondering how people will feel when travelling on the Elizabeth line from Essex to Berkshire with no on board toilet? 💦 💦 💦
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Post by kenmet on Nov 28, 2019 19:25:00 GMT
How is everyone finding the expanded Thameslink services? Has it changed your commute or travel for better or for worse? How would you run Thameslink if given a magic wand. I know that this thread is a bit similar to my other Fantasy Rail thread but we discussed Thameslink quite a bit on there, so I thought I’d make a new thread After a terrible first 6-12 months, services are excellent from my local station (Plumstead). With the amended South Eastern timetable the overcrowding problem has been resolved and it’s now possible to get a seat when travelling in the morning peak. Services are very well used through London Bridge and overall it has been a great addition. There is even some Thameslink envy from our Bexleyheath line neighbours, who never miss an opportunity to lobby for more trains at the expense of the Greenwich line. I’ve heard complaints about slow journey times into Rainham as it serves most stations, but for me I find travelling to and from Gravesend not so bad. I hope in the future that a regular limited stop SouthEastern service can run via Woolwich to the Kent coast to improve journey times and connectivity, but not at the expense of Thameslink. Yes the seats are hard and give me back ache, but no worse than the horrible Electrostar 376’s on SouthEastern and at least Thameslink trains have toilets. I’m wondering how people will feel when travelling on the Elizabeth line from Essex to Berkshire with no on board toilet? 💦 💦 💦 I think the Thameslink service is fine to Gravesend but in the long term Crossrail should take over the Rainham service although the lack of toilets won't go down well. I've got used to the seating now on the 700s.
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Post by busman on Nov 28, 2019 20:05:59 GMT
After a terrible first 6-12 months, services are excellent from my local station (Plumstead). With the amended South Eastern timetable the overcrowding problem has been resolved and it’s now possible to get a seat when travelling in the morning peak. Services are very well used through London Bridge and overall it has been a great addition. There is even some Thameslink envy from our Bexleyheath line neighbours, who never miss an opportunity to lobby for more trains at the expense of the Greenwich line. I’ve heard complaints about slow journey times into Rainham as it serves most stations, but for me I find travelling to and from Gravesend not so bad. I hope in the future that a regular limited stop SouthEastern service can run via Woolwich to the Kent coast to improve journey times and connectivity, but not at the expense of Thameslink. Yes the seats are hard and give me back ache, but no worse than the horrible Electrostar 376’s on SouthEastern and at least Thameslink trains have toilets. I’m wondering how people will feel when travelling on the Elizabeth line from Essex to Berkshire with no on board toilet? 💦 💦 💦 I think the Thameslink service is fine to Gravesend but in the long term Crossrail should take over the Rainham service although the lack of toilets won't go down well. I've got used to the seating now on the 700s. Crossrail shouldn’t be extended any further without onboard toilets. As it stands now any long distance journey with children, pregnant women or any other group who needs to use the toilet frequently will require getting off the train and searching for a toilet that will invariably be out of order or a nightmare to find. Metro journeys within the M25 should be manageable though.
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Post by kenmet on Nov 28, 2019 20:41:03 GMT
I think the Thameslink service is fine to Gravesend but in the long term Crossrail should take over the Rainham service although the lack of toilets won't go down well. I've got used to the seating now on the 700s. Crossrail shouldn’t be extended any further without onboard toilets. As it stands now any long distance journey with children, pregnant women or any other group who needs to use the toilet frequently will require getting off the train and searching for a toilet that will invariably be out of order or a nightmare to find. Metro journeys within the M25 should be manageable though. I understand your point but Rainham is roughly the same distance from London as Reading is.
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Post by route53 on Nov 29, 2019 16:29:05 GMT
How is everyone finding the expanded Thameslink services? Has it changed your commute or travel for better or for worse? How would you run Thameslink if given a magic wand. I know that this thread is a bit similar to my other Fantasy Rail thread but we discussed Thameslink quite a bit on there, so I thought I’d make a new thread After a terrible first 6-12 months, services are excellent from my local station (Plumstead). With the amended South Eastern timetable the overcrowding problem has been resolved and it’s now possible to get a seat when travelling in the morning peak. Services are very well used through London Bridge and overall it has been a great addition. There is even some Thameslink envy from our Bexleyheath line neighbours, who never miss an opportunity to lobby for more trains at the expense of the Greenwich line. I’ve heard complaints about slow journey times into Rainham as it serves most stations, but for me I find travelling to and from Gravesend not so bad. I hope in the future that a regular limited stop SouthEastern service can run via Woolwich to the Kent coast to improve journey times and connectivity, but not at the expense of Thameslink. Yes the seats are hard and give me back ache, but no worse than the horrible Electrostar 376’s on SouthEastern and at least Thameslink trains have toilets. I’m wondering how people will feel when travelling on the Elizabeth line from Essex to Berkshire with no on board toilet? 💦 💦 💦 In my opinion Thameslink isn’t truly needed on the Greenwich/NK Lines, with CrossRail arriving soon(ish) I can see Thameslink being withdrawn in a few years, because I’m too skeptics that powers that be will not want SE London having CrossRail AND Thameslink, that and as soon as East Croydon is improved they’ll send more Thameslinks down to Sussex at the expense of the Rainham service, I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t happen. Why not at the expense of Thameslink? I’m not sure if the Greenwich/NK line can be upgraded to 10tph, though this would be great if this happens, but do Plumstead & Slade Green really need 8tph outside of peak hours? CrossRail will probably stick to Ebbsfleet, since that’s of more national importance as those in power see it, though I’d like it to run to Gravesend or Medway, then have the Woolwich semi fasts run down to Maidstone via Strood
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Post by route53 on Nov 29, 2019 17:29:55 GMT
After a terrible first 6-12 months, services are excellent from my local station (Plumstead). With the amended South Eastern timetable the overcrowding problem has been resolved and it’s now possible to get a seat when travelling in the morning peak. Services are very well used through London Bridge and overall it has been a great addition. There is even some Thameslink envy from our Bexleyheath line neighbours, who never miss an opportunity to lobby for more trains at the expense of the Greenwich line. I’ve heard complaints about slow journey times into Rainham as it serves most stations, but for me I find travelling to and from Gravesend not so bad. I hope in the future that a regular limited stop SouthEastern service can run via Woolwich to the Kent coast to improve journey times and connectivity, but not at the expense of Thameslink. Yes the seats are hard and give me back ache, but no worse than the horrible Electrostar 376’s on SouthEastern and at least Thameslink trains have toilets. I’m wondering how people will feel when travelling on the Elizabeth line from Essex to Berkshire with no on board toilet? 💦 💦 💦 I think the Thameslink service is fine to Gravesend but in the long term Crossrail should take over the Rainham service although the lack of toilets won't go down well. I've got used to the seating now on the 700s. The decision to make CrossRail into a glorified tube line was a mistake and waste of potential in my opinion, it should have been what Network SouthEast intended it for it to be; which was a East-West version of Thameslink. The Reading extension is great but in truth, we could have had it run further to Oxford, with a second western branch to Aylesbury or High Wycombe, and eastbound beyond Shenfield to Chelmsford and Southend
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Post by route53 on May 10, 2020 10:45:52 GMT
Is it possible to have had Caterham service via Sydenham absorbed into Thameslink? Rather than have the Rainham service? Surely it wouldn’t have affected Windmill Junction?
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Post by SILENCED on May 10, 2020 10:53:55 GMT
Is it possible to have had Caterham service via Sydenham absorbed into Thameslink? Rather than have the Rainham service? Surely it wouldn’t have affected Windmill Junction? Currently a lot of Caterham services split at Purley, so you would then need to find another service to attach those Tattenham Corner services to.
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Post by ADH45258 on May 10, 2020 11:13:35 GMT
Is it possible to have had Caterham service via Sydenham absorbed into Thameslink? Rather than have the Rainham service? Surely it wouldn’t have affected Windmill Junction? Currently a lot of Caterham services split at Purley, so you would then need to find another service to attach those Tattenham Corner services to. Thameslink could perhaps run to Coulsdon Town & Tattenham Corner too? Could give a more uniform route with more services going via East Croydon.
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Post by SILENCED on May 10, 2020 11:23:10 GMT
Currently a lot of Caterham services split at Purley, so you would then need to find another service to attach those Tattenham Corner services to. Thameslink could perhaps run to Coulsdon Town & Tattenham Corner too? Could give a more uniform route with more services going via East Croydon. It would mean finding extra paths in the peaks which don't exist ... only reason they currently split. So yes it is directly related to Windmill Bridge junction as that is currently the bottleneck, and don't believe that service pattern is a priority once the currently unfunded project ever works its way through to completion.
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Post by greenboy on May 10, 2020 11:31:24 GMT
Is it possible to have had Caterham service via Sydenham absorbed into Thameslink? Rather than have the Rainham service? Surely it wouldn’t have affected Windmill Junction? I think the Rainham service is fine as it is as far as Dartford or Gravesend, just too slow all the way to Rainham.
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Post by route53 on May 10, 2020 14:03:18 GMT
Thameslink could perhaps run to Coulsdon Town & Tattenham Corner too? Could give a more uniform route with more services going via East Croydon. It would mean finding extra paths in the peaks which don't exist ... only reason they currently split. So yes it is directly related to Windmill Bridge junction as that is currently the bottleneck, and don't believe that service pattern is a priority once the currently unfunded project ever works its way through to completion. Windmill Junction upgrade is part of the East Croydon upgrade, so it will be completed eventually, at some point in this decade. The long term goal is to increase the amount of services on the BML which includes more Thameslink services.
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Post by route53 on May 10, 2020 14:04:56 GMT
Currently a lot of Caterham services split at Purley, so you would then need to find another service to attach those Tattenham Corner services to. Thameslink could perhaps run to Coulsdon Town & Tattenham Corner too? Could give a more uniform route with more services going via East Croydon. Yes I never understood why Thameslink just simply didn’t take over the 2tph Southern service to Caterham via Sydenham.
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