Changes to your train times from Monday

[JohnL]

I'm thinking about just being able to get on the 8:34 or 9:04 (I think that's the only through trains - there seem to be a 8:44 and 9:14 going to Blackfriars) at Peckham Rye on Monday - I fear filled platforms and commuters held outside the station next week. We'll see though.

I notice some trains seem to terminate at Denmark Hill too - sorry Thameslink - people don't catch trains to benefit the many. The people going to Denmark Hill can't be forced to catch that one as you seem to imagine.

[kford]

"I notice some trains seem to terminate at Denmark Hill too"

This is insane. DH is not an interchange and is dangerously crowded during the rush hour as it is.

[lagamine98]

As of Monday there will be direct trains from London Bridge to St Pancras International. Probably a better choice for ED commuter going past Blackfriars. Trains look quite frequent and only 15 minutes from LB to St Pancras via Farringdon. Will definitely be trying that route on Monday rather than going through the chaos at Denmark Hill!

[NewWave]

Sally Eva Wrote:

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> Would it help to get further in? To the Elephant

> and then get on the Tube?

>

> Believe me, I am not trying to be annoying when I

> say that the Elephant is a short, safe bike ride

> from Peckham, probably two-thirds off-road through

> parks and on-pavement.

>

> PM me if you would like assistance to do this

Thank you. But aged almost 60 I have never ridden a bike in my life. I really am too scared to start now

It?s either public transport or my own two feet I?m afraid!

[Bic Basher]

As far as I'm aware, there a no terminating services at Denmark Hill on Monday. They either go to Blackfriars, West Hampstead Thameslink or Luton.

The suggestion of using ED station instead to London Bridge, then change for Thameslink there is the more sensible suggestion than waiting around to pile onto an already packed train and then getting off at Blackfriars to change.

[Scottfield]

Cyclists shouldn't be riding on the pavements really.

Sally Eva Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Would it help to get further in? To the Elephant

> and then get on the Tube?

>

> Believe me, I am not trying to be annoying when I

> say that the Elephant is a short, safe bike ride

> from Peckham, probably two-thirds off-road through

> parks and on-pavement.

>

> PM me if you would like assistance to do this

[JohnL]

Bic Basher Wrote:

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> As far as I'm aware, there a no terminating

> services at Denmark Hill on Monday. They either

> go to Blackfriars, West Hampstead Thameslink or

> Luton.

>

> The suggestion of using ED station instead to

> London Bridge, then change for Thameslink there is

> the more sensible suggestion than waiting around

> to pile onto an already packed train and then

> getting off at Blackfriars to change.

That was my inability to read a timetable I think :)

Sorry,

Going through the London Bridge options - and it does help because those through trains will be packed I think.

[Applespider]

Scottfield Wrote:

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> Cyclists shouldn't be riding on the pavements

> really.

>

I suspect that these are 'shared use' pavements. Sally's too much of a cycling ambassador to suggest any social irresponsibility. The bike trains that she helps promote show less confident cyclists how to use the roads more assertively too to help them on normal bike rides too.

[Sally Eva]

yes, sorry I wasn't clear. There is shared-use pavement all the way up the New Kent Road from the Bricklayers Arms to the Elephant.

The route from Peckham would go up Surrey Canal Path, across Burgess Park, along Portland Street and then onto the shared-use pavement cycle lanes to within 50ft of the roundabout. After that where you go depends on which Tube station you are aiming for.

More tricky in the winter because Burgess Park is not lit and the route around is less pleasant. But in the summer it's truly enjoyable.

[rendelharris]

Scottfield Wrote:

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> Cyclists shouldn't be riding on the pavements

> really.

Except where it's legally permitted and there's a clear cycle lane delineated on the pavement, as on the OKR. Then it's probably OK.

Second Sally's recommend of that route, it's a joy. Took a New Zealand mate round there the other day, he was stunned by how good it was.

[Bic Basher]

Worth noting if you use the Dartford trains from DH and PR towards Lewisham, these now run via Hither Green and Sidcup and run to Gravesend. So if you want to go to Blackheath or Bexleyheath, a change at Lewisham is now required.

[KatieJ]

So that was a roaring success. Not only are there now less Thameslink trains beyond Blackfriars, the 8.14 was cancelled this morning. This is useless. I did, I am sure as many others did and got the 8.17 to Victoria but I work near Fleet Street not Victoria. Having to go out of the way AND have to pay for the tube fare too (anyone know if I can claim this back from Thameslink ? ?3.50 not a big deal as a one off but it has happened quite a few times and I think as a train service Thameslink are shocking in general) is a major frustration.

[JohnL]

KatieJ Wrote:

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> So that was a roaring success. Not only are there

> now less Thameslink trains beyond Blackfriars, the

> 8.14 was cancelled this morning. This is useless.

> I did, I am sure as many others did and got the

> 8.17 to Victoria but I work near Fleet Street not

> Victoria. Having to go out of the way AND have to

> pay for the tube fare too (anyone know if I can

> claim this back from Thameslink ? ?3.50 not a big

> deal as a one off but it has happened quite a few

> times and I think as a train service Thameslink

> are shocking in general) is a major frustration.

You'd have been better going to London Bridge via Platform 2 (if it's Peckham Rye). Victoria is horrible to change.

I just caught the 63 bus today - not that I prophesied doom :)

[KatieJ]

Yes John - I agree - a much better journey but there were no trains to London Bridge for another 42 minutes and I start work at 9. Another joke - 42 minutes between trains to London bridge at that time of the morning. The world (of trains) has gone mad - Or am i missing something. That can't be right surely ?!!

[singalto]

I had an appointment at Guy?s this morning. The train to LB was packed but on time. Coming home was a different story. A third of trains leaving LB including the Croydon one were cancelled. The other 2/3 were ALL late!

[Penguin68]

The train companies get away with this be re-designating the morning 'peak' as being up to 10.00am. Despite the fact that most workplaces expect people to get into work by 9:00 or 9:30 - whatever they say about 'flexible' working. So they can argue there are the same or indeed more 'peak time' trains.

B***a*ds.

[DulwichLondoner]

Does anyone know how much spare capacity, if any, the lines from Denmark Hill and Peckham to Victoria and Farringdon have? Have the train companies just decided to neglect this part of London or, more banally, the blanket is too short in the sense that there isn't enough capacity, so more trains for us would mean a worse service for someone else?

It's a genuine question, I really have no idea. But it would be interesting to understand. It would help frame a more constructive discussion to understand at least what would be possible and what wouldn't.

[micromacromonkey]

Capacity in South London tends to be limited by a small number of pinch points such as Herne Hill where lines cross over each other on the flat (i.e. no bridges or flyovers). The lines themselves could take more traffic, and the terminus stations also have some extra capacity to turn these trains around, if only they could untangle the lines. Look at how much money has been spent on the Bermondsey Dive-under for Thameslink which does exactly this - grade separates the Thameslink trains (Brighton main line) from the Charing Cross ones so that they can have a clear route into London Bridge and the Thameslink core.

Here is a good explanation of the timetable changes:

https://www.londonreconnections.com/2018/the-cicadas-take-flight-explaining-the-may-timetable-changes/

[JohnL]

Govia managed to say they were concerned with moving trains around the network not about what is inside the trains. The passengers being what was inside the trains weren't happy at all with that statement.

The comparison between train networks and computer networks strikes me :)

[flocker spotter]

more trains and even the odd rogue first class carriage for the lucky traveller yesterday

[JohnL]

There's a new Cambridge to Maidstone East route planned to start December 2019 and that will fill the gap so there's a train every 10 minutes apparently (at the moment it's 20 mins then 10 mins then 20 with only half going past Blackfriars).

[Zebedee Tring]

I thought that as part of the Thameslink upgrade, the crossover at Herne Hill was going to be eliminated in order to increase capacity. Was this proposal abandoned?

[micromacromonkey]

Zebedee Tring Wrote:

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> a small number of pinch points such as Herne Hill

> where lines cross over each other on the flat

> (i.e. no bridges or flyovers) >

>

> I thought that as part of the Thameslink upgrade,

> the crossover at Herne Hill was going to be

> eliminated in order to increase capacity. Was this

> proposal abandoned?

Plenty of talk on that, but wasn't aware of any actual action as part of thameslink. It's a very expensive problem to solve, even though there is quite a bit of spare railway land round there.

[JohnL]

After two days of more or less not too bad by Govia Thameslink they seem to have had a cancelathon today.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Broken train at Queens Rd Peckham combined with the Lordship Lane blockage has completely b#ggered my morning.