East Dulwich Express trains

[MrBen]

In contrast to around 2003 odds when I first moved here, I've noticed that your average rush hour train home out London Bridge now spills around 70% of its nine to fivers out at East Dulwich. As such, is there not now a clear case for an East Dulwich express train?

Southern used to run one (known locally as the "magic train") which left Lon Bridge at 5.47pm and stopped at Peckham Rye only before reaching home ground in just 8 minutes. This would cut down your commute by 4 minutes and reduce the nutter count that seems to increase with stops at South Bermondsey and Queens Road Peckham.

Just one train an hour like this would keep me happy. Anyone else agree?

[Jason]

I do. Great post, made me laugh.

[peterstorm1985]

Cutting 4 minutes off my commute? Wow, that would change my life. I guess there must be loads of others in ED who need to take back that time. Just think, in a week that's a whole 20 minutes. Now if we had the same in the mornings.....

[Sally81]

Agreed. Especially re the nutter count.

[ClareC]

All for it!!!

[Alan Medic]

I'd love to know how you came up with the figure of 70% Mr.Ben. Is it 70% of the carriage you are on? If so it might not be the same on the others. Are you sure it's not a case of people following you? Are you our leader? We've been waiting.

[Jeremy]

I'd certainly like a train that avoided South Bermondsey... being crushed in a train packed full of lairy Millwall supporters is no fun!

[civilservant]

bet you've never been on the District Line to Wimbledon when Chelsea are at home. Now that's lairy...

[LadyDeliah]

So for 4 minutes off your commute, you'd like to exclude people who live around Queens Road and South Bermondsey areas from having access to 1 in 4 trains leaving/going to London Bridge?

I hope you were being ironic, because if not, you appear to have become a pretty selfish arsehole.

[titch juicy]

as they say in Deutschland- Unglaublich!

Perhaps you'd like a personal train that just you and your nearest and dearest could get on?

[red devil]

titch juicy Wrote:

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

> as they say in Deutschland- Unglaublich!

>

> Perhaps you'd like a personal train that just you

> and your nearest and dearest could get on?

Keep up...

[MrBen]

> I hope you were being ironic, because if not, you

> appear to have become a pretty selfish arsehole.

Now that is no way for a Lady to speak LadyD! Shame on you.... ;-)

Laden with irony.... but don't forget that Southern used to run this service, albeit once an evening. And it kept a lot of people happy. It's normal for train companies to adjust their services to cater to ever changing passenger patterns. They should, in theory, strike a careful balance between catering to the majority whilst maintaining vital services to all areas.

All I'm suggesting is that the balance perhaps needs to be readjusted to reflect the fact that there are way more commuters by volume using the rush hour service from ED and Peckham Rye than there are from QR Peckham or South Bermondsey.

Now clearly, I haven't done a passenger count but hop on any train between 7.45 and 9am and its pretty obvious.

In morning and evening rush hours we're now blessed with 6-7 trains not 4. Things have already improved. So what I'd propose is 1 train out of 7 (in rush hour only) stops at Peckham Rye and East Dulwich only (both ways) which would make for less crowding on the other services and a better commute for the majority based on current patterns. And no this is not some kind of train social exclusion policy (before anyone starts). Just common sense.

And as to nutters, no train can compete with the freebie No 12 Bus which, after hundreds of trips I can confirm to be a true "freak zone". Anyway, let me know what you think.

[LadyDeliah]

Lol, ok. That makes slightly more sense now.

[civilservant]

OP's idea is not so strange.

It's already in use for trains via Denmark Hill, where a lot of people get on/off. Some trains are non-stop to Victoria, while others stop at a number of stations in between.

I think they also use different routes, as the non-stop ones seem to take appreciably less time to get in (as well as not needing the stopping time at stations).

[sambobia]

The 'nutters' remark is an unfortunate distraction from what is a perfectly sound idea. I'd estimate at least 50% of the passengers alight at ED during rush hour.

[Alan Medic]

Anyone give me 40?

[drew]

I would go 35 percent max. Most people getting off at ED position themselves close to the exit at the station. So those who see the carriage empty are part of that particular majority.

However, if you sit in the front carriage then most people get off at North Dulwich - and the carriage remains fairly full until then!

As for the DH comparison - DH is on a different line that feeds a number of routes into Kent. ED is on a quieter line that will also mean it misses out on the direct benefit of the new ELL extension.

I understand the theory behind this, but most London commuters would be more than happy with a 12 minute journey. Cutting it by 4 minutes doesnt really make huge a difference: the benefit to a minority is much less than the inconvenience to others.

[Lynne]

Definately

Lynne

[PipD]

Its only 12 minutes if you live next to the station. Also progress often comes from small steps forward, once we have 8 mins we can go lower...ED to LB in 4 mins sound good?

drew Wrote:

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

> I would go 35 percent max. Most people getting off

> at ED position themselves close to the exit at the

> station. So those who see the carriage empty are

> part of that particular majority.

>

> However, if you sit in the front carriage then

> most people get off at North Dulwich - and the

> carriage remains fairly full until then!

>

> As for the DH comparison - DH is on a different

> line that feeds a number of routes into Kent. ED

> is on a quieter line that will also mean it misses

> out on the direct benefit of the new ELL

> extension.

>

> I understand the theory behind this, but most

> London commuters would be more than happy with a

> 12 minute journey. Cutting it by 4 minutes doesnt

> really make huge a difference: the benefit to a

> minority is much less than the inconvenience to

> others.

[Cedges]

70% of the carriage I use generally gets off at Queens Road Peckham, because we know what carriage to get in, the 1st two. You'll find 70% of the last 2 carriages getting off at South Bermondsey because they also know which carriages to get in to be nearest the station exit. Not quite sure which carriage you would get on for ED, perhaps differs with 4/6/8 carriage trains with the exit being more towards the middle of the platform but its not really suprising that the carriage the OP usually gets in spills out mostly at ED.

There's probably a reason Southern stopped the service (ok maybe giving the train co a bit much credit for sensible planning but I like to hope).

Would be quite curious to know what the destination make up od the rush hour trains is but observing from your 'usual' carriage is probably unfair.

Woah, I clearly spend way too much time on the train!

[teddyt]

I agree whole heartedly and in fact wrote to Southern about it about three years ago. I mean, no one even gets off the train at muggers central, i mean South Bermondsey. NO ONE. Southern replied that it takes ages to change time tables and they have to have meetings with the Transport department etc to do it and that a lot of their timetabling was actually inherited from British Rail.

Something does need to be done. East Dulwich is clearly the most important stop on the line - although obviously i'm biased, being a resident - and that should be recognised by the bosses at Southern.

[DulwichFox]

Jeremy Wrote:

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

> I'd certainly like a train that avoided South

> Bermondsey... being crushed in a train packed full

> of lairy Millwall supporters is no fun!

This season (Aug-Apr) Millwall has only 6 midweek evening games at The Den (Millwall's ground)

So hardly a major problem.

Most trains are laid on for Away Supporters as South Bermondsey Station has a direct link to the

North Stand (Away Supporters) at the ground.

Millwall supporters cannot use this link so many avoid using the train.

As the journey from London Bridge to South Bermondsey is, what 3 minutes ???

Is that really too much to bear.

The time slot for supporters travelling to the ground is very narrow.

Millwall supporters are no different to any other football supporters

Usually in good spirits on the way to the game.

Try and share the enthusiasm.

Enjoy the moment.

Millwall Fox.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Are there any trains that travel through ed without stopping? Maybe there is scope for some additional trains rather than increasing the number serving ed at the expense of other places?

[Jeremy]

Was only a light-hearted comment, DulwichFox - not to be taken as a serious request for service alteration!

As you say, typical football supporters... some normal people, and a few dickheads. They all have to get to the ground somehow, I suppose.

[Sue]

teddyt Wrote:

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

> I mean,

> no one even gets off the train at muggers central,

> i mean South Bermondsey. NO ONE.

xxxxxxx

My partner does for a start. He lives there.

And he's not a mugger.

What a stupid post.