Short-term timetable amendments mean fewer trains are able to run. Trains running across the Thameslink and Great Northern network are running as normal but some services may still be revised.
Customer Advice:
The majority of the new timetable services are in operation but services on some routes are being progressively phased into the timetable during the course of the summer.
New carriages need to be introduced to operate the service. Some of these carriages are currently stored off the network. To get them to what will be their home depots; the train operators must also move some of the existing trains off the network and switch over to the new rolling stock.
The majority of this has been carried out over the weekend, but it is not possible to change over the entire fleet in this short time frame without risking disruption to services. The remaining new trains will be brought onto the network as the summer progresses.
Great Northern customers may use Greater Anglia, London Underground and London Overground via any reasonable route until further notice.
How will this impact the train service?
Whilst the train operators go through this transitional period; the long term impact of all the changes they are making will enable the service to have greater resilience and reliability but also aid in minimising the ripple effect of any incidents that may occur across the network. The full benefits of the timetable change will become apparent in the coming weeks as they progressively expand the services.
Where possible, the gradual introduction will be limited to services that previously didn't run and where other services will still be available. The train operators are doing everything possible to limit the impact such as removing quieter services and providing additional replacement bus services where necessary.
The four main routes that will be gradually phased in are listed below:
- Peterborough to Horsham via London St Pancras International
- Luton to Rainham via London Bridge
- Luton to Orpington via London St Pancras International
- Bedford to Brighton via London St Pancras International
It is anticipated there will be significant gaps in service at Higham station, where a bus replacement service will operate linking Higham and Strood with onward connections provided by Southeastern Highspeed services to and from Gravesend and London St Pancras International.
The train operators are also working with Southeastern to provide alterative trains.
Please plan travel in advance by using journey planners and we will provide further updates as and when they are received.
I want to know more?
The train operators have been painstakingly preparing for this significant alteration to the timetables and every effort has been made to prepare for this. The train operators are currently in the process of introducing one of the biggest changes to the railway timetable since the 1970s by providing more route choices, new trains and better connections.
The train operators have had to redeploy large numbers of trains and drivers for the 3,600 services now due to run every day which is 400 more than before. This is a huge logistical undertaking that they have been working toward with the partners at Rail Delivery Group, Network Rail as well as the Department for Transport and other train operators to deliver this industry changing programme.
As part of the process to get trains to where they need to be and ensure that drivers have full awareness of and are fully trained on their new routes, there will be temporary changes put in place to allow these movements to take place. These could be revisions to the calling patterns of services and in some instances cancellations, however, where possible they aim to minimise the effect this will have by facilitating this during quieter off peak periods and also overnight when services are not as busy.
In addition to this, the national timetable planning process as has happened across the entire national rail network has been significantly delayed. Railway timetables are normally published 12 weeks in advance, however, due to the vast undertaking of rewriting the timetable from start to accommodate the large network; this was not completed for Govia Thameslink Railway until 3.5 weeks ago. Part of this process is defining the scope of engineering work to the track, which affects the deployment of trains and train crew and the access they have to train maintenance depots. This means they have had less time than normal to re-plan the driver allocations as well as the train stabling and maintenance requirements to which work is continuously on-going.
The train operators thank you for your patience and apologise for the inconvenience caused during the upcoming weeks as they work hard to introduce the industry leading timetable, in so, modernising the railway, creating faster journeys across London and creating space for an additional 50,000 passengers daily into London.
Additional Information
For more information on the New Timetable and how this will transform your journey, please visit railplan2020.com
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Compensation:
You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.
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