Does anyone think there might be a chance that the new TOC might introduce a 19.02 fast service from Guildford that stops at Clapham Junction. Most hours off peak three is an 02 and 34 services. However once the 18.34 service leaves, the next train isn't until 18.55, there being no 18.47 fast. The 18.55 skips Clapham Junction.
The next train is the 19.21 and that too skips Clapham Junction.
To reach Clapham Junction around this time, they recommend getting the 18.55 and waiting at Woking for the 19.22. The total journey time is 46 minutes. That's 15 minutes longer than a direct fast train and only 4 minutes slower than the stopping service. At lest it has loos.
Of course once the new franchise has its new rolling stock, even the metro services from Guildford will have loos so the mainline trains won't hold an advantage in that respect. I suspect that may make a different to which trains I use.
Cureenrlt I'm inclined to get trains with loos on. I will rush to catch the 23.45, following a gig at the O2, in order to avoid the final train with no loos. Be so nice when that is no longer the case.
Of course, going back to the 18.55, some might say there is the headway to stop at Clapham Junction. But if the 19.02 can, why can't the 18.55? Also the 18.17 from Waterloo never stopped at Clapham, despaired the 18.20 being over crowded for quite some years. Suddenly it is. Maybe the Exeter train has become even more crowded but I'd argue it was already crowded enough to justify stopping the 18.17 at Clapham Junction.
So if that can suddenly stop at Clapham Junction, surely the 18.55 could, even if it meant delayed the train behind it for an extra minute.
The reason for mentioning this now is that I wish to go to Tooting Broadway for 8pm and the best train to travel to get their for 8pm is on a fast train at aekund 19.00 and changing at Clapham Junction. Alas no such service exists then.
I hope they have the semi-fasts skipping Clapham stopping there. Particularly if there is disruption where passengers are forced to change at Waterloo, making it even more crowded.