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It was definitely a last minute decision and a last minute one, pretty sure that from 2010-2015 Charing Cross trains via Greenwich were peak only? And that all CX trains during this era was via Blackheath as the Gillinghams. Either way it would make far more sense routing it via Blackheath for...

I’m of the opinion that if the Woolwich line is going to be lumbered with Thameslink long term, then it should be rerouted at Charlton to run via Lewisham at least. The Woolwich line is an oddity of the Dartford routes in that it’s 2tph and traditionally it’s the outer-suburban Gillingham...

Thank you. The Met line interests me and I’m surprised no one has started a thread like this before. The Met was in many ways the very first mainline cross London service, albeit there was never ever a New Cross to Aylesbury service. Had the Met line remained a mainline I could see it...

Wasn’t the District already “separate” from the Metropolitan by the 1920s? The District was part of UREL with the other lines, except the Metropolitan.

The Metropolitan avoided being grouped or absorbed into the Underground in 1923, but by 1933 it was finally absorbed into the tube network. What would have happened had the Metropolitan line not become part of the tube system? Would it have eventually been made a part of British Railways? The...

This reminds of things I’ve read about Thameslink’s early days in the 90s and when they planned the expansion of the network in its initial stages. I don’t recall Oxford ever being on the agenda but a Stanstead to Dover Priory service was mooted I believe. And they came very close to running...

The Rainham service was never a Cannon Street service it was a Charing Cross service, better to restore that, then still 6tph Cannon Street via Greenwich, 4tph Loop 2tph to Gravesend, plus in the likely future event that TfL does take over the Dartford routes then it keeps that part of the...

It was also done to appease Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park passengers as well, who had lost their Charing Cross service, until 2022, anywhere east of Charlton still had Charing Cross trains via Lewisham, but I don’t think it was worth it. As you a lot of this route is...

Agreed, don’t understand the purpose of the Thameslink Rainham service, I know that it was shoved through Greenwich last minute because East Croydon was full, but it’s royally messed up reliability on the North Kent Line has been a major issue since 2018, and it replaced a well used semi fast...

Is there any possibility of running CrossCountry services to the Sussex or Kent Coast towns? Or to London? I do recall a number of years ago they proposed a London Paddington-Cheltenham-Manchester Piccadilly service but this I doubt will happen. However would be good to see CrossCountry run...

Could and should the Crosscountry network be expanded, have services say from the Kent Coast to Liverpool or the return of the Brighton to Scotland services? Even services to London again.

Luton to Rainham semi stoppers (this service is in no way “semi fast”) came about not for some altruistic reasons for linking North Kent/SE London with Kings X, St. Albans and Luton. It came about because they couldn’t run it through East Croydon, so it was shoved through Greenwich on to the...

A mate of mine moved to Margate in 2022, affair few commuters were hoping for a service to Abbey Wood for CrossRail connectivity, there does seem to be some demand down there for such a link. As you say, the Thanet towns have had a fair few mobile people move down there, Whitstable down to...

The old Woolwich line services to Ramsgate use to run fast from Gillingham to Whitstable, so I’m surprised the HS1 service basically calls at all theses stations. I can understand the Kent Coast line having all stops since I’m certain the HS1 service is now their only service or they have a...

This is my point, you’re right The Faversham route is pretty much like a metro route, and isn’t really that much faster than the Victoria train, I think you could lose Birchington, Rainham for sure perhaps even Rochester and Gillingham as you say.

It’s only 30 mins faster to Kings Cross by HS1 than it is to reach Victoria which takes 2 hours currently from Margate, the faster route on the HS1 is via Canterbury rather than via Faversham. Is there a way to speed up HS1?

Even the type of traffic was blurry. The example being was that the GatEx was Intercity yet The Brighton trains were Network South East

The 37 was a mammoth of a route, can still be done by two changes, 37/337/H37 and I’m suprised that the links still exist. It’s bizarre that cross South London routes have basically been cut, aside from the 37 & P4 no other route traverses SE to SW London to my knowledge. The 54 being cut back...

I’d say you’re more than qualified to add your two cents after spending your first 40 years in London! ;-) Yes the 186 did that weird route from Victoria to Slade Green via Vauxhall, Brixton, West Norwood, Crystal Palace then followed the old 122 route to Bexleyheath & Slade Green if I recall...

Good point, maybe the brand should be renamed in truth as a Thameslink from London Bridge is actually faster than the GatEx is anyway. May the GatEx could be similar to the Cambridge Express from Kings Cross, where by its KX non stop Cambridge then all stops to Kings Lynn. The GatEx could...