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Southern Monday-Saturday 1A semi fast return?

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TST2022

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Hello. Does anyone know when the 1A semi fast Brighton to London services are going to return on Monday to Saturday

I'm aware that southern services do this on a Sunday but I think it will be better when that service returns?


Thanks in advance

The southern traveller
 
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NSE

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To my knowledge, no. It’s staying as GatEx running Victoria to Brighton.
 

PGAT

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I don't think it is possible until the platform works at Gatwick are complete.
 

Minstral25

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I don't think it is possible until the platform works at Gatwick are complete.

That is exactly what GTR have been saying to Stakeholders, but I am not sure they want to put it back. Brighton currently has 6 trains per hour to London (4x Thameslink semi-fast, 2x Gatwick Express fast). Does Brighton need more trains from London, just make GATEX call at Clapham Junction, and everyone would be happy.?
 

TST2022

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It's probably better to run the semi fasts because Gatwick express is there "premium" service
 

miklcct

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This would be a much better solution. But sadly I'm not sure it's likely.
I think I have read somewhere that the franchise agreement required Southern to brand the non-stop trains between Gatwick and Victoria as Gatwick Express. If they call at Clapham Junction they can no longer be called Gatwick Express.
 

Minstral25

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Keeps the tourists off the already overcrowded trains.

Doesn't happen anymore - the "tourists" mostly catch normal trains not GatEx - they use Apps etc and know what the cheapest train is plus which train they need. 10 years ago, that train would almost always be Victoria, now it is just as likely (if not more likely) to be Thameslink.
 

PGAT

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Doesn't happen anymore - the "tourists" mostly catch normal trains not GatEx - they use Apps etc and know what the cheapest train is plus which train they need. 10 years ago, that train would almost always be Victoria, now it is just as likely (if not more likely) to be Thameslink.
For most tourists coming into the country who DON'T speak english, they probably don't know about apps like Trainline and just take the fastest advertised service.
 

miklcct

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For most tourists coming into the country who DON'T speak english, they probably don't know about apps like Trainline and just take the fastest advertised service.
To where?

If it is to Victoria it is likely to be the first departing train, no matter it is Gatwick Express or Southern.
 

WizCastro197

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To be completely fair, I agree with @Minstral25. I don’t think they want to bring them back. They already as they said have 6tph to London. 2tph I get is to Victoria but the Thameslink Core is more centrally located so can be more popular.


Keeping Southern Victoria to Brighton on Sundays is a good call as that is when families and children are off school so can enjoy a day at the seaside and extra services to Brighton helps.
 

Sm5

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To be completely fair, I agree with @Minstral25. I don’t think they want to bring them back. They already as they said have 6tph to London. 2tph I get is to Victoria but the Thameslink Core is more centrally located so can be more popular.
Plus Elizabeth line connections to central london… Victoria to tube isnt always the best, now there is an alternative.
 

PGAT

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Plus Elizabeth line connections to central london… Victoria to tube isnt always the best, now there is an alternative.
Well the metro routes at least definitely need their 4 tph back to Victoria.
 

Minstral25

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For most tourists coming into the country who DON'T speak english, they probably don't know about apps like Trainline and just take the fastest advertised service.

Why would they use Trainline, they will have an APP in their native language, it'll still show fare differences and that they need a Thameslink to St Pancras for their connecting service

To be completely fair, I agree with @Minstral25. I don’t think they want to bring them back. They already as they said have 6tph to London. 2tph I get is to Victoria but the Thameslink Core is more centrally located so can be more popular.


Keeping Southern Victoria to Brighton on Sundays is a good call as that is when families and children are off school so can enjoy a day at the seaside and extra services to Brighton helps.

Cheers & Sundays needs to go via Redhill for all the families there who do not want the hassle of changing at Gatwick the unusable

Plus Elizabeth line connections to central london… Victoria to tube isnt always the best, now there is an alternative.

Always has been plenty of alternative tube connections at London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon (Metropolitan) and St Pancras, but Elizabeth Line adds another one.
 

WizCastro197

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Why would they use Trainline, they will have an APP in their native language, it'll still show fare differences and that they need a Thameslink to St Pancras for their connecting service



Cheers & Sundays needs to go via Redhill for all the families there who do not want the hassle of changing at Gatwick the unusable




Always has been plenty of alternative tube connections at London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon (Metropolitan) and St Pancras, but Elizabeth Line adds another one.
Most of course would look up 'Buying Uk train tickets' and any app will come up and most have a language changer tool anyway so however the visitor may find easiest is up to them. :)

Exactly, we have such rubbish (Only Gatwick and Horsham?) Southerly destinations as Sunday Brighton service would be most useful as you said for families who can (especially with children) can find Gatwick Airport stressful. I do still even by myself.

If Bognors and Portsmouths (Do most people use these for the south coast at Redhill anyway?) can go via Redhill why can't Brightons? :)
I think as there is 2tph VIC-BTN IIRC, 1tph should have calling pattern:

Victoria-Clapham-East Croydon-Redhill-Gatwick-Three Bridges-Hayward Heath-Burgess Hill-Hassocks-Brighton (same on return)

I suppose it doesn't necessarily need to be Victoria Originating services could be Bedfords/Cambridges?

And the other would go via quarry line bypassing Redhill as you know very well. Thought that one avoiding Redhill would be useful as at Gatwick London Bound, it may too busy for RDH passengers to get on.

Hello. Does anyone know when the 1A semi fast Brighton to London services are going to return on Monday to Saturday

I'm aware that southern services do this on a Sunday but I think it will be better when that service returns?


Thanks in advance

The southern traveller
I definitely won't be expecting them back anytime soon. Current services are great to get to London already. If You require Victoria but don't want to pay a higher fare for GatEx just go to Blackfriars and take Circle/District onwards.

It's probably better to run the semi fasts because Gatwick express is there "premium" service
Why? I am really lobbying right now for Thameslink but Victoria is so out of it? Tourists won't be looking for Clapham if so just change at Preston park or so. Thameslink is a good way for such tourists to get to London as you are plonked straight in the middle of it?
 
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PGAT

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Most of course would look up 'Buying Uk train tickets' and any app will come up and most have a language changer tool anyway so however the visitor may find easiest is up to them. :)

Exactly, we have such rubbish (Only Gatwick and Horsham?) Southerly destinations as Sunday Brighton service would be most useful as you said for families who can (especially with children) can find Gatwick Airport stressful. I do still even by myself.

If Bognors and Portsmouths (Do most people use these for the south coast at Redhill anyway?) can go via Redhill why can't Brightons? :)
I think as there is 2tph VIC-BTN IIRC, 1tph should have calling pattern:

Victoria-Clapham-East Croydon-Redhill-Gatwick-Three Bridges-Hayward Heath-Burgess Hill-Hassocks-Brighton (same on return)

I suppose it doesn't necessarily need to be Victoria Originating services could be Bedfords/Cambridges?

And the other would go via quarry line bypassing Redhill as you know very well. Thought that one avoiding Redhill would be useful as at Gatwick London Bound, it may too busy for RDH passengers to get on.


I definitely won't be expecting them back anytime soon. Current services are great to get to London already. If You require Victoria but don't want to pay a higher fare for GatEx just go to Blackfriars and take Circle/District onwards.


Why? I am really lobbying right now for Thameslink but Victoria is so out of it? Tourists won't be looking for Clapham if so just change at Preston park or so. Thameslink is a good way for such tourists to get to London as you are plonked straight in the middle of it?
If only they chose to build the fast lines with Redhill in mind.
 

WizCastro197

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If only they chose to build the fast lines with Redhill in mind.
Short history: Originally there weren't any fast lines but Redhill became easily congested and so to avoid it, they created the quarry line to bypass Redhill. It used to have Coulsdon North as a station.

This is off topic but if you would like to continue this history and other off topic stuff, I'd be more than happy to in a conversation :)

If people at Brighton really wanted London Victoria they could change at three places: Preston Park (quietest least stressful change, but the annoying thing her is that the Bedfords are routed just after the Victoria train so you would need to wait longer for a less busy train) Gatwick `Airport or East Croydon.
There is no longer a reason why the 1AXXs need to come back at this given time.
 
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TST2022

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Short history: Originally there weren't any fast lines but Redhill became easily congested and so to avoid it, they created the quarry line to bypass Redhill. It used to have Coulsdon North as a station.

This is off topic but if you would like to continue this history and other off topic stuff, I'd be more than happy to in a conversation :)

If people at Brighton really wanted London Victoria they could change at three places: Preston Park (quietest least stressful change, but the annoying thing her is that the Bedfords are routed just after the Victoria train so you would need to wait longer for a less busy train) Gatwick `Airport or East Croydon.
There is no longer a reason why the 1AXXs need to come back at this given time.
Gat ex gets canned all the time because of shortage of train crew. What would semi fast be like
 

WizCastro197

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Gat ex gets canned all the time because of shortage of train crew. What would semi fast be like
I don’t understand your question?

If GatEx gets canned a lot which I don’t think it does
Then the Semi fast would get canned over GatEx

The thing is that there are planète of ways to get to Victoria with changing at various areas.

Hassocks if you are pushing it
Haywards Heath
Three Bridges
Gatwick
East Croydon

I saw your YouTube channel however. You have some nice videos.
 

TST2022

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I don’t understand your question?

If GatEx gets canned a lot which I don’t think it does
Then the Semi fast would get canned over GatEx

The thing is that there are planète of ways to get to Victoria with changing at various areas.

Hassocks if you are pushing it
Haywards Heath
Three Bridges
Gatwick
East Croydon

I saw your YouTube channel however. You have some nice videos.
What I mean is that Gatwick express gets canned Because of shortage of train crew

If that gets canned semi fasts will probably get canned even more because they are prioritizing gat Ex (premium service) over the normal southern service to London
 

WizCastro197

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What I mean is that Gatwick express gets canned Because of shortage of train crew

If that gets canned semi fasts will probably get canned even more because they are prioritizing gat Ex (premium service) over the normal southern service to London
If 1Axx came back as 1tph then it wouldn't be canned first as it wouldn't have an alternative until an hour later. Normally Southern/Thameslink bin off the trains that will have a service arriving in the next hour if they can help it. Eg. Littlehampton trains never really get scrapped because there is no alternative for a whole hour. Eastbourne trains do because there is an Ore service that comes half an hour later.
 

JonathanH

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If 1Axx came back as 1tph then it wouldn't be canned first as it wouldn't have an alternative until an hour later. Normally Southern/Thameslink bin off the trains that will have a service arriving in the next hour if they can help it. Eg. Littlehampton trains never really get scrapped because there is no alternative for a whole hour. Eastbourne trains do because there is an Ore service that comes half an hour later.
Don't the majority (not all) of coastway trains simply go up and down to London with the same crew? Therefore, if they get to Victoria they will come back. It isn't unusual for coastway trains to terminate at East Croydon due to late running, something which only really works because the crew are working in and out of London.
 
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Don't the majority (not all) of coastway trains simply go up and down to London with the same crew?
Whilst still technically coastway, from what I've seen, it isn't uncommon to for the crew of trains to/from Portsmouth/Southampton & Bognor having Littlehampton workings on their diagrams.
 

NSE

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Don't the majority (not all) of coastway trains simply go up and down to London with the same crew? Therefore, if they get to Victoria they will come back. It isn't unusual for coastway trains to terminate at East Croydon due to late running, something which only really works because the crew are working in and out of London.
Plenty of SN coastway drivers don’t sign all the way to Victoria.
 

WizCastro197

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What I mean is that Gatwick express gets canned Because of shortage of train crew

If that gets canned semi fasts will probably get canned even more because they are prioritizing gat Ex (premium service) over the normal southern service to London
If the 1Axx becomes cancelled, then you can always use GatEx to Gatwick Airport or the large amount of Thameslink services.
 

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I really hope it does. The other Southern trains at CLJ are packed with people changing onto Brighton trains at Croydon or elsewhere. Thameslink is uncomfortable and slower. I can't see why the GatEx fare can't just apply to Gatwick and apply a standard fare for Brighton passengers.
 

JonathanH

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I can't see why the GatEx fare can't just apply to Gatwick and apply a standard fare for Brighton passengers.
The Gatwick Express fare does only apply to Gatwick. A standard fare applies for Brighton passengers travelling to Victoria (other than the lack of availability of advance fares).
 
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