On 16 Sep, 20:44, "Paul Scott"
btinternet.com> wrote:> Opening on Sunday 28th September according to the BBC, the article goes on
> to mention that the station will be served by a (Southern) East Croydon -
> Milton Keynes service (but see below...)
>
>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7618263.stm
>
> Funnily enough, the trainline shows that on 15th December, Southern will be
> running to MK hourly, but only from Clapham Junction, as there no longer
> appear to be any through trains from further south.
>
> Was this change expected at this early stage - I thought the initial plan
> from the RUS _was_ for EC to MK and the cut back to CJ was for a later
> change...
Wasn't the RUS plan actually for a reversal at South Croydon - my
recollection is that the document certainly suggested South Croydon
would be served as well. Is this not one of the problems with this RUS
business - Network Rail's RUS can only recommend, and however strong
that recommendation nothing can be read into it until a decision is
made by DfT Rail - and they don't seem to operate in an atmosphere of
openness, so it's never quite clear what decisions the DfT actually
make as a result of the RUS until they actually happen.
All that said, the current Watford Junction to Brighton trains can
pause for ten or more minutes at Clapham Junction - perhaps the
Trainline planner is merely routing passengers via an interchange at
CJ onto another (and quite possibly faster) train that will reach East
Croydon earlier. I understand many Brighton Line commuters have known
this for ages, hence the mass exodus off these trains at CJ onto
faster alternatives.
>
> PS - the trainline also shows the new 3 tph WCML timetable to BHM and MAN in
> use on 15th December - has the big decision now been made...
>
See my comments above re the RUS and announcement of decisions!
