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Direct train to Charing Cross
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Rayray


Posts: 19
Joined: Mar 2013
Post: #1
22-05-2014 07:05 AM

Has anyone else heard rumours that discussions are underway to resurrect the direct services through forest hill to Charing Cross? Wondered if they are true, how likely it is and when it may begin.

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showtunesgirl


Posts: 203
Joined: Feb 2008
Post: #2
22-05-2014 08:40 AM

I doubt that this is true what with all the upheaval that will be going on at London Bridge during the next four year.

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clausy


Posts: 73
Joined: Mar 2014
Post: #3
22-05-2014 08:55 AM

Actually it kind of makes sense: with less platforms available during the upgrade, it might be easier to run a service through to Charing Cross rather than find somewhere to park it at London Bridge

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showtunesgirl


Posts: 203
Joined: Feb 2008
Post: #4
22-05-2014 09:12 AM

If you look at what's going to happen in the future though, there will be NO trains running to Charing Cross for a while and all trains will terminate at Cannon Street.

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Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #5
22-05-2014 10:31 AM

Beware:-

Spring 2014 - First new platform opens

2015/6 Charing Cross services will not stop at London Bridge
2016/7 Cannon Street services will not stop at London Bridge

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MightyMouse


Posts: 122
Joined: Apr 2012
Post: #6
22-05-2014 10:54 AM

I don't know what's true or what's likely, but I do know that I'm going to pretend for the rest of the day it's both, and smile (this would mean a two-train commute to work, not a three-train one, and thus improve my life a bit).

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clausy


Posts: 73
Joined: Mar 2014
Post: #7
22-05-2014 10:57 AM

Get a bike and cycle to work instead: you'll be smiling every day Smile

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showtunesgirl


Posts: 203
Joined: Feb 2008
Post: #8
22-05-2014 11:15 AM

I read all the leaflets about all the changes etc but nothing really said what will happen to our London Bridge service long term. Does anyone know?

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michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #9
22-05-2014 01:26 PM

The best I know is that in theory the timetables for 2018 have not been finalised.
The Forest Hill Society has argued for the reinstatement of evening and weekend services either to Charing Cross, or on the Thameslink line. We believe this is preferable to having reduced service in the Thameslink core because of lack of demand for long distance services outside peak hours.
Unfortunately the tendering process tends to focus on peak services, where there is little opportunity for South Central/Southern services to use the higher level station at London Bridge.

If anybody does hear anything more definite then it would be good to share.

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MightyMouse


Posts: 122
Joined: Apr 2012
Post: #10
22-05-2014 01:44 PM

clausy, I hear you, but:

1) I can't actually ride a bike. I've signed up for lessons from the council though!

2) I work in Paddington. Forest Hill to Paddington doesn't seem like all that terrific a bike commute...

3) I'm four stones overweight and pretty unfit - though I suspect that if I could get past 1 and 2, 3 would disappear pretty quickly!

Laugh

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nottinghillbilly


Posts: 653
Joined: Dec 2010
Post: #11
22-05-2014 07:01 PM

You mention Council bike riding lessons?
I can't ride a bike either and would like to learn...do you have info?
Also do they teach you to ride from scratch?

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MightyMouse


Posts: 122
Joined: Apr 2012
Post: #12
22-05-2014 08:07 PM

Ta-da!

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/tr...ssons.aspx

Yep, lessons from scratch, or for those who just want to get braver at being on the road, I think. And on the left there's a link whereby you can borrow a bike for a month for a tenner...

Now, I must say I got through to them through another link and they've not got back to me yet, so I don't have any actual experience of how well this whole thing works, but... gotta be worth a try!

Edited to add: so I just followed the link, and you give them loads of info about what you can/can't do on a bike, so they can judge your level of experience. You can also borrow a bike for the lesson. If this comes off I will be WELL IMPRESSED. Thumbsup

This post was last modified: 22-05-2014 08:13 PM by MightyMouse.

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Applespider


Posts: 285
Joined: Feb 2006
Post: #13
22-05-2014 10:31 PM

The council training is pretty good. I used it a few years back to help me get more comfortable riding on London roads when I wanted to start commuting and now I do it year-round. A friend learned from scratch somewhere - nr Islington I think - and although she's not really kept it up, she can now at least get around Richmond Park slowly.

Forest Hill to Paddington wouldn't be all that bad. It's a fairly flat route - at least once you're out of FH! I'd probably go through Dulwich to Herne Hill and then to Stockwell. Then cut off towards Battersea Bridge, go up Sloane St and cut through Hyde Park.

However, to get back on topic, trains into Charing Cross would be handy. I miss that direct route into the Strand... the Jubilee line via Canada Water gets close but not enough if you're in a hurry.

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michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #14
23-05-2014 03:31 PM

The new franchise has been announced today:

Quote:
The Department for Transport has announced today (Friday 23 May) its intention to award the new Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise to Govia Thameslink Railway Limited.

The TSGN franchise will replace the existing First Capital Connect franchise from 14 September 2014 and will include the South Central franchise (operated as Southern and Gatwick Express) when it expires on 26 July 2015.

For the full story click here.

Click to view an interactive map of the TSGN network.


The Network map does not include Charing Cross or Waterloo East.
More remarkably the Thameslink line through London Bridge does not appear to stop at Norwood Junction (or any other stations north of Croydon), nor go to any other destinations not currently on the Thameslink network.

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rbmartin


Posts: 1,074
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #15
24-05-2014 10:10 AM

Thameslink will be replacing 2tph on the Tattenham Corner branch at all times which will become the Cambridge to Tattenham Corner line which operate fast from East Croydon and peak services which currently run fast to/from London Bridge from Caterham.

For us in FH/HOP, Southern will become a sub-brand of Govia Thameslink Ltd, rather than a franchise in it's own right.

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markusorrillius


Posts: 18
Joined: Nov 2012
Post: #16
24-05-2014 12:21 PM

I think it's probably just me being a bit thick, but does this mean there will be an overall reduced service from Forest Hill? So, less (or no) trains running into London Bridge meaning that the overflow will have to rely on the Overground services?

It's going to get rather cramped if this is the case.

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rbmartin


Posts: 1,074
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #17
24-05-2014 02:12 PM

No, the DfT stipulated as part of the franchise that the current service to London Bridge will be maintained.

It basically means that to use Thameslink once the new service opens in 2018 that we'll continue to change at London Bridge.

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markusorrillius


Posts: 18
Joined: Nov 2012
Post: #18
24-05-2014 02:21 PM

I see. Well that's not so bad. Thanks for clearing that up.

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InTheForest


Posts: 46
Joined: Feb 2012
Post: #19
18-06-2014 10:32 PM

When South Eastern train stop stopping at London Bridge where are they expecting all the people who change onto them to go? The Jubilee Line? The Overground? It's From January to August and I can't see it being pretty.

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PVP


Posts: 271
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #20
20-06-2014 07:28 AM

When not stopping at London Bridge you will need to carry on to either Cannon St, Waterloo East or Charing X and proceed from there.

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