Do you know what the new timetables in December will be?

I mentioned it in the thread back in September that Southern will be adding four trains per hour in the morning peak and two extra trains in the 5pm hour from December 16th.

To London Bridge, trains will be every 15 minutes from 0727 until 0927 with services operating at x13, x27, x43 and x57 past each hour.

After 0927, trains operate every 30 minutes to London Bridge at x27 and x57 past each hour.

From London Bridge, trains will depart at 1658 to Victoria, 1710 to Sutton, 1728 to Victoria, 1740 to Sutton and 1758 to Victoria. After 6pm it reverts to x28 and x58.

The move to :27 / :57 trains is a shame for the Over 60s where you are supposed to pay for weekday rail journeys starting before 9:30! That said the fact we have overground which has a 9am start fr over 60s free travel may confuse the system and allow getting a 9:27 for no charge!

I'll post a full look at Christmas rail services in December, but it's much improved for our trains from Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park this Christmas.

Mon 23rd - Peak extras to and from London Bridge don't operate. Buses replace the final late services from London Bridge. (Final train service is 2328) The final service on the Windrush line (Overground) operates as normal.

Christmas Eve - Peak extras to and from London Bridge don't operate. Final trains are the 1958 from London Bridge, 1950 from Victoria and on the Windrush line, the final train is the 2141 from Highbury & Islington, this arrives at Whitechapel at 2154 and Canada Water at 2202.

Christmas Day: No service.

Boxing Day, a 15 minute service operates on the Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and West Croydon only. No Southern service. There is no Elizabeth line service from Whitechapel, so use Canada Water for interchange instead.

Friday 27th - No peak extras to and from London Bridge.

Saturday 28th/Sunday 29th - Normal Saturday and Sunday service.

Mon 30th - No peak extras to and from London Bridge.

New Year's Eve - No peak extras to and from London Bridge. The Night Overground will be in operation on the Windrush line operating overnight with services to Crystal Palace and West Croydon.

New Year's Day - Sunday service.

Thurs 2nd Jan: Normal weekday timetable resumes with the peak extras to London Bridge resuming.

This post was last modified: 21-11-2024 10:14 PM by rbmartin.

If going from Honor Oak Park then the train departs at 9:30am exactly!

Nice try Michael

But for over-60s Oyster card users, as trains often arrive a bit earlier than the scheduled time, it might be difficult to tap-in after the clock turns 9:30

(I hope you're well by the way!)

You are right. You should not tap in until after 9.30 a.m..
I can see pensioners holding the train doors open for their mates!

I seem to remember that the Freedom Pass works at Forest Hill before 9.30 a.m. because the system assumes the passenger will be using the Overground.

Saturday 30th Nov/Sunday 1st December:

Forest Hill/Honor Oak Park: Normal service.

Catford Bridge/Lower Sydenham: Normal service.

Crofton Park/Catford: Services all weekend are diverted to Orpington. There is no service between Bickley and Sevenoaks.

Have they changed the time for over 60's cards to start?
I have a pass for over 60's and I'm sure it starts at 9am?
That said I leave for work before 6.30am so I can never use it in the morning on weekdays anyway.....
Mine is a Freedom pass I think..its the london only one because I'm under 65

This post was last modified: 24-11-2024 07:22 PM by nottinghillbilly.

Always understood it was 9.00am on the buses and 9.30am on the trains.

Yes, I wasn't even aware that service providers had different times for the Over 60s Oyster.

TfL services after 9am and most Southern and South Eastern is 9:30

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discou...-photocard

The golden rule is if it's a TfL service it's 9am, National Rail at 9.30am for over 60s Oyster and Older Person's Freedom Pass on weekdays. (Weekends and Bank Holidays are fine)

As mentioned, the gates will open those two types of pass after 0900 due to the fact TfL services operate from Forest Hill/Honor Oak Park, so there's nothing stopping a passenger boarding the 0927 to London Bridge although it's not valid until the train reaches Honor Oak Park.

If you tried the pass at Catford Bridge for example before 0930, the card wouldn't work because it's only served by Southeastern, which is a National Rail service.

The trick is to board the 0923 to Highbury & Islington, then get off at Honor Oak Park and change for the 0930 to London Bridge where you'll be covered by your Freedom Pass for both journeys.

This post was last modified: 25-11-2024 09:16 PM by rbmartin.

Ah yes! I remember now!
I once borded the 8.58 to London bridge (The gates at FH let me go through just before 9am) and I couldnt get out through the gates at London Bridge.

At Honor Oak Park, the very nice station staff open the gates for the Over 60s at 8:57/8:58.

Its quite fun actually - an expectant gaggle of Over 60s gather at the HOP ticket gates at 8:55, then the staff give the Ok at 8:57/8:58 and the said Over60s move with very commendable pace down to the platforms.

From Monday 2nd to Thursday 5th December, Windrush line services will only operate between New Cross Gate and Crystal Palace/West Croydon during the late evening.

The final train from Highbury & Islington is the 2132 to West Croydon which calls at Whitechapel at 2145 and Canada Water at 2154.

The last through train from Forest Hill northbound is the 2117 to Dalston Junction.

Southern services operate normally throughout.

Saturday 7th/Sunday 8th December.

Forest Hill/Honor Oak Park: Normal service.

Catford Bridge/Lower Sydenham: Normal service.

Crofton Park/Catford: Normal service on Saturday. A reduced service of one train per hour operates to Victoria rather than Blackfriars.

Thank you