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4 Car Trains from Lewes

On 24 May 2019 at 8:08am BN26 wrote:

Prior to May 2018 the first off peak trains from Lewes to Victoria between
09 00 and 10 30 were 8 coaches. With the May 2018 timetable these trains were reduced to 4 coaches. After many complaints to Southern I had hoped some action would have been taken but the 09 21,09 45 and 10 21 from Lewes are still only 4 coaches. It is often difficult to get on the train let alone get a seat. Rail publications show that 68 coaches used by Thameslink and now replaced by their new trains have been sent to Kent. I am not in a position to comment on the rights and wrongs of rolling stock allocations but there always appears to be a lot of trains in Three Bridges Depot and deployment of these on the peak London Bridge services would release others to be used on the Victoria route

On 24 May 2019 at 2:47pm Basil wrote:

I can remember when they were 12 car trains. When the Blair government announced they would pay for rail companies to add extra coaches Southern reduced them to eight, no doubt expecting to be paid to add 'extra' coaches to bring them up to 12. That never seemed to happen.

On 24 May 2019 at 7:02pm Black Sleeves wrote:

Basil, when they had 12 cars it was an hourly service and they didn't attach to another train at Haywards Heath.

On 24 May 2019 at 7:25pm Bert wrote:

Had to stand all the way from Lewes to Victoria and from Haywards Heath to Lewes on the return journey yesterday, and it wasn't even peak time trains !! It's a bloody outrage ,

On 24 May 2019 at 7:29pm Sussex Jim wrote:

There used to be an hourly service from Eastbourne (via Lewes) to London off-peak, stopping at Haywards Heath. There was also an hourly service from Littlehampton to London serving Worthing, Shoreham and Hove which also stopped at HH- at the opposite side of the hour.
Since privatisation both EB and Littlehampton enjoy a half-hourly service to the capital by means of extra four car units joining up at HH. So, an 8 car train every half hour to London. (from HH).
You cannot couple two 8 car trains together at HH, as the platforms are not long enough at Gatwick, E.Croydon and Clapham Junction. There would probably be issues with the power supply too.

On 29 May 2019 at 8:43pm BN26 wrote:

I contacted Southern and asked what plans they have to restore the standard of service that applied to departures from Lewes towards London (Victoria) between 09 00 and 10 30 before May 2018 bearing in mind they have reduced the seating available by 50%. Reply says all factors taken into consideration when timetables planned including resources and changing travel trends. In terms we can all understand they are doing nothing so if you travel at these times it will continue to be difficult. I use these trains and see people struggle to get on at Lewes and often have to stand.

On 3 Jul 2019 at 9:48am BN26 wrote:

Further update on this situation. Tuesday 2nd July 2019 I travelled on the
09 24 Eastbourne to Victoria between Eastbourne and Lewes. It was 4 coaches and there was a party of students on the train. It was full and standing from Eastbourne and picked up more people at Hampden Park and Polegate. At Lewes they struggled to get on with standing throughout all of the gangways and doorways. Nothing is done and it goes on and on