On 17 Feb 2014 at 6:22pm Mike wrote:
I currently live in Brighton and commute to London and am thinking about moving to Lewes - what's the commute like? Are the trains busy? Will I get a seat etc? Obviously ignoring any weather related issues of the last few weeks!
On 17 Feb 2014 at 8:13pm Lewes Commuter wrote:
Trains are fine, you should get a seat. The 7.42 has the most seats, others are more full but shouldn't have to try too hard.
Less trains on the way back than you might be used to though - you may have to change at Haywards Heath.
And they can't get the temperature right and they smell of toilet chemicals and poo.
On 17 Feb 2014 at 9:20pm Dont do it! wrote:
As someone who made (what turns out to be) the worst decision of his life to start commuting this year, don't, just don't.
Brighton line = competition from FCC, so Southern actually try, Lewes = the Southern monopoly at its worst, almost EVERY evening train is late, no information, no apology and certainly no compensation. The only good thing is the 07:42 is ex Gatwick Express rolling stock thus very comfortable, you do get a seat and I've never smelt toilet chemicals or poo, perhaps Lewes Commuter should change seats?
Seriously after last Friday and tonight, just don't do it!
On 17 Feb 2014 at 10:15pm Rookie wrote:
I have commuted from Lewes to nearly London for 20+ years. Apart from the occasional glitch it has been a pretty good service overall. However, just recently the service has been awful.
On 18 Feb 2014 at 6:37am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Mr C-T commuted to Holborn for 4 months and hated every minute of it. You could count on one hand the number of times both outward and return journeys were on time. He didn't even bother trying to go to work during the spell between Christmas and New Year and took holiday instead.
There were another 2 or 3 occasions when he couldn't get to work at all - once due to the gales and once because of a flooded tunnel, but I guess that would have been as bad wherever you were travelling from. There were a few times when he was over 2 hours late, and got home well after 9 having set off just after 7 in the morning. He said he felt like he didn't have a life in the week. On one occasion, there were no trains coming to Lewes and I had to go and pick him up from Haywards Heath.
He reserves particular opprobrium for First Capital Connect and their unheated cattle trucks, which seem unusually prone to breaking down, and are painfully slow once they get to outer London. He conceded that it might not be too bad if you just use Southern, and work near Victoria or London Bridge.
Thankfully, he now only has to travel to Crawley, and goes by car.
On 18 Feb 2014 at 9:00am Merlin Milner wrote:
Depends where in London you are going to. I work 3 days a week (other 2 from home) near Hanger Lane (Wembley) and driving is less than half the price and most of the time quicker door to door. I would love to go by train but cannot afford it.
On 18 Feb 2014 at 9:25am Commuter wrote:
Hello. I've been doing it for three years.You'll find the lewes commute much more civilised than the Brighton one, mainly because the trains are much less crowded and you'll always get a seat. I actually really enjoy the journey ,. It's a great chance to read books, listen to music or watch films. In fact I'd hate to go back to commuting by car, it's just wasted time, dead time, you can't do anything with it. And horribly stressful if you're stuck in traffic. The trains are generally reliable except during the winter, but if youre late... Well. More time for reading.
On 18 Feb 2014 at 9:33am Thomas Jerome Newton wrote:
Where you work in London could be crucial – I am in Blackfriars and walk from London Bridge (rather than change at HH and lose a seat) and I find the commute to be ok – it isn’t worse than I expected (it’s a little better in fact)
I have noticed the constant late trains but a) given last few months’ weather I can forgive b) that means things should get better
But basically I get a seat both ways which means I’m happy enough
In winter months the constant darkness does get to you – but that’s true anywhere
On 18 Feb 2014 at 10:14am Regular Commuter wrote:
I have been doing the Lewes to London commute five days a week for seven years. The service has definitely got worse, but overall it is ok (you always remember the times it fails, rather than the majority of the times it doesn't).
The services are always about 5-10 mins late into the destination. Once you realize that, and stop being mad about it and build it into your consideration, it's fine. I simply get an earlier train than I need to, takes the stress out of things.
The trains are not the First Capital Connect ones which are shoddy at best - they are ok and, as an earlier poster said, the 7.42 is a great train and the least crowded of all of them.
For me, the commute is actually quiet, quality time - reading, snoozing, listening to music. Sometimes even working...
On 18 Feb 2014 at 12:35pm PLUMPTON LAD wrote:
I use the same train line up from Lewes and have done for the last 3 years or so. Generally I think Southern do try harder than First Capital Connect; eg carriages are normally of a much better quality and you normally get an at - seat trolley service if you want a cup of tea (or sometimes a bottle of Harveys!) which I have never seen on an FCC train - but the last 2-3 months the service hasn't been so good. As Regular Commuter says, we all tend to recall when the service isn't good rather than the majority of times when it is.
On 18 Feb 2014 at 2:58pm Commuter wrote:
Yes. Having a bottle of HarveY's on the train home is yet another reason why commuting by train is so much more pleasant than commuting by car.
There was actually a study in the paperlast week saying tha train commuters travelling for an hour or so were less stressed than those with much shorter journews. As theyhad enough time to relax and enjoy the journey.
My only real complaint about the trains is why nothing between 605 and 651
On 18 Feb 2014 at 8:14pm Mike wrote:
Thanks everyone - helpful comments!
I work walking distance from Victoria so don't have to worry about onward travel at the other end
Re the lateness, the Brighton service is exactly the same - really poor over last 3 months or so but prior to that pretty good
Re FCC trains - they are so horrific I never get them anyway so no great loss - though from next year FCC and Southern are merging to form a single train company so the possible competition element at Brighton will fall away anyway....
Lots of food for thought
On 19 Feb 2014 at 9:07am tobnac wrote:
I've been doing it daily for nearly 10 years. With the exception of this winter, when everything has gone a bit to pot, I think it's been fine. Decent trains, helpful staff. That said, I do work in Victoria. There's no way I would add a tube or bus journey to my commute. 1hr10 is long enough.
There is never any question of standing on any of the morning services. Even the busiest (the 7.23) has plenty of space. On the other services I can pretty much get the seat of my choice.
In the evening you may have to stand to east croydon if you get to the train after it has filled up.
On 19 Feb 2014 at 11:23am Commuter wrote:
You probably know this already, but do not under any circumstances attempt to get the underground from Victoria around 830-9, it constantly closes and is massively overcrowded. If you can't walk to work, I suggest getting a Brompton or locking up a bike at Victoria to use instead. The 755 to Victoria is even less busy than the 742 to London Bridge though. The 651 (L-Bridge) and the 722 (Vic) are the busiest, but even then you are still guaranteed a seat. The challenge, though, is to make sure you get one of the more spacious ones, not the horrible ironing board type ones.