Gatwick Express cancelled to ease commuter strain.

"Alan Osborn" wrote in message
...
Apologises but haven't read all the threads on this topic here
so sorry if something else has mentioned this.

Running GatEX to Brighton OK but remember to allow sufficient time for a
Gatwick stop. Lots of pax with luggage take time to load/unload
themselves
The present system allows ample time during the layover of terminating
trains.
In early days 3 minutes when VEP / VEG stock was used 3 minutes was
allowed which included coupling to a 2nd unit which was terminated /
started from Gatwick i.e. 4 car set from Horsham/Brighton 8 car set
from Gatwick to Victoria.

2. Keep GatEx as it is but swap Fast and slow lines from Balcombe Tunnel
to Earlswood - Maybe a flyover for Redhill trains at Earlswood
maybe a conflict at 3 Bridges but maybe more use of Platform 1 for Mid-
Sussex line trains

3. A cheaper option build a couple of terminal platforms (platform 7 &
8) on the car-parks side of the complex dedicated to GatEx trains,
direct rail access onto fast-line without conflicting with slow lines.

4. In conjunction with 2 a rethink of the Redhill / Earlswood area
most trains from Guildford and Tonbridge now reverse and run through to
Gatwick, south facing junctions would be more beneficial than the
present arrangement.

SRA can't justify the cost of expensive construction, like flyovers or
additional platforms at Gatwick. They suggest that 90 second stops will be
adequate - after all, passengers with luggage join and alight from Southern
trains which only stop for a minute or so. As long as they're not
overcrowded, 377s are much quicker at loading and unloading with luggage
than slam door stock, because of the wider doors.
Peter

In message , at 21:10:23 on Wed, 22
Sep 2004, Peter Masson remarked:
SRA can't justify the cost of expensive construction, like flyovers or
additional platforms at Gatwick. They suggest that 90 second stops will be
adequate - after all, passengers with luggage join and alight from Southern
trains which only stop for a minute or so.

But those are the self-selecting people who choose not to use the
Gatwick Express, and one reason might well be that they are nimble and
light-luggaged compared to the GEx users.
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
.uk...
In message , at 21:10:23 on Wed, 22
Sep 2004, Peter Masson remarked:
SRA can't justify the cost of expensive construction, like flyovers or
additional platforms at Gatwick. They suggest that 90 second stops will
be
adequate - after all, passengers with luggage join and alight from
Southern
trains which only stop for a minute or so.

But those are the self-selecting people who choose not to use the
Gatwick Express, and one reason might well be that they are nimble and
light-luggaged compared to the GEx users.

Let's not forget those who are travelling away from London. They have no
problem waiting for the passengers to get off first, and then getting their
luggage on board during the normal stops at Gatwick.
--
Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society
75th Anniversary 2004, see http://www.omnibussoc.org/75th.htm
E-mail:
URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
.uk...
In message , at 21:10:23 on Wed, 22
Sep 2004, Peter Masson remarked:
SRA can't justify the cost of expensive construction, like flyovers or
additional platforms at Gatwick. They suggest that 90 second stops will
be
adequate - after all, passengers with luggage join and alight from
Southern
trains which only stop for a minute or so.

But those are the self-selecting people who choose not to use the
Gatwick Express, and one reason might well be that they are nimble and
light-luggaged compared to the GEx users.

Let's not forget those who are travelling away from London. They have no
problem waiting for the passengers to get off first, and then getting their
luggage on board during the normal stops at Gatwick.
--
Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society
75th Anniversary 2004, see http://www.omnibussoc.org/75th.htm
E-mail:
URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/

In message , at 19:54:07 on Thu, 23
Sep 2004, Terry Harper remarked:
But those are the self-selecting people who choose not to use the
Gatwick Express, and one reason might well be that they are nimble and
light-luggaged compared to the GEx users.

Let's not forget those who are travelling away from London. They have no
problem waiting for the passengers to get off first, and then getting their
luggage on board during the normal stops at Gatwick.

But there are much fewer of them, and the trains are much emptier. The
problem with getting about the non-GEx trains in the morning is that
it's so difficult to cram everything into an already full train.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 19:54:07 on Thu, 23
Sep 2004, Terry Harper remarked:
But those are the self-selecting people who choose not to use the
Gatwick Express, and one reason might well be that they are nimble and
light-luggaged compared to the GEx users.

Let's not forget those who are travelling away from London. They have no
problem waiting for the passengers to get off first, and then getting their
luggage on board during the normal stops at Gatwick.

But there are much fewer of them, and the trains are much emptier. The
problem with getting about the non-GEx trains in the morning is that
it's so difficult to cram everything into an already full train.
--
Roland Perry

In article , Roland
Perry writes

additional platforms at Gatwick. They suggest that 90 second stops will be
adequate - after all, passengers with luggage join and alight from Southern
trains which only stop for a minute or so.

But those are the self-selecting people who choose not to use the
Gatwick Express, and one reason might well be that they are nimble and
light-luggaged compared to the GEx users.

Not all of them. People who want to reach Kings Cross or points north
on the way to Bedford have not much choice: they get on the Thameslink
train, already crowded with passengers from Brighton, during its brief
stop at Gatwick, or they wait 15 minutes for the next Thameslink train.
Most of us, nimble or not, manage to get on a train when it arrives at
the platform, even with heavy luggage.

--
Clive Page

In article , Roland
Perry writes

additional platforms at Gatwick. They suggest that 90 second stops will be
adequate - after all, passengers with luggage join and alight from Southern
trains which only stop for a minute or so.

But those are the self-selecting people who choose not to use the
Gatwick Express, and one reason might well be that they are nimble and
light-luggaged compared to the GEx users.

Not all of them. People who want to reach Kings Cross or points north
on the way to Bedford have not much choice: they get on the Thameslink
train, already crowded with passengers from Brighton, during its brief
stop at Gatwick, or they wait 15 minutes for the next Thameslink train.
Most of us, nimble or not, manage to get on a train when it arrives at
the platform, even with heavy luggage.

--
Clive Page

In message , at 19:33:58 on Fri, 24
Sep 2004, Clive Page remarked:
People who want to reach Kings Cross or points north on the way to
Bedford have not much choice: they get on the Thameslink train, already
crowded with passengers from Brighton, during its brief stop at
Gatwick, or they wait 15 minutes for the next Thameslink train. Most of
us, nimble or not, manage to get on a train when it arrives at the
platform, even with heavy luggage.

Been there, done that, seen lots of other people doing it. It's a very
unpleasant experience, and I'm not surprised people chose the GEx
instead, if they can.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 19:33:58 on Fri, 24
Sep 2004, Clive Page remarked:
People who want to reach Kings Cross or points north on the way to
Bedford have not much choice: they get on the Thameslink train, already
crowded with passengers from Brighton, during its brief stop at
Gatwick, or they wait 15 minutes for the next Thameslink train. Most of
us, nimble or not, manage to get on a train when it arrives at the
platform, even with heavy luggage.

Been there, done that, seen lots of other people doing it. It's a very
unpleasant experience, and I'm not surprised people chose the GEx
instead, if they can.
--
Roland Perry