1 July (Part 1) - Train timetables new and old
There was some excitement on Twitter yesterday - and a blog - about the
draft train timetable published by Southeastern
covering the first phase of the partial London Bridge station closure which
begins next January. The main focus of excitement was the loss of four peak hour
trains on the Greenwich line. It’s a long time since I have been directly
affected by such things.
When I did commute to London I used to try to catch the 17:28 from Cannon Street
to Abbey Wood. It was a ‘fast’ and took only 22 minutes. There were similar
services at 20 minute intervals with an all stations service in between.
The 17:28 is still a ‘fast‘ service but takes 27 minutes to get to Abbey
Wood but from January will become a stopping service taking 32 minutes. There
will be a fast at 17:06 (Abbey Wood in 27 minutes) and not another one until 18:34.
Twenty six years ago ten trains arrived at Abbey Wood from London between five
and six o’clock and now there are only eight. Don’t even mention the fare increases.
1988 Train timetable -
fromthemmurkeydepths for more detailed comment.