From the horses mouth, RE trains from Falmer.

[Ernest]

There is signal on the viaduct. I lived under it for 5 years.

Wasn't that a bit cold in the winter ?

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Wasn't that a bit cold in the winter ?

I tell you what one night in about 2002 one of the old slam doors was diverted onto the eastcoast line towards Brighton from Victoria from what I can work out it was well delayed (this was about 2:30am) and held at that signal for ages. Quite a few people were shouting about their displeasure as they leant out of the windows. It was cold in the garden when I went to ask them if they wouldn't mind shutting up.

 

[Norman Potting]

Would it be so simple as just installing one signal

Unlikely - I don't profess to be an expert on such things (just a self confessed train spotter) but there is more to it than just plugging a signal in like I used to do with my Hornby trainset. A couple of points:-

• Is there enough power supply to run extra trains? I know the basic service from Brighton - Lewes is 5 per hour (one being a diesel).
• Where would the extra trains go - turning round at Lewes, as has pointed out on the board before, clogs things up and so may actually make things worse

Going into full on train spotter mode the ideal solution would be:-

• Lengthen Falmer and Lewes platforms to take 12 car trains - you would need to do something with the road bridge at Lewes as you could only extend the platforms back toward Falmer and it would get in the way.
• Fortunately platforms 7 & 8 at Brighton seem to be long enough for 12 cars (or so my book of Southern area track plans tells me).
• Upgrade power supply if necessary.
• Make sure you had enough spare stock for match days, probably not too much of a problem on Saturdays but more so for midweek games.
• Perhaps think of rearranging the platforms at Lewes so trains terminating at Lewes do in Platform 4 with trains going beyond there using platform 5 - this would mean that terminating trains would create less congestion. You would need to completely re do the signalling as well to accomodate this.
• Perhaps instead of fiddling about with Lewes you could make use of Newhaven Marine as somewhere to turn trains round, although this may cause capacity/traction current issues on the Seaford Branch.

Any Network Rail engineers on here care to price that little lot up? Probably 2 digits followed by 6 zeroes and bear in mind this will just benefit the Amex on 40 or so occasions each year. I can't see that it would be of much benefit for anyone else.

No way could I see Network Rail paying anything toward the work, I am sure those who commute would rather see the money spent on something that would improve their lot for the 270 or so commuting days each year.

I did ponder on trying train from Lewes for my first Amex visit last Saturday, settled for Mithras house P&R, arrived just after 1600, car park virtually empty and a bus waiting for us. After the match (we stayed to the final whistle) a leisurely stroll and 5' wait for the bus back, the return journey being quicker than the equivalent one from Withdean as it doesn't have to do the "tour of lesser known parts of Brighton" route that they used to do!

 

[Ernest]

I think you answered your own question, the cost would be astronomical

 

[Norman Potting]

Thank you very much Ernest, glad to have been of help.

 

[les dynam]

Thats 45 minutes before you have started your journey. I also know people after the leeds game that only just made it into brighton for 11.30 after the game. That way longer than 45 minutes. Not that its a problem for me as I drive to coldean and have written off going to midweek games as it is now far too much of a hassle from London. If the trains worked well however then I would go to an evening game

eh? which people said that to you? I had two pints after the leeds game, waited about 10 mins at the station, jumped on train, and was back in brighton by about 10.25 (having enjoyed a couple of beers by then). your mates who 'only just made it back by 11.30'... did they walk back and get lost on the way or something?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Game finished at, what, roughly 7:15 on Saturday. I was back in Burgess Hill by 8pm.

Perhaps a few people have unrealistic expectations of how long it takes to clear a stadium of 22,000 people.

 

[Springal]

Didnt someone on here say the upgrades would cost as much as the stadium did?

 

[Uter]

The key point here is there is no business case for Network Rail or Southern to invest in any major upgrades. So it would all come down to the club. Whatever the cost of any rail upgrades, it would probably be more cost effective for the club to buy and operate a fleet of double decker buses.

However I do wonder if Falmer was used as a parkway station, providing a high frequency "turn up and go" shuttle service between Falmer and Brighton that might change things. It would also end the city's long search for a decent park and ride facility.

The track is only 3.5 miles long between Falmer and Brighton. Upgrade the signalling to roughly allow double to the frequency over that stretch, maybe reopen platform 9 at Brighton (the track bed is still there) and add a bay platform at Falmer and Bob's your uncle.

 

[Working class pride]

eh? which people said that to you? I had two pints after the leeds game, waited about 10 mins at the station, jumped on train, and was back in brighton by about 10.25 (having enjoyed a couple of beers by then). your mates who 'only just made it back by 11.30'... did they walk back and get lost on the way or something?

They were leeds fans. I met them in Brighton after the game, by which time I had had a beer in Coldean and drove into town. Still beat them to central Brighton

 

[Working class pride]

It sounds like the argument is who is going to pay for the upgrade, the state or the club. That is another issue, but there is no point denying it needs doing as unless you face a problem then it will never get solved. Interesting post by Uter. What however will they do in the interim? Stewards at the station to make people move down? Shuttle busses to Brighton station? Transport at the Amex is not my job but whoever is being paid should start looking at small things to help things now

 

[1066familyman]

The key point here is there is no business case for Network Rail or Southern to invest in any major upgrades. So it would all come down to the club. Whatever the cost of any rail upgrades, it would probably be more cost effective for the club to buy and operate a fleet of double decker buses.

However I do wonder if Falmer was used as a parkway station, providing a high frequency "turn up and go" shuttle service between Falmer and Brighton that might change things. It would also end the city's long search for a decent park and ride facility.

The track is only 3.5 miles long between Falmer and Brighton. Upgrade the signalling to roughly allow double to the frequency over that stretch, maybe reopen platform 9 at Brighton (the track bed is still there) and add a bay platform at Falmer and Bob's your uncle.

That's all well and good, but I'm still left wondering if Fannies still your aunt ?

 

[The Large One]

What the OP said is not dissimilar to a conversation I had - on the day of the Leeds game akcherly - with a guy on Southern.

He was casually stating (not as though it's been priced up) that the cost of upgrading the line to allow for 'double the capacity' - "about the same as your stadium", he said.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

... have looked up times of trains for west ham game and there isn't one to Lewes between 10.15 and 10.45 approx. laughable. I would like to stay for a drink for a change and not rush out on the whistle.

It's quite possible that the extra trains which, in my experience, ALWAYS run to Lewes, post-match, haven't been loaded up on to the database yet.

 

[Captain Sensible]

If they go for the 30k expansion, I think they'll have to get the extra signal box and double the trains.

 

[Nottseagull]

(or so my book of Southern area track plans tells me)

That statement alone identifies you as a complete anorak

If they go for the 30k expansion, I think they'll have to get the extra signal box and double the trains.

No box needed, just one of these. I mean, how expensive can it be?

 

[Robot Chicken]

Long term the club/Southern Railway should consider building a spur on the line so trains from London can go direct to Falmer bypassing Brighton station entirely.

 

[Robot Chicken]

On Saturday the match finished at 7.20. I was at the Brighton Dome ready to watch a comedy show at 8. Not bad really is it.

Damn, I wanted to see Reg D Hunter!

 

[markw]

The cheapest option would probably be to install a set of crossover points brighton side of falmer and then trains could run a shuttle service from brighton to falmer into the down side and then straight back into brighton. still not straightforward and would need signalling alterations but the most cost effective when compared to upgrading signalling from brighton to lewes and lengthening platforms.

 

[NMH]

What the OP said is not dissimilar to a conversation I had - on the day of the Leeds game akcherly - with a guy on Southern.

He was casually stating (not as though it's been priced up) that the cost of upgrading the line to allow for 'double the capacity' - "about the same as your stadium", he said.

Why should the club need to pay for upgrades though?
If any venue in town has a gig, do they need to pay the railways or busses more so they can handle more punters?