Getting the train when Falmer opens

[CHAPPERS]

I wonder if Big Lemon will put on extra buses. Could be a money spinner for them.

 

[33057 Seagull]

They could increase capacity and run 8 or 12 car trains, and just open the front six doors. They do it every day at Portslade.

They used to, before they intalled a gizmo in the track Brighton/London Bound to override the computers/satellite link. The situation is that Worthing bound the platform is 7 coaches & East bound 11 coaches and before only the doors to the front 7 coaches opened in either direction.
I believe Falmer can only take 4 coaches so running 8 or 12 carriages may be impractical having 800 or whatever walking through to get off the front or reard four coaches?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

[pedant alert] Berwick (oop North) is in England

You have to park your car in Scotland to avoid it being clamped and then take the bus to Berwick train station.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I wonder if Big Lemon will put on extra buses. Could be a money spinner for them.

possibly but they only have 2 mini buses and 8 single decker buses/coaches at present

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

possibly but they only have 2 mini buses and 8 single decker buses/coaches at present

...maybe they could buy some more?

 

[Uter]

They used to, before they intalled a gizmo in the track Brighton/London Bound to override the computers/satellite link. The situation is that Worthing bound the platform is 7 coaches & East bound 11 coaches and before only the doors to the front 7 coaches opened in either direction.
I believe Falmer can only take 4 coaches so running 8 or 12 carriages may be impractical having 800 or whatever walking through to get off the front or reard four coaches?

The platform at Falmer is much longer than 4 coaches. It can certainly take 6 coaches and possibly 8.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

...maybe they could buy some more?

Buses , even when they are 2nd or 3rd hand are expensive to buy , plus there are the additional costs of fuel and regular maintenance to factor in. The only way I can see Big Lemon buying extra buses is if they win some school bus contracts work so they would then be available as football buses on alternate Saturdays and midweek evenings.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Moulsecoomb's even closer and also has unrestricted parking - although the eastern part of the estate is also the dodgiest. But Coldean will be an attractive option for many people -although I'd imagine the places nearest Lewes Road will fill up quicker.

I'd have thought that the council will be moving in and restricting parking to avoid all sorts of problems (and the added revenue for permits).

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As far as the trains are concerned we submiited a letter from Connex which pretty much just said "Yeah, we can cope. Don't worry about it."

There is another thread somewhere where Lord B explains it in a bit more detail. He realised it might be a problem but obviously kept schtum during the planning process. I had fondly imagined that we'd be running shuttles between Falmer and Brighton seeing as westbound passengers would probably make up most of the numbers.

Given numerous opponents repeatedly went through the planning application with a fine tooth comb, I find it hard to believe that transport was covered by nothing more than a flimsy letter and a wing and a pray. Someone would have picked up on this and challenged it.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Will there be a helipad for Derek Chapman?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Buses , even when they are 2nd or 3rd hand are expensive to buy , plus there are the additional costs of fuel and regular maintenance to factor in. The only way I can see Big Lemon buying extra buses is if they win some school bus contracts work so they would then be available as football buses on alternate Saturdays and midweek evenings.

I would not be able to say, the economics of buses is not really my thing.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I would not be able to say, the economics of buses is not really my thing.

http://www.staffordbuscentre.com/Service-Buses-For-Sale.html

 

[8ace]

I've never seen more than 2 passengers on one of those Big Lemon buses.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I've never seen more than 2 passengers on one of those Big Lemon buses.

A shame. It would be nice if someone challenged the Go-Ahead monopoly.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Buses , even when they are 2nd or 3rd hand are expensive to buy , plus there are the additional costs of fuel and regular maintenance to factor in. The only way I can see Big Lemon buying extra buses is if they win some school bus contracts work so they would then be available as football buses on alternate Saturdays and midweek evenings.

I've just found two buses for 8k a pop.

http://www.staffordbuscentre.com/Service-Buses-For-Sale.html

I reckon you could squeeze a hundred people on the bus, £1 each way, two runs is £400 a game and you'll have paid for the bus in one season. Easy. I could give that Roger French bloke a run for his money.

Any one got a bus drivers licence?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Given numerous opponents repeatedly went through the planning application with a fine tooth comb, I find it hard to believe that transport was covered by nothing more than a flimsy letter and a wing and a pray. Someone would have picked up on this and challenged it.

I now remember the thread where Lord b had said this are of the plan was not watertight but no-one from the opposition had picked up on it - and lets face it Lord b knows nearly as much as Stephen Fry

 

[tedebear]

I've just found two buses for 8k a pop.

http://www.staffordbuscentre.com/Service-Buses-For-Sale.html

I reckon you could squeeze a hundred people on the bus, £1 each way, two runs is £400 a game and you'll have paid for the bus in one season. Easy. I could give that Roger French bloke a run for his money.

Any one got a bus drivers licence?

No but I always fancied one, drove a 12 wheeler once (illegally) around an industrial estate (which was like a ghost town as it was the weekend) and have always fancied a realy go ever since...

ANyone watch the Eddie Stobard show the other night?

 

[beorhthelm]

I've just found two buses for 8k a pop.

http://www.staffordbuscentre.com/Service-Buses-For-Sale.html

I reckon you could squeeze a hundred people on the bus, £1 each way, two runs is £400 a game and you'll have paid for the bus in one season. Easy. I could give that Roger French bloke a run for his money.

Any one got a bus drivers licence?

i do like the idea - NSC Coaches anyone? but i fear insurance would do for the project and theres no accounting for diesel costs. as you say, bus economics not a strong suit.

but im sure there are plenty of bus and coach companies across the county which will have the capacity and provide services.

 

[SpidersLegs]

They won't leave it at Seaford. The branch is signalled as "only one train at a time" beyond Newhaven Harbour. Newhaven Marine is effectively closed off.

Although the Brighton to Lewes line may be signalled as bi-directional on both lines, it would only be operated like that in an emergency. You wouldn't have two trains shuttling up and down on sparate lines, be far too confusing for all the platform announcement machines.

The whole planning permission for the Falmer stadium was based on the fact that Southern would run a shuttle between Brighton, where there are usually spare platforms on Saturday on the East side, and Lewes, where there is a bay platform on the South side. I assumed that trains would be turned around at Lewes.

The reason for including this in the planning permission was it cut down on the need for huge car-parking space at Falmer, which was not available with the present site, only the coach-park on the east (LDC-controlled) side.

Newhaven Marine is not closed off. Southern use it most days for train movements & the Brighton Lewes line is definately not signalled for bi directional working.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I've never seen more than 2 passengers on one of those Big Lemon buses.

I regularly see them full up and leaving passengers behind as they travel up Lewes Road.

Their market is almost exclusively students and they have just introduced a new route, serving the student halls of residence in Coldean Lane.