Portsmouth (H), travel arrangements.

[Pinkie Brown]

I received a email newsletter from Seagull travel this morning, talking about Liverpool & upcoming games etc. The following paragraph caught the eye:


Important Travel Update for Portsmouth at home
We have been advised to move our usual train station pick up locations for both Worthing and West Worthing to another location close-by. Those passengers impacted will be advised in due course.

In addition, an announcement will follow soon from the club regarding restrictions being placed upon the rail service for those travelling from the West. For this reason, we have been asked to increase the coach capacity however we advise our usual match by match customers who travel from West to book your coach travel on-line ASAP, as we expect these coaches to sell out very quickly upon the release of this news.

Moving the coach pick up points from the two Worthing stations: Fair enough.

"Restrictions being placed upon the rail service for those travelling from the west" WTF is that all about?

If there is to be restrictions, it should be placed on the travelling away supporters, not those who travel to games along the western rail corridor. For example, Having a 'bubble train' or 'bubble coach service' where Portsmouth Fans get their tickets once aboard then after the game, busing them back to Hove & sticking them on a charter train back west. There, that's all sorted & I claim my £10 from Sussex Constabulary!

I appreciate nothing official has been released from the club or police yet, but reading between the lines of the above mail drop, it looks like Albion Fans may suffer inconvenience to accommodate followers of the tax dodging shysters. That aint right!

 

[The Large One]

Don't know exactly, but National Rail website says 'all or part of this journey will be made by bus'.

Edit: Engineering work between Barnham and West Worthing.

Southern

The following alterations will apply:

• Trains between London Victoria and Southampton Central / Portsmouth Harbour / Bognor Regis will start / terminate at Littlehampton

• Additional trains will run between Bognor Regis and Portsmouth Harbour and between Bognor Regis and Southampton Central

• On Saturday, trains which normally run between Brighton and Portsmouth Harbour will start / terminate at Bognor Regis

• On Sunday, trains which normally run between Brighton and Portsmouth Harbour will be diverted to start / terminate at Littlehampton

• On Saturday, trains which normally operate between Brighton and Southampton Central will not run

• On Sunday, trains which normally run between Brighton and Southampton Central will be diverted to start / terminate at Littlehampton

• On Sunday, additional trains will run between Barnham and Southampton Central, calling at Emsworth, Havant, Cosham, Fareham and Swanwick

• Trains which normally run between Littlehampton and Portsmouth & Southsea will start / terminate at Barnham

• Trains which normally run between Brighton and West Worthing will be extended to run to / from Littlehampton, calling additionally at Durrington-on-Sea, Goring-by-Sea and Littlehampton

• Trains which normally operate between Littlehampton and Bognor Regis and between Barnham and Bognor Regis will not run

• Buses replace trains between Littlehampton and Barnham, calling at Ford

• On Sunday until 09:00, buses replace trains between Littlehampton and Chichester, calling at Ford and Barnham

 

[BensGrandad]

In an ideal world they will have plans to try to get all Portsmouth fans on a direct train if possible first stop Chichester or even Havant. Many people more knowledgeable than me about trains have said that it can't be done but who knows what is possible if you really put your mind to it.

Going on from TLO post perhaps they are going to stop the trains at Fishersgate or a similar small station and then transfer to buses thus keeping them, out of the major towns. and issue the tickets on the buses as Cardiff & Southampton did for a game.

 

[ees complicated no?]

that could effect the whole of the south line running from portsmouth to brighton? will there we direct trains from portsmouth to brighton or will they still be stopping at normal stations mixing up fans?

 

[Napper]

Certainly going to be interesting. Not for the feint hearted

 

[The Large One]

I would think that they will have plans to try to get all Portsmouth fans on a direct train if possible first stop Chichester or even Havant. Many people more knowledgeable than me about trains have said that it can't be done but who knows what is possible if you really put your mind to it.

Going on from TLO post perhaps they are going to stop the trains at Fishersgate or a similar small station and then transfer to buses thus keeping them, out of the major towns. and issue the tickets on the buses as Cardiff & Southampton did for a game.

There's nothing to suggest that that is going to happen.

 

[Beach Hut]

Wahay, free for all on the trains - marvellous scenes

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

So rail replacement bus service between Brighton and Bognor Regis and vice versa ? Will they provide a shuttle service to Falmer alongside a service for non football fans to Brighton ?

 

[Beach Hut]

So rail replacement bus service between Brighton and Bognor Regis and vice versa ? Will they provide a shuttle service to Falmer alongside a service for non football fans to Brighton ?

Err I think it says trains will only run between those destinations

 

[BensGrandad]

There's nothing to suggest that that is going to happen.

I did say perhaps so it is only a suggestion as a solution to your statement that part of the journey will be by bus. Apparently the scheme for the Portsmouth vs Southampton game worked very well and was very successful in reducing trouble.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Err I think it says trains will only run between those destinations

So Pompey fans getting on at Portsmouth can only get as far as Bognor where the train stops and there is no onward bus journey ?

 

[Beach Hut]

So Pompey fans getting on at Portsmouth can only get as far as Bognor where the train stops and there is no onward bus journey ?

Think it is the other way - bus to Bognor then train

 

[Ernest]

That was well planned, not sure how 2500 away fans will get to Falmer.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Firstly, engineering works or in the fluffy railway company lingo "improvement works", shouldn't take place on a Saturday, let alone on a day when there's going to be extra capacity strain on the line from Portsmouth. That's another argument altogether. Its out of the clubs control & not their fault.

Secondly, the email from Seagull travel was misleading. They could have stated there was engineering works rather than the cryptic way it was worded. Engineering works may be a pain in the arse but they're not a State secret.

Moving Portsmouth supporters from the west by rail is going to be a logistical nightmare. I'd suggest Portsmouth supporters be compelled to travel by 'bubble coach' but what coach company in their right mind would accept bookings from them unless its strictly C.O.D. on the day? Another option is for coaches at Barnham or similar to convey them direct to the AMEX then back there again after the game. Ideally at Network rails expense!

Whatever is arranged, its going to be a messy nightmare to organise.

 

[BensGrandad]

The more I think about it the more I think it is a very logical idea to run a train from Portsmouth/Havant direct non stop to an isolated station like Goring by Sea where there is nowhere to go and the on a bus from there to Falmer and issue the tickets for Falmer on the bus journey. Then if possible keep their fans in until the P & R buses have left and then take them straight to the buses and then back to Goring station they could keep the concourse bars open while the P & R buses leave.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

That was well planned, not sure how 2500 away fans will get to Falmer.

Were SOUTHERN anticipating POMPEY going BUST before MARCH 10th

 

[8ace]

Maybe the Pompey fans will get a train up to Clapham Junction and change there

 

[Seasidesage]

I can see no logical reason why Pompey needs to be a 'bubble' game. They pose no more of a threat to public order than Milwall or Palace did?

 

[Blackadder]

Maybe the Pompey fans will get a train up to Clapham Junction and change there

No need to go that far. They could go directly to Three Bridges.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Maybe just have additional buses at Barnham to connect with an additional longer train at Littlehampton to Brighton, change there for Falmer and the same in reverse.

Cant do buses from a to/smaller station as there probably isnt room to cope with several coaches at once. Should be grateful they arent doing work between Brighton and Lewes on matchdays (though i dont think Network Rail would ever be that stupid).