[Travel] Seaford to Lewes trains replaced by buses for Ipswich game

[Skuller]

Apologies if already discussed but I’ve just found out that the Seaford to Lewes trains on Saturday are replaced by buses. I think they’re ripping up the track and replacing our lovely wooden sleepers with concrete ones. I’ve already had a letter from National Rail warning me there will be overnight noise in Seaford. There are replacement “bus trains” to Lewes. My alternatives seem to be to use the bus-train (and get tied up in Lewes railway station) or try to get on the hourly new bus service from Seaford (the 701) that goes past the Amex. But I think it’ll be busy, especially homeward bound. The other option is to get the 12 to central Brighton and make my way up to the ground from there. Coming home that way will be slow.

 

[HeaviestTed]

PBOBE OUT

 

[Gazwag]

I realise its rubbish for those fans on that line but at least it means (well I hope it does) that both Lewes only and Seaford trains will start at Lewes so even though Lewes station will be much busier at least getting on trains will be much easier as they won't come into Lewes already pretty full

 

[Eeyore]

Apologies if already discussed but I’ve just found out that the Seaford to Lewes trains on Saturday are replaced by buses. I think they’re ripping up the track and replacing our lovely wooden sleepers with concrete ones. I’ve already had a letter from National Rail warning me there will be overnight noise in Seaford. There are replacement “bus trains” to Lewes. My alternatives seem to be to use the bus-train (and get tied up in Lewes railway station) or try to get on the hourly new bus service from Seaford (the 701) that goes past the Amex. But I think it’ll be busy, especially homeward bound. The other option is to get the 12 to central Brighton and make my way up to the ground from there. Coming home that way will be slow.

I'm not sure the Albion travel scheme covers that sort of thing.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

If you’re not drinking, drive to the Racecourse and get the P&R.

 

[Uter]

I realise its rubbish for those fans on that line but at least it means (well I hope it does) that both Lewes only and Seaford trains will start at Lewes so even though Lewes station will be much busier at least getting on trains will be much easier as they won't come into Lewes already pretty full

This probably means services will be limited to 4 an hour between Brighton and Lewes, rather than the usual 5-6. If so, this will impact everyone travelling by rail. If they use all the spare units that are usually needed for Seaford services to lengthen all the Brighton/Lewes/Eastbourne trains then this might mitigate the effect. But with Southern it just seems to be pot luck when it comes to strengthened services, and of course they can only be lengthened to 7 and 8 cars.

In these circumstances it would be useful to have a 12 car platform length at Falmer to give the operational flexibility to run some maximum length trains between Brighton and Eastbourne if enough units are spare.

 

[Change at Barnham]

I'll be landing at Gatwick on Saturday morning at 11am after a holiday.
I'm sending my wife home from Gatwick to Bognor with our luggage.

Advice needed, is my best route on the train via Lewes or Brighton?

 

[schmunk]

(and get tied up in Lewes railway station)

Do you have to pay extra for that...?

 

[schmunk]

I'll be landing at Gatwick on Saturday morning at 11am after a holiday.
I'm sending my wife home from Gatwick to Bognor with our luggage.

Advice needed, is my best route on the train via Lewes or Brighton?

They're pretty similar really. On paper the Brighton route is faster, but in practice you're likely to queue for a while to get on a train, whereas usually at Lewes you can just MINCE straight on to the platform.

If you're looking for a ruck, there's more singing and argy-bargy at Brighton. I've never had a glass bottle fly over my head in Lewes station.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Do you have to pay extra for that...?

It’s free but the whipping you have to pay for

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

This probably means services will be limited to 4 an hour between Brighton and Lewes, rather than the usual 5-6. If so, this will impact everyone travelling by rail. If they use all the spare units that are usually needed for Seaford services to lengthen all the Brighton/Lewes/Eastbourne trains then this might mitigate the effect. But with Southern it just seems to be pot luck when it comes to strengthened services, and of course they can only be lengthened to 7 and 8 cars.

In these circumstances it would be useful to have a 12 car platform length at Falmer to give the operational flexibility to run some maximum length trains between Brighton and Eastbourne if enough units are spare.

Lengthening the platforms, if indeed it's possible, is going to be an expensive operation, and how many times a year is it going to be needed?

Not enough to make it viable from the railway companies perspective l fancy. Unless the club are willing to finance it?

 

[jackalbion]

This probably means services will be limited to 4 an hour between Brighton and Lewes, rather than the usual 5-6. If so, this will impact everyone travelling by rail. If they use all the spare units that are usually needed for Seaford services to lengthen all the Brighton/Lewes/Eastbourne trains then this might mitigate the effect. But with Southern it just seems to be pot luck when it comes to strengthened services, and of course they can only be lengthened to 7 and 8 cars.

In these circumstances it would be useful to have a 12 car platform length at Falmer to give the operational flexibility to run some maximum length trains between Brighton and Eastbourne if enough units are spare.

Its 6 an hour, 2 trains an hour are reversing in Lewes platform 4, two an hour will reverse in platform 5 (ex-seafords), two an hour will be the usual Eastbourne/Ore, at least that is what is planned for tomorrow.

 

[jackalbion]

I'll be landing at Gatwick on Saturday morning at 11am after a holiday.
I'm sending my wife home from Gatwick to Bognor with our luggage.

Advice needed, is my best route on the train via Lewes or Brighton?

I'd recommend Lewes.

 

[jackalbion]

Lengthening the platforms, if indeed it's possible, is going to be an expensive operation, and how many times a year is it going to be needed?

Not enough to make it viable from the railway companies perspective l fancy. Unless the club are willing to finance it?

There is a few downsides to lengthening it from an day to day operational perspective, in that platform 5 would only be accessible from the Brighton direction if extended to 8, to keep access from Eastbourne direction with an 8 car platform would need a major remodelling of Lewes junction, which is likely why it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Uter]

Lengthening the platforms, if indeed it's possible, is going to be an expensive operation, and how many times a year is it going to be needed?

Not enough to make it viable from the railway companies perspective l fancy. Unless the club are willing to finance it.

Falmer was already lengthened from 7 to 8 car length in about 2012. Ideally you'd want to extend the Brighton platform at the western end to spread out passengers more evenly, but this would involve moving a signal and foot crossing. It'd be cheaper to extend at the eastern end, and still beneficial. As infrastructure interventions go this is at the cheaper end. It would give Southern the operational flexibility to run longer trains rather than extra trains and keep their staff costs down a bit. Brighton bound 12 car trains would foul the points just east of Lewes station when calling at Lewes, but it's not going to cause a major delays as the Lewes to Wivelsfield line is very lightly used. In any case I suspect 8 car trains already foul these points.

 

[Uter]

There is a few downsides to lengthening it from an day to day operational perspective, in that platform 5 would only be accessible from the Brighton direction if extended to 8, to keep access from Eastbourne direction with an 8 car platform would need a major remodelling of Lewes junction, which is likely why it hasn't happened yet.

I think you are talking about Lewes, which would be clearly difficult and very expensive, but I was talking about lengthening Falmer to 12 car.

 

[Gazwag]

They're pretty similar really. On paper the Brighton route is faster, but in practice you're likely to queue for a while to get on a train, whereas usually at Lewes you can just MINCE straight on to the platform.

If you're looking for a ruck, there's more singing and argy-bargy at Brighton. I've never had a glass bottle fly over my head in Lewes station.

You may find your MINCING is in the queueing system which is in place when it gets busy which is up and down the slope before you even get close to the two platforms

 

[Gazwag]

Edit- Quoted wrong post

 

[jackalbion]

I think you are talking about Lewes, which would be clearly difficult and very expensive, but I was talking about lengthening Falmer to 12 car.

Oh right, could be helpful, as when 12 cars have run before there have been some Issues, and takes longer to move people down the rear 4,. However, I'm not sure there would be a huge benefit in that, obviously there could be 12 car services, but they could only run twice an hour on the 1Uxx Ore service and 2Uxx Eastbourne, and then there is an associated problem at Ore, as that would add time as the platform is not 12 car platform there and currently Southeastern are the only people who run 12 car trains there. The 2Lxx Lewes and the 2Cxx Seaford couldn't turn around as the platforms/sidings are too short at Seaford and Lewes, as well as a signal sighting issue. I think the best solution is a Lewes remodelling, but then you'd need to kick NR into gear which can be difficult occasionally. That's before you get to the stock issues, everyone running through there is now trained on 387s now, so this means that clever stocking can be done now.

 

[jackalbion]

So what happens when the 12 car gets to Lewes where only five fit on the platform

Selective Door opening, but I agree, that it will take a lot longer to move along 7 coaches, than currently with 3 and would have an associated performance issue.