New Timetable - May 2011

[Deleted]

I notice that NRE website is now providing a timetable for 22-23 May 2011. I checked the Monday morning times on the Willesden - Stratford section (my commute!) and - whilst there is certainly an increased frequency of 6-9 minutes - I was surprised/disappointed to see a solitary 15 minute gap between some peak services - and right at the time I normally travel!

Can this be right? Surely this is a step backwards...

WIJ - SRA
08:27 - 09:11
08:42 - 09:26

Any chance the 'missing' service is still to be loaded in?

[Deleted]

There has long been this strange gap in Eastbound services right at the peak of the rush hour. The current timetable to Stratford (from Canonbury) is:
07.59 (10 mins to next train)
08.09 (* 15 mins till next train)
08.24 (* 5 mins till next train)
08.29

so a 15 min gap between 08.09 hrs and 08.24 htrs - but only gaps (during rest of the rush hour) of between 5 mins to 10 mins on trains before and after. I assume it must be to do with freiight paths being booked but it is odd that this longish gap is constantly programmed for the morning peak. Anyone know why?

[Deleted]

It's a shame the first and last trains of the day on the NLL/WLL aren't going to be running much earlier/later under the new timetable.

It looks like services will start about 10-20 mins earlier in the mornings (e.g. 0554 from Richmond instead of 0604) and the last trains will depart a little later than they do now from Richmond and Clapham Junction, but there will actually be very little difference.

There will also still be 30 minute gaps between trains on the NLL after 10pm, just as there are now.

Is there any intention or possibility of running more early/late trains at all on these lines? Is the lack of late services simply due to lack of demand?

[Deleted]

Here's some info on the May 2011 timetable from Network Rail for all LOROL services:

tinyurl.com/64ph6py (application summary of proposed changes)

tinyurl.com/6fq6tgz (LOROL trainlist)

[superteacher]

Mar 2, 2011 15:27:26 GMT @crinet said:

It's a shame the first and last trains of the day on the NLL/WLL aren't going to be running much earlier/later under the new timetable.

It looks like services will start about 10-20 mins earlier in the mornings (e.g. 0554 from Richmond instead of 0604) and the last trains will depart a little later than they do now from Richmond and Clapham Junction, but there will actually be very little difference.

There will also still be 30 minute gaps between trains on the NLL after 10pm, just as there are now.

Is there any intention or possibility of running more early/late trains at all on these lines? Is the lack of late services simply due to lack of demand?

What was annoying was that one morning, I needed to travel from Dalston Kingsland to Stratford. I assumed that the service would start at 6! First train was after 6.30! But two empty trains tan through, presumably on their way to start service from Stratford. Why these couldn't be in passenger service is beyond me.

[Deleted]

So RE the "ramp-up" services from Willesden to Gospel Oak, will these be operated by Class 172s? Would it be a 2-car or 4-car formation?

[Deleted]

Re my original question, comparing the documents linked to by traction, it appears that 2L70 CLAPHAMJN 08:09 STRATFORD 09:20 has just been omitted from the information uploaded to NRE. This would explain the gap!

[fleetline]

Mar 2, 2011 22:54:56 GMT @lj2 said:

So RE the "ramp-up" services from Willesden to Gospel Oak, will these be operated by Class 172s? Would it be a 2-car or 4-car formation?

2 car I believe.

[Deleted]

A curious anomaly indeed, in an otherwise much improved timetable, with no obvious reason. The train that should fill the gap would leave Clapham Junction (CLJ) at 8:14 if it followed the prevailing pattern, but actually leaves at 8:09 and terminates at Willesden Junction (WIJ) at 8:36 (with presumably a couple of minutes padding). There is no corresponding return that isn't fulfilled by a Stratford (SRA) originator. Therefore this train must go to Willesden depot.

The missing 8:35 from WIJ would arrive at SRA at 9:18, which is about the time the return service widens from 7½ to 10 minutes. Therefore maybe this is a timetabling ploy. But if it is, then the service from WIJ to SRA between 8:20 and 8:50 should be evened to 10 minutes rather than leaving that 15 minute gap.

[dpb]

I may have missed it, but wasn't there meant to be a shuttle coming (during peak hours?) between Stratford and Camden Road?

[dpb]

Just picked up a timetable for the the new timetable changes on Monday and it seems the Willesden to Gospel Oak early service is now a Camden Road to Stratford service, with a Willesden to Richmond early service in the other direction.

Will be interesting to see how the new timetable gets on on Monday. Certainly makes my life easier in not having to rush to catch the 07:07 train from Gospel Oak when there's one at 07:11 that'll mean I still make my connection at Stratford. It'll also be nice to get into Stratford from a NXEA train without a LO train just about to leave!

[Rich32]

Mar 13, 2011 17:26:00 GMT dpb said:

I may have missed it, but wasn't there meant to be a shuttle coming (during peak hours?) between Stratford and Camden Road?

There was, but was linked to the Willesden - Clapham shuttle to give a 15 min peak service Stratford to Clapham.

[dpb]

First week of the new timetable, and while it's great to be able to turn up and know a train is due within a few minutes, it does seem that trains are struggling to keep to their timetable, especially in the morning peak. I think every day this week I've got to Gospel Oak and the 07:04 has arrived at 07:06 or 07:15 on one day, with following trains also delayed by a minute or two. Perhaps this is due to freight trains fitting in?