Post by O.V.S.Bulleid on Aug 18, 2009 15:57:14 GMT
Friends
Govex are making a lot of the High Speed Preview Service in terms of reduced journey times but have stayed clear of giving passengers on the North Kent route a chance to marvel at the vastly improved service to be offered from December.
Friends - it isn't that good in frequency, speed or convenience - take a look at the table below and I'll explain what it shows: -
# - Train arrives at 1.17 * - Train arrives at 1.04
There are four columns - three for 2009 and one for 1999.
1999 shows the faster of the two Victoria services (the one not stopping at Chestfield and Westgate) and the second column is its decendent 10 years later - 16 minutes slower.
Even going via North London isn't much help either as it leaves three minutes after the Victoria service - so no need to go out of your way - but doesn't run beyond Faversham so passengers for stations beyond will have to change and still take 13 minutes longer than 10 years earlier.
Going from North London via Ashford is heralded as super fast - but wait a moment, 10 years ago the service was only 5 minutes slower to Margate. Going via Ashford means that Ramsgate is reached first and it is true that the ChavLine trains take 26 minute less - but stop at 7 less stations - which I can accept.
Who would have thought that any operator would turn out to be worse than Connex?
What could be done? Well for a start is it worth two off peak trains for Longfield and Meopham departing within 6 minutes of each other? (see the actual timetable) If the 0.52 departures from Victoria missed out those stops and Newington (being covered by the 0.22 departure) then at least 6 minutes could be gained. The other 10 minutes is simply slack timetabling as Kent passengers were always told that the longer dwell time at stations would be compensated by the faster acceleration of the 375s - which are, it seems, slower than the 365s that preceeded them.
As said in another thread this is possibly the worst ever timetable for North and East Kent - and that includes the Connex period.
(Now if the ChavLine services had been franchised separately then there would have been competition negotiated by that new operator and I am pretty sure that GoVex would have gone for faster classic services and competitive pricing - but taking away good fast classic services simply exploits the monopoly situation witnessed by slower and less frequent services - except on routes that deliver few, if any, benefits for passengers but charge more in fares.)
Yours sincerely
O.V.S.Bulleid
Govex are making a lot of the High Speed Preview Service in terms of reduced journey times but have stayed clear of giving passengers on the North Kent route a chance to marvel at the vastly improved service to be offered from December.
Friends - it isn't that good in frequency, speed or convenience - take a look at the table below and I'll explain what it shows: -
| Year | 2009 | 2009 | 2009 | 1999 |
| St Pancras | 0.03 | 0.00 | ||
| Victoria | 0.00 | via | 0.00 | |
| Bromley South | 0.17 | Ashfd | 0.16 | |
| Longfield | 0.30 | |||
| Meopham | 0.35 | |||
| Rochester | 0.41 | 0.47 | ||
| Chatham | 0.43 | 0.50 | 0.41 | |
| Gillingham | 0.48 | 0.55 | 0.45 | |
| Rainham | 0.53 | 0.59 | 0.49 | |
| Newington | 1.03 | |||
| Sittingbourne | 1.01 | 1.09 | 0.56 | |
| Faversham | 1.09 | 1.21# | 1.06* | |
| Whitstable | 1.29 | 1.14 | ||
| Herne Bay | 1.34 | 1.19 | ||
| Birchington | 1.43 | 1.28 | ||
| Margate | 1.49 | 1.28 | 1.33 | |
| Broadstairs | 1.54 | 1.22 | 1.38 | |
| Ramsgate | 1.59 | 1.17 | 1.43 |
# - Train arrives at 1.17 * - Train arrives at 1.04
There are four columns - three for 2009 and one for 1999.
1999 shows the faster of the two Victoria services (the one not stopping at Chestfield and Westgate) and the second column is its decendent 10 years later - 16 minutes slower.
Even going via North London isn't much help either as it leaves three minutes after the Victoria service - so no need to go out of your way - but doesn't run beyond Faversham so passengers for stations beyond will have to change and still take 13 minutes longer than 10 years earlier.
Going from North London via Ashford is heralded as super fast - but wait a moment, 10 years ago the service was only 5 minutes slower to Margate. Going via Ashford means that Ramsgate is reached first and it is true that the ChavLine trains take 26 minute less - but stop at 7 less stations - which I can accept.
Who would have thought that any operator would turn out to be worse than Connex?
What could be done? Well for a start is it worth two off peak trains for Longfield and Meopham departing within 6 minutes of each other? (see the actual timetable) If the 0.52 departures from Victoria missed out those stops and Newington (being covered by the 0.22 departure) then at least 6 minutes could be gained. The other 10 minutes is simply slack timetabling as Kent passengers were always told that the longer dwell time at stations would be compensated by the faster acceleration of the 375s - which are, it seems, slower than the 365s that preceeded them.
As said in another thread this is possibly the worst ever timetable for North and East Kent - and that includes the Connex period.
(Now if the ChavLine services had been franchised separately then there would have been competition negotiated by that new operator and I am pretty sure that GoVex would have gone for faster classic services and competitive pricing - but taking away good fast classic services simply exploits the monopoly situation witnessed by slower and less frequent services - except on routes that deliver few, if any, benefits for passengers but charge more in fares.)
Yours sincerely
O.V.S.Bulleid