Please find below the latest update from GTR and Network Rail:
Interim timetable 15th July
Details of a new interim timetable to provide a more reliable service for Thameslink and Great Northern passengers have been published today.
GTR has committed to running more peak hour trains and provide a more regular service when the new timetable starts on Sunday July 15.
This marks a significant stage in the recovery plan following issues resulting from the introduction of the May timetable due to industry-wide factors.
Improvements to Thameslink and Great Northern services have been made possible by increased efficiency of driver work schedules.
For further information on the new timetable visit www.thameslinkrailway.co.uk/interimtimetable or www.greatnorthernrail.co.uk/interimtimetable
We are updating all of our channels so that customers can access information online and at stations, including posters, announcements and leaflets from early next week.
To read the full press release, please click here.
Infrastructure and other issues
These are the key other issues that affected the service this week. We thought it would be useful for you to have the information to hand as you may receive enquiries about them.
- On the evening of 2 July there was significant disruption to services on the Brighton Main Line as a result of a problem with signalling equipment at Wivelsfield - there was a fault with the system that sends information between the signal and the signalling centre, affecting 5 signals on the Brighton Main Line, and our technicians had to work through the night to fix it.
Engineering work between London and Brighton/Eastbourne Sunday 8th July
With Britain’s heat wave set to continue into the weekend we are urging passengers travelling on the Brighton Main Line this Sunday to consider their travel plans as engineering work will mean no trains are able to run between Three Bridges and Brighton and Three Bridges and Lewes.
Trains will still run between London Victoria and Brighton, but will be diverted via Littlehampton, taking over two hours – twice the normal journey time.
A limited supply of buses will operate along the closed section of Brighton Main Line railway but a queuing system and longer journey times are expected, so passengers are strongly advised to consider alternative means of travel. For more information, please click here.
We have updated our information channels to make sure there is awareness including on our websites, social media, NRES and of course at stations.
1st Class declassification – 29th June – 15th July
First class declassification is in place on all Thameslink and Great Northern services during peak journey times to create more space for passengers. This will continue until the interim timetable is implemented on 15 July which will prioritise peak hours services and reduce service gaps. The rear carriage of all 700 trains are already permanently declassified.
For the declassification, the peaks are defined as follows (based on when the service departs the station);
- The AM peak is from 6.30am to 9.30am
- The PM peak is from 4.00pm to 7.15pm
Passengers who hold a first class season ticket can claim individually for the journeys they have made, or claim for all affected journeys in a single application after the 15 July. A new form will be available then.
We appreciate that customers may already hold a Thameslink or Great Northern first class season ticket and they will be able to claim the difference in cost for journeys made where first class was declassified. This can be found by clicking this link.
We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience that has been caused to you and passengers. Please continue to remind all GTR customers, including Southern and Gatwick Express, of the compensation they are entitled to: Delay Repay if their journey is delayed by 15 minutes or more (against either the planned May timetable or the service on the day) and enhanced compensation for season ticket holders, more details of which are available on the relevant brand’s website. As per the announcement earlier this we are working with the DfT on a scheme which will be announced shortly.