- How can I keep up to date with what's happening?
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Check this website regularly and stay up to date with the Thameslink Programme developments by signing up to receive the latest news by email.
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- What is the Thameslink Programme?
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Good question. It’s a government-funded £5.5bn programme of work to introduce new and improved stations, new track, new cross-London routes and new longer and more frequent trains with the express purpose of relieving overcrowding. It will transform the Thameslink route.
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- Who’s involved?
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Network Rail will build new track, new stations, extend platforms and improve signalling. First Capital Connect will bring in a new fleet of trains and run the train service, parts of which will be jointly run with train operator Southeastern.
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- What’s in it for me?
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A more comfortable ride! That’s thanks to more space on more frequent, longer, brand new trains running to and through London from better stations across an extended rail network. There will be 92 new carriages rolling out during 2009 (the equivalent of 23 four-carriage trains), plus Blackfriars, London Bridge and Farringdon stations will all be upgraded significantly. By 2009, there will be direct connections from North Thameslink stations to Kent. Check out the new destinations that may be on offer by 2015.
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- When's it happening?
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March 2009:
· Preparatory work completed ready for stations at Farringdon and Blackfriars to be redesigned/redeveloped.
· Moorgate branch closed.
· New timetable in place offering new direct destinations from north Thameslink route stations to Kent and south east London
December 2011:
· Farringdon, Blackfriars and most stations on the Thameslink route main line capable of taking 50% longer, 12-carriage trains. These leave central London stations up to 16 times an hour at peak times.
End of 2015:
· London Bridge station redeveloped
· New fleet of trains
· Up to 24 trains per hour at peak times through central London
· An expanded network
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- Will trains be more frequent?
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There’ll be many more trains per hour and more destinations to choose from on trains that take you through the heart of London. The main goal is to reduce overcrowding.
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- What impact will this have on my day?
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Let’s be honest: while we think you’ll like the end result, the work might well disrupt your journey in the short- term. We’re working closely with Network Rail to keep aggravation to a minimum and doing our level best to keep you updated with what’s going on. We’ll also offer advice on the best way around bottlenecks and station works – a job made much easier if you sign up to our email alerts.
On top of this, we’re working with Network Rail to maintain and in some cases improve train services before the main work begins by making changes to the network.
Network Rail is also investing £40million in Thameslink route infrastructure to ensure it is reliable enough for us to deliver the service our customers expect and deserve during the delivery of the Programme. This includes:
· Investing in spare switch and crossing parts to reduce the time it takes to replace these components when they fail.
· Improving overhead lines in the Bedford area to reduce delays resulting from overhead line problems.
· Reducing the length of the electric section in the West Hampstead area to give more flexibility of where trains can turn around if there are problems with the overhead lines in the area.
· Putting in a turnback at Herne Hill to allow trains to turn around and go back in the direction they have come from. This is very useful in times of disruption and has been installed following a request by FCC.
· Investing in additional resources to better manage incidents when disruption occurs in the core section between St Pancras International and Blackfriars.
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- How is the £5.5bn being spent?
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The £5.5bn will be spent on new track, new stations, longer platforms, better signalling and new trains. A significant portion will be spent on track improvement work, as well as redesigning Farringdon and redeveloping Blackfriars and London Bridge stations.
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- Will there be new trains?
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Yes! New trains are just around the corner.
Coming in 2009
There will be 92 new air-conditioned Class 377 Electrostar carriages arriving during 2009 which will also have a smoother ride, with CCTV and panels showing information about your route. They will run on the main Bedford to Brighton route, fast between St Albans and St Pancras, and in the peaks between Bedford and Ashford, Rochester, Gillingham and Bearsted (operated jointly with Southeastern). However, because late night and early morning services between Bedford / London / Three Bridges / Brighton call at all stations between St Albans and St Pancras (including places like Cricklewood, Radlett, Mill Hill etc) there will be a few trains formed of Class 377 carriages which call at Radlett, Elstree, Mill Hill, Hendon, Cricklewood, West Hampstead and Kentish Town.
We're also bringing in more of the existing 319 trains in the short term (see FAQ Do we really have to wait?).
All this means that, by spring 2009, all but six of our rush hour services will be the maximum eight carriages in length.
2012-2015
And brand new eight and 12-carriage trains are being built too - these will be next generation trains entering service between 2012 and 2015. They will have the effect of significantly increasing capacity - and they'll be more frequent through central London. In fact, by the end of 2015 there will be trains every 2-3 minutes running into and out of central London on the Thameslink route.
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- Will trains be longer?
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All but six peak hour services will be made eight carriages long in 2009 (see FAQ Do we really have to wait?). By 2012 most stations will be capable of taking 50% longer 12-carriage trains. A full 12-carriage timetable will be in operation by the end of 2015.
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- Where are the new trains for 2012-2015 coming from?
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The Department for Transport is working on rolling stock plans for this period and we will update you when they are finalised.
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- Do we really have to wait until 2012 and 2015 for some relief to the overcrowding?
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It’s true that the biggest improvements won’t happen until 2012 and then 2015. However, First Capital Connect is painfully aware how much you hate packed trains so is doing its level best to do something about overcrowding right now. There's real progress too.
Getting in more trains carriages right now
Until new track and stations allow First Capital Connect to run more and longer trains on the Thameslink route, every effort’s being made to run as many carriages as possible on the existing line to ease your journey. Believe it or not this will be done in 2009 when all but six rush hour trains will be the maximum eight carriages in length.
It’s tough finding more carriages. The problem is they have to be ‘dual voltage’ to run on the two different types of Thameslink power supplies, north and south of London. The Class 319 carriages that run on the Thameslink route today obviously have this feature and First Capital Connect’s aim has been to acquire every one of them in existence. Southern trains is helping with this.
New and air-conditioned
To make up the shortfall, First Capital Connect will also be taking delivery of a further 92 brand new carriages, known as Class 377 Electrostars, in 2009. These air-conditioned trains will also have a smoother ride, with CCTV and panels showing information about your route.
They will run on the main Bedford to Brighton route and in the peaks between Bedford and Ashford, Rochester, Gillingham and Bearsted (operated jointly with Southeastern).
So what’s happening?
First Capital Connect has already sourced 56 more carriages since 2006, helping double the length of trains on many Thameslink services and from December 2008 and through 2009 there will be, progressively, 116 more carriages added to the route, 92 of them the new Class 377 Electrostar. That means that, once all the carriages have been delivered, only six trains will be four carriages long – these are all in the evening and in reality just before or after the high peak. Furthermore, the frequency of trains arriving at Blackfriars and City Thameslink stations will double from 7-8 trains per hour to 15 trains per hour, matching that of St Pancras and Farringdon.
Lengthened trains
In December 2006 First Capital Connect leased an extra train from Southern and that has lengthened the 0758 Bedford to Wimbledon and 1650 Wimbledon to St Albans services.
In May 2007 First Capital Connect fine-tuned its formations to lengthen four rush hour trains to eight carriages:
Morning rush hour
| 0820 Bedford – Brighton (arrives St Pancras 0920) | May 2007 |
| 0742 Bedford – Moorgate (arrives St Pancras 0836) | May 2007 |
Evening rush hour
| 1816 Moorgate – Bedford (departs St Pancras 1824) | May 2007 |
| 1714 Moorgate – Bedford (departs St Pancras 1722) | May 2007 |
In December 2007 we acquired more train carriages from Southern Railway, which let us lengthen the following services to eight-carriage trains:
Morning rush hour
| 0630 Luton – Moorgate (arrives St Pancras 0712) | December 2007 |
| 0744 St Albans – Wimbledon (arrives St Pancras 0812) | December 2007 |
| 0802 Luton – Moorgate (arrives St Pancras 0836) | December 2007 |
| 0822 St Albans – Sutton (arrives St Pancras 0856) | December 2007 |
| 0840 Bedford – Brighton (arrives St Pancras 0939) | December 2007 |
| 0923 Wimbledon – Luton (arrives Blackfriars 0958) | December 2007 |
Evening rush hour
| 1553 Wimbledon - Luton (departs St Pancras 1640) | December 2007 |
| 1623 Wimbledon – Bedford (departs St Pancras 1710) | December 2007 |
| 1748 Luton – Sutton (departs St Pancras 1833) | December 2007 |
| 1744 St Albans – Wimbledon (departs St Pancras 1815) | December 2007 |
| 1510 Bedford – Brighton (departs St Pancras 1609) | May 2008 |
Longer trains in 2009
There are currently (October 08) 25 peak hour trains that are four carriages in length (eight in the morning and 17 in the evening). Once the full complement of 92 Class 377 carriages has been delivered, in 2009, only six peak hour services will be four carriages long. These are:
1534 Sevenoaks – Bedford (departs St Pancras 1646)
1738 Kentish Town – Three Bridges (departs Blackfriars 1754)
1842 London Bridge – Brighton
1537 Brighton – Bedford (departs St Pancras 1706)
1711 London Bridge to Brighton
1507 Brighton to Bedford (departs St Pancras 1636)
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- Where else will I be able to travel?
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In March 2009, there will be direct connections from north Thameslink route stations to Kent and south east London. By the end of 2015 the Great Northern route will be linked in. The final route map has yet to be finalised but check out the new destinations that may be on offer.
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- Will you be getting more station staff?
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From Monday to Friday, First Capital Connect stations within central London will have more Customer Information staff available on the platforms to help you.
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- Will the Thameslink Programme be paid for by big fare increases?
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No - there will not be any direct link between the investment in new trains and infrastructure and the fares charged to customers on the route. The investment is being funded by the Department for Transport.
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- Will the longer trains mean FCC will lift its policy of restricting passengers with off-peak tickets returning home in the peak (evening period restrictions)?
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First Capital Connect has committed to monitor passenger numbers on trains as additional carriages are introduced and review the policy accordingly.
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- When will the new interim 2009 timetable be introduced?
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Timetables are normally changed only in December and May each year. However, there will be an additional timetable change to the Thameslink route on 22 March 2009. This alteration will see the closure of the Thameslink route branch line from Farringdon to Moorgate via Barbican. At the same time it allows the closure of the terminating 'bay' platforms at Blackfriars station so that Network Rail can start major building work.
The new timetable will connect those southbound First Capital Connect services that would have run to Moorgate with those northbound Southeastern services that would have terminated at Blackfriars (see New services between north Thameslink route stations and Kent).
Blackfriars Tube station is closing on 2 March 2009. Staggering this closure with those changes at Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate and Blackfriars railway stations on 22 March 2009 will make it easier for passengers to adjust their travel arrangements.
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- Crikey! That tone's a bit flippant, isn't it?
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The Thameslink Programme is extremely important and one of the biggest rail projects in the UK for a number of years. It will impact different people in different ways.
From the beginning it was recognised that clear communication would be key to the success of the project - passengers have to understand what is happening, and in some cases need to plan ahead and make alternative travel plans.
Many options were examined for how to communicate with customers. The winning solution was a unique style aimed at grabbing people's attention. It is direct, totally honest, accessible and straight talking.
The full campaign, from the tone of the language to the design of the multicoloured stripes, was tested with a number of customer groups. The feedback was very positive but there was a small percentage of people who did not like the approach. Research will be carried out continuously to monitor people's views and the effectiveness of the campaign.
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