Timetable changes

The continued late delivery of the new Electrostar fleet means there will be minor changes to the Thameslink route timetable from 17 May. These could affect your journey if you live in West Hampstead, Elstree & Borehamwood or Radlett, and possibly if you get out at Leagrave or Flitwick. Please pick up a new timetable at any manned First Capital Connect station or see the timetable on the web (page 32). Changes follow...

West Hampstead, Elstree & Borehamwood or Radlett

If you normally catch the 1806 Elephant & Castle, 1812 Blackfriars or 1814 City Thameslink to West Hampstead, Elstree & Borehamwood or Radlett you will have to change at Farringdon from where this service will now begin (at 1819).

However, Farringdon is very congested because of Thameslink Programme building work so we recommend you either change at St Pancras (1824) or take a direct service from Elephant & Castle, Blackfriars and City Thameslink 12 minutes earlier or five minutes later.

The 1819 from Farringdon is also going to be four carriages long so the service to West Hampstead, Elstree & Borehamwood and Radlett five minutes later has been doubled in length to 8 carriages. This means another service half an hour earlier, the 1758 from St Pancras, has had to be shortened to four carriages to make this possible.

Leagrave and Flitwick

The same affected service (1806 Elephant & Castle, 1812 Blackfriars or 1814 City Thameslink) will also no longer call at Leagrave or Flitwick. Customers need again take the service that starts from Farringdon at 1819. However, these stations are better served by the fast service which leaves four minutes earlier and remains unchanged: 1802 Elephant & Castle, 1806 Blackfriars, 1808 City Thameslink, 1811 Farringdon, 1816 St Pancras Int’l.

Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway and Harlington

From Monday, 18 May, customers travelling to these stations can board the fast 1816 Farringdon-St Pancras-St Albans-Harpenden-Luton Airport Parkway-Luton-Harlington-Bedford service at Elephant & Castle (1806), Blackfriars (1810) and City Thameslink (1812). It will leave Farringdon one minute earlier, at 1815. 

Why are these changes being made?

FCC has to make these changes because train manufacturer Bombardier is late delivering a new fleet of 23 Electrostar 4-car trains for the Thameslink route.

Once Bombardier has delivered sufficient trains, FCC will be able to start the 1819 Farringdon service from Elephant & Castle and run it eight carriages long.