Train operator Southeastern has announced that a number of their train services now benefit from greater seating capacity for passengers.
With the UK slowly coming out of full national lockdown and more shops and facilities soon to reopen, Southeastern has anticipated an increase in passengers on a number of their services.
To ensure trains have an appropriate amount of seating, extra coaches will be added to a number of peak and off-peak trains starting Monday 29th of April 2021.
Also as part of the better capacity, the 15:39 Tonbridge to London Charing Cross has been reinstated in the timetable. Formed of 8 carriages, the train will call at Sevenoaks, London Bridge and Waterloo East and will connect with the 15:53 Sevenoaks to London Blackfriars via Otford service.
These changes to services are:
12 Coach Trains
London St Pancras
- From Dover – 5.49 am
- From Sandwich – 5.48 am
- From Margate – 8.53am, 1.55pm and 5.55pm
- To Margate – 7.12am, 12.12pm, 4.12pm and 9.12pm
London Charing Cross
- From Hastings – 8.31am, 9.50am, 10.50am, 1.50pm, 2.50pm, 4.50pm, 5.50pm, 7.50pm, 8.50pm,
- From Ramsgate – 5.42 am
- To Ashford – 8.10 am
- To Ramsgate – 5.40pm
- To Ramsgate – 5.30 am
- From Dover – 5.20 am
- From Ramsgate – 5.50 am and 7.40 am
- To Ramsgate – 4.40pm and 5.40pm
- To Dover – 5.10pm
8 Coach Trains
London Charing Cross
- From Hastings – 8.45am, 11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm, 2.15pm, 3.45pm, 4.45pm, 5.15pm, 5.45pm, 6.45pm, 7.45pm, 8.15pm, 9.45pm and 10.45pm
- From Ramsgate – 7.25am, 9.25am and 10.25am
- From Ashford – 4.02 pm
- To Ramsgate – 1.40pm and 4.40pm
- To Ashford – 11.40pm
London Cannon Street
- From Dover – 4.30 am
- To Ramsgate – 6.42 am
- From Broadstairs – 6.15 am
- From Ramsgate – 6.36 am
- To Dover – 4.41 pm
- To Margate – 6.11 pm
London Victoria
- From Ramsgate – 10.53am, 11.53am, 12.53pm and 6.53pm
- From Dover – 5.18 pm
- To Ramsgate – 1.40pm, 2.40pm, 7.40pm and 9.10pm
- To Dover – 3.15pm
- From Minster – 7.49 am
London Blackfriars
- To Ashford – 5.38 pm
Train Services Director for Southeastern Scott Brightwell said: “Now that the country is beginning to open up again we're making sure that as demand changes, the number of carriages available for service changes with it. While Government guidance continues to ask people to keep journeys to a minimum and stay local for leisure, retail and hospitality, we'll continue to monitor levels of demand and adjust train lengths accordingly.”
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To be clear, Southeastern drastically cut its capacity on 21 February 2021, in a then “new” timetable. Through Bromley South, off peak capacity was slashed by 70%. The current increase doesn’t even restore what was lost just a couple of months ago. So capacity on some lines like through Bromley South are still at roughly 50% of pre Feb 2021. Scandalous. Trains are now routinely packed again. So much for social distancing.
And that comes with the Class 707s cascaded from South Western Railway to be introduced in service. Which will operate the suburban metro services including the Hayes line, Dartford Loop via Sidcup and Bexleyheath. And the North Kent line to Dartford via Charlton/Woolwich Dockyard. As well to Orpington, Swanley, Sevenoaks, Rochester, Strood, Gillingham and Rainham.