Brighton to Rye: the long way round

[@rogerthomas368]

You asked about why GWR is providing a Gatwick Airport to Redhill service. The reason is that they are providing a Gatwick Airport to Reading service via Redhill and Guildford service.

[@InverhavonRailways]

The staggered platforms at Rye were common on South Eastern railway stations to allow for sidings to allow horse boxes to be attached/detatched to the rear of trains. Strange but true.

[@MichaelSebastianTodd]

brilliant journey from Brighton to Rye & Rye castle looks amazing brilliant vlog

[@anerdtravels]

They wanted to stop using Ashford and Ebbsfleet for a while and COVID gave them the perfect excuse. The MP for Ashford has been in talks with a Spanish company recently about them taking over the route after Eurostar refused to come back, so could hopefully force their hand to return. Also fun fact: those inward facing seats were originally for crew use with some TOCs, with many designating them as priority or assisted travel seats in more recent years.

[@ricktownend9144]

Re Ashford - even when Eurostars did call there (only a few each day) the services were really only used by Ashford people; I don't think many people transferred from other rail services - using the complicated walkway via the customs/passport-control centre, carrying luggage, would be nearly as bad as crossing London to use St Pancras. Now, if the UK had been enthusiastic about joining Shengen, and Eurostar trains called at Ashford every half-hour ...

[@MercenaryPen]

Pretty sure GWR service from Reading to Gatwick is a holdover from the Network Southeast era in the 80s and 90s... maybe to simplify the number of depots that needed to handle DMUs, especially since until the Turbostars entered service diesel routes in the southeast were otherwise restricted to old slam-door DEMUs (think class 201 through to 210)

[@DarrenChilvers]

Class 101,110,117,119 used to run reading to Tonbridge until the stretch between redhill snd Tonbridge was electrified for reasons around the channell tunnel then the service from reading was changed to Gatwick instead of Tonbridge before that 205/206 tadpole units

[@nathanw9770]

Was gonna say the same thing haha. I think other operators aren't interested in the route either since they don't have enough diesel rolling stock required to operate it. Southern need their 171s for the Uckfield and Ashford to Eastbourne routes and SWR need their 159s for the Waterloo to Exeter route. Would be nice to have a 158 on the Reading to GA route every once in a whole though.

[@DarrenChilvers]

Love a 158 got to be better than 165/166 saying that could be worse I.e 150/153

[@quintuscrinis]

Pretty much agree with this explanation; except that wasn't the Reading to Gatwick/Redhill service originally part of the Cross-Country franchise extending to Cardiff and Brighton? Or is that just an idea I heard suggested as a useful new option?

[@MercenaryPen]

@@quintuscrinis muchas I believe cross country did try some services connecting to Brighton by that route, looking at the history, the current GWR service from Reading to Gatwick dates back to the 1980s

[@oliverstemp9132]

They stopped Eurostar from stopping in Kent because of Covid/Brexit/couldn’t be bothered anymore. Class 168s have some single seats facing inwards as well, I think they make space for luggage racks.

[@BTTT-c9q]

Which way do the Eurostar go instead of not through ashford?

[@oliverstemp9132]

@@BTTT-c9q St Pancras only, they never stopped in Stratford and have been running directly through Ashford without stopping since Covid. There are no plans to bring the stopping service back.

[@robfcgaming1947]

The Southeastern 377s are actually ex-Thameslink sets and are subleased from Southern

[@keithparker1346]

The video makes you appreciate that parts of the south are gorgeous in terms of countryside

[@ricktownend9144]

Congratulations! - sorry to hear about having to travel back the same way ... I suppose - such is the fragmented state of UK public transport - they didn't tell you that getting a bus from Rye station to Hastings station (two an hour up to 7:36pm) would get you back to Brighton in a bit over two hours? Still, as you say, it is a pretty route via Edenbridge - even better in April when the plum and blackthorn in the hedges make them all look sugar-coated. Tonbridge-Redhill is, as you say, pretty quiet, especially since they cut the frequency from two to one train per hour: not the way to get people to transfer from cars to trains! Look forward to your next TfL3 video

[@oldtechnobodycaresabout]

That stretch of thr SEML and Redhill to Tonbridge line is the longest single straight peice of track and I am also sure that the Redhill to Tonbridge line is normally Half-hourly

[@teecefamilykent]

Nope, hourly u der Southern, was half hourly under SE!

[@zowen.]

i get that train to school every day, half hourly at peak times only

[@TransportGeekery]

Guessing it gives you a valid alternative if the direct route is blocked. May also be a throwback to when trains ran from Lewes and Haywards Heath to Oxted

[@BTTT-c9q]

Great thank you for sharing, some of the new 377 have that line awkward seat shoved in the corner too on southern lol interesting way round like you say. Some really nice countryside on Sussex

[@il0v3transport]

That southeastern 377 was previously owned by thameslink and fcc, it was ordered by southern but then they were given to first capital connect

[@oldtechnobodycaresabout]

Marshlink is my favourite line!

[@BTTT-c9q]

Staggard platforms are from times when vehicles use to load mail, milk erns and delivery’s, some still exist probs from steam or slam door days .gomshall station is a nice example of a staggard platform

[@networkerfan]

11:36 staggered platforms is normal and exists at lots of stations example Roydon is Essex and Hatfield in Hertfordshire

[@Sim0nTrains]

Nice video. After seeing Ham Street might head there in the future to travel to a new Station that not built yet... Pineapple Road 😂 Ham to Pineapple 😂😂

[@oldtechnobodycaresabout]

Definitely should head to Hamstreet! It's a lovely village but also visit the rest of marshlink like rye and 3 oaks which I would argue are even nicer

[@Sim0nTrains]

@@oldtechnobodycaresabout I will do at some point, I also need to clear that line as I haven't been on it yet

[@networkerfan]

10:53 seats facing each other at the end of the train is also something on the Greater Anglia class 720s

[@ethmister]

Reading Gatwick. And Waterloo Exeter could really use a bi mode Third Rail/Diesel Train.

[@Lawi671]

Fun Fact the Southeastern Class 377s are not ExSouthern they are Ex First Capital Connect (Thameslink)

[@Thornaby37]

Out of interest, was there much difference in price between the ticket you used and going direct via Eastbourne and Hastings?

[@thetflthree]

It’s the exact same ticket, if you buy one from a ticket machine it will also be valid on the route I took, hence why I covered it. ~ Daniel

[@luisstransport]

Great video

[@AntonFanify]

The Southeastern 377s are subleased from Southern. There were rumours that the 377s were going back to Southern? But that will not happen now and the 377s is staying with Southeastern railway.

[@Devkumar43072]

Rye don't you like the 465s 😊. I have done a trip to Tattenham corner from Hampton Court then a trip from Tattenham corner to Hounslow all in declassified first class apart the 465 and 375 vice-versa Waterloo East & London Bridge in which all that journey was free on a freedom pass the train was an 458 from Hampton Court instead of a 455

[@jonnystrains]

class 377 at tonbridge???

[@jonnystrains]

which is worse 165 or 465

[@DonaldTrumpIsGreat]

None of The Networkers Are Bad

[@DonaldTrumpIsGreat]

Pacer Is The Worst Because It's a Bus On Rails

[@maimadha]

@@jonnystrainsboth the 165s and 465s are good trains

[@teecefamilykent]

Wheredid you get your hat from?

[@thetflthree]

London Transport Museum shop ~ Daniel

[@jonnystrains]

covid reasons