Trains to and from Charing Cross will not be able to stop at London Bridge during the first phase of the rebuilding of the Southeastern side of London Bridge – from January 2015 to August 2016. This affects trains from and to Sevenoaks and Dunton Green. Southeastern have finally published the timetables, and these timetables are now programmed into the National Rail website and other journey planners. These timetables come into effect from Sunday 11 January.

There are a very few changes from the revised draft timetables published in July  – we published our comments on those proposals then and our Vice-Chairman spoke about them on BBC Radio Kent.

The main changes which affect Sevenoaks and Dunton Green are that some Charing Cross trains will be diverted to Cannon Street, and some Cannon Street trains will be diverted to Charing Cross. The detail is quite complicated.

Weekday, early morning

There is some improvement in the early morning services to the City, following our representations to Southeastern. The first (slow) service to Waterloo East and Charing Cross is at 0501 and then there are fast services as follows:

• Waterloo East and Charing Cross: 0543, 0616, 0630, 0644 and 0649
• London Bridge and Cannon Street: 0549, 0610 and 0653.

The two changes are that the 0549 now goes to Cannon Street and the 0616 now reverts to Charing Cross. This now allows early morning access to Cannon Street and eliminates the 41 minute gap in Charing Cross services around 0600 which had been introduced. However there is still a 43 minute gap between the Cannon Street services at 0610 and 0653 – the 0653 is thus likely to be very crowded by the time it reaches Sevenoaks.

Weekday, morning peak

(changes to current services in bold)

Weekday, daytime service

The fast trains running between London and Tunbridge Wells (xx14 and xx19 from Sevenoaks, xx03 and xx33 from Cannon Street) will operate to and from Cannon Street calling at London Bridge.

The other fast trains (xx21, xx29, xx51 and xx59 from Sevenoaks, xx10, xx15, xx40 and xx45 from Charing Cross) will continue to operate to Waterloo East and Charing Cross, but will not stop at London Bridge.

Unfortunately the departures to & from Charing Cross are bunched together.  That increases the current maximum gap in services from 15 minutes to 22-25 minutes (Charing Cross/Waterloo East) and 30 minutes (London Bridge). That will seem like a very significant reduction in services for those wishing to go to or from a particular London station.

Weekday, evening peak

No changes are currently proposed to Sevenoaks services in the evening peak. The SRTA Trains Group considers that this will mean that most people who normally catch the Tunbridge Wells services at Platform 5 at London Bridge will catch services from Cannon Street from Platform 2 at London Bridge – adding to the existing overcrowding on these trains.

Weekday, evening post-peak

Tunbridge Wells services (xx14 and xx44 from Sevenoaks, xx03 and xx33 from London) are diverted to Cannon Street, calling at London Bridge. Other trains would continue to go to Charing Cross but would not stop at London Bridge. Up to 2100 this means the same bunching of services from Charing Cross; after 2100 the Charing Cross to Sevenoaks fast trains are at 2110, 2140, 2145, 2210, 2240, 2245, 2310 and 2340. That creates some 30 minute gaps in the late evening; this will require some careful planning for those out late.

The last trains will be from Charing Cross at 2345 (fast) and 0015 (slow); these trains will call at Waterloo East, then at Cannon Street (at 0001 and 0029 respectively), and then at London Bridge (at 0005 and 0033). The detour via Cannon Street adds time to the journey; the last direct trains are at 2340 from Charing Cross (not stopping at London Bridge) and 2333 from Cannon Street.

Saturdays

The Saturday service will be similar to the weekday off-peak services.

Sundays

All Sunday services will go to and from London Bridge and Cannon Street. There will be no services at all to Charing Cross and Waterloo East.  (Cannon Street Underground will be open and there is a limited ticket acceptance on the District line to Embankment – but not to intermediate stations.)  Fast services from Sevenoaks at xx00, xx20, xx30 and xx51 and from Cannon Street at xx10, xx27, xx40 and xx57. Last fast train from Cannon Street at 2340.

Further advice

This post gives a detailed factual note of the final version of the changes. We will be publishing shortly some suggestions on how Sevenoaks passengers might adjust their travel to avoid the worst of the disruption and overcrowding. Of course, conditions at Sevenoaks will not be helped by Southeastern’s advice to other travellers to change here:

“We strongly advise you wherever possible, to change on to a Cannon Street service as early as possible into your journey to avoid possible delays. Examples of stations where you could change include Orpington, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Hither Green.”