Reduced Southern service

[Suzee]

We seem to have lost the London Bridge to Victoria loop line. In fact services to London Bridge from Sydenham are down to two per hour even in the morning peak.

This is really disappointing and surprising given the numbers of people now returning to offices.
And now there is no direct train to Clapham Junction or Victoria. It's as is we are being discouraged to take the train.

[squashst]

It is very disappointing, I suspect that Southern are concentrating on the longer commute routes and the "metro" service from London Bridge to Victoria is simply not a priority. They would would probably argue that we have the Overground (true, but they are crowded and the interchange at Canada Water is very crowded). I have heard that some are going to East Croydon where there are fast trains to Clapham and Victoria, but obviously that is inconvenient.

I agree with you that the cuts reduce choice and does not encourage people to return to offices, go out to the centre.

May be worth making those points to the London Mayor, local MP etc, Southern, though I wouldn't hold your breath for a quick change. The London Bridge / Victoria route might sit better with TfL, but there gain they are short of money.

[Parker1970]

I used to use the Victoria train to get to work via Clapham Junction to North West London, it meant my journey to work avoided the expensive Zone 1. Now I would have to use the London Overground in the opposite direction adn go through zone 1, doubling the cost of the journey.

I am working from home more now, but when I do go into the office, I use my car.. it's cheaper and quicker than 2 overground trains and a tube followed by 15 min walk. Was much easier before via Clapham Junction.

I was hoping it was only a temporary removal but it's been ages now so I doubt it's coming back.

I remember a lot of school children used to get this train and get off at Gipsy Hill for Kingsdale comprehensive... I wonder what they are doing now.

[syd-gal]

Strangely, last Saturday when there was a point failure and the Overground wasn't running from Forest Hill towards London, the Southern trains were running from FH and Sydenham to Victoria. There were 2 an hour.

[angela53]

It appears to have been running on Saturdays only as I have also caught the service recently on a Saturday
However I notice its not running this Saturday perhaps due to engineering works

[alywin]

I didn't think there were *any* trains this weekend?

I'm very annoyed about this, too. I don't tend to use the service off Sydenham on a very regular basis, but the loop service to London Bridge is a "go-to" for me any time I need to work on the train, because it has tables!. I didn't initially realise it had been cancelled when I looked at National Rail yesterday, because the down train goes at the same time, and the NR website was suggesting we get the train down to Norwood Junction or East Croydon, can't remember which, and then come back up again - it was only when I started to wonder why on earth I would need to change trains that I twigged. Presumably that wouldn't work in the morning rush hour, though, as we all know our services to East Croydon got sacrificed a few years ago during the major rescheduling.

The other day I was at Victoria for some reason and thought I could get the loop line back if the currently pathetic half-hourly service to Penge East was too full/cancelled - then I realised the loop wasn't running from there either

Southern did announce a couple of months ago that they were suspending certain parts of the service, I think because of the number of drivers having to self-isolate, so that what was left running was at least consistent. I know the London Bridge - Beckenham Junction service fell victim to that, and I think North/East Dulwich have (had?) lost a couple of trains an hour too. Given that the slow trains via Penge East are still only running at 50% too, I think it's a very poor service round here at the moment, and hope the situation doesn't last much longer. Apart from anything else, I want to get back to having a social life, which means being able to get into London - and home again - on trains I feel safe travelling on, rather than overpopulated cattle trucks.

[The Clown]

I just need to get directly to London Bridge - not via bloomin’ Canada Water which is geographically quite out of the way of a very direct route. Maddening

[alywin]

Have you tried train to Norwood Junction and pick up the Thameslink? I think it's fast from there, but don't know when it runs.

[The Clown]

Thanks but I don’t really see that as a solution to travel far out geographically to come back in, nor would it be time efficient. Every time I have been forced to do some to inf crazy like that, the services don’t line up.

[GFA]

Have you tried train to Norwood Junction and pick up the Thameslink? I think it's fast from there, but don't know when it runs.

They're normally half hourly and its quick - from Sydenham. The trains early morning ran at 37 mins past & 7 mins past. The first stop from Norwood Junction is London Bridge and takes around 15 mins - I think. Prior to the reintroduction of "working from home" guidance, its how I did my early morning commute to work (near St Pauls - got off at City Thameslink). Of course its a nuisance if the service is cancelled!