Peckham trains getting shorter?

[Girl82]

Several times in the last couple of weeks, the 17.34 Dartford train from Victoria to Peckham has been quite a lot shorter. Fewer carriages has meant that the commute home is now extremely crowded - one girl barely managed to get off the train at Denmark Hill because there were so many people crammed into the aisles.

I was just wondering if anyone else has noticed this - and if anyone knows whether the shorter trains are going to be a permanent fixture? I hope not!

[the-e-dealer]

I should think most of the people on the train noticed it.

[Ridgley]

Yes I have noticed it not sure how it all works if that particular train line is a busy one?

[the-e-dealer]

South Eastern sometimes reduce the number of Carriages During Holidays.

[KidKruger]

thats great but the calendar of holidays obviously has little relevance to the actual train usage, hence the OVERcrowding.

[the-e-dealer]

Well no because during school holidays a lot of parents take time off you can tell by the roads too, fewer traveling. But not enough to justify cancelling 50% of carriages.

[KidKruger]

if the trains are consistently overcrowded, the train co has work to do, whether holidays or not.

[the-e-dealer]

?

[Girl82]

the-e-dealer Wrote:

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> Well no because during school holidays a lot of

> parents take time off you can tell by the roads

> too, fewer traveling. But not enough to justify

> cancelling 50% of carriages.

It actually was 50% yesterday, from eight down to four! Back up to eight today though, which is the usual length I think. God I'm boring! :D

[the-e-dealer]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> if the trains are consistently overcrowded, the

> train co has work to do, whether holidays or not.

They aren't consistently over crowded they are over crowded when the carriages are reduced.

[polla2256]

In all likely hood there may have been a number of failures.

If an 8 car unit (comprised of 2 4 cars) experiences a failure you can send out a 4 car (by splitting the unit) and repair the faulty 4 car left behind (at some point).

The time you have specified is peak time and unlikely to have planned and intentional reduced capicity. Also if a different diagram of the route has a failure (this time only a 4 car), it is logical to split a unit and re-diagram that half leaving the (now) smaller unit on its original diagram to increase capaicty on the other part of the network.

In short at least the train turned up and I'm sure it wasn't intentional.