NO TRAINS AT BIRKBECK. NO TRAINS BETWEEN WEST NORWOOD AND TULSE HILL – Southern announces their new timetable

NO TRAINS AT BIRKBECK. NO TRAINS BETWEEN WEST NORWOOD AND TULSE HILL – Southern announces their new timetable

A new railway timetable announced by Southern which starts next Monday shows NO weekday services between Crystal Palace and Beckenham Junction – and NO weekday services between West Norwood and Tulse Hill.

News From Crystal Palace contacted Southern operators GTR to comment on the above. We asked: “Your map of revised services appears to show no Southern services operating between West Norwood and Tulse Hill – and no services operating at Birkbeck station.

“Both are coloured mauve on your map. “Please could you confirm / clarify?”

GTR (Govia Thameslink Railway)press office replied: “This is correct. “Passengers can either use their Southern tickets on London Buses or on Tramlink for connecting services (which, in the case of Beckenham Junction, is Southeastern).”

The changes to the timetable – brought about by what Southern says is ill-health among train conductors (which appear to have reached plague-like proportions – Ed.) – include:

No service between London Bridge and Beckenham Junction
Please use alternative Southern, Tramlink, London Overground and Southeastern services to complete your journey. Southern tickets will also be accepted on local buses between West Norwood and Tulse Hill and between Crystal Palace, Birkbeck and Beckenham Junction.” (No other operators services.)

No service between Sutton and Streatham via Wimbledon (this service normally operates during the peak only)
Tickets will be accepted on Thameslink services to and from London Blackfriars which will operate to a normal Monday to Friday timetable. Change at Streatham for alternative Southern services to London Bridge.

The map on Southern’s website has similar colouring to the London Underground map.

Yellow: London Bridge via East Dulwich to Crystal Palace. A reduced Southern service will run – please check before travelling.

Green: London Victoria to Crystal Palace via Streatham Hill (but coloured yellow West Norwood to Crystal Palace); London Bridge to Crystal Palace via Sydenham and London Bridge to Norwood Junction via Sydenham: Most Southern trains running. Please check before travelling.

In statements on their website Southern say: “Southern services continue to be severely affected by limited train crew availability including a high level of conductor sickness, which is leading to some services being cancelled for part or all of their journey.

“We understand the impact that the current unpredictable and often late notice cancellations and delays have on your journeys and daily plans. “While this continues, we will be unable to reliably operate the full timetable.

“In order to give you more certainty for your journey and enable you to better plan, we will implement an amended timetable on Mondays to Fridays that we will be able to operate more reliably. “We are continuing to do everything possible to restore a full service as soon as we are able.

“Times of other operators’ services will be unaffected by the timetable change but some services may be busier than normal, so please allow more time for your journey. “We are working with other transport operators to offer you alternatives where possible.

“For live running information, including live departure boards and service alerts, please visit our Live Running page.”

For latest info please go to: southernrailway.com