Hello

We are a french family with huges heavy bags comming from Gatwick Airport
to Walton-on-Thames. I think the better way is by Clapham junction but is
there carriages or is it relatively easy without carriages ?
Is there a better solution (possibly usin taxy) ?

thanks
--
Emmanuel Chantréau

"Emmanuel Chantréau" wrote in message
...
Hello

We are a french family with huges heavy bags comming from Gatwick Airport
to Walton-on-Thames. I think the better way is by Clapham junction but is
there carriages or is it relatively easy without carriages ?
Is there a better solution (possibly usin taxy) ?

thanks
--
Emmanuel Chantréau

To get across from the train from Gatwick to the Walton-on-Thames train will
involve crossing to another platform, but the main problem you will find is
the train to Walton on Thames. The trains on this service do not have heavy
luggage racks, so the only space for them will be in the seat bays, or the
aisle. Again if travelling mid-week, the train to Walton-on-Thames will
probably be very full during rush hour. However, a Taxi would prove to be
quite expensive from Clapham Junction.

PK

"Phil Kitchen" wrote in message
...

To get across from the train from Gatwick to the Walton-on-Thames train
will
involve crossing to another platform, but the main problem you will find
is
the train to Walton on Thames. The trains on this service do not have
heavy
luggage racks, so the only space for them will be in the seat bays, or the
aisle. Again if travelling mid-week, the train to Walton-on-Thames will
probably be very full during rush hour. However, a Taxi would prove to be
quite expensive from Clapham Junction.

Crossing platforms *shouldn't* be too much of a problem. The Southern
service from Gatwick (www.southernrailway.com) will normally arrive at
platform 12, whilst the South West Trains stopping services to
Walton-on-Thames (www.swtrains.co.uk) usually leave from platform 11, which
is the other face of the same platform.

As mentioned, the trains get very full during the rush hours (particularly
between 16:30 and 19:00) and the OP would be advised to avoid that time.
However, out of the peak time there is usually plenty of room for stowing
luggage in the seating bays or by the doors.

In message , Jack Taylor
writes
Crossing platforms *shouldn't* be too much of a problem. The Southern
service from Gatwick (www.southernrailway.com) will normally arrive at
platform 12, whilst the South West Trains stopping services to
Walton-on-Thames (www.swtrains.co.uk) usually leave from platform 11, which
is the other face of the same platform.

If that is the case, then the OP is extremely fortunate. To cross from
one island platform to another at Clapham Junction with heavy bags is
*extremely* tedious and involves *lots* of stairs.

Incidentally, I did this change a few months ago, from a "Connex-ish[1]"
train from Gatwick to one on the Esher/Walton/Weybridge line and it
*did* involve changing islands. Was I unlucky?

[1] It really do lose track of what these TOCs call themselves this
week.
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
y.com...

Incidentally, I did this change a few months ago, from a "Connex-ish[1]"
train from Gatwick to one on the Esher/Walton/Weybridge line and it
*did* involve changing islands. Was I unlucky?

Perhaps you were on one of the Brighton/Gatwick - Watford services that run
via Kensington Olympia. These cross from the fast lines to the slow lines at
Balham and then cross again in the throat of Clapham Junction station to
take the easternmost lines that then dive under the Victoria and Waterloo
lines. In that case it *is* a pig of a journey! Normally Victoria mainline
services use platform 12 and suburban services platform 14. Down South
Western suburban services usually use 11 and mainline services use 9
(Windsor lines excepted!).

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 at 18:13:52, Roland Perry
wrote:

[1] It really do lose track of what these TOCs call themselves this week.

I don't think they know, do they? On Sunday I went down from CJ to
Arundel on what the announcer called a Southern train - but all the
in-train announcements said "South Central".....

Incidentally, it was a new train, and *extremely* uncomfortable for the
1.5 hour run (although the mid-Sussex line is really beautiful,
especially south of Pulborough), but the train I caught back today,
although identical outside, was quite different inside and far more
comfortable than the one I got on Sunday! Anybody know what/why?

Oh, and are the lavatories *always* locked out of service?
--
Annabel Smyth
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/index.html
Website updated 6 June 2004

"Annabel Smyth" wrote in message
...

I don't think they know, do they? On Sunday I went down from CJ to
Arundel on what the announcer called a Southern train - but all the
in-train announcements said "South Central".....

They've only just rebranded themselves as Southern Railway, so it will take
a few weeks to change all the signage and to modify all of the announcements
(I noticed recently that even at Waterloo East there are still some
automated station announcements referring to Connex South Eastern!).

Incidentally, it was a new train, and *extremely* uncomfortable for the
1.5 hour run (although the mid-Sussex line is really beautiful,
especially south of Pulborough), but the train I caught back today,
although identical outside, was quite different inside and far more
comfortable than the one I got on Sunday! Anybody know what/why?

There are several different variants of the Electrostar design. Some of them
have 2+2 seating, some of them have 2+3 (and are not so comfortable!). I
suspect that you may have gone out on one of the latter and returned on one
of the former. Most of the new trains were ordered by Connex South Central,
in the distant days when they ran the franchise, and are to their
specification. Southern Railway (aka SouthCentral Trains) are aware that the
environment is not ideal and intend to make some modifications once the
whole fleet is in service.

Oh, and are the lavatories *always* locked out of service?

That's the problem with computerised toilets! Whenever something goes wrong,
or it can't flush, they lock themselves out of use, requiring a member of
staff to check whether there actually *is* a problem or not and to reset the
software. It's a common problem with all of the Electrostar and Turbostar
(the diesel version) family. It's not so bad where the TOC have specified
one disabled loo and one traditional loo per set (the traditional loos have
an ordinary handle on the door) but where they have only specified one loo
(which, to satisfy regulations, has to be suitable for disabled persons) it
is causing problems.

In message , Jack Taylor
writes

They've only just rebranded themselves as Southern Railway, so it will take
a few weeks to change all the signage and to modify all of the announcements
(I noticed recently that even at Waterloo East there are still some
automated station announcements referring to Connex South Eastern!).

Ealing Broadway platform announcements are still "Thames Trains".

It's not so bad where the TOC have specified
one disabled loo and one traditional loo per set (the traditional loos have
an ordinary handle on the door) but where they have only specified one loo
(which, to satisfy regulations, has to be suitable for disabled persons) it
is causing problems.

Presumably the disabled loo is taking itself too seriously and disabling
itself without being asked?
--
Roland Perry

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 at 18:17:26, Jack Taylor wrote:


"Annabel Smyth" wrote in message
...

Incidentally, it was a new train, and *extremely* uncomfortable for the
1.5 hour run (although the mid-Sussex line is really beautiful,
especially south of Pulborough), but the train I caught back today,
although identical outside, was quite different inside and far more
comfortable than the one I got on Sunday! Anybody know what/why?

There are several different variants of the Electrostar design. Some of them
have 2+2 seating, some of them have 2+3 (and are not so comfortable!). I
suspect that you may have gone out on one of the latter and returned on one
of the former.

Thank you. Yes, now you come to mention it that was exactly the format
- and the 2+3s had very little wiggle room down the aisles - I'm not as
slim as I was 30 years ago, and it was quite difficult to manoeuvre!

Most of the new trains were ordered by Connex South Central,
in the distant days when they ran the franchise, and are to their
specification. Southern Railway (aka SouthCentral Trains) are aware that the
environment is not ideal and intend to make some modifications once the
whole fleet is in service.

Excellent!

Oh, and are the lavatories *always* locked out of service?

That's the problem with computerised toilets! Whenever something goes wrong,
or it can't flush, they lock themselves out of use, requiring a member of
staff to check whether there actually *is* a problem or not and to reset the
software. It's a common problem with all of the Electrostar and Turbostar
(the diesel version) family. It's not so bad where the TOC have specified
one disabled loo and one traditional loo per set (the traditional loos have
an ordinary handle on the door) but where they have only specified one loo
(which, to satisfy regulations, has to be suitable for disabled persons) it
is causing problems.


Deep sigh.....
--
Annabel Smyth
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/index.html
Website updated 6 June 2004

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
y.com...

Ealing Broadway platform announcements are still "Thames Trains".

Yes, I noticed that myself a couple of weeks ago and raised it on uk.r. It
appears that so far only the GW 'major' (not in the NR sense) stations have
been done but it is (allegedly) being progressively rolled out.