Tom Anderson wrote:

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007, David A Stocks wrote:

(snip)

or taking a bus from Blackfriars?

Good lord no.

I read that and was genuinely perplexed as to why you might say that?
I'm not a number 4 bus regular (though I think I have been on it at
some point) but it goes a pretty direct route, and crucially a route
which will be quiet at the weekend (especially on a sunday).

Having checked the timetable for that route I note however the big
downside, which is that on sunday it is only every 15 minutes (and
somewhat to my astonishment only every 20 minutes before 10am), which
is around half it's normal weekday daytime frequency. Someone who knew
the ropes could try a bit of bus hopping outside St. Paul's tube
station, but that's not really appropriate here.

However, I can't help but think that your rejection of the bus option
was not based on looking at the timetable. Perhaps you know the route,
but otherwise I'm intrigued as to how you might reject the bus option
out of hand like that?

If the journey was up to Kings Cross or St. Pancras from Blackfriars,
and either (a) Thameslink wasn't working or (b) the questioner was
starting their journey from around Blackfriars (as opposed to already
being on the Thameslink train) then the bus option would likely be the
one I'd recommend.

(snip)

You aren't getting a stop at Elephant & Castle in lieu of London Bridge,
are you? That would be an alternative place to change, and one where you
could touch on in the way. Not quite as quick as via King's Cross,
probably.


The special FCC Thameslink engineering works timetable for this sunday
says there are no stops at E&C, otherwise that would certainly have
been the way to go that I'd have recommended.

However *if* trains were stopping at E&C then your assumption of what
would be quickest ain't right. Journey times wise, the Thameslink just
isn't very nippy through the central London section (something that
has been much commented on). An E&C to Kings Cross Thameslink journey
is 17 minutes in duration, whilst E&C to Kings Cross on the Northern
line takes 14 minutes - and E&C to the Angel takes 12 minutes.

When one considers this alongside its lesser frequency, Thameslink
just isn't currently that good an option for many journeys across
central London *for those who are not already on the train* - i.e.
it's no UndergrounD line! I guess this is why it vanished off the Tube
maps (perhaps helped by the chronic rush hour overcrowding it
experiences).

Regarding the potential for a hop-off hop-on Oyster at E&C, I'd say
it's a no-no, as the Oyster readers are at the bottom of a flight of
stairs from the high-level platforms. I'd consider it a distinctly
athletic feat if someone managed to to hop off a Thameslink train, get
down the stairs, touch-in, back up the stairs and then hop back on the
same train! Possible perhaps but only if you lined yourself up at the
right door to exit the train, were willing to kill a granny or two on
the stairs and the train was tardy in leaving the station.