First Capital Connect - Seats For You Programme

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Further to the previous mentions of an upgraded timetable on the Great Northern lines group between Cambridge and London, the timetable starts today. It may only be a short-term gap between now and 2015, but it will help ease overcrowding in the meantime. There are a few new 12-car train journeys between Cambridge and London stopping at Royston only, and both platforms have been extended considerably towards our flat – indeed, I’ve spotted more-than-usual people in HiVis out on the track of late. So, from the FCC website…the peak PDF includes details of specific train changes

Extra seats and a new timetable are coming to the Great Northern Route!

The issue
This May sees First Capital Connect introduce a new timetable following the completion of the Peterborough and Cambridge Capacity Scheme. The Great Northern route, serving King’s Lynn, Cambridge and Peterborough services into London King’s Cross has some of the most overcrowded services in the country. As a result we have pushed for extra capacity and from 17 May 2009 we will have 20 additional carriages to support our capacity plans along with a whole new timetable.

What has been done?
The timetable is the result of the Peterborough & Cambridge Capacity Study and the subsequent consultation that took place. First Capital Connect met with Rail User Groups, local authorities, MPs and other stakeholders; it held public meetings, provided detailed information about the proposals, including new web-pages - as part of its effort to reach out to as wide an audience as possible.

What does this mean?
It means more seats on your journey. The combination of a new timetable plus the additional carriages will have seen us increase seats by over 2,500 in the AM and over 3,000 in the PM since May 2008. Platforms have been lengthened and power upgrades installed along the route into London by Network Rail.

This is the most significant change to the Great Northern route timetable for over 15 years. The changes in May 2009 mean extra trains, and your normal train may now be scheduled to depart or arrive at a different time.


 

Great Northern Service off-peak changes
Current Train	Change
Monday – Friday
05.56 King’s Cross – Hertford North	Extended to Stevenage calling at Watton-at-Stone.
06.54 Letchworth – Moorgate	Starts from Stevenage at 07.05.	Reduce delays caused by congestion between Letchworth and Stevenage.
08.12 Moorgate – Letchworth GC	Terminates at Stevenage.	Reduce delays caused by congestion at Cambridge Jn and Letchworth.
08.40 Welwyn GC – King’s Cross	Departs at 08.42 and calls additionally at Alexandra Palace.
09.52 Hertford – Moorgate	Starts from Stevenage at 09.34 calling at Watton-at-Stone.
Additional Train	17.44 Welwyn GC to King’s Cross calling at Hatfield, Potters Bar, Finsbury Park and King’s Cross.	Reduce overcrowding on the 16.55 Cambridge – King’s Cross.
Enhanced contra – peak service on the Hertford Loop.	Six additional trains will run between Hertford North/Gordon Hill – Moorgate in the contra-peak. This will provide the customer with an enhanced frequency and improved journey time.
19.06 King’s – Cambridge	Departs at 19.18 in conjunction with the new timetable.
19.07 King’s Cross – Peterborough	Departs at 19.10 and calls additionally at Hitchin.
19.36 King’s Cross – Peterborough	Diverted to Letchworth.	Stations served by the 19.52 King’s Cross – Peterborough.
19.52 King’s Cross - Cambridge	Diverted to Peterborough calling at Arlesey, Biggleswade, Sandy, St.Neots, Huntingdon and Peterborough.	Fills a significant gap in the service to Arlesey, Biggleswade and Sandy. Improved connections at Letchworth for intermediate stations to Cambridge.
Enhanced evening frequency to Hertford North.	Between 20.00 and 22.00 a 20 minute frequency will operate between Moorgate and Hertford North.
Additional Train	20.45 from King’s Cross to Ely calling at Cambridge, Waterbeach and Ely.
00.41 King’s Cross – Welwyn GC	Retimed to depart at 00.11 calling additionally at Harringay, Hornsey and Welham Green.	Low demand due to its close proximity to the 00.36 King’s Cross – Peterborough.
Friday Night
01.36 King’s – Peterborough	Calls additionally at Oakleigh Park, New Barnet and Hadley Wood.
01.41 King’s Cross – Welwyn GC	Retimed to depart at 01.11 calling additionally at Harringay, Hornsey and Welham Green.	Low demand due to its close proximity to the 01.36 King’s Cross – Peterborough.
Saturday
Additional Train	05.26 Ely to King’s Cross calling at Waterbeach, Cambridge, Royston, Letchworth and King’s Cross.
10.15 Cambridge – King’s Cross	Starts from King’s Lynn at 09.30 calling at Downham Market, Ely.
Additional Train	17.10 King’s Cross to Peterborough calling at St.Neots, Huntingdon and Peterborough.
17.45 King’s Cross – King’s Lynn	Calls additionally at Royston.
18.15 King’s Cross – Cambridge	Extended to Ely running non-stop from Cambridge.
18.45 King’s Cross – King’s Lynn	Increased from 4 to 8 cars. Calls additionally at Royston.
Additional Train	19.15 Cambridge to King’s Cross.
Additional Train	19.45 Cambridge to King’s Cross.
19.45 King’s Cross – King’s Lynn	Increased from 4 to 8 cars. Calls additionally at Royston.
Additional Train	20.45 Cambridge to King’s Cross.
Additional Train	20.45 King’s Cross to King’s Lynn calling at Royston, Cambridge, Waterbeach, Ely, Littleport, Downham Market, Watlington and King’s Lynn.
20.52 King’s Cross – King’s Lynn	Terminates at Cambridge.	Stations served by the 20.45 King’s Cross – King’s Lynn.
Additional Train	21.45 Cambridge to King’s Cross.
22.36 King’s Cross – Peterborough	Diverted to Letchworth.	Stations served by the 22.52 King’s Cross – Peterborough.
Additional Train	22.52 King’s Cross to Peterborough calling at Finsbury Park, Stevenage, Hitchin, Arlesey, Biggleswade, Sandy, St.Neots, Huntingdon and Peterborough.
Sunday
09.15 King’s Cross - Cambridge	Extended to King’s Lynn calling at Waterbeach, Ely, Littleport, Downham Market, Watlington and King’s Lynn.