Gatwick Express

The Gatwick Express is the only direct non stop service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport. The service began branded as Rapid City Link using converted Class 427 Slam Door Units with added luggage space on existing commuter services. The non stop service began in 1984 with Class 73 Electro Diesels hauling a rake of Mk2 coaches with a converted Class 489 Driver Luggage Van on the other end as a control unit. The Class 460 Junipers were introduced in 2000 to replace the loco hauled stock but teething troubles meant that the old stock continued in service until 2005.

In 2008 Southern took over Gatwick Express but retained the sub brand. Southern saved the Gatwick Express from certain doom as it was proposed to be scrapped by the then Strategic Railway Authority. The Junipers have since 2008 been supplimented by the majority of the Class 442 Wessex Electric Units on additional London-Brighton peak services which still run non stop between Gatwick and London. Below is a discription of the journey including sections not included in the video.

The journey begins at London Victoria Station, the London terminus of the Brighton Main Line. Southern and Southeastern are the two operators which serve the station. Our train to Gatwick is the 13:00 service which is formed of Class 460 004 (still wearing Fly Emirates advitising) in platform 14. Upon departure our train makes easy work of Grosvenor Bank before passing over the River Thames on the bridge of the same name. The Chatham Main Line to Wandsworth Road and beyond diverges just before Battersea Park Station which is dominated by the former Battersea Power Station. We briefly run alongside the South Western Main Line out of Waterloo through Clapham Junction which is still the busiest station in Britain.

The Brighton Main Line diverges away at this point and runs through a collection of suburban stations such as Wandsworth Common, Balham, Norbury and Selhurst where we pass a Class 350 Desiro working one of the East Croydon - Milton Keynes services. The depot is visible as the line from London Bridge joins us. This route is the main route used by the Bedford - Brighton Thameslink Services now operate by First Capital Connect. East Croydon is a sizable place, its station is close to the town centre and is served by the Croydon Tramlink plus it is an interchange with services to Uckfield, East Grinstead, Tattenham Corner etc.

Having passed through East Croydon we accelerate again as the Uckfield Line diverges at Purley Oaks followed by the Tattenham Corner Branch at Purley which then passes underneath the Brighton Main Line. At Copyhold Junction the slow lines to Redhill diverge away from us as we are heading onto the Quarry Line (known as the Redhill avoiding line). On this fast stretch of track we pass through two tunnels, the first is Quarry Tunnel (2113 Yards Long) followed by the Redhill Tunnel.

Emerging from Redhill Tunnel we rejoin the slow lines at Earlswood Station. This is the last stage of the journey as after we pass Salfords Station we begin to slow down for our complicated path across the mainline into Gatwick Airport. Just after Horley Station we cross over the fast and slow lines into Gatwick Airport Platform 1, one of the two bay platforms where our journey ends.

Gatwick Airport is the second largest airport in the UK after Heathrow but its station has far more trains than Heathrow and Stansted combined. Hope yoy enjoy the description and the ride onboard the Gatwick Express.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Gatwick Express
• Class 460
• Brighton Main Line
• London Victoria Station
• Clapham Junction Station
• East Croydon Station
• Gatwick Airport Station

[Ayrshire1trains]

I LIKE THE 442S BETTER

[anton39ify]

the best simply the best

[jonewer]

I hate the Gatwick Express. Never more than 20% full but takes up masses of line space. Kill it! KILL IT WITH FIRE!