This Sunday will see the biggest rejig to rail services through Charlton since… well, the last one. But while the last two major changes have improved services, this one reduces them.

Before the pandemic, eight trains an hour served Charlton – six Southeastern trains and two Thameslink. Now a new timetable means this will, on the whole, be cut to six – four Southeastern trains and two Thameslink.

This reduction in services is at the behest of the Conservative government, which says that demand for trains does not warrant the service levels warranted three years ago.

There was no consultation, and local politicians and councillors of all parties criticised the plans. However, they are still going ahead.

Importantly from Charlton, there will no longer be any Charing Cross services (save for one late train two nights a week). Southeastern says this is to reduce pressure at the junction at Lewisham, where services to Charing Cross, Victoria and Cannon Street meet and cross. It also says this will make it easier to add services when demand picks up.

Changing at London Bridge is easier than it used to be, but the prospect of losing a direct link to the West End has angered many passengers. Southeastern says there will be extra staff on hand to help anybody who needs it.

The long-established “rounder” services which loop from the Sidcup line are also being scrapped – a pain for Charlton fans coming to The Valley. The less useful rounders to the Bexleyheath line remain.

Lewisham trains will also stop at St John’s and New Cross – but won’t run on Sundays at all, causing huge problems for anyone trying to reach other parts of southeast London.

Charlton escapes some of the worst of the new timetable – Westcombe Park, for example, will see yawning gaps open up when it once had trains every ten minutes. But it’s hard to see how this encourages anyone to ditch the car and travel sustainably, particularly on Sundays.

Here’s a quick guide on what to expect – it is worth double-checking all times quoted.

Weekday morning summary
Before 6.30am, there are still seven trains to central London, including Thameslink services to Blackfriars and beyond. Between 6.30am and 9.30am, where most recently there were 24 trains, there are now just 20.

What time are the new morning peak-hour trains?
0634 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0640 Blackfriars via Greenwich
0647 Cannon Street via Lewisham
0703 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0710 Blackfriars via Greenwich
0717 Cannon Street via Lewisham
(16 minute gap just as the station gets busy)
0733 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0740 Blackfriars via Greenwich
0747 Cannon Street via Lewisham
0757 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0802 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0810 Blackfriars via Greenwich
0817 Cannon Street via Lewisham
0823 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0833 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0840 Blackfriars via Greenwich
0847 Cannon Street via Lewisham
0903 Cannon Street via Greenwich
0910 Blackfriars via Greenwich
0918 Cannon Street via Lewisham
All trains go to London Bridge. Trains to Blackfriars will carry on to City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras and various destinations beyond.

What about the off-peak trains?
Broadly speaking, trains will now run to this pattern off-peak and on Saturdays:
03 Cannon Street via Greenwich
10 Blackfriars via Greenwich
17 Cannon Street via Lewisham
(16 minute gap)
33 Cannon Street via Greenwich
40 Blackfriars via Greenwich
47 Cannon Street via Lewisham
(16 minute gap)
The 17 and 47 trains may run a minute or two later at odd times during weekdays, but that’s the basic pattern.

I’m going the other way, when are my trains?
There are big gaps in the Kent-bound service, which now looks roughly like this:
05 Thameslink to Rainham
08 Southeastern to Gravesend
14 Southeastern to Barnehurst
(21 minute gap)
35 Thameslink to Rainham
38 Southeastern to Gravesend
44 Southeastern to Barnehurst
(another 21 minute gap)

What about trains home in the evening?
Check a journey planner.

What’s with the new stops on Lewisham trains?
They will now stop at St John’s (handy for Brockley Market on Saturdays) and New Cross, where you can change for the London Overground to Whitechapel and Dalston (although the connections aren’t great unless you’re heading home and time it right).

More trains into town on weekday evenings.
Fancy an evening drink at London Bridge? One quirk carried over from the old timetable is that there’s a better service into central London between about 6-8pm with some extra trains via Greenwich slotted into the timetable. So you can travel then and remember how things used to be…

Last trains home from London Bridge
2357 and 0027 (0030 on weekdays, when both trains are often interrupted by engineering works).

What about Sundays?
The service is, frankly, lousy, with nothing via Lewisham.
03 Southeastern to Cannon Street
10 Thameslink to Blackfriars
(23-minute gap – might as well take the bus to North Greenwich)
33 Southeastern to Cannon Street
40 Thameslink to Blackfriars
(another 23-minute gap – have you seen the traffic? Let’s go home)

What’s this new station on Thameslink?
Keep an ear out for Brent Cross West station, due to open early next year, which is due to serve “the new park town for future London” but looks a bit too far from the shopping centre to be useful. It’ll be between Hendon and Cricklewood stations.

Where do I find more information?
Southeastern has an information page at www.southeasternrailway.co.uk

Who do I complain to?
Southeastern has a complaints page at www.southeasternrailway.co.uk.

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