90-765: Gatwick Express is an express rail passenger service between London Victoria , Gatwick Airport , Haywards Heath and Brighton in South East England . It is the brand name used by the Govia Thameslink Railway train operating company on the Gatwick Express route of the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise . Trains have regularly served Gatwick Airport since the opening of its rebuilt railway station in May 1958. Prior to
180-560: A franchising arrangement. One of the franchise commitments made by National Express was the replacement of the inherited rolling stock with new-build trains for Gatwick Express; this led to the introduction of the Class 460 Junipers during the late 1990s and early 2000s. In June 2008, Gatwick Express ceased to exist as a separate franchise; it was merged into the Southern train operating company, although it continues to be maintained as
270-652: A "split" feel of being two separate stations. The Brighton station opened in 1860 with the Chatham station following two years later. It replaced a temporary terminus at Pimlico , and construction involved building the Grosvenor Bridge over the River Thames . It became immediately popular as a London terminus, causing delays and requiring upgrades and rebuilding. It was well known for luxury Pullman train services and continental boat-train trips, and became
360-586: A focal point for soldiers during World War I . Like other London termini, steam trains were phased out of Victoria by the 1960s, to be replaced by suburban electric and diesel multiple-unit services; all services from the station are currently operated using electric multiple units. Despite the end of international services following the opening of the Channel Tunnel , Victoria still remains an important London terminal station. The connected Underground station, in particular, suffered from overcrowding, until
450-512: A lavatory. They were built in three batches: The handful of post-war units were of completely different appearance, of all-steel construction, and looked very like the standard 4-SUB units being built at the same time, with flat ends, whereas the main 2-HAL units had the domed end appearance of the first 10 prototype "Queen Mary" 4-SUB units. In the early 1960s the Eastern Division was fully changed over to EP-braked electric stock, and
540-457: A less imposing wooden-fronted building with an entrance on Wilton Road. The Chatham line station had eight platforms, five of which were of mixed gauge, shared by broad-gauge trains of the GWR from Windsor via Southall . Victoria station proved to be unexpectedly popular for both the main companies, and by 1862 there were frequent delays due to congestion at Stewarts Lane Junction. In March 1863
630-607: A major upgrade was completed in the late 2010s. The Gatwick Express service provides easy access between Central London and Gatwick Airport for international travellers. The station complex is in Victoria in the City of Westminster , immediately south of the London Inner Ring Road . It is located south of Victoria Street, east of Buckingham Palace Road and west of Vauxhall Bridge Road . Several railways lead into
720-443: A number of Class 423 4VEPs with increased luggage capacity (at the expense of fewer second class seats) and were redesignated as Class 427 4VEGs . The service however remained much the same, with the units attaching and detaching from Bognor Regis bound services running via Redhill . This led to somewhat extended journey times which meant the service lacked any real purpose, as the faster services began calling at Gatwick Airport from
810-880: A reduced timetable rapidly adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic . Some of Gatwick Express's Class 387/2 trains have been used by Southern on its East Coastway services between Brighton and Eastbourne , Hastings and Ore , on some Brighton Main Line services between Brighton and London Victoria , and on some West Coastway services between Brighton and West Worthing . During May 2021, nine Class 387/2s were transferred to Great Northern as replacements for Class 365s on services between London King's Cross and Cambridge , Ely , Peterborough and Stevenage ; six of these trains were then leased to Great Western Railway to cover for Class 800s on services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway . During December 2021,
900-464: A result, services from its station at Victoria began to be rationalised and integrated with those from the other SECR termini. The LC&DR station began to be reconstructed in the late 19th century after several properties on Buckingham Palace Road, and the hotel, were bought by the company. Work began in 1899 with the removal of the old roof. The rebuilt station was partially opened on 10 June 1906, with additional platforms and cab exit on 10 February
990-643: A separate identity. Additional rolling stock in the form of the 442 (5WES) Wessex Electrics were introduced. However, figures such as the Chairman of Gatwick Airport, Roy McNulty , publicly criticised Gatwick Express, claiming its services to be overcrowded and the rolling stock outdated. In July 2015, Southern including the Gatwick Express service was merged into Govia Thameslink Railway. Since January 2016, both Oyster cards and contactless payment cards have been accepted for travel between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport. The introduction of Class 387/2s during
SECTION 10
#17327759683461080-905: A terminus in Westminster: the Great Western (GWR), the London & North Western (LNWR), and the East Kent Railway (EKR). The first two already had rail access to Battersea through their joint ownership of the West London Line with the LB&;SCR. In 1858, the EKR leased the remaining lines of the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway from Shortlands railway station , and also negotiated temporary running powers over
1170-418: Is charged differently at the Gatwick Express gateline at London Victoria station compared to other platforms which Southern services use. In May 2013, the Chairman of Gatwick Airport, Roy McNulty , criticised the Gatwick Express service for its overcrowding and old rolling stock. He said that the train service sometimes "at times veers towards Third World conditions" and that it gives air passengers arriving in
1260-584: Is on the Circle and District lines between Sloane Square and St James's Park stations, and on the Victoria line between Pimlico and Green Park stations. The area around the station is an important interchange for other forms of transport: a local bus station is in the forecourt and Victoria Coach Station is nearby. Victoria was built to serve both the Brighton and Chatham Main Lines, and has always had
1350-401: Is served by a mixture of metro and long distance (mainline) services. Metro services are operated using Class 465 and 466 EMUs whilst mainline services are operated using Class 375 and 377 EMUs. As of December 2022, the typical off-peak service run by Southeastern in trains per hour (tph) is: Southern services at Victoria use platforms 9-12 and 15-19 as of August 2022. The station
1440-552: Is served by a mixture of metro and long distance (mainline) services. Southern Metro and Mainline services are both operated by Class 377 EMUs and Gatwick Express is serviced by Class 387 EMUs. From 4 September, the typical off-peak service run by Southern in trains per hour (tph) is: During the Suspension of the Gatwick Express , Southern Services at Victoria began to use Platforms 13 and 14 as well as operating
1530-582: The Brighton Main Line is part of a permitted route are valid on the Gatwick Express service as with all other Govia Thameslink Railway services, the only exclusion being some tickets from London to stations south of Gatwick routed Not Gatwick Express . Historically, standard Gatwick Express services did not charge penalty fares and permitted tickets to be purchased on board at no extra charge. Journeys to or from stations south of Gatwick were subject to penalty fares as normal. This rule applied to
1620-596: The City of London , the West End and Westminster . Victoria Station was designed in a piecemeal fashion to help address this problem for the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) and the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LC&DR). It consisted of two adjacent main line railway stations which, from the viewpoint of passengers, were unconnected. The London and Brighton Railway terminus at London Bridge provided reasonable access to
1710-513: The Department for Transport and Govia respectively. All services at Victoria use electric multiple unit trains. To help passengers choose the correct service, the floor of the main concourse at Victoria was marked with different coloured lines. Passengers could then follow the line marked with the specific colour for that service to arrive at their intended departure point. Southeastern services at Victoria use platforms 1–8. The station
1800-597: The Gatwick Liaison Group to discuss matters of mutual interest. A subsidiary of this entity, the Gatwick Promotion Group, under the chairmanship of the airport's public relations manager David Hurst, was formed to market the airport. It was a long-term aim of the group to have a non-stop service between the airport and central London in order to counter the perceived distance from the capital, for both domestic and overseas passengers. One of
1890-550: The London Chatham and Dover Railway . The new line followed part of the route of the Grosvenor Canal with Victoria station on the former canal basin. It required the construction of a new bridge over the Thames, originally known as Victoria Bridge and later as Grosvenor Bridge. The bridge was 930 feet (280 m) long, which was required so that it could clear all river traffic. It was designed by John Fowler . The line
SECTION 20
#17327759683461980-966: The Secretary of State for Transport announced in October 2012 that the process would be put on hold pending the results of a review. With the last franchise expiring on 25 July 2015, the South Central franchise merged with the Thameslink Great Northern franchise to create Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern . This is operated by Govia Thameslink Railway , which is also owned by Southern's parent company, Govia . The Gatwick Express brand identity has been retained. Oyster cards and contactless payment cards have been accepted for travel between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport since January 2016. On 30 March 2020, all Gatwick Express services were suspended until further notice under
2070-534: The funeral of Edward VII , seven kings, over 20 princes and five archdukes were greeted here. In the early 20th century, the development and improvement of the London Underground , meant that Victoria could not compete as a cross-London service. GNR trains stopped running on 1 October 1907, with Midland ones following on June the next year. The GWR ceased to use the station for scheduled services on 21 March 1915, partly due to World War I in addition to
2160-586: The 'Chatham' portion of the station for 999 years from 28 June 1860, with the GWR responsible for 6.67%. The LC&DR completed its main line as far as Canterbury on 3 December 1860 and began to use the LB&SCR station on that day. From 1899 the LC&;DR entered a working union with its rival, the South Eastern Railway , to form the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SECR). As
2250-428: The 1870s. In 1898 the LB&SCR decided to demolish its station and replace it with an enlarged red-brick Renaissance-style building, designed by Charles Langbridge Morgan . Since widening of the station was prevented by the LC&DR station and Buckingham Palace Road, increased capacity was achieved by lengthening the platforms and building crossovers to allow two trains to use each platform simultaneously. Work
2340-518: The 1980s, these services were relatively slow and without any particular priority; this led to the Gatwick Liaison Group advocating for a non-stop service to London during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Accordingly, during May 1984, the Gatwick Express service was launched using air-conditioned InterCity carriages. British Rail operated Gatwick Express through to its privatisation in April 1996, after which National Express took over operations under
2430-466: The 2-HAL units operating from Victoria to Maidstone/Gillingham etc. were removed to the Central and Western Divisions, being replaced by the large new build of 2-HAP units. The units then remained in service on these divisions until replaced at the end of their life by new 4-VEP units. The original formations of these units are set out in the table below: In 1967, three units were converted for de-icing
2520-613: The 2010s was objected to by the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) trade union , but the dispute was later resolved. All Gatwick Express services were suspended on 30 March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . Limited services resumed briefly during December 2021, but were suspended again only weeks later due to redevelopment works at Gatwick Airport station as well as COVID-related factors. A reduced service of two trains per hour resumed on 3 April 2022; full service cannot resume until work at
2610-539: The 3rd rail and were renumbered 001 - 003. These units operated from depots at Eastleigh and Bournemouth . In 1970, two units were converted for use transporting stores between depots. Renumbered 022 and 023 these units linked Eastleigh Works and other depots on the Southern Region and followed a set route on a weekly schedule. Unit 022 was allocated to Slade Green and served Stewarts Lane , Hither Green , Ashford , Ramsgate and Slade Green while Unit 023
2700-544: The BR era. The Brighton Belle ' s final service was on 30 April 1972, followed by the last Golden Arrow on 30 September. The Night Ferry lasted until 31 October 1980, though the Venice-Simplon Orient Express , a luxury Pullman service, has been running intermittently since 1982. In 1984 the non-stop Gatwick Express service was started, aiming for a 30-minute journey time. This was coupled with
2790-586: The City of London but was inconvenient for travellers to and from Westminster. As early as 1842 John Urpeth Rastrick had proposed that the railway should build a branch to serve the West End, but his proposal was unsuccessful. However, the transfer of the Crystal Palace from Hyde Park to Sydenham Hill between 1851 and 1854 created a major tourist attraction in the then rural area south of London, and
Gatwick Express - Misplaced Pages Continue
2880-455: The Class 442, and also feature additional luggage space, wireless internet connectivity and passenger service updates. In April 2016, drivers belonging to the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) trade union refused to pick up passengers on the new Class 387 trains. The trains are fitted with " Driver-Only Operation " (DOO) capability, meaning that the driver closes
2970-516: The December 2015 timetable, Gatwick Express began serving Brighton all day (except on Sundays), with half-hourly services in the off-peak and evenings (while the remaining services continue to terminate at Gatwick Airport). Unlike peak-time services, these call at no intermediate stations between Brighton and the airport. These services replaced the half-hourly "express" services operated by Southern (which did not call at Gatwick Airport). In May 2018,
3060-620: The Department for Transport announced that Abellio , Govia , National Express and Stagecoach had been shortlisted to bid for the new South Central franchise. On 9 June 2009, the Department for Transport announced that Govia had retained the franchise, beginning on 20 September 2009. The Department for Transport confirmed prior to the awarding of the new franchise that the Southern franchise would be merged at its conclusion in July 2015 into
3150-484: The Department for Transport announced that the Gatwick Express franchise was to be incorporated into the South Central franchise. as part of a plan to increase capacity on the Brighton Main Line . As a result, peak-time services were extended beyond Gatwick to/from Brighton from December 2008, with northbound trains running every 15 minutes in the morning peak and southbound trains to Brighton every 15 minutes in
3240-409: The Gatwick Express briefly resumed on weekdays only, but was suspended after only two weeks due to engineering works and COVID-related developments. On 3 April 2022, Gatwick Express services restarted under a seven-day timetable; however, only two services per hour were initially ran between London and Gatwick instead of four per hour as they were prior to the pandemic. Govia Thameslink Railway attributed
3330-492: The Gatwick Express fleet of Class 387 units. However this has now ended as Gatwick Express Services were reinstated in March of 2022. Gatwick Express , formerly a separate franchise but now operated by Southern, run services from platforms 13 and 14. Ticket barriers were installed on these platforms in 2011. As of September 2022, the typical off-peak service run by Gatwick Express in trains per hour (tph) is: However, within
3420-403: The Gatwick Express services extended to Brighton . The stock were replaced during 2016 by newly built Class 387/2s. London Victoria station Victoria station , also known as London Victoria , is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Victoria , in the City of Westminster , managed by Network Rail . Named after the nearby Victoria Street ,
3510-726: The Golden Arrow, in 1924, and the Night Ferry in 1936. The station had a news cinema (later a cartoon cinema) that showed a continuous programme. The cinema was designed by Alister MacDonald, son of the Prime Minister Ramsay , and was in operation from 1933 until it was demolished in 1981. The GWR remained part-owner of the station until 1932 thereafter retaining running powers, although it does not appear to have used them. Night-train services stopped running from Victoria on 4 September 1939 after World War II
3600-494: The LB&SCR and the LC&DR jointly funded a new high-level route into Victoria, avoiding Stewarts Lane and requiring the widening of Grosvenor Bridge, including the replacement of the broad-gauge rails with a third LB&SCR line. The work was completed during 1867/8. The South Eastern Railway (SER) wanted to use Victoria as a London terminus as it was more convenient than London Bridge, but were advised they would need to pay extensive tolls and expenses to do so. Consequently,
3690-408: The LB&SCR opened a branch line from the Brighton Main Line at Sydenham to the site in 1854. While this was under construction the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway also planned a line from Crystal Palace, to a new station at Battersea Wharf, at the southern end of the new Chelsea Bridge . Despite its location, the new station was called Pimlico. It opened on 27 March 1858, but
Gatwick Express - Misplaced Pages Continue
3780-612: The LB&SCR was permitted to lease Victoria station from the VS&;PR, but agreed to accommodate the other railways until a terminus could be built for them on an adjoining site. The LB&SCR side of Victoria station opened on 1 October 1860, the temporary terminus in Battersea having closed the day before. The station was designed by Robert Jacomb Hood . It consisted of six platforms and ten tracks, with an entrance on Victoria Street. The site then covered 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) and
3870-548: The SER constructed a station at Charing Cross instead. The GWR began services on 1 April 1863, connecting Victoria to Southall, and later some services to Uxbridge , Reading , Slough and Windsor. From 13 August 1866 the LB&SCR ran services from Victoria to London Bridge along the newly completed South London Line . The Great Northern Railway began a service from Victoria to Barnet (via Ludgate Hill ) on 1 March 1868, with other cross-London services running via Victoria in
3960-710: The United Kingdom a bad first impression of the UK, and called for major improvements. Southern responded by stating that it had provided some 20,000 extra peak-hour seats every week on the London-Brighton line. In August 2018, Govia Thameslink Railway was directed by the Advertising Standards Authority (an independent advertising regulator) to remove claims of a 30-minute journey time between London and Gatwick due to poor performance on
4050-500: The airport station is complete. During the early 1950s, Gatwick Airport expanded substantially, leading to Gatwick railway station being rebuilt and integrated into the airport's terminal via an upper level concourse designed by British Rail Southern Region . On 27 May 1958, the rebuilt station, Gatwick Airport , opened with a regular train service. Initially, the rail service was provided entirely by standard London to Brighton stopping services; however, more trains began to call with
4140-545: The designation 2-HAL to the electric multiple-unit passenger trains built during the late 1930s to work long-distance semi-fast services on the newly electrified lines from London Victoria to Maidstone and Gillingham (Kent). This type of unit survived long enough in British Rail ownership to be allocated TOPS Class 402 . A development of the earlier 2-BIL units, the 2-HAL units ( 2 -car Ha lf L avatory stock) were so-called because only one car in each unit had
4230-556: The doors using CCTV and decides that it is safe to move off, rather than a guard. DOO had been used on the previous 10-car Class 442, but the union claimed that extending this to 12-car trains put too much pressure on the driver and was unsafe. In response, GTR took legal action, and the union ultimately dropped the claim. The Gatwick Express branded fleet is maintained at Lovers Walk Depot with stabling facilities provided at Stewarts Lane depot. Some classified overhaul work has also been undertaken at Hornsey EMU Depot taking advantage of
4320-446: The early 1970s, and made the option of travelling to Gatwick from London on the service lack appeal to those who knew better. At first the service from Bognor Regis, which by this stage only stopped at East Croydon , was branded Rapid City Link . During 1975, British Airports Authority airport director John Mulkern, British Caledonian Airways chairman Adam Thomson and British Rail's Southern Region regional manager Bob Reid, formed
4410-592: The evening peak. This change doubled the number of London-to-Brighton express trains during peak periods. Additional calls were made at Haywards Heath , Wivelsfield , Burgess Hill , Hassocks and/or Preston Park ; the stopping pattern for northbound services was not regular but all stations received at least one train a day, while all services called at Haywards Heath; the southbound services were more structured, with all services calling at Haywards Heath and half-hourly services for Burgess Hill, Hassocks and Preston Park (no southbound trains served Wivelsfield). As part of
4500-691: The first Pullman first-class service to Brighton on 1 November 1875, followed by the first all-Pullman train in the UK on 1 December 1881. Another all-Pullman service was introduced in 1908 under the name of the Southern Belle, then described as "... the most luxurious train in the world...". The SECR began Pullman continental services on 21 April 1910 and on domestic services to the Kent coast on 16 June 1919. The Golden Arrow , another all-Pullman train began services in 1924, and remained in service until 30 September 1972. The LC&DR and GWR jointly leased
4590-462: The first successes of the group was to persuade the British Rail board to redevelop Gatwick station by building a raft over the platforms, and this was opened by British Rail chairman Peter Parker in 1980. In May 1984, the non-stop Gatwick Express service began, using Class 73s with Mark 2 carriages . Later, the duties were taken over by Class 488 and Class 489 . A 30-minute journey time
SECTION 50
#17327759683464680-491: The following year, along with a new annexe to the hotel. It was formally re-opened on 1 July 1908. As a consequence of the rebuilding, boat trains become more popular from Victoria compared to Charing Cross and Cannon Street. Services increased to serve Ostend and Calais via Dover and Rotterdam via Gravesend. The LB&SCR part of the station also served Dieppe via Newhaven. Victoria has since seen more visits from royalty and heads of state than any other London station. During
4770-421: The franchise starting on 28 April 1996. In April 2007, the Department for Transport announced that the Gatwick Express franchise was to be incorporated into the South Central franchise and the services transferred to Southern on 22 June 2008. This reorganisation was part of a plan to use Gatwick Express services to provide extra capacity on the Brighton Main Line south of Gatwick Airport. On 20 August 2008,
4860-685: The introduction of Eurostar in 1994, which did not serve Victoria, and the International Travel Centre closed. In 2019/20, Victoria was the second-busiest station in the UK, with an estimated 73.6 million passenger entries/exits. However, as with other stations, patronage dropped dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . The estimated usage figure fell 81% in 2020/21 to 13.8 million, although Victoria retained its rank in second place, behind Stratford . Operationally, there are two separate main line termini : Services are operated by Southeastern and Southern, owned by
4950-464: The introduction of the summer timetable in June 1958. One of the key elements of this expanded service was the extension of Three Bridges to Bognor Regis stopping services to start and terminate at London Victoria . These trains would run through a reversible platform at Gatwick where a portion would detach and wait in the platform for passengers until the next up train from Bognor Regis was attached and
5040-544: The line. Govia Thameslink Railway operates a fleet of Gatwick Express branded Class 387/2s which it received in 2016. GTR placed a £145.2 million order with Bombardier for 27 sets of the type in November 2014 to replace the existing Class 442 Wessex Electrics . The type underwent testing in July 2015, and began to enter passenger service in February 2016. The new trains have 12 carriages compared with 10 for
5130-492: The lines recently acquired by the LB&SCR, pending the construction of its own line into west London. On 23 July 1859 these four companies together formed the Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway (VS&PR) company, with the object of extending the railway from Stewarts Lane Junction, Battersea across the river to a more convenient location nearer the West End, and the following month the EKR changed its name to
5220-871: The main line station is a terminus of the Brighton Main Line to Gatwick Airport and Brighton and the Chatham Main Line to Ramsgate and Dover via Chatham . From the main lines, trains can connect to the Catford Loop Line , the Dartford Loop Line , and the Oxted line to East Grinstead and Uckfield . Southern operates most commuter and regional services to south London, Sussex and parts of east Surrey, while Southeastern operates trains to south-east London and Kent, alongside limited services operated by Thameslink . Gatwick Express trains run direct to Gatwick. The Underground station
5310-418: The mechanically similar Class 458 units used by South West Trains in order to provide more stock at peak times. The Gatwick Express service received 17 refurbished Class 442 Wessex Electrics from South West Trains from December 2008, followed by a further seven through leases in 2009, after Southern retained the South Central franchise. The additional rolling stock allowed Southern to provide extra capacity on
5400-447: The new Underground lines. Victoria was used as the main station for drafted soldiers, and those returning from action in the war. By the middle of the war, the station served twelve trains a day running between Victoria and Folkestone, with additional trains serving Dover. The station was regularly served with a voluntary buffet for departing soldiers, who served up to 4,000 men a day. Victoria itself did not suffer significant damage during
5490-611: The old stock remained in service until 2005. To replace the last of the old stock, a pair of Class 458 Junipers were transferred from South West Trains for use as spares. They remained in their existing livery but with Gatwick Express branding and their seating was modified from high density 3+2 seating configuration to 2+2 configuration, some seating being replaced with luggage racks. However, these units never entered service and returned to South West Trains. The Class 460s were withdrawn from service in September 2012 to be merged with
SECTION 60
#17327759683465580-682: The peak hours, Gatwick Express services stop at intermediate stations between Haywards Heath and Brighton such as Preston Park , Hassocks and Burgess Hill . Thameslink operate limited services from London Victoria to Sevenoaks in Kent, usually on Sundays or early mornings. On 26 February 1884, an explosion occurred in the cloakroom of the Brighton side injuring seven staff, as part of the Fenian dynamite campaign . On 27 August 1910, an empty LB&SCR stock train derailed due to inadequate signalling arrangements, leading to four injuries. British Rail Class 402 The Southern Railway (SR) gave
5670-508: The proposed Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise. In March 2012, the Department for Transport announced that Abellio , FirstGroup , Govia , MTR and Stagecoach had been shortlisted to bid for the new franchise. The Invitation to Tender was to have been issued in October 2012, and the successful bidder announced in spring 2013. However, in the wake of the InterCity West Coast refranchising process collapsing,
5760-525: The provision of an airport lounge and check-in facilities at first-floor level, with dedicated escalators down to the Gatwick Express platforms. British Airways and other major airlines had their own check-in desks there. British Rail operated an International Travel Centre within the main station, separate from the domestic travel centre. At the time, Victoria was still a major departure point for international travel, with boat trains to Dover and Folkestone for France and Belgium and beyond. This ceased with
5850-441: The remaining services from the station were electrified, including boat trains. Some minor services were withdrawn, and the few remaining steam services, to Oxted and beyond, were replaced by diesel-electric multiple units . Various plans were proposed at this time to redevelop Victoria, including new offices, hotels and a helicopter station. The last steam service left Victoria on 8 January 1964 to East Grinstead , after which it
5940-532: The same day. The two stations at Victoria came largely under single ownership in 1923 with the formation of the Southern Railway (SR) as part of the Big Four grouping. The following year steps were taken to integrate the two stations. The platforms were renumbered in a single sequence, openings were made in the wall separating them to allow passengers to pass from one to the other without going into
6030-495: The same trains that stop at Burgess Hill. London – Gatwick is one of the few journeys on the UK National Rail network for which tickets restricting travel to certain brands of service are available in addition to the option of standard inter-available fares for immediate travel as on all flows shared by different National Rail operators (although some restrictions may apply on cheaper tickets). Through tickets for which
6120-523: The six weekday services each way that start or end at Brighton . However, in December 2011 electronic ticket gates were installed at Gatwick Airport and London Victoria platforms 13 and 14 (where the Gatwick Express arrives and departs), meaning that tickets can no longer be bought on the train and must be purchased either in advance or at the station before boarding. London Oyster Cards and contactless cards have been accepted for travel since January 2016 between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport. The fare
6210-465: The southbound direction between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm. As of May 2023, the off-peak Monday-Saturday, with frequencies in 'trains per hour' (tph), consists of: On Sundays, Gatwick Express operates a half-hourly shuttle service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport only. From privatisation until December 2008, the service pattern was one train every 15 minutes non-stop between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport . In April 2007,
6300-399: The station at Victoria bus station or neighbouring streets. By 1850, railways serving destinations to the south of London had three termini available – London Bridge , Bricklayers' Arms and Waterloo . All three were inconvenient for Central London as they terminated south of the river Thames , whereas the main centres of population, business and government were north of the river in
6390-720: The station line by way of Grosvenor Bridge from the south west, south and south east. It is in Travelcard Zone 1 and is one of 19 stations managed by Network Rail . It has been a Grade II listed building since 1970. Victoria Coach Station is about 300 metres south-west of the railway stations. It is the main London coach terminal and serves all parts of the UK and mainland Europe. London Buses routes 2 , 3 , 6 , 11 , 13 , 24 , 26 , 36 , 38 , 44 , 52 , 148 , 170 , 185 , 390 , C1 , C10 and night routes N2 , N11 , N26 , N32 , N38 , N44 and N136 serve
6480-406: The stopping pattern for peak-time services was changed: all calls at Wivelsfield and Preston Park stations were withdrawn, Hassocks is now served by all peak Gatwick Express services every 15 minutes, while Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath are served half-hourly (by alternate services) in both directions. Services to and from Preston Park were restored in May 2019, though, with half-hourly calls made by
6570-499: The street, and alterations were made to the tracks to allow for interchangeable working. The work was completed in 1925, and all platforms were renumbered in a contiguous sequence. Electric suburban services to Herne Hill and Orpington first ran on 12 July that year, followed by South London line services on 17 June 1928, and electric services to Crystal Palace and Epsom (via Mitcham Junction ) on 3 March 1929. The SR also concentrated continental steamer traffic at Victoria, introducing
6660-496: The train would depart for Victoria. For this service British Rail used a small batch of seven Class 402 2HALs in order to work with the trains used on the Bognor Regis services, suitable for airport link use because of their larger luggage space. This situation lasted until the early 1970s when increased passenger and luggage travel to the station was rendering the old system obsolete. British Rail therefore decided to adapt
6750-517: The unit's dual voltage capability. Until 1984 the service was operated by Class 423 slam-door stock, coded 4-VEG (G for Gatwick). From May 1984 Mark 2F stock released from Midland Main Line duties coupled to a Class 489 Gatwick Luggage Van took over the services, hauled by Class 73 locomotives. A franchise commitment by National Express was the replacement of these with new stock, and eight Class 460 Junipers started to be delivered from January 1999. Because of reliability problems, some of
6840-424: The war, but a section of Grosvenor Bridge was destroyed after an anti-aircraft shell struck a gas main underneath it. Following the war, memorials were built on both parts of the station. The Southern Railway side marks 626 soldiers killed or missing, while the Chatham side marks 556. A plaque marks the arrival of the body of The Unknown Warrior at Victoria on 10 November 1920. The service to Ostend via Dover
6930-412: The work to redevelop Gatwick Airport station for this cutback. Gatwick Express operates an express commuter and airport transfer service between London Victoria , Gatwick Airport , Haywards Heath and Brighton . Between 6:00 am and 9:00 am on weekdays, northbound services call additionally at Preston Park , Hassocks and Burgess Hill . Services stop additionally at the same stations in
7020-399: The works. The station was managed by Network SouthEast also under British Rail. The other major change to the station under BR was the gradual development of services to Gatwick Airport station after its opening on 28 May 1958. A dedicated rail-air terminal opened on top of platform 15 on 1 May 1962, designed by Clive Pascall. Several long-standing services from Victoria ended during
7110-454: Was 800 feet (240 m) long and 230 feet (70 m) wide. The roof was built on a set of wrought iron girders, with an additional safety row that would allow the main girders to withstand a train strike. On the northwest corner of the station was the 300-bedroom Grosvenor Hotel. It was designed by J. T. Knowles, and run independently of the station itself. It opened in 1861. The LCDR and GWR opened their own station on 25 August 1862, occupying
7200-515: Was advertised, although some journeys would take nearer 35 minutes, especially during peak hours. Gatwick Express was the first portion of British Rail's InterCity sector to be converted into a separate train operating unit, ready for franchising as a private business with the assets transferred to Gatwick Express Limited in March 1994. The Gatwick Express franchise was awarded by the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising to National Express with
7290-689: Was allocated to Brighton and served Wimbledon , Selhurst , New Cross Gate , Brighton and Fratton . In 1971, six units were converted for use conveying parcels and newspaper traffic. They were renumbered 061-066 and designated 2-PAN ( 2 -car P arcels a nd N ewspapers stock), reusing the PAN code originally allocated to 6-PAN (Pantry) stock. Their life was not extended by long; within two years, all had been withdrawn. After withdrawal in 1971, various 2-HAL units in company with 2-BIL units were noted at Stratford in east London destined for scrapping by Kings of Norwich, or being hauled west for scrapping in
7380-530: Was applied to all these services. The Brighton Belle , the first electric all-Pullman service in the world, ran from Victoria from 29 June 1934 until its withdrawal in 1972. British Railways (BR) took over the station on 1 January 1948. A new set of offices for Continental trains opened on 14 June, while the eastern booking hall was renovated, opening on 5 February 1951. During the 1950s and early 1960s British Railways (Southern Region) completed its Kent Coast Electrification schemes, which meant that most of
7470-462: Was built as mixed gauge from Longhedge Junction, Battersea, to cater for GWR trains. It required a 1-in-50 climb and a 15 chains (990 ft; 300 m) turn from the LSWR main line to reach the bridge. The LB&SCR had hoped to amalgamate with the VS&PR, and introduced a parliamentary bill to allow it to do so in 1860. This was opposed by the GWR and LC&DR and rejected. By way of compromise
7560-511: Was completed in 1908, and included the rebuilding of the Grosvenor Hotel at the same time. The site then covered 16 acres (6.5 ha) with 2.25 miles (3.62 km) of platforms. Overhead electric trains began to run into Victoria on 1 December 1909, to London Bridge. The line to Crystal Palace was electrified on 12 May 1911. Victoria became well known for its Pullman services during the late 19th century. The LB&SCR introduced
7650-463: Was declared, and other services were terminated following the German invasion of France in May 1940. Though the station was bombed several times in 1940 and 1941, there was not enough damage to prevent operations. A plane crashed into the eastern side of the station on 15 September 1940 and a flying bomb caused partial damage on 27 June 1944. The greatest change to the station during the 1920s and 1930s
7740-429: Was re-introduced on 18 January 1919. Civilian trains to Boulogne via Folkestone restarted on 3 February. Boat train services to Newhaven started on 1 June, and a connection with Paris started on 15 July. On 8 January 1920, Victoria replaced Charing Cross as the main station for continental services, as it had more facilities and closer locomotive and carriage facilities. The service to Paris via Calais and Dover began on
7830-566: Was recognised that a terminus would be needed on the north side of the river. During the summer of 1857 a scheme for an independent "Grosvenor Basin Terminus" in the West End of London, "for the use of the Southern Railways of England" was mooted. The station was originally referred to as the "Grosvenor Terminus" but later renamed Victoria as it was sited at the end of Victoria Street. Three other railway companies were also seeking
7920-420: Was replaced by diesel-electric multiple units. The station was redeveloped internally in the 1980s, with the addition of shops within the concourse, and above the western platforms as the "Victoria Place" shopping centre and 220,000 square feet (20,000 m ) of office space. Platforms 16 and 17 opened on the site of the former taxi rank on 21 December 1987. A major re-signalling scheme was carried out during
8010-576: Was the introduction of third-rail electrification for all suburban and many main-line services, replacing the original LB&SCR overhead scheme by 1929 and largely replacing steam traction, except on Chatham Section main-line and Oxted line trains. Services to Orpington were electrified in 1925 and to Epsom the following year. By 1932 the Brighton Main Line was electrified, quickly followed by those to other Sussex coastal towns and Portsmouth by 1938. The brand name "Southern Electric"
8100-408: Was very much regarded as a temporary terminus, composed of a small number of wooden huts, and positioned immediately next to a proposed bridge over the Thames. Shortly afterwards the LB&SCR leased most of the lines of the new railway, and built a further connection from Crystal Palace to the Brighton Main Line at Norwood Junction , thereby providing itself with a route into west London, although it
#345654