Southend-2
Join Date: May 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'Better transport links.' I concede that the road links from London to Southend need improvement even though it is dual carriageway, however the train services and ease of access from SEN's own dedicated station to and from the terminal within 100 paces is hard to beat.
Only LCY and SOU are really comparable, the train is better than STN and LTN by far
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LTN gets the Dart driverless train next year from the station. Think of it as the railway station being the South Terminal at Gatwick and passengers are flying out of the North Terminal. Its the same thing as they have to jump onto a driverless train.
The biggest issue with the Southend rail journey is that is takes so long and seems to stop at every station. I used it once many years ago and seemed to take forever. I am not knocking Southend but the rail link is also its Achilles heel.
The biggest issue with the Southend rail journey is that is takes so long and seems to stop at every station. I used it once many years ago and seemed to take forever. I am not knocking Southend but the rail link is also its Achilles heel.
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Outer London
Age: 43
Posts: 604
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Although it does make a number of stops time-wise it’s almost identical to the journey to STN and is cheaper so perhaps a perception issue.
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Daws Heath Essex
Posts: 446
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LTN gets the Dart driverless train next year from the station. Think of it as the railway station being the South Terminal at Gatwick and passengers are flying out of the North Terminal. Its the same thing as they have to jump onto a driverless train.
The biggest issue with the Southend rail journey is that is takes so long and seems to stop at every station. I used it once many years ago and seemed to take forever. I am not knocking Southend but the rail link is also its Achilles heel.
The biggest issue with the Southend rail journey is that is takes so long and seems to stop at every station. I used it once many years ago and seemed to take forever. I am not knocking Southend but the rail link is also its Achilles heel.
Try it again LTNman when you are able and give us an update.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I take the stopper from St Pancras to Parkway it takes 45 minutes and it feels like time has stood still so I avoid it like the plaque.
The semi fast that stops 2 to 3 times and takes either 30 or 31 minutes is sort of fine unless I am in a hurry.
The non stop service takes 22 minutes. No sooner have I sat down it feels like I have arrived.
Got to confess I haven’t used the Southend service for years and that was to the town and not the airport. Should have took my sleeping bag although the service might have got quicker since then.
The semi fast that stops 2 to 3 times and takes either 30 or 31 minutes is sort of fine unless I am in a hurry.
The non stop service takes 22 minutes. No sooner have I sat down it feels like I have arrived.
Got to confess I haven’t used the Southend service for years and that was to the town and not the airport. Should have took my sleeping bag although the service might have got quicker since then.
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Daws Heath Essex
Posts: 446
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I take the stopper from St Pancras to Parkway it takes 45 minutes and it feels like time has stood still so I avoid it like the plaque.
The semi fast that stops 2 to 3 times and takes either 30 or 31 minutes is sort of fine unless I am in a hurry.
The non stop service takes 22 minutes. No sooner have I sat down it feels like I have arrived.
Got to confess I haven’t used the Southend service for years and that was to the town and not the airport. Should have took my sleeping bag although the service might have got quicker since then.
The semi fast that stops 2 to 3 times and takes either 30 or 31 minutes is sort of fine unless I am in a hurry.
The non stop service takes 22 minutes. No sooner have I sat down it feels like I have arrived.
Got to confess I haven’t used the Southend service for years and that was to the town and not the airport. Should have took my sleeping bag although the service might have got quicker since then.
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Westcliff-on-Sea
Age: 79
Posts: 300
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I see LTNman has rolled out the same untruth as has been seen here so many times before. No trains call at all stations. There are three off peak trains an hour and two of those go non stop from Shenfield to Stratford. The third train calls also at Romford. So two of the three trains skip eleven stations and the third one misses ten. Hardly stops everywhere! And the Romford stopper only takes two minutes longer. Can we once and for all put this misinformation to bed?
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well it was a genuine mistake on my part then so calm down if the train service is semi fast. I looked at the travel times and assumed they must stop at every station as it took so long, which is how I remember it. Back in those days maybe they did stop at every station as it was a weekend. Just a random look at the next 8 train travel times from the airport to Liverpool Street . 56min, 55min, 53min, 58min, 56min, 59min, 56min, 56min. Still seems a hell of a long time to me but that is just a personal opinion as other here love it.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 546
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well it was a genuine mistake on my part then so calm down if the train service is semi fast. I looked at the travel times and assumed they must stop at every station as it took so long, which is how I remember it. Back in those days maybe they did stop at every station as it was a weekend. Just a random look at the next 8 train travel times from the airport to Liverpool Street . 56min, 55min, 53min, 58min, 56min, 59min, 56min, 56min. Still seems a hell of a long time to me but that is just a personal opinion as other here love it.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: rochford essex
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Its just LTNman doing his usual thing about SEN, he has been on here for a number of years criticising and finding fault one way or another with the airport, hardly a good word said e.g. when new routes have been announced or when Ryanair or Wizz started services, its just dig, dig, dig nearly all the time.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Rochford
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have followed this forum for a long time and seem to know most posters quirks and opinions, however let’s all try and play nice. In this case I didn’t agree with LTNman’s first point (how you can claim Southend has inferior transport links when his favoured airport currently requires a bus trip to the train station is laughable), but challenge people and present your correct version of the situation as you see it rather than endless posts about individual contributors and their supposed motives, which gets us nowhere.
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Daws Heath Essex
Posts: 446
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well it was a genuine mistake on my part then so calm down if the train service is semi fast. I looked at the travel times and assumed they must stop at every station as it took so long, which is how I remember it. Back in those days maybe they did stop at every station as it was a weekend. Just a random look at the next 8 train travel times from the airport to Liverpool Street . 56min, 55min, 53min, 58min, 56min, 59min, 56min, 56min. Still seems a hell of a long time to me but that is just a personal opinion as other here love it.
Meanwhile back in LTN!!
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Outer London
Age: 43
Posts: 604
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think those times are temporary it’s normally quicker than that. Also as I suspect the poster knows well as this is far from the first time they’ve discussed the subject Stratford is a good 8-10 minutes closer with far more useful connections than eg Tottenham Hale. Feels like Groundhog Day again
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 35,000ft
Posts: 983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not everyone using the train from Southend is terminating in Liverpool Street or Stratford for that matter. I’ve used the train to get to Southend Airport on a few occasions and it really is rather pleasant and hassle free experience.
LTNman I have to admit that through the years of knowing you on here you are somewhat obsessed with train and journey times to London, always trying to prove a point that your LTN airport is best positioned. Not everyone using London airports live or need to get to/from Charring Cross/Trafalgar Square. I honestly thought this was only something you bring up every year or so on the Stansted thread, however it seems you’re just as guilty of it here on the Southend one.
What exactly is it that you’re trying the prove on here? You really should consider a career within Luton airport’s marketing team.
LTNman I have to admit that through the years of knowing you on here you are somewhat obsessed with train and journey times to London, always trying to prove a point that your LTN airport is best positioned. Not everyone using London airports live or need to get to/from Charring Cross/Trafalgar Square. I honestly thought this was only something you bring up every year or so on the Stansted thread, however it seems you’re just as guilty of it here on the Southend one.
What exactly is it that you’re trying the prove on here? You really should consider a career within Luton airport’s marketing team.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,847
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I state a fact yet some don’t like the fact and get all huffy and puffy when I said I thought it was a long journey. Well it is a long journey and so is Stansted and so is the all stopper Luton service. Ok I will turn that around for those with a delicate Southend disposition and make it sound positive. Those travelling to London Liverpool St have the opportunity to watch two complete episodes of Dads Army on their iplayer. This is the only airport serving a London terminal where someone can do this.
I don’t like the shuttle bus at Luton either if it makes people happy but I wouldn’t spend £243m of Council money replacing it as I have said many times.
Just as a side note I used the recognised London mainline terminal of St Pancras for my travel times for Luton while asdf1234 used Farringdon. I could stretch the times out further if people want by using other directly served London stations of City Thameslink, Blackfriars or London Bridge. The slowest all stopper journey from London Bridge I can find is 58 minutes, which is the same as Southend. It’s not a big deal but would seem like a very long journey to me just like catching a train to Southend.
When the Dart opens will passengers see the Dart station at Parkway, which resembles an airport terminal, as being the airport or only when they arrive inside the CTA? Do passengers arriving at Gatwick Airport station see the station as the airport or only when they have arrived at the North terminal after catching their driverless train?
Whatever passengers thoughts are, the Dart will be a game changer for Luton but I am more than happy to see Southend smash and grab a few Luton services and to prosper in what is a tough world. I will always remain a supporter of Southend, although that is not wanted here but to be honest I don’t give a monkeys that I am not viewed as being in the first division of the fan boy club where spin and gloss and a denial of reality is key to membership.
I have to add that I have the greatest of respect for Expressflight who just deals in plain facts and the real world Southend lives in. Maybe that is because he used to work there. When he writes something it is always worth reading.
I don’t like the shuttle bus at Luton either if it makes people happy but I wouldn’t spend £243m of Council money replacing it as I have said many times.
Just as a side note I used the recognised London mainline terminal of St Pancras for my travel times for Luton while asdf1234 used Farringdon. I could stretch the times out further if people want by using other directly served London stations of City Thameslink, Blackfriars or London Bridge. The slowest all stopper journey from London Bridge I can find is 58 minutes, which is the same as Southend. It’s not a big deal but would seem like a very long journey to me just like catching a train to Southend.
When the Dart opens will passengers see the Dart station at Parkway, which resembles an airport terminal, as being the airport or only when they arrive inside the CTA? Do passengers arriving at Gatwick Airport station see the station as the airport or only when they have arrived at the North terminal after catching their driverless train?
Whatever passengers thoughts are, the Dart will be a game changer for Luton but I am more than happy to see Southend smash and grab a few Luton services and to prosper in what is a tough world. I will always remain a supporter of Southend, although that is not wanted here but to be honest I don’t give a monkeys that I am not viewed as being in the first division of the fan boy club where spin and gloss and a denial of reality is key to membership.
I have to add that I have the greatest of respect for Expressflight who just deals in plain facts and the real world Southend lives in. Maybe that is because he used to work there. When he writes something it is always worth reading.
Last edited by LTNman; 17th Jul 2020 at 06:06.
I've haven't commented much on this public forum in the current desperate situation that we're living through because the future, be it short or medium term, is so completely uncertain that everything is now becoming a matter for speculation and possibly false assumptions. All I would say is that Stobart have laid great emphasis in recent years on the fact that slot shortages at LON airports would offer SEN commercial opportunities and that has indeed proven to be the case up to the start of 2020. The operational landscape is now entirely different and is likely to remain so for a few years at least I would suggest, so while SEN now has the infrastructure in place to make the most of what is available the pickings are likely to be lean.
I think we should all row back a little on criticising each other and 'our' airport's competitors. None of us has ever lived through anything like this and a little understanding and mutual empathy might help to ease our journey out of it.
Just as a matter of interest, what proportion of SEN's (and for that matter, LTN's and LGW's) passengers arrive by train?
I would expect the number arriving by road to be much larger in every case.
I would expect the number arriving by road to be much larger in every case.