Last Train to Westcombe Park

On Friday 9th January at 23:27 the last ever train pulled out of Westcombe Park for Waterloo East and Charing Cross and at 23:56 the last train from Charing Cross via Waterloo East departed for Westcombe Park and I don't think many people knew that!

23:27 for Charing Cross arriving at Westcombe Park

As part of the a Thameslink Programme a major re-build of London Bridge Station is taking place and as a result of this for the next 18 months trains for Charing Cross will not call at London Bridge, which I believe is commonly understood by your everyday commuter. What I don't think many people realise who travel from Westcombe Park, Maize Hill, Greenwich and Deptford line is that once the work is completed their trains will be permanently routed to Cannon Street.

Why is this? It's because the Greenwich line comes into London Bridge on the far left handside, when looking down the line towards Grenwich, so to get to Platforms 5 and 6 (the platforms for Charing Cross) it has to cross all the other lines, which is not very efficient operationally.

The notices at Westcombe Park advertised that from 11th January all trains would be re-routed to Cannon Street, however over the weekend of 9th/10th there were no services into Waterloo East or Charing Cross owing to engineering works, which made Friday's services the last.

Whilst I knew the trains were being re-directed I did not appreciate the engineering works until 853 pointed this out in his Blog of the 9th January.

Left hand side last train to Westcombe Park, right hand side last train from Westcombe Park

As for the two trips I made on the last trains the up journey was on time, with no awareness from other passengers as to the consequence of the trip. For the

last train from Charing Cross there appeared to be a little more awareness, well I saw three people taking photos or filming the event. One chap was at the front of the train filming the journey and when he got off at Deptford continued filming, you can see him on my video.

Last train to Westcombe Park

The train arrived at Westcombe Park on time and departed on time and on the Monday a new era commenced for Westcombe Park, Maize Hill, Greenwich and Deptford.

Here's my video of my journey on the last train from Westcombe Park to Charing Cross.

Here's my video of my journey on the last train from Charing Cross to Westcombe Park