North Downs Line
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| North Downs Line |
| Principal stations (from north to south)
Reading
Shalford |
The North Downs Line is the name given to the passenger train service connecting Reading, on the Great Western Main Line, to Redhill, on the Brighton Main Line, linking many centres of population in that part of the North Downs which it traverses en route. Most lines in the area run radially to or from London, and this route is one of the few running perpendicularly to such lines, enabling it to be used for tangential journeys from west to south of London without having to travel into the capital and back out again.
The service makes use of all or part of the following Network Rail routes:
- SW 210 from Reading
- SW 265 from Wokingham
- SW 110 from Guildford
- SW 300 from Shalford Junction
- SO 560 from Gomshall to Redhill
Services are operated by First Great Western along the entire length of the route, and South West Trains between Reading and Wokingham and between Ash and Guildford. Virgin Trains also run services calling only at Reading, Guildford and Redhill. Southern run additional trains between Reigate and Redhill during peak hours.
The route is partially electrified (3rd rail, 750v DC). Wokingham to Aldershot South junction and Shalford Junction to Reigate are not electrified ([1] and p42 Of the National Rail Route Plan [2] (9.4mb PDF)).
[edit] Typical off-peak journey times from Reading
Based on the December 2006 - May 2007 timetable.
Stations in italics are served in peak hours only.
| Destination | Semi-fast services | Stopping services | Frequency | Change for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnersh | 7 minutes | |||
| Wokingham | 9 minutes | 9 minutes | 2 tph | London Waterloo via Bracknell and Staines |
| Crowthorne | 14 minutes | 1 tph | ||
| Sandhurst | 18 minutes | 1 tph | ||
| Blackwater | 14 minutes | 21 minutes | 2 tph | |
| Farnborough North | 26 minutes | 1 tph | ||
| North Camp | 23 minutes | 30 minutes | 2 tph | |
| Ash | 34 minutes | 1 tph | Aldershot, Farnham, Alton and Ascott | |
| Wanborough | 38 minutes | |||
| Guildford | 34 minutes | 45 minutes | 2 tph | London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour |
| Shalford | 49 minutes | 1 tph | ||
| Chilworth | 53 minutes | 0.5 tph | ||
| Gomshall | 59 minutes | 0.5 tph | ||
| Dorking West | 1 hour 2 minutes | 0.5 tph | ||
| Dorking (Deepdene) | 52 minutes | 1 hour 4 minutes | 2 tph | |
| Betchworth | 1 hour 9 minutes | 0.5 tph | ||
| Reigate | 1 hour | 1 hour 14 minutes | 2 tph | |
| Redhill | 1 hour 4 minutes | 1 hour 21 minutes | 2 tph | London Victoria, London Bridge and Tonbridge |
| GATWICK AIRPORT | 1 hour 16 minutes | 1 tph | Eastbourne, Brighton and Littlehampton |
Between Guildford and Redhill the off-peak stopping service pattern alternates every hour, giving Shalford an hourly service and Chilworth, Gomshall, Dorking West and Betchworth one service every two hours.
| Hour 1 | Guildford | Shalford | Chilworth | Gomshall | Dorking (Deepdene) | Reigate | Redhill | ||
| Hour 2 | Guildford | Shalford | Dorking West | Dorking (Deepdene) | Betchworth | Reigate | Redhill |
During peak hours the stopping service between Guildford and Redhill calls at all stations in both directions.
