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3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Gatwick Express? Wrong! If the Gatwick Express is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Gatwick Express then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Gatwick Express? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Gatwick Express and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Gatwick Express wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Gatwick Express then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Gatwick Express site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Gatwick Express, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Gatwick Express, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Rail companies |bgcolor=FF0000|image_filename=460008 02-08-05 - East Croydon.JPG|widthpx=300px|franchise=Gatwick Express
- June 22, 2008 - [London Gatwick Airport|secregions=None|fleet=8|stations=2|parent_company=
National Express Group-operated railway service offering a frequent shuttle service between [London Victoria station in
London and London Gatwick Airport in
South East England.
Service
The service is non-stop and runs every 15 minutes with an average journey time of 30 minutes. The firm operates eight British Rail Class 460 trains on dedicated services to the airport. Gatwick Express, unlike Heathrow Express, is part of the
National Rail network.
An Express Class (standard class) Single ticket costs
Pound sterling14.90 (as of January 2007). This price is higher than those of the
Southern (train operating company) and
First Capital Connect stopping services, reflecting the faster non-stop service that the Gatwick Express offers. Passengers cannot travel on Gatwick Express using the
Network Railcard discount.
History
In 1975, the
BAA Limited airport director, John Mulkern, the chairman of British Caledonian, Adam Thomson, and the regional manager of British Rail Southern Region, Bob Read, formed the Gatwick Liaison Group to discuss matters of mutual interest.As a subsidiary of this, the Gatwick Promotion Group, under the chairmanship of the airport public relations manager David Hurst, was formed to market the airport.One of the first successes of the group was to persuade the board of British Rail to redevelop Gatwick station by building a raft over the platforms and this was opened by the BR chairman, Peter Parker (British businessman), in
1980.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 both to the UK market and more especially to the potential passengers at the overseas destinations.The first success was to brand the then current service which stopped at
East Croydon station as the Rapid City Link. This name was used as Adam Thomson strongly maintained that US passengers equated ‘express’ with buses.However in 1984 the non-stop Gatwick Express service was started with ten units of reconditioned rolling stock with extra luggage space. A 30-minute journey time was advertised although it was recognised that some journeys would take nearer 35 minutes, especially in rush hours.The first unit was taken on a promotional tour of the UK introducing it to travel agents in various centres, thought to be the first time a Southern Region train had travelled north. A visit to Scotland was ruled out because of union objections.
The original services were formed with
British Rail Class 73 rolling stock and Mk2 coaching stock with specially modified GLV (Goods Luggage Vans) to carry passenger luggage.
In 2006, following the introduction of the modern fleet, the final
British Rail Class 73 service ran an evening service from London Victoria and back to mark the end of the era for these trains. You can find an example of Mk2 coaching stock previously used on the service at the Great Central Railway (preserved) in
Ruddington, or a full length Gatwick Express at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, hauled by the lines Class 31 Diesel Locomotive, in GE livery.
From the end of 2004 to 2006 there was controversy surrounding the service with some rail groups believing that Gatwick Express trains, which often run half-full, made poor use of the limited capacity on some of the busiest train lines in the country. The
Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) made proposals for the Gatwick Express service to be incorporated into existing
London to
Brighton mainline services operated by
Southern (train operating company) in an attempt to relieve commuter congestion. This idea was hotly disputed by the train operator as well as BAA, who feared that airport users would have to fight for space on the trains with commuters.
In 2005 a pair of British Rail Class 458 units, 458001 and 458002, transferred from
South West Trains for use as a spare train if a 460 unit is out of action. They remained in South West Trains livery but with Gatwick Express branding. Their seating was modified from high density 3+2 seating configuration to 2+2 configuration, some seating was removed and replaced with luggage racks. However, these units were never called into service and have returned to operations with South West Trains.
Future
On
3 February 2006, the
Department for Transport Rail Group (DfT), which took over the responsibilities of the SRA in summer 2005, announced that the service would be axed to free up space on the
Brighton Main Line.{{cite news | title = Gatwick Express train to be axed
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date = [2006-02-03
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4676388.stm
| accessdate=2007-02-18
--> Gatwick airport owner BAA Limited has been campaigning to retain the dedicated airport link{{cite web | title =Save the Gatwick Express
| work =BAA Gatwick
| publisher =[BAA Limited
| url= http://www.gatwickairport.com/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?ChPath=B2B^Gatwick%20Express
| accessdate =2007-02-18
--> saying that 80% of respondents to an online poll favoured retaining the service, with backing from many airlines using the airport.{{cite news | title = Branson in Gatwick Express call
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date = [2007-01-08
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6241993.stm
| accessdate = 2007-02-18
--> Towards the end of 2006 the DfT embarked on a consultation exercise to examine the situation, offering four possible options - three of which would allow for some form of modified express service to be retained.{{cite news | title =Gatwick Express consultation ends
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date =[2006-12-22
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6202671.stm
| accessdate =2007-02-18
--> A decision was made to keep the Gatwick Express and to expand the service to Brighton at peak times from December 2008. The franchise will transfer to Southern (train operating company) in June 2008.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6524763.stm
| title = Gatwick Express service to remain
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date = [2007-04-04
| accessdate = 2007-04-04
--> The current Gatwick Express franchise will end on June 22
2008, when the service will be incorporated into the Southern franchise. Initially, the service will continue unchanged. In December 2008, it will be extended during peak times to terminate at Brighton railway station, which will double the number of London-Brighton express trains. The extra capacity will be provided by leasing a number of
British Rail Class 442 units that are not in use. The combined Southern/Gatwick Express franchise will end in September 2009, to allow the new franchise holder time to implement the major timetable changes planned for December 2009.{{cite web | title =Agreement signed to amend Gatwick Express and Southern franchises
| work =DfT Rail Group
| publisher =[Department for Transport
| url= http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/gatwickexpressandsouthern
| accessdate =2007-06-27
-->
Ticketing
London - Gatwick is one of few journeys on the UK
National Rail network for which passengers are required to choose between different operators when buying tickets — on all other flows shared by different National Rail operators tickets for immediate travel are inter-available, although some restrictions may apply on cheaper tickets. Through tickets for which the London-Gatwick line is part of a permitted route are valid on the Gatwick Express, provided they are not endorsed "NOT GATWICK EXPRESS." Tickets from London to stations south of Gatwick generally bear this restriction. Passengers cannot travel on Gatwick Express using the Network Railcard discount for South East England.
Rolling stock
Current fleet
{| class="wikitable"|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9! rowspan="2" | Class ! rowspan="2" |Image! rowspan="2" |Type! colspan="2" | Top speed ! rowspan="2" | Number ! rowspan="2" | Routes operated ! rowspan="2" | Built |----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9! mph ! km/h |-|
British Rail Class 460||
electrical multiple units - [London Gatwick Airport|2000 - 2001|-|
British Rail Class 73||electro-diesel locomotive|90|145|1|Thunderbird|1984|}
Past fleet
{| class="wikitable"|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9|
Class |
Image |
Type |
Built |
Withdrawn |
Notes |-|British Rail Class 73||
electro-diesel locomotive||[electrical multiple unit||[electrical multiple unit|1983 - 1984|2005||}
See also
References
External links
{{s-ttl|title=Operator of Gatwick Express franchise|years=1997 — present-->
{{Infobox Rail companies |bgcolor=FF0000|image_filename=460008 02-08-05 - East Croydon.JPG|widthpx=300px|franchise=Gatwick Express
-
June 22,
2008 - [London Gatwick Airport|secregions=None|fleet=8|stations=2|parent_company=
National Express Group-operated railway service offering a frequent shuttle service between [London Victoria station in
London and
London Gatwick Airport in
South East England.
Service
The service is non-stop and runs every 15 minutes with an average journey time of 30 minutes. The firm operates eight
British Rail Class 460 trains on dedicated services to the airport. Gatwick Express, unlike Heathrow Express, is part of the National Rail network.
An Express Class (standard class) Single ticket costs Pound sterling14.90 (as of January 2007). This price is higher than those of the Southern (train operating company) and
First Capital Connect stopping services, reflecting the faster non-stop service that the Gatwick Express offers. Passengers cannot travel on Gatwick Express using the
Network Railcard discount.
History
In 1975, the BAA Limited airport director, John Mulkern, the chairman of
British Caledonian, Adam Thomson, and the regional manager of
British Rail Southern Region, Bob Read, formed the Gatwick Liaison Group to discuss matters of mutual interest.As a subsidiary of this, the Gatwick Promotion Group, under the chairmanship of the airport public relations manager David Hurst, was formed to market the airport.One of the first successes of the group was to persuade the board of British Rail to redevelop Gatwick station by building a raft over the platforms and this was opened by the BR chairman,
Peter Parker (British businessman), in 1980.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 both to the UK market and more especially to the potential passengers at the overseas destinations.The first success was to brand the then current service which stopped at East Croydon station as the Rapid City Link. This name was used as Adam Thomson strongly maintained that US passengers equated ‘express’ with buses.However in 1984 the non-stop Gatwick Express service was started with ten units of reconditioned rolling stock with extra luggage space. A 30-minute journey time was advertised although it was recognised that some journeys would take nearer 35 minutes, especially in rush hours.The first unit was taken on a promotional tour of the UK introducing it to travel agents in various centres, thought to be the first time a Southern Region train had travelled north. A visit to Scotland was ruled out because of union objections.
The original services were formed with British Rail Class 73 rolling stock and Mk2 coaching stock with specially modified
GLV (Goods Luggage Vans) to carry passenger luggage.
In 2006, following the introduction of the modern fleet, the final
British Rail Class 73 service ran an evening service from London Victoria and back to mark the end of the era for these trains. You can find an example of Mk2 coaching stock previously used on the service at the Great Central Railway (preserved) in
Ruddington, or a full length Gatwick Express at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, hauled by the lines Class 31 Diesel Locomotive, in GE livery.
From the end of 2004 to 2006 there was controversy surrounding the service with some rail groups believing that Gatwick Express trains, which often run half-full, made poor use of the limited capacity on some of the busiest train lines in the country. The
Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) made proposals for the Gatwick Express service to be incorporated into existing
London to Brighton mainline services operated by
Southern (train operating company) in an attempt to relieve commuter congestion. This idea was hotly disputed by the train operator as well as BAA, who feared that airport users would have to fight for space on the trains with commuters.
In 2005 a pair of British Rail Class 458 units, 458001 and 458002, transferred from South West Trains for use as a spare train if a 460 unit is out of action. They remained in South West Trains livery but with Gatwick Express branding. Their seating was modified from high density 3+2 seating configuration to 2+2 configuration, some seating was removed and replaced with luggage racks. However, these units were never called into service and have returned to operations with South West Trains.
Future
On
3 February 2006, the
Department for Transport Rail Group (DfT), which took over the responsibilities of the SRA in summer
2005, announced that the service would be axed to free up space on the Brighton Main Line.{{cite news | title = Gatwick Express train to be axed
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date = [2006-02-03
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4676388.stm
| accessdate=2007-02-18
--> Gatwick airport owner BAA Limited has been campaigning to retain the dedicated airport link{{cite web | title =Save the Gatwick Express
| work =BAA Gatwick
| publisher =[BAA Limited
| url= http://www.gatwickairport.com/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?ChPath=B2B^Gatwick%20Express
| accessdate =2007-02-18
--> saying that 80% of respondents to an online poll favoured retaining the service, with backing from many airlines using the airport.{{cite news | title = Branson in Gatwick Express call
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date = [2007-01-08
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6241993.stm
| accessdate = 2007-02-18
--> Towards the end of 2006 the DfT embarked on a consultation exercise to examine the situation, offering four possible options - three of which would allow for some form of modified express service to be retained.{{cite news | title =Gatwick Express consultation ends
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date =[2006-12-22
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6202671.stm
| accessdate =2007-02-18
--> A decision was made to keep the Gatwick Express and to expand the service to Brighton at peak times from December 2008. The franchise will transfer to
Southern (train operating company) in June 2008.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6524763.stm
| title = Gatwick Express service to remain
| work = [BBC News
| publisher = [bbc.co.uk
| date = [2007-04-04
| accessdate = 2007-04-04
--> The current Gatwick Express franchise will end on
June 22 2008, when the service will be incorporated into the Southern franchise. Initially, the service will continue unchanged. In December 2008, it will be extended during peak times to terminate at
Brighton railway station, which will double the number of London-Brighton express trains. The extra capacity will be provided by leasing a number of British Rail Class 442 units that are not in use. The combined Southern/Gatwick Express franchise will end in September 2009, to allow the new franchise holder time to implement the major timetable changes planned for December 2009.{{cite web | title =Agreement signed to amend Gatwick Express and Southern franchises
| work =DfT Rail Group
| publisher =[Department for Transport
| url= http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/gatwickexpressandsouthern
| accessdate =2007-06-27
-->
Ticketing
London - Gatwick is one of few journeys on the UK National Rail network for which passengers are required to choose between different operators when buying tickets — on all other flows shared by different National Rail operators tickets for immediate travel are inter-available, although some restrictions may apply on cheaper tickets. Through tickets for which the London-Gatwick line is part of a permitted route are valid on the Gatwick Express, provided they are not endorsed "NOT GATWICK EXPRESS." Tickets from London to stations south of Gatwick generally bear this restriction. Passengers cannot travel on Gatwick Express using the Network Railcard discount for South East England.
Rolling stock
Current fleet
{| class="wikitable"|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9! rowspan="2" | Class ! rowspan="2" |Image! rowspan="2" |Type! colspan="2" | Top speed ! rowspan="2" | Number ! rowspan="2" | Routes operated ! rowspan="2" | Built |----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9! mph ! km/h |-|
British Rail Class 460||electrical multiple units - [London Gatwick Airport|2000 - 2001|-|
British Rail Class 73||electro-diesel locomotive|90|145|1|Thunderbird|1984|}
Past fleet
{| class="wikitable"|----- bgcolor=#f9f9f9|
Class |
Image |
Type |
Built |
Withdrawn |
Notes |-|British Rail Class 73||
electro-diesel locomotive||[electrical multiple unit||[electrical multiple unit|1983 - 1984|2005||}
See also
References
External links
{{s-ttl|title=Operator of Gatwick Express franchise|years=1997 — present-->
Gatwick Express - Home Page
Travel First Class The ultimate combination of speed and comfort. >> Regular travellers save time by registering Register Now >> Save up to 50 per cent on your restaurant bills Top ...
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Save time and money with Sterling by booking discounted rail travel with Gatwick Express, the fastest way between central London and Gatwick Airport.
National Rail Enquiries - Gatwick Express
The gateway to Britain's National Rail network. A portal into UK rail travel including train company information and promotions; train times; fares enquiries; ticket purchase and ...
BBC - Travel News - Gatwick Express
A continually updated, comprehensive guide to the current traffic and travel situation across the UK, compiled by the BBC Travel Unit
BBC - London - Travel - Gatwick Express
Train services between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport. ... Information supplied by BBC Travel News. While the BBC has made every effort to ensure that all BBC Travel News ...
BAA Gatwick: Gatwick Express
Non-stop Gatwick rail service here to stay. The Government announced on 4 April 2007 that air passengers travelling between Gatwick Airport and central London will continue to ...
London Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express airport transfer train gatwick. ... Gatwick Express Airport Transportation Getting to and from Gatwick Airport and central ...
National Express // Airports // London Gatwick
We run hundreds of services each day to and from Gatwick Airport. Wherever you're travelling from in the UK, we can take you to the heart of Gatwick Airport's North and South ...
BBC NEWS | England | MP supports Gatwick Express axing
The MP for Central Croydon tables a Commons motion in favour of the Gatwick Express train service being axed.
Gatwick Express 458s
Gatwick Express replaced its original push-pull stock with eight 8 car class 460 Juniper units, and whilst routine maintenance was taken into account when ordering this quantity ...
