On 1 Jan, 04:29, Denis McMahon wrote:
On Mon, 31 Dec 2012 10:24:21 +0000, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 09:35:45 on Mon, 31 Dec
2012, Denis McMahon remarked:

I made the journey via Waterloo / Underground / StP to catch HS1
services to North Kent exactly once. Never again. Back to Victoria
services.

Do they stop at Stratford? If so I think I'd use the Jubilee Line and
DLR, if starting from Waterloo.

I'm starting from Fratton. I have a choice of arriving at Waterloo (SWT)
or Victoria (Sn).

I could probably change at Gatwick or East Croydon for a Thameslink
service and get to StP that way, but it's swings and roundabouts,
travelling via Victoria is slower, but only involves a single change
(although the return often also involves a same platform change at Havant
for some reason).

The advantage of the faster route (HS1 as far as Ebbsfleet) quickly gets
eaten up by the extra time involved in making changes.

I did ponder the possibility of using Tramlink between East Croydon and
Beckenham Junction, but I suspect that I'd need to change again between
Beckenham Junction and Sittingbourne (Bromley South?).

Southern seem to run Fratton - Victoria, but in the reverse direction,
Victoria - Southampton so I need to use SWT for the last 5 miles.

SWT and NSR both operate trains between Havant and Portsmouth. SWT
trains run to Waterloo by way of Guildford. NSR run to Victoria bith
thru Horsham and Hove. SWT also run a Portsmouth to Waterloo service
thru Basingstoke.