"Roland Perry" wrote in message
y.com...

Incidentally, I did this change a few months ago, from a "Connex-ish[1]"
train from Gatwick to one on the Esher/Walton/Weybridge line and it
*did* involve changing islands. Was I unlucky?

Perhaps you were on one of the Brighton/Gatwick - Watford services that run
via Kensington Olympia. These cross from the fast lines to the slow lines at
Balham and then cross again in the throat of Clapham Junction station to
take the easternmost lines that then dive under the Victoria and Waterloo
lines. In that case it *is* a pig of a journey! Normally Victoria mainline
services use platform 12 and suburban services platform 14. Down South
Western suburban services usually use 11 and mainline services use 9
(Windsor lines excepted!).