Loughborough Junction says goodbye to First Capital Connect, and hello Thameslink

A company called Govia has recently won the franchise to provide services to and from Loughborough Junction Station and operate the station. This is part of a much extended franchise which also includes the former Southern services as well. The services will be branded Thameslink – bringing back a name that continued to be used even when the previous Franchise which was awarded to First Group rebranded to First Capital Connect.

Thameslink have announced that they will be introducing the following benefits for users of Loughborough Junction station:

  • the introduction of ticket gatelines
  • staff to be on site from the first to the last train every day as part of plans to provide it at the 101 busiest stations in their franchise
  • free Wi-Fi to be introduced at 104 of the busiest stations (it isn’t clear at this stage whether this will include Loughborough Junction)
  • between 2016 and 2018 existing trains on the Wimbledon Loop service will be replaced by the new-build class 700 Siemens trains
  • these new trains and an additional peak service will increase the total carrying capacity between the Wimbledon Loop and Blackfriars by around 50% in the three-hour morning peak
  • from 2018 services will commence earlier on Sundays to Blackfriars to reflect the changing nature of Sunday demand.

There is no mention of lifts and improved accessibility but to install automated gates (gatelines) at Loughborough Junction there will need to be some significant remodelling.

Download the full factsheet about the improvements.