The new Thameslink trains will indeed be transformational, offering a huge step change in capacity, the eight-carriage Brighton to St Pancras services lengthened to 12 carriages, helping to create 1,000 extra Thameslink seats in the morning peak (The ‘luxury’ future of the Brighton Main Line, The Argus, April 27).

The turn up and go tube-style frequency service will be provided across central London, with trains every two to three minutes between Blackfriars and St Pancras, and there will also be trains between East Croydon and Blackfriars-St Pancras (via London Bridge) around every four minutes.

However, this frequency of Thameslink service cannot be replicated at Brighton because of limited space on the tracks. This is why we are lengthening trains.

Having said this, there will be twice as many services from Brighton through to Blackfriars and St Pancras via London Bridge in the busiest hour of the morning peak.

Also, while we cannot confirm with certainty yet whether WiFI will be available onboard, this is very much our aspiration and we are working hard with industry partners to that effect.

Roger Perkins
Head of Communications Thameslink Railway