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Post by edb on May 10, 2007 21:34:50 GMT
Wasn't sure if this should be in the Stations section or Central so i'll let someone else decide......
This morning whilst heading to work i entered Ealing Broadway station and entered the Central Line platforms to find the Dot Matrix boards broken and two trains in platform. No one really seemed to know which one to get on.
The most annoying thing about this is that at no point did i see a member of LU staff or hear someone making any kind of announcement, further to my previous rant i had noticed a number of staff at various points but i was highly disappointed today to find none.
Sorry, just a bit frustrated.
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Colin
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Post by Colin on May 11, 2007 3:37:37 GMT
The  say it can stay here  ;D ;D Whilst the LUL staff at Ealing Broadway nominally belong to the Central line, their office is on the District part of the station - odd set up   Anyway, back on topic - perhaps the boards had only just failed, and the station staff were not yet aware? |
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Post by edb on May 11, 2007 6:46:04 GMT
Good point, however same situation today  |
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Post by happybunny on May 11, 2007 19:54:20 GMT
OK If the Dot Matrix's are defective or whatever, what do you expect from the staff? The most I would expect is a sign up saying Dot Matrix Out of order!, and maybe if it is peak time a few announcements as to which train goes first. The only time there would be a problem is if a train is out of sequence for whatever reason. Ie. Train on P5 departs, leaving a train on P6. Customers arrive and there is only one train waiting so they board it. Train arrives into P5, customers arrive and see no customers sat on P5 train but plenty sat on P6 train so they go to that one, then P6 train departs and it starts again. Common sense has to prevail. I think it is unreasonable to expect staff to announce which ones going first every few minutes considering all the other duties they have to attend to! If I may also say so the staff at EAB do a great job and are always on the ball.
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Post by edb on May 11, 2007 22:55:02 GMT
I'd expect an announcement.
At 7:00 in the morning and you arrive at the station and there are two trains, both with there red lights showing, which one do you get on?
Bear in mind the smallish number of customers at this time, how do you judge which train is the correct one? Both have a sprinkling of passengers.....
The thing is during peak you either have trains queuing to get in, so if you miss the 3 minutes in which the trains change you're clueless.
Frankly i consider myself a sensible knowledgeable person, who has some LU interested and likes to note whats going on and as such has a slight knowledge advantage over other commuters. As such i wonder if i'm confused, how's everyone else feeling.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2007 22:59:03 GMT
Thats happened to me on several occasions!
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Post by mandgc on May 12, 2007 0:03:23 GMT
When there are two trains at the platform and some doubt about which one is leaving first why can't the Driver of the next train, when signalled out, make an anouncement over his loudspeaker ?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2007 8:01:41 GMT
Bit surprised that this is a problem for the pandered Central Line passengers . Having used the District Line at Wimbledon for many years we have got used to the second guessing which train is departing first - not always successfully  The simple rule of thumb is either: 1) Wait on one train sticking your head our of the door and wait for the Green. 2) See which train is the most heavily loaded and get on that one. However as I have witnessed at Wimbledon (although sadly rarely) the train op will make an announcement that the train is about to depart or "give that driver a thanks to you" even better when they make the announcement that the train on the adjacent platform will be the first to depart. Can't see why this wouldn't work on the Central (with it's Island Platform). BTW have anybody spoken to the station staff at Ealing Broadway to find out why staff aren't in position? |
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Post by 100andthirty on May 12, 2007 10:23:23 GMT
Perhaps I'm being thick, but if the dot matrix signs are defective, surely the drivers know which train will go first and could make very clear announcements over the train PA and wait a few moments for people to change if on the wrong one!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2007 10:44:14 GMT
it always happens at totenham court road
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2007 12:11:00 GMT
Now you've got me confused. You always know which is the next train at TCR.. It's the one in the platform. John |
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Colin
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Post by Colin on May 12, 2007 13:08:08 GMT
With regard to the drivers making an effort - absolutely. It shouldn't be any bother for them to tell the punters which one is first out.
In my experience, we District drivers will try to assist our customers at Wimbledon where necessary.............but I only work late turns, so I can't speak for my early turn colleagues when the station is obviously a lot busier and the information is more critical.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2007 14:00:00 GMT
As for the fault itself - it was reported to Metronet on 9th May, and the fault is not a simple one and is "under investigation".
Colin - it has been a couple of years since I've used Wimbledon regularily, so no doubt the quality of information has improved greatly, but I did get the feeling that some drivers seemed to enjoy just closing the doors when everyone was making there may to the lead car.
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Phil
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Post by Phil on May 12, 2007 17:34:14 GMT
With regard to the drivers making an effort - absolutely. It shouldn't be any bother for them to tell the punters which one is first out. True, and no excuses, but it would help in this situation if the drivers' announcement boards at the platform ends told them that the DMIs were out, especially if it was going to last a while. Has that been done?? |
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2007 19:47:07 GMT
Just for fun, the other one at EAB is broken too - when I got there today at 1930 the Next Train Out display on the District platforms was displaying all three platforms on one side. Apparently a minor kerfluffle resulted in a driver swap between a train in platform 7 and a train in platform 8, as the latter got the stick first.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on May 12, 2007 22:46:03 GMT
As for the fault itself - it was reported to Metronet on 9th May, and the fault is not a simple one and is "under investigation". Which, reading between the lines, would indicate that no-one in Metronet has the skills to work on the system. Not all that surprising really, as it is (was?) maintained by Westinghouse under contract to LU/Metronet since new. |
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;D ;D
