Yet More Planned Engineering Works

Talking of c2c - sometimes a shut down is because they have engineering work and we can't run trains safely........mind you, a bit of co-ordination sometimes wouldn't go amiss.

@ happybunny the work this weekend, as per the traffic circular, is between Elm Park & Upminster.........trains are running in the Barking area! ;D ;D The District is suspended Upney to Upminster

Well it's not being installed until September, no service East Ham to Upminster on 6th/7th and 13th/14th.

The link will be just west of Barking, between the Network Rail line that runs into platform 1 and the Eastbound District Line, platform 2.

The link can be used in both directions, when the equipment is fully commissioned.

Which is strange that trains are terminating at Upney. Why not Dagenham East?
Or, to avoid the shunting in/out via Barking 21/22 sidings, why not Barking itself?

Although the platform describers won't be able to show Upney. They will no doubt show Barking.

Depends on how frequent the service will be. If they run a less frequent service on the remainder of the line, they may not need the trains from Upminster.

Here is a full list of Work for this Weekend:-

Replacement Track Work between Hornchurch and Elm Park

Station Refurbishment Work at Becontree, Dagenham East, Dagenham Heathway, Elm Park and Upminster Bridge.

As a matter of interest, do we know how the connection will be signalled yet please? I take it that the Upminster one is still there but unable to be used?

I wonder wether the Unions are aware of the use of rail replacement buses on duties? It's my understanding that in the case of rail replacement buses being the only option, taxis are supposed to be used.

The Bakerloo Line uses minibuses hired from Distribution Services a few weeks' ago although obviously they were not shared with the public.

I didn't say it was an actual rule - I said it was "my understanding"......meaning based on what I've been orally told in the past and through personal experience with shutdowns at the west end of the of the line. Whenever there were buses between Acton & Earls Court, taxis were provided as part of the duty - my belief was that it was done as it would be considered that traveling drivers would get undue grief from customers unhappy at being bused.

Personally, I'm used to being moaned at so it's 'water off a ducks back' and all that - I just wonder what the actual official position is?

Now I agree wholeheartedly with you there - road training covers all these moves, and it is each drivers responsibility to ensure their route knowledge is kept up to date. Nuff said!

As to the previous question regarding the size of the possession; I was unable to obtain an EWSA, but I did have a quick look at the online version.......

There are (IIRC) six engineering trains involved in the possession, which obviously takes up a fair bit of room and there'll be a fair amount of crossing lines etc at Dagenham East - couple that with the road-rail vehicles I mentioned earlier, and it seems quite clear that it's easier to keep passenger trains well out of it.

Also, to correct what I said previously, the passenger train timetable has two extra D stocks stabled at Barking, having been canceled to Upminster on Friday night - these two trains will also be canceled from Upminster on Monday morning.

One final question - has anyone noticed the yellow lights & speakers opposite the platform & running alonside c2c's up road? Anyone know what they're for?

Here's a picture:

I think Colin has the answer - too much grief from the punters, with the driver stuck on a bus with no place of safety if they turn ugly.

I have been amazed over the past few years how few Sundays the east end of the District line has been closed, while there have been all sort of disruptions to the Circle section and the western branches. I travel in regularly on a Sunday to Tottenham Court Road, catching the train at about 8.55 from Upminster Bridge, and the only disruption I can recall was when there was some work some time ago on a bridge around Upton Park, and then C2C kindly took me in to Liverpool Street making it easy to get to the Central line for the rest of my journey. I am looking forward to a smoother journey on the District Line in a few weeks time.

To tie up a few loose ends:

• The light / speaker things I posted a picture of did indeed flash as our c2c train went past the wrong way (working bi-directionally)
  
• There was no chance of using Dagenham East to reverse - there was an engineers train stabled in the platform.......another was stabled at Dagenham Heathway; indeed the road-rail vehicles were in use in the Dagenham Heathway area although I couldn't see too well as there was a Metronet "mainline" train stabled on c2c's down road
  
• Talking of Metronet mainline" trains stabled on c2c's down road; I saw at least three of these........there were possibly four - long buggers they were too!
  
• so 8 road-rail vehicles + 5 LU engineers trains + 3 or 4 Metronet "mainline" trains...........that's some work they're doing this weekend!
  

Oh yeah - and as for the Unions bleating on about using pilots for the shunt moves at Upney.........Upminster provided several drivers who did all the shunting whilst the actual scheduled drivers had a rest in a dedicated tea room on the platform at Upney.

In principle quite correct in that it is a staff warning system, but it is called ATWS (Automatic Track Warning System). A piece of kit that came from the privatised railway of German origin and surprisingly is covered by quite a large section in the RSSB Rule Book.

I was one of the lucky few to be piloting District Line Drivers yesterday at Upney and you wouldn't believe the amount of people who were asking 'Is there any problems on the District Line today?' that was from people who had either just got off a terminating service or had just come onto the platform from street level.

There was announcements being made at Barking on the East and quite a comprehensive announcement it was too and also our very own Sonia on the train plus the Driver to was announcing it & people were still asking about the service and of course helping with the tipping out of trains it took longer because we were helping these people.

I mean yea OK if you're using an MP3 player you ain't gonna hear it but for shear ignorance well what can I say.