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Post by version3point1 on Oct 24, 2023 3:22:51 GMT
Does Harrow on the Hill still have a Technical Officer in a depot next to the signal cabin ? Still up there in the other room across the corridor from the frame.
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Post by version3point1 on Oct 24, 2023 3:18:34 GMT
You can manually drive the TBTC and CBTC lines' trains at line speed. Happy to acknowledge it may not be as easy as on the Central line and hence less easy to sustain the timetable. Nor as easy but can be done, never seems to happen on the met though. Bit of a sweeping statement. I can vouch for it happening because I have to train people to be able to do it. As for losing time - can't say I have lost anything significant. The system is harsher (comparing it to when I had to learn to drive for assessment purposes on the Central), but you'll still get into BSS or ALD 1 or 2 mins down, which is no different from in ATO anyway.
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Post by version3point1 on Aug 6, 2018 17:15:13 GMT
Here's what it looked like back in May 2018: It's all very well until they start putting up the adverts. Makes it more of a toilet then.
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Post by version3point1 on May 9, 2018 12:25:16 GMT
I love the way there are a load of yellows in a row, as if to say, "Don't even think about it..." Same set-up in the sidings for T5, ha.
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Post by version3point1 on Dec 18, 2017 15:06:47 GMT
Convinced asbestos is a red herring, thought it was removed either at the refurb or before. Piers Connor would be the one to ask. Its a very convenient excuse, asbestos contamination. No doubt many people would be pleased to see evidence to back up potentially dangerous contamination, worse than that of other vehicles from the mainline undergoing restoration in preservation. Bottom line is you don't own heritage, you look after it for the next generation. WRT rolling stock, TfL doesnt seem to have a good record. The number of important/special/heritage vehicles scrapped since 2000 is rather shameful given other international metros willingness to capitalise on vehicle preservation for PR. I wish they'd remember that they'd make more money in the future from heritage runs than a stuffed exhibit in a museum, not to mention employee pride. A stock has been sold as of last month. We can’t afford the keep/maintain them and the LTM can’t exactly afford it either. We’ll all moan about how “shameful” it is, but at the end of the day, you have to look at how much has been descoped out of projects because of cost. I don’t know where people get this idea that we “make money” out of heritage events, because we don’t. When you take into account the running costs and getting staff to run the train, the consultation that needs to take place to implement the OSP; heritage runs just about break even.
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Post by version3point1 on May 9, 2017 2:26:29 GMT
just beware, I think an image or two of me may find its way online somewhere else.... Just desserts, I'd say. 11-12 years on, and I'm still terrified/anxious of you, your camera, and being chased by both! So enjoy your slow and torturous wait for your mugshot to be developed on 35mm film! The only time I could relax was when the car looked like this!: After the farewell by version3point1, on Flickr
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Post by version3point1 on May 8, 2017 22:10:51 GMT
I had noticed the changes (visually) south of platform 5 and 6, but having ridden on a slow train, arriving at platform 6 and changing to the slow line, the train still shakes quite a bit over the points, as before with the scissors. Lateral displacement issue, which was there before the works were carried out. Not really much you can do because of the curve/gradient out of Harrow, but it's better than what it was from a driving perspective. We have replaced our old knackered points with shiny new Surelocks (which is what allows us to run over them at increased speeds): Speeds gone from 20/25 up to line speed south of Harrow over the points/all routes. Departing Platform 6 and proceeding down the SB fast was always 30mph, going up to 60mph once clear of the points. If going over to the SB local, it was 20mph over the points. Departing Platform 5 and proceeding down the SB local was previously 30mph, including over the points, resuming to 50mph once clear of the points. If going over to the SB fast, it was 20mph over the points. We can now depart at 50mph from both platforms.
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Post by version3point1 on May 8, 2017 22:00:40 GMT
Outside of Emergency Door Override (procedure explained above), the failure of an Auxiliary Converter Module would also cause doors to be slow to open/require passenger operation.
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Post by version3point1 on Sept 28, 2016 22:54:01 GMT
When we take trains into Northfields Depot from the east end, we are normally instructed to leave the train "back end on". The rear cab door is lined up with the loading platform just by the walk boards. We do this both when stabling the train at night or reversing during the day. We do get an "MA Lost" audible warning about the then back end of the train being off juice when we are preparing to take the train back out. How do you know where to stop? There used to be shunters marks painted on the floor which indicate you being "back end on". You can see an example of said marker here (it's like a triangle): www.flickr.com/photos/fish7373/19948738888/You'd park it anywhere around, on or before there. It's also where we would hand over to a shunter to take us through the sheds if for whatever reason we had to go through to Boston end (which was what would sometimes happen during engineering works when we were shut east Acton/Northfields), as line drivers aren't permitted to drive through. That said – nine times out of ten, I just used to line it up with the train next door. Once in the shed, power is provided from power leads in the ceiling, which are plugged into the side. It is absolutely imperative that these are all removed before the train leaves the shed, or very bad things happen. It depends how far you get. It's easily done if you forget to check, but the CDU will start shouting with 'MOTORING ON SHED PLUG' illuminated, and the shunter would most likely notice and hear the unit that the leads feed into being pulled along its guide rails and flag you down. Though there are stories of people having left Northfields with bits of the roof attached to the train.. I'm not actually sure how the train gets out of the shed after the power leads have been removed, but it will be drawn forward slightly so that the front car is on juice. This is what's known as "railing" a train, but yes, the train is normally put in a place where it can then draw current of its own accord and keep things ticking over (like the compressors), so normally a car.
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Post by version3point1 on Sept 28, 2016 22:43:42 GMT
How long can the A Stock RAT last for? Last year it sounded terrible. I grew up with those trains, so I remember the noises they make, and the noises the RAT makes are pretty bad. As long as they've got parts for it and until the D Stock RAT finally appears. Which is not going to be any time soon. Last year it sounded terrible, because the year before it, it acquired some flats. That's the only reason it sounds bad. However, 5110-5111 has be stowed away in Neasden shed for months undergoing a complete strip down and overhaul from top to bottom - including the wheel sets, so when it's finally out and about there, provided it doesn't acquire flats as hideous as the last time, she'll sound fine. The car heights were just being adjusted the last time I was passing through (a few weeks ago), and I think there may be some adjustments to headlights. I understood it was being replaced by a D Stock RAT as soon as possible but I may have misheard! You've heard right, but you've got the season wrong. Watch this space.
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Post by version3point1 on Sept 21, 2016 16:35:30 GMT
Why are these ones different to all the others on the network? They look like something out of the 1990s. You should've seen what we had before. Glorious CRT monitors!
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Post by version3point1 on Sept 21, 2016 16:21:47 GMT
Work on Chorleywood Signal Box started this month, with the removal of existing paint and surveying of the current wood condition in progress. As an ex-Ruislip resident I would be interested to hear what the plans are for the Ruislip box. Is it still intact? Ruislip box is still intact (minus the stairs), and it has now been costed, so work began about fortnight ago. You may have noticed signs going up, along with evidence of existing paint removal.
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Post by version3point1 on Sept 21, 2016 16:16:13 GMT
The A stock on 104rd at Neasden is not the Sandite unit, but actually 5234, which has been there for quite a while, though recently it did need to be shunted, so it could've just been shunting around. The Sandite unit has been in the sheds: Rail Adhesion Train 5111-5110, September 2016
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Post by version3point1 on Sept 2, 2016 16:28:05 GMT
So is it cancelled because of the threat of industrial action or not and who is the guilty party ? I don't know who is on strike, but the reason for cancelling is directly down to the amount of cost and planning involved to possibly have to cancel at the last minute. There is a lot to do in order to comply with requirements set by the ORR Transplant. Long story. Anyway, it's a shame that the newly-painted Class 20 142 didn't get a chance to stretch its legs on the Met, but never mind. Class 20 142 West Ruislip BR linkClass 20 142 West Ruislip
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Post by version3point1 on Aug 5, 2016 15:54:30 GMT
There appears to be work going on at the cabin, new steps to the entrance and scaffolding and possibly? building work, anyone know what is being done? The steps went in last summer to provide safe access for if work was to be done. The sums were done to see if it could be restored (or at least repainted), along with Ruislip, so it's likely the cost and work have now been approved. There is a brief comment from Mike Ashworth about the matter in the comments section for the photo below: Chesham signal box by version3point1, on Flickr
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Post by version3point1 on Aug 5, 2016 15:46:40 GMT
How much was a ticket for the observation car? Also randomly does anyone know how much a ticket is between Chicago and Carbondale? I am going there next year. Do you also know how far in advance a train can be booked? The observation car is included in the price the ticket. Looking at the City Of New Orleans service, cheapest one way ticket for Chicago to Carbondale for the first week of September is $27.00, and there are no more lower level seats left. I travelled on the Coast Starlight in September 2015, travelling one way from Seattle, WA, to Emeryville, CA, and I booked the tickets at the start of July 2015. Based on two adults travelling, the rail fare itself was $208, with the supplement for the premium bedroom costing $524*, so $732 in all. It was the last premium bedroom left when I was booking the tickets at the time, so it depends on whether you're after a berth or not. Looking at tickets now for the same journey, the price for two people travelling in September is $1,118.00, but it's about $300 cheaper if I book for October, so I would advise booking as early as you can: I'd booked my train tickets first before my plane tickets, though some people would probably work the other way around, and it really does depend on the Amtrak route you decide to take as some routes are more popular than others. Once I'd booked the ticket, I'd looked again a week later to see if there were any fares left to find it had all sold out. *If you do get a berth of any kind in the sleeper car however, your ticket covers lunch and dinner, along with breakfast the following morning, either in the sleeper car (which is for sleeper car passengers only) or the buffet car (which is accessible to all). There's also a general lounge/bar area for sleeper car passengers only with free wifi, and a cinema in the lower part where they were screening vintage films. Any students here? It's worth noting that you can also get 10% off fares if you've got an NUS card with the ISIC (International Student) supplement also, provided you book your ticket online, no less than 3 days in advance.
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Post by version3point1 on Jul 26, 2016 16:09:18 GMT
Sadly not. All the time I was in and out of Wood Green Sidings, I could't be bothered to get out and photograph it because I didn't bring a clothes peg for my nose... A colleague has a photo of a 73 taken in Down Street, though it's a phone picture and they're unlikely to say yes to commercial use: www.flickr.com/photos/tubesnaps/25915918095/If I had the time, I'd go down and get a photograph for you, but the nature of the shot means you're still probably going to have to ask TfL to use it.
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Post by version3point1 on May 29, 2016 10:34:45 GMT
Any more news on this and how long it'll take to fix? Travelling home from London to Chesham on Friday evening, the speed restriction seemed to be in place all the way from Ricky to the slip site, so we were 10-15 mins late arriving. In case you haven't seen what we're dealing with (as per Finn Brennan's post on the ORR notice served to London Underground on the matter): The gravity of this situation means it is likely to take months, and these people are working more or less around the clock. Work to reinforce the embankment did not start immediately because of the wait for equipment, and having to restructure the land around the site in order to make it safe to work on as well as safe for heavy duty equipment to access the site. The piling equipment has made good some of the site, but there's still a lot to do in terms of moving earth around along the entire stretch of the site on what is already compromised. Naturally, any significant rainfall will impact the process and any progress that has already been made. In light of the recently completed pile work, the temporary speed restrictions have been reviewed and we are now permitted to run at 15mph NB and 25mph SB respectively past the site.
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Post by version3point1 on May 5, 2016 20:22:35 GMT
The landslip was reported on Sunday around 19.00 between Rickmansworth and Chorleywood, a 10mph speed restriction was implemented after investigations. Several large trees are reported to be felled by this. The situation is likely to be ongoing for several weeks, impacting timetabled trains. The landslip was reported in the late afternoon, well before 1900, by a member of the public, who subsequently contacted the police. The 10mph emergency speed restriction was implemented after 1900hrs, following attendance by a Duty Reliability Manager, and then the ERU and civil engineers. The area affected is several metres north of the M25, for around 400m, up until signal A966. The landslip affects the embankment on the northbound road, but the 10mph has been implemented on both roads following advice from civil engineers. There are pictures show the land to have cut away as close as the cable run for the distance of about two car lengths. Because of how close it is to the railway, and the gradient of the embankment, it was not immediately obvious to drivers how bad the landslip was until a DRM was sent to site. The situation is going to be ongoing for several weeks. Some of the plant equipment required to remedy the problem was supposed to be delivered on Wednesday. Most of the delays for the Met can be clawed back by running trains fast south of Ricky, or allowing Amersham trains to reverse off the platform instead of the sidings, but I can appreciate that Chiltern can't quite make any more time up getting caught up in the 10mph themselves. Because the Met isn't particularly impacted timetable-wise, I'd imagine this is why there is no formal public address about the delays besides what we as drivers say, or what is said locally on stations.
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Post by version3point1 on Apr 27, 2016 17:40:12 GMT
I made a note of the shunters (all with girls names) But despite having made numerous visits I still didn't see all of them. Are they STILL in use on the system? thanks. The Schoma diesels I think you're referring to are still in use – I can't remember the loco numbers, but I certainly remember seeing at least two of them in use and moving through the City around the time or not long after the KX shutdown and they reside at Ruislip Depot. I'm sure somebody here can fill in the gaps.
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Post by version3point1 on Apr 27, 2016 17:37:08 GMT
Why do some SB Met line trains drop crew off at Neasden, when they could just get off at Wembley Park and take a Jubilee line train? Granted its a weekend timetable, but nonetheless, when there is even more emphasis on getting trains on time it seems a bit strange to me? If the train is going to stop there, why not just let passengers alight there too? Professional courtesy. The line controller also authorises pick-ups/drop-offs during service disruption when drivers need to be retrieved from Neasden to pick-up elsewhere or dropped off to bring a train out of Neasden Depot. Regardless of the reason for any drop-off, having passengers alight at Neasden as a regular thing wouldn't happen, because you would need to do the same on the NB, which is not possible as there's no exit to the ticket hall.
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Post by version3point1 on Mar 31, 2016 21:50:01 GMT
There were a couple of moments from Monday's edition that stood out for me... The second was at the former Jubilee Line platforms at Charing Cross, soon after the LT staff clothing event, when a member of Victoria station staff approached a senior member of TfL asking that he visit the station to see the congestion for himself of a weekend. IMO the way in which her concerns were dismissed (commenting that he lives in Birmingham), IMO the staff member certainly didn't shower himself in credibility... Its when he says NO! ill come when I come. The arrogance of the man tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/corporate-governance/chief-officers#on-this-page-4www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/nick-brown/
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Post by version3point1 on Feb 10, 2016 15:32:39 GMT
Is track quality the reason for the slow ride between Baker St and Finchley Road, or is it to do with tight curves? Currently the Met isn't much faster than the Jubilee despite it having no stops and the Jubilee having 2! Track quality, the curves, and the fact that you are coming and going from one controlled area to the next. There's also the fact that the Jubilee is now ATO and can simply achieve more in terms of rates of acceleration/deceleration, whereas humans will all perform differently (as some drivers drive a bit more defensively). That said, on a good day (quite possibly in dreams because it's so rare) where I've had absolutely no-one else in front of me for ages (which is rare now we're always running late), I've been able to get from Baker Street to Finchley Road in 5 minutes – shaving a whole 30 seconds(!) off the official off-peak running time. If you're really interested in speed limits: Leaving Baker St (platform 2), speed limit is 25mph until you get north of the junction at Baker Street. Pootle along for a little bit, then it drops back to 25mph for a few moments until you get to the Grand Union Canal, where you resume line speed up as far as the cover before Marlborough Road. It then drops back to 30mph going round the cut at Marlborough road, and then back down to 25mph as you go back under cover. Resumption of line speed on the straight bit just before Swiss Cottage. 25mph at Swiss Cottage and over the points, then up to 30mph once you get past, dropping down to 25mph for Finchley Road platform. Going Southbound is fairly similar. 30mph leaving Finchley Road, resuming line speed for a short distance after Swiss Cottage, before dropping back down to 30mph on the approach to Marlborough Road and just beyond. Line speed up as far as Lords, where there's a 40mph limit going past it, and then dropping down to 25 at the crest of the rise over the Grand Union Canal, and then the speeds vary on the approach to Baker Street, depending on where you're going. Because of the controlled approach into Baker Street however, the reality is that you don't really gain that much more speed once you get past Marlborough Road. *** In other news; 20mph TSR still remains. APD / Balfour Beatty have been out and about on the track today to conduct inspections (mostly in the Dollis Hill area), but not sure if they made it to West Hampstead. New bags of ballast have since arrived over the last few weeks to pack out the area in readiness for possible work.
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Post by version3point1 on Jan 17, 2016 19:36:53 GMT
Trains would bottom out when we drive over that bit of wet bed. Continual leak/drainage problem from West Hampstead station building, which contributes to the degrading of the track. Has been going on for years, but in the last month it has been getting progressively worse, the ride worsened even more if the train is fully loaded.
If I could take a picture of the spot, you'd see it looks a right mess, with the water pouring either straight onto the track or down the wall. I'm hoping it'll be sorted by tomorrow, but like many of the similar bits of track (bullhead or not), they normally come back after it has rained. On the approach to Dollis Hill NB is pretty shoddy. And the kink halfway down Neasden NB platform (the issue is visible from the platform) that causes lateral movement of the train towards the Met platform is back..
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Post by version3point1 on Jan 17, 2016 19:27:59 GMT
A couple of times when I've been through Victoria, a Seven Sisters train had an equals sign next to the destination on the sides of the cars, rather than a diamond that used to indicate a staff train. Has the symbol changed or does the = sign mean something different? Seven Sisters with a diamond denotes a staff train Seven Sisters= denotes a 62/63 road reverser Seven Sisters on its own (northbound trains) normally denotes a depot stabler
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Post by version3point1 on Nov 14, 2015 22:20:11 GMT
The axonometric plans are generally the cover page for the complete set of Fire Compliance Plans held on the station, which shows a more conventional plan of each level of the station, in much detail (like the rooms/areas in relation to their SID plate [the small blue rectangular plates with numbers on normally written xxx/x). As stations are split into different levels (so an example of a SID plate you could see on a random door could be [Door/Area]234/[Level]4, and the lower the number, the higher the floor, so Level 1 is normally street/ground level), looking at just a floor plan doesn't immediately make sense sometimes, which is why it's useful to have an axonometric plan available for general use. But yes, as North End says, even these detailed plans omit other details, and there are numerous stations with disused rooms where even long-serving members of staff don't know what's behind them.
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Post by version3point1 on Nov 14, 2015 21:27:17 GMT
The car numbering system for SSR is as follows:
DM car: 21XXX
M1 car: 22XXX
M2 car: 23XXX MS car: 24XXX M2D car: 25XXX 8-car trains: Middle digit of 0,1
7-car trains: Middle digit of 2,3,4 or 5
When picking up a train from the depot, it's normally marked on the TAS (Train Allocation Sheet) as 21XXX-21XXX or 21XXX/XX. So if was given the information for the units of my train being 21088-21087, 21088/87, or even 21088 on its own, I'd then know what the formation of the train is / all the car numbers, based on the car numbering system above (unlike older stocks, where as norbitonflyer rightly says you need both ends of the train). But yes – there is some logic to it! Sort of!
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Post by version3point1 on Sept 3, 2015 16:22:01 GMT
....and in a lot of cases to make them stand out better needs a bigger black sighting board. I noticed the other day that JB44 approaching Harrow platform 2 has recently acquired just such a bigger black sighting board. As has MWX746. Though there's only so much of the sky and the sun that one can afford to black out!
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Post by version3point1 on Aug 23, 2015 13:06:12 GMT
Just a few random statistics that I've managed to find in a pile of books.
A 2012 report published by ASLEF saw the union approach Northern Rail, LUL and ScotRail with a pro forma questionnaire about their recruitment and selection arrangements. Sorry if it goes on about the ladies a bit, but it's a report about diversity in the train driving workforce.
Report also goes on about the last external recruitment campaign a little bit. There were 4-5 internal recruitment campaigns over the 2007/8 period. There was an external campaign in 2008, which resulted in 10,000 applications. (And there is a brief mention of the 2001 Cosmopolitan Magazine advertisement, where the majority of the women readers passed on the adverts to their husbands and partners, ha.) It was the trade unions and management who came to the agreement to recruit externally in 2008, as it was predicted that not enough train operators could be sourced from the internal pool in the timescales required. However, it turns out they didn't need to do the external drive after all.
The company are satisfied with an internal promotions policy. It just works as far as they're concerned.
M. Robison, On Track with Diversity 2012, ASLEF, 2012, p. 21-23
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Post by version3point1 on Aug 23, 2015 12:34:57 GMT
Most publications now are available in PDF format, including timetables, rule books, duty-related data (anything published by Scheduling Services) can be accessed remotely via Network Improvement or Scheduling Services Sharepoint sites. For the former, you will need to apply with access, and for the latter, you access via your normal work email details. Stock-related publications can be found on the e-learning site.
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