|
Post by wimblephil on Nov 11, 2015 8:42:44 GMT
So I finally got found to speaking to one of my friends at Blast! films. Whilst she's not directly working on the project, she said she doesn't think that they've got a transmission date in mind yet.
Apparently, it was hoped that a story or two could focus on the Night running aspect of things, which is why filming started up when it did. Depending on how long TfL take to get their act together, they might still want to keep this as a focus. Current rumours amongst the production team suggests that TfL are hoping for a March 2016 start for 24hr running. Therefore an air date for the series is likely to be late-spring/early-summer.
Bare in mind nothing is set in stone and a lot of info is just based on maybe's, possibly's and the rumour mill! The above is just to give an indication of where current thinking is, and things are always subject to change!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Nov 4, 2015 20:04:36 GMT
Currently the TfL website shows London Overground has no service between South Acton and Gunnersbury due to a signal failure at South Acton with a good service elsewhere. Are they really reversing at Gunnersbury, without impacting the District? I'd have thought it more likely that LO was suspended Richmond - South Acton with just the District running between Richmond and Gunnersbury? I think you've probably called it right Chris. As the District line provides a service between Richmond and Gunnersbury, technically the LO service isn't suspended between the two. But surly (if it is in fact the case) technically the LO service IS suspended; the District is not.
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Nov 2, 2015 8:11:53 GMT
So, there's always someone else to blame when things go wrong in other words...!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 28, 2015 8:06:12 GMT
And FINALLY they appear to be back in operation. Only took forever!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 27, 2015 22:02:19 GMT
S stock trains cannot display Acton Town whereas D stock can. EDIT: S stock CAN show Acton Town, but only from the Ealing Broadway direction. That seems... erm... a bit silly!?
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 23, 2015 16:33:31 GMT
Cool, thanks both. I'd hope they're aware!! I'll try and email them at some point. I want an explanation of some kind! Plus the more noise made the better now I think at this stage!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 23, 2015 10:46:13 GMT
Still broken! No signs of explanation! Who would I send an email complaint to about this? At least they have now taken to sticking up laminated paper on the control room window to display the next train. Can't imagine that will be a fun job changing that all day! It's still not good enough though really, it's been a long time that they've been out now!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 21, 2015 18:04:18 GMT
I know people who work at Blast. I can have an ask and see if they know!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 20, 2015 19:22:55 GMT
Just happened to switch on London live showing repeats. There's still A-Stock running around so a second one is long overdue!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 20, 2015 17:53:47 GMT
Just looking up and the indicators now... is there any logical reason for the order in which the destinations appear? Or is it just so? Seems kind of random!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 14, 2015 18:18:01 GMT
Having just jumped on a Night Tube wrapped car, i'm left wondering if the wrap has come a bit soon?
All it's doing for me now is reminding me that the night service should have started a month ago, and currently there appears to be no tunnel at the end of the light in sight...!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 8, 2015 6:53:13 GMT
Surely the term 'STOPS HERE' is not as as good as 'TERMINATES' would be? Given trains are generally described as 'fast' of 'stopping', all trains 'stop' at Earl's Court!
I highly doubt many are confused by it though! Semantics I guess..!?
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 8, 2015 6:44:08 GMT
A good fun bit of chaos going on again this morning. As I walked on to platforms 1 & 2, the announcements were going out; "Next train to depart will be from platform 1, to Edgware Road", (cue half the population of the Dagenham East train on platform 2, making a mad dash to platform 1 (made particularly chaotic by those panicking when they hear the door chimes of the Edgware train)); "Next train to depart from platform 2 will be a City via Victoria service" (cue the mad dash of the confused back in the opposite direction).
As I got to the end of the platform I've never seen so many people standing watching the signals, waiting to see which will go green. Even the Train Ops were unsure as to what was going next. One told a passenger, "you need to start complaining, they've been like that for a couple of weeks now"...
Finally, the Op for the Edgware train came walking to his cab around 07:27, "What time you due out?" the Dagenham operator asked him. "28" came the response. Cue those waiting by the signals making their way to the Edgware train, an announcement to the Dagenham bound passengers, and the final mad dash, to enjoy a wonderfully packed train up to Earl's Court. Good times.
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 7, 2015 21:40:07 GMT
I'm kinda used to seeing a tube train at an SSR height platform, interesting to see the opposite with a massive step up into the Train. Same. I don't think I've seen a surface stock at a deep level height platform before! Really highlights just how low they are. You don't tend to notice when the trains using them are the correct height for them!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 7, 2015 21:01:22 GMT
The online departure materials are a bit useless really! It's besides the point a little too. The average Joe wouldn't and shouldn't have to try and figure it out online! The information should be provided. Even if it's just a guy who has to change a number on the whiteboard before each departure! There should be something!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 6, 2015 21:46:18 GMT
During the forthcoming Ealing blockade, a 20min train service will be provided to/from Olympia in the peaks only, running from both Tower Hill and Upminster. So does it become quite a key termination point during times like this? Could the service survive without it? (Has the loss of the Putney Bridge bay road caused many headaches?) I guess trains could tip out at Earls Court and still run along that branch to be turned? But I suspect de-training at Earls Court would be a nightmare!?
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 6, 2015 21:42:28 GMT
Anyone currently using the District line from Wimbledon will be aware that the Next Train Indicators are currently not in operation and have been that way for a few days now.
It seems a fault has occurred and they've decided to retire themselves. The current solution appears to be to have someone shout down the tannoy every two minutes; "Next Edgware Road train, platform X", "Next City via Victoria train, platform Y". Only during the peaks mind. Off or inter-peak it's take a lucky guess, and tough do-doo if you get it wrong.
The day on or after the fault occurred, there was a message displayed on the whiteboard (that so often finds its way to the top of the steps during times of disruption), stating that an engineer had been called and the situation should be rectified shortly. However that message appears to have retired also with no signs of a fix or explanation.
Would anybody happen to know what/if/when something is being done about it? Is there no back up plan for these situations when it's quite key to know where the next departure will leave from, particularly when there's two pairs of platforms to choose from?!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Oct 4, 2015 10:12:19 GMT
Is there actually a useful purpose for the Olympia service? As much as possible, they seem to prefer not to run it. They make announcements at Earls Court all the time like it's an extremely popular service that people need lots of advice on alternative routes. But is it really? Is it only not withdrawn altogether because it can be a convenient location to turn back trains when needed?
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Sept 14, 2015 19:45:09 GMT
Ah I see. Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Sept 14, 2015 19:28:30 GMT
Evening all. Just been stuck in some major (sorry, 'minor') delays on the District, due to a signal failure at Putney Bridge. Just curious of the cause if anyone knows? Aside from being a 'Signal Failure' of course!
Whilst we were crossing the Bridge, we sat for a good old while, before it was announced we should hold on tight as there would be a 'small' jolt (it wasn't small!) before we would be able to proceed slowly toward the next station. And indeed we crawled our way to East Putney. It was a smooth journey to Wimbledon from then. Again curious as to the cause of this? Something to do with the power change I assume? (I don't fully understand what happens here!).
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Sept 4, 2015 22:05:44 GMT
Believe it or not, there are people who use the District line regularly who do not notice that the stock is changing. I find that weird, because, even for a non railway enthusiast they mus be pretty unobservant. I too know some of these people, and I too find it quite bizarre! I also know quite a few people who do notice but think 'oh it's a Circle line train today'. As to my preference... the grass is always greener; when a D approaches I want the S, and vice versa! Can't make up my mind. I do appreciate the benefits of walk-through at terminus stations though. Particularly during a delay. With the S you can nearly always grab at seat at the other end, with the D, everyone packs together by the rear door.
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Sept 4, 2015 18:52:13 GMT
Zones 7-9 are getting less 'special' by the day!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Sept 2, 2015 19:01:37 GMT
That's kind of how I thought it would work. I thought there was some sort of electronic code or signal or something transmitted at points on the track so that when the train passed over it, it would trigger the announcement. Evidently not!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Sept 1, 2015 7:07:53 GMT
Well that all makes sense I suppose! For the same reasons it wouldn't be particularly useful on the deep level lines I presume...!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Sept 1, 2015 5:21:27 GMT
Not sure how you can get a Fulham Broadway announcement with the Earl's Court interchange info though! Perhaps it was in the middle of sorting itself out. This is what baffled me and got me questioning how it worked! Thanks for your detailed response. So only the D78 have GPS? Is there a reason it was deemed not required/wanted for the S-Stock? We often get this on the Waterloo - Waterloo roundabout services, which get confused on the Clapham Junction - Waterloo leg as to whether they are coming or going. They only call at Queenstown Road on the outward leg (anticlckwie) or inward (clockwise) , but the station often gets announced on the other leg as well So we get told to "mind the gap" there, when there are four tracks between you and the platform (and the train isn't stopping anyway) I've not experienced the Queenstown Road announcement on the non-Windsor lines myself, but on many occasion I have experienced the announcements to be out-of-sync by one station, possibly because of that pesky Queenstown Road!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Aug 28, 2015 4:45:43 GMT
Asking out of curiosity; what is it that causes the in-car automated announcements to run incorrectly and out of sync at times? (How do they work at all really!?)
The other morning I was on a D Stock that whilst coming into Fulham Broadway announced 'The next Station is West Brompton, change for London Overground and National Rail Services', upon arrival at FB it announced 'This is West Brompton...'. Between FB & West Brompton it announced 'The next station is Fulham Broadway, change for the Piccadilly line and District line services to other destinations' then at WB it corrected itself and played the usual 'This is West Brompton...' message. I found it interesting that it pieces the information together, for example I didn't think it would be possible to announce the Pic from FB! I'm not sure where the out-of-sync-ness occurred, (headphones!) but I just noticed at FB.
Then whilst on a Circle line at Goldhawk Road, heading East it announced the next station as Hammersmith, but was correct by the next station. This morning I was on the 05:11 from Wimbledon. As it pulled in and the doors opened, it announced the station as FB and proceeded to announce incorrectly until just before Putney Bridge, giving WB for Wimbledon Park, Earls Court for Southfields and High Street Kensington for East Putney where it announced it's termination!
It can confuse the hell out of the unfamiliar traveller, ...and even those who are regular!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Aug 20, 2015 6:17:46 GMT
The gaps certainly don't help the Wimbledon Branch in the peak. Trains start to get near capacity at East Putney. Generally it's quite a busy branch anyway, but when there's 10+ minutes between trains...! I'm just glad I board at Wims and get my seat!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Aug 14, 2015 18:35:02 GMT
Things certainly feel like they've picked up quick. It doesn't seem that long ago I was still hoping to catch an S Wimbleware when a C would trundle up...!
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Aug 14, 2015 7:19:43 GMT
So Monday to Friday, outside of the peak, only 5 of the Wimbledon workings are made up of D-Stock? Could this branch be the first to loose them altogether? Or the way the that the line operates will it be the case that no branch will truly loose them until the final one has run?
It's funny as the majority of 'District Main' that I spot operating as S-Stock tend to be to/from Richmond/Ealing Broadway! This is usually during he Peaks though...
|
|
|
Post by wimblephil on Jul 21, 2015 7:11:02 GMT
Yes this caught me by surprise yesterday! Very dark looking when you're used to the white! I managed to snap a quick pic at Baron's Court but it's not that great! 103 is the number of the one I snapped. Edit: Here's a link to my pic: flic.kr/p/wi9cUKAs I say, not the best and just a quick snap! I'm sure someone will post a good and proper pic soon...!
|
|