|
Post by countryman on Jan 19, 2018 15:43:41 GMT
The S-Stock exams are now based on mileage and there is the following exams: A, B, C, L, R, S, X and Y exams. A, B, C's are done every 25km and they cover your basic shoes, brake blocks, gauging, underframe and general inspection, hvac filters and other things like smoke detection, door operation and some other minor testing. L & X exams, every 150km and they cover things like gear box oil change, motor greasing, lubrication, various testing of the pneumatic systems and more involved testing and inspection that you wouldn't normally do on an A, B, C exam such as splitting the gangway bellows. R exam, also done at 150km is like an interim door exam, where various tests are performed to check the doors are operating within spec and things such as sensitive edge are tested. S exam at 300km, R exam plus the mechanical components are lubricated and greased and a more in-depth inspection is done such as door geometry. X exam also at 300km, mostly cleaning of ACM/MCM areas, heaters and changing out the filters for air dryer. 000s km surely? I don't think he means 25 kilometres etc, more likely to be 25k miles!
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Jan 13, 2018 20:58:49 GMT
Again rather off topic, but if you want to hear overkill announcements on buses, try the Deuce in Las Vegas!
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Jan 11, 2018 10:02:03 GMT
Rather off topic, but if anyone wants to hear awful announcements, try Yellow Buses in Bournemouth.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Jan 10, 2018 9:31:30 GMT
I'm not sure that anyone has posted anything to help the OP. Obviously the 4ft referred to is actually a 'nickname' for 4' 8 1/2". I think he is after the minimum actual dimension for the 6ft.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Dec 31, 2017 20:20:38 GMT
Not directly related to the upgrade, but Londonist have published a video showing behind the scenes of the escalators and refurbishment works to escalators at Holborn. A very interesting and instructive video. Should be compulsive viewing for all those travellers who complain about the 'inconvenience' they have to put up with. Do you mean compulsive or compulsory? ?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Dec 28, 2017 21:08:47 GMT
Bank Holidays were only established under the Bank Holidays Act of 1871, three years after this. Christmas Eve 1868 was a Thursday. It might have been seen as a good day to start because things were quieter (just as we now start new timetables on a Sunday) One of the comments on this article and this suggests the Underground ran a limited service on Christmas Day as recently as 1979, although the main line services had all gone (except in Scotland, where New Year has always been the greater event) by about 1970. I'm old enough to remember when both the U/G and the buses ran on Christmas Day. Usually between 0900 and 1600. It was suggested that the increase in car ownership killed the service off. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE In the 60s we used to travel from Perivale to Shepherds Bush after Christmas lunch on the 105 (once it was the only occasion I went on a Routemaster on the 105. We then had Christmas tea, then travelled back in the evening from White City to Perivale. If I remember correctly trains ran on the Ruislip branch every 40 minutes. This carried on until we got a car in about 1968.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Dec 17, 2017 21:41:14 GMT
Milan metro?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Dec 17, 2017 9:13:23 GMT
Inset: Seville metro?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Dec 6, 2017 22:15:35 GMT
The rail on the inner radius of the curve is set lower than the outer rail enabling the train to tilt explaining why trains seem to rise above each other because you will be facing the side of the opposite train that is either tilting down or up giving the impression of an elevation difference in track when it's just opposing levels on the individual rail although as mentioned above Westminster could be amplifying this effect with a height change. The southern end of the Met line platforms 2 and 3 take this to the extreme with a 15mph speed limit giving a severe tilt and subsequently giving a significant height difference when observing a train on the opposite track. I don't know whether I missed something, but which Met line platforms 2 and 3 are being referred to?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Nov 27, 2017 21:12:42 GMT
The fact that the wheels are mounted fixed on axles will cause wear, no matter what lateral forces occur. If a train traverses a 90 degree bend, the outer wheels will travel about 8 feet further than the inner wheel (assuming standard gauge) so there must be some slip. Obviously the effect will be greater the smaller the radius of the bend.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Nov 18, 2017 9:06:27 GMT
You also need to be aware that Contactless is by no means universal. Apparently few American cards are contactless, and even with cards that are contactless, in many cases the cards are not recognised abroad.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Nov 16, 2017 18:35:47 GMT
I've looked at all Chiltern departures around this time. None stop at Moor Park, and alternate trains do not stop at Rickmansworth. All stop at Chorleywood, Chalfont and Latimer, and Amersham.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Nov 8, 2017 13:52:11 GMT
Thanks for the interesting, full explanation. No doubt the points here and elsewhere are regularly inspected for signs of any potential "spread." If you have the opportunity to watch the Channel 5 program on Paddington Station, you will see an HST derailing in platform 2 due to track spread. It took best part of 2 days to repair. In this case it was due to the rotting of the longitudinal wooden baulks to which the rails had been fixed.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Nov 4, 2017 17:20:02 GMT
It went through ECS this time, but that's not to say it couldn't run in passenger service. It would need a loco on both ends, but that's simple (assuming there are locos rated for passenger operation in the tunnel, as all normal passenger movements are EMUs). Whether the doors line up with the tunnel evacuation doors is probably the biggest issue, but I have no idea whether they do or not. I think the biggest issue would be speed. Not only is the stock old (and so generally not as good for high speed, but this is just conjecture), but the only locos that could haul it, in the form of class 92s, are 20kph slower (160kph vs 140kph) than the Shuttle services - which would mean that timetabling it in between all of the shuttle services, as well as the eurostars would be difficult, the Chunnel is already quite a busy railway. There are already goods services through the tunnel, including the one from China. What is used to haul them?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Oct 31, 2017 9:15:08 GMT
Someone from the Rail Delivery Group was interviewed about 06.20 this morning on Radio 4's Today Programme. I was half asleep at the time but I think they admitted there was no new money in this. It sounded a total PR stunt. Not helped by the way the RDG spokesman kept using the same phrases his media trainer had clearly taught him. My favourite moment was when the presenter asked is it true that the foreign railway operators who own so many British franchises are charging high fares in the UK to subsidise passengers back home. If this is true, it seems odd that this is allowed when a bus company cannot use profits from a successful route to subsidise other unprofitable services.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Oct 29, 2017 21:11:54 GMT
Presumably countdown in number of 100 metres!
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Oct 20, 2017 21:16:31 GMT
Filming "on location" took place all over London, depending on what was needed to suit the plot. Locations near the studios would be preferred (hence in the later series scenes involving railway lines tended to be in third rail territory despite the supposed East End setting) but I've spotted scenes filmed some distance from Merton, such as in Kingston town centre, on Holborn Viaduct, and on the Victoria Embankment. (Similarly, I was watching a drama recently that was supposedly set in Manchester, but in one scene a London bus was clearly seen) Not forgetting 'Prime Suspect' supposedly based in London, was filmed in Manchester. The giveaway? A mint RM complete with polished nut guard rings, an offside routenumber display. I could never see the stock number, but I'll bet it was RM1414 borrowed from the GMT Museum. Not forgetting THE
classic faux pas, 'Foyle's War' the series which was after the end of the war where he's chasing spies, filmed in Dublin for the period architecture, the set dressed with a fully badged up RM on route 19! Destination West Peckham!
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Oct 20, 2017 8:20:36 GMT
Holborncentral, think they moved locations about series 3 or 4, and again in the 90s. That was the Merton location. Sun Hill became much less East-end! They moved in 1987 from Wapping to Kensington, where series 3-5 were filmed, and then in 1989 to Merton where the remaining 21 seasons were filmed. The first move, from Wapping, was forced on them because of altercations with the News International strikers mistaking the actors in costume (i.e police uniform) for the real thing. So how do the episodes filmed in Du Cane Road, Wormholt Road and Steventon Road in Shepherd's Bush fit in?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Oct 13, 2017 13:21:44 GMT
In the third photo, any idea what the orange mark is to the left of the door? It looks like rust, but probably isn't.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Oct 13, 2017 11:34:33 GMT
Just back from a trip to Rome. The system is very small with only 2 lines (or maybe 3, but line C doesn't appear on many maps). Trains are walk-through 6 car trains, but I did see 2 older trains in service. One very noticable thing was the presence of 2 soldiers armed with machine guns in just about every station, not just the major tourist destinations.
For those interested in older transport, the line from Laziali to Giardinetti (although currently cut back to Centocelle) on what appears to be Metre gauge is an interesting experience, but travels through much less picturesque areas.
For those interested in trams, most of them are older, and are horribly delayed at certain times of the day at Piazza di Porta Maggiore. At this point several lines meet in a circualtory system inside a roundabout. When the traffic snarls up no-one will give way, not even for the trams.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Oct 2, 2017 15:26:44 GMT
One episode of The Bill was filmed in my old school, St Clement Danes in Du Cane Road, East Acton (or was it Shepherd's Bush). It was most peculiar watching them in all of the corridors and playgrounds that I was so familiar with. They also filmed an episode in Wormholt Road and Steventon Road, also near my school, near where I lived until I was 7, and where many of my relatived used to live. I would guess that the program (trying not to call it a show) was filmed all over London.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Sept 21, 2017 20:42:53 GMT
The DLR trains date from around 2007, just before the Sensitive Edge systems were introduced with the 2009 Tube Stock on the Victoria Line. Surely this is the introduction date of the newest stock. The majority must be substsntially older.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Sept 21, 2017 8:30:06 GMT
I was in Stuttgart in the summer, and, although I didn't plan it, I did have a couple of short trips on the U-bahn. It seems that it was converted from a metre gauge to standard gauge in the mid 80s. The central part is dual gauged, but it doesn't appear to be everywhere. I assume that some of the narrow gauge track is used for the heritage service. The trains are yellow 2 car units, often coupled together to form 4 car trains. I didn't really have a good chance to look, but ot appeared that the cabs are separated from the main part of the carriage by a full with glass window, giving an excellent view of the line in front (or indeed, to the rear).
EDIT. I forgot to mention. As the train approaches a station you can press a button to request that the adjacent door opens. When arriving at the platform the door THEN OPENS WHEN THE TRAIN IS STILL MOVING. (referring to people who consider this to be dangerous on LU).
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Sept 21, 2017 8:18:25 GMT
I missed this set at Swanage. My undestanding was that it is painted in London Transport red. However, the picures look to me that it is very similar to the maroon that Mk1 stock was painted before the blue and grey livery.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Sept 20, 2017 12:58:44 GMT
Whilst travelling on the District from Cannon Street to Ealing Broadway late yesterday, there was a message that we would not stop at Victoria due to overcrowding due to an issue on the Victoria line. Nothing mentioned on here today. Anyone know what happened?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Sept 18, 2017 21:00:51 GMT
And just for those interested, usually if a train is unexpectedly to terminate on the Eastbound platform at South Harrow, the driver informs passengers for stations beyond South Harrow, to get off at Sudbury Hill, so they don't have to traverse the stairs. Obviously in this case there is little point since no trains will be going beyond South Harrow. That's if the driver has been told which platform they are due to use. Presumably the information is relevant whichever platform the train will terminate at.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Sept 12, 2017 8:08:51 GMT
A slightly more in depth report has now been released Actual ReportGizmodo article on reportIt shows the routes that people take between Kings Cross and Victoria (including a rather odd Kings Cross -> Baker Street -> Oxford Circus -> Green Park -> Waterloo odyssey), the ways in which delays affected the routes people took, flow around stations (including in disruptions), a form of train loading measuring and potential real time display of this information, at stations and in the journey planner. All very interesting stuff again. I am a little confused by this and subsequent posts. This post seems to concern King's Cross-Victoria, and other posts King's Cross-Waterloo! Can I assume that Victoria is an error?
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Sept 10, 2017 18:38:14 GMT
Also, foreign visitors, particularly from US, don't have contactless cards And frequently foreign contactless cards do not work in the UK!
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Aug 26, 2017 14:35:14 GMT
Bullhead rail is on around 70% of the LU still and if a re rail is required due to a defect then its still replaced with Bullhead I seem to remember this coming up a few months ago, and I checked between South Ealing and Acton Town. IIRC, there is bullhead on both east and westbound fast lines.
|
|
|
Post by countryman on Jul 31, 2017 17:53:41 GMT
T fL have just released a new video about this on YouTube: They also advertise a link on their website: tfl.gov.uk/DLR30 Shame about the 1 and a half carriage train. (Using the DLR definition)
|
|