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Post by aslefshrugged on Nov 3, 2023 13:45:48 GMT
Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th November 2015 when there was a strike on DLR they had one train with a manager on board running a shuttle between Canning Town and Custom House as there was an exhibition at ExCel Centre
Now that Crossrail goes to Custom House I don't suppose they'd bother
Instead of "no strikes on driverless trains" we'll have "the only reason they have staff on board is because the unions threatened to go on strike"
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Post by aslefshrugged on Oct 25, 2023 17:49:34 GMT
and we were reversing via the west to east shunt. Is this move still done? Baring in mind if this was done normally it would cause a congestion of trains. I know trains terminating at Liverpool Street on the westbound use the wrong road shunt signal and go into the sidings from there. I've only seen it once when there was a suspension between White City and Liverpool Street due to a points failure at Marble Arch, with the odd train using going to the limit of shunt, just west of Liverpool Street. The majority of them would reverse in the sidings. Not if they're "double ending". One driver brings it in to Liverpool Street, a second driver gets on the rear, the first driver takes it west from Platform 5, the second brings it back east over the points onto Platform 4 and the first driver gets on the rear of their next train. Works well as long as everyone remembers to be in the right place at the right time
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Post by aslefshrugged on Oct 25, 2023 13:05:43 GMT
One of the few moves I have never done in 19 years on the Central line. Wonder how many will miss the "limit of shunt" board... I almost hit it while doing my driver training, fortunately my IO could see it coming a mile off and intervened before I had the chance. Certainly taught me a lesson to remember! The only time I’ve done that move in anger was back in May when there was an emergency services response at Greenford. Many years ago we had engineering work Liverpool St - Marble Arch or wherever and we were reversing via the west to east shunt. One driver missed the "limit of shunt" board and ended up at Bank
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Post by aslefshrugged on Oct 23, 2023 10:37:14 GMT
Can’t the move at Northolt be done in ATO ? Going east ATO wouldn't stop at the limit of shunt board, it would keep going until it came up against a zero code or it reached Greenford! Going back west over the points into platform 1 is over a shunt signal so ATO is not available
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Post by aslefshrugged on Oct 22, 2023 10:33:32 GMT
One of the few moves I have never done in 19 years on the Central line. Wonder how many will miss the "limit of shunt" board...
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 23, 2023 10:02:59 GMT
TfL did a feasibility study for driverless operation with the "New Train for London" project which stated that it would only be possible with PSDs and would have to be GoA3 with a member of staff onboard like the DLR rather than unattended GoA4. As the trains would be staffed with the equivalent of a PSA on board at all times "remote driving" wouldn't be necessary.
The report concluded that driverless operation would be possible on the Central, Waterloo & City and Piccadilly lines except on the Uxbridge branch which is shared with the Metropolitan line, As they wouldn't be able to fit PSDs on the Bakerloo line north of Queens Park driverless operation wouldn't be economically viable. The whole proposal was abandoned in 2018 as unaffordable
To the best of my knowledge there hasn't been any studies on driverless operation on other lines but obviously Richmond and Wimbledon branches on the District plus Amersham branch on the Metropolitan would present similar issues.
As you say many, many years in some currently unimaginable future when TfL has lots of cash to invest in upgrades and infrastructure. Certainly not before January 2028 when I am due to retire...
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 23, 2023 7:03:00 GMT
Building a driverless metro is not a problem, converting a driver operated metro to driverless is slightly more difficult and so far only five lines have been converted,
The first was Nuremburg U2, converted 2009-10. From 2008 U2 shared part of its route which U3 which was built driverless, both are completely underground and both have motion detectors systems rather than platform screen doors although there have been some fatalities from passengers falling onto the tracks. There are no plans to convert U1 to driverless as it is partly above ground with too many possibilities of "false positives" from the motion detector system.
The second line to be converted was Paris Metro 1, completed in December 2012 after four years conversion work including the installation of Platform Screen Doors. During the conversion a mixture of driverless and driver operated trains were in service which also required negotiation with drivers union CGT. The deal included no redundancies for drivers who were displaced to other lines.
Singapore East West and North South were converted in 2017/18 but had the advantage of already having PSDs, installed in the subsurface stations when they were built 1987-89 and retrofitted on the open section stations 2009-12
Lastly Paris Metro 4 will be completed by the end of this year. Conversion was announced in April 2013, the contract was awarded to Siemens in January 2016 with the first driverless train forecast to enter service 2020 and full automation by 2022. The project was delayed partly by Covid and the first driverless train didn't enter service until September 2022.
In December 2022 RATP announced that Line 13 will be the next line for conversion although completion isn't expected until 2035
Glasgow Subway also has plans to introduce driverless operation with PSDs but as yet no date for starting the work. After almost 10 years of debate Transport for NSW have confirmed that 11 stations from Sydenham to Bankstown on the T3 line currently operated by Sydney Trains will be incorporated into the new Sydney Metro with driverless operation. The section will be shut down for a year from mid-2024.
And that is why I giggle when people talk about about driverless trains on the Tube...
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 9, 2023 11:23:00 GMT
The new Picc trains have air conditioning like S stock. Of course, the doors all open at each station to mix air with platform air, but it makes some difference. In tube tunnels the expelled heat from the train will be restricted to a small volume of air in the tunnel, which is why tunnel ventilation must also be improved. Lessons learnt on the Piccadilly will be transferred to the Bakerloo upgrade. According to a recent FOI 2024TS will have "air cooling" rather than "air conditioning" using "vapour-compression refrigeration with temperature control but without the humidity control". Not sure if that's the same as on the S Stock but I assume that somewhat reduces the problem of expelling excess heat from the trains into the tunnels www.mylondon.news/news/transport/tfl-explains-new-london-underground-27608366
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 7, 2023 7:11:46 GMT
Errrrr, what? The "Westfield" announcements were removed at Stratford with the Elizabeth Line updates but the train I was on just now (T102) announced "alight here for Westfield London" both EB and WB at White City and Shepherd's Bush. oh dear... I don't remember there being an 'Alight here for Westfield' at Stratford... might just be my memory.. Anyways thanks for the confirmation, most likely the driver just stopping the announcements when she comes on to say 'Alight here for Westfield London.' Thanks for you for confirming though! We can cancel the automated PAs but usually only do so if we need to make a PA for some reason An amendment to my previous comment; you can't hear the announcement on the WB when you come out of the tunnel as the train is going over points. I can see the white light flashing around the PA button on the Comms panel which indicates that automated PAs are being made but couldn't hear the announcement in the cab
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 6, 2023 14:04:35 GMT
Apologies in advance if this question has already been asked! Are the “next station” announcements for White City skipped on Westbound services? I never seem to hear them. On a semi-related note, was the “Alight here for Westfield London” announcement at White City and Shepherd’s Bush intentionally removed? The 'alight here for Westfield London' was removed in May 2022, when the announcements were updated to reflect the opening of the Elizabeth Line. Errrrr, what? The "Westfield" announcements were removed at Stratford with the Elizabeth Line updates but the train I was on just now (T102) announced "alight here for Westfield London" both EB and WB at White City and Shepherd's Bush. The "next station" announcements are made on the WB but the train is still in the tunnel when they start so its too noisy to hear them. You might be able to hear the end of the announcement if you're in the front two cars as they come out of the tunnel.
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Post by aslefshrugged on Aug 29, 2023 22:37:57 GMT
There are plenty of "disappearing" trains on the SSL because there are many glitches in the Thales signalling system that haven't been fixed
But to answer your original question as to why there are so many cancellations on the Met and elsewhere its really quite simple
We don't have enough drivers and we don't have enough Instructor Operators to train new recruits to replace those leaving
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Post by aslefshrugged on Aug 29, 2023 17:53:44 GMT
The holiday season shouldn't make much difference as holidays are rostered, with very few days outside this. Indeed, we don't get to pick our annual leave dates, we get them on a rota basis and if we want specific weeks we have to swap with another driver who has those weeks. Example This year I have 4 - 17 June (swapped for 18 June - 1 July), 10 - 23 September, 3 - 16 December and 10 - 23 March Next year I have 16 - 29 June, 22 September - 5 October, 15 - 28 December and 9 - 22 March We only get the two weeks including Christmas Day every seven years so 2024 will be my last before I retire. Ditto with New Year's Eve/New Year's Day. I think I get that off in 2026. And we never get Christmas and New Years Day in the same two week period And anyone who gets two weeks off during the school holidays is guaranteed that they will be asked to swap with drivers who have kids
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 16, 2022 14:28:34 GMT
Or to put it another way, f..k the punters, f..k the drivers, who cares if they're late
Why am I not surprised
Cannot wait to retire
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 16, 2022 10:56:17 GMT
I've lost count of the number of times I've been held outside a terminus station with an empty platform, called up the signaller after two minutes to inform them I was being held to be told that the train ahead of me had arrived late and the signal program prioritises departures. I've then had to wait for a train - or sometimes at Hainault two trains - to depart before I got the signal into the empty platform by which time my train is not only late arriving but also already late for its timetabled departure.
This was not a common occurrence until WTT 69 and it has only got worse with WTT 70, if it is "by design" then its seriously flawed. Wood Lane's ineptness doesn't help, they also seem to have deteriorated over the last 5 years
Only 5 years, 3 months and 23 days to retirement...
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 14, 2022 18:22:54 GMT
Changing a timetable is a really involved job. I would doubt it! t/ops -- has stepping back at Loughton worked? The only difference I've noticed is that we have to sit around for 10 minutes or thereabouts waiting for a train. Not much fun in winter The trains still sit in the middle for 4 minutes or more so its not saving any time and we could just as easily change ends like we used to
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 14, 2022 15:00:01 GMT
As someone who has worked as a TOp on the Central Line for 19 years I can confirm they also use Platform 1 if a train is running late to avoid having to hold the train behind Occasionally you have one train departing Platform 1 while another arrives on Platform 2 or passing each other just outside the station which obviously you couldn't do if the trains were the other way around Sorry didn't see your post! I remember one time, I was held outside for Epping for 15 minutes ... Train went flying past us and we were off into Epping! Also, I've noticed it isn't actually rare to be held outside Epping No, its not rare. Working Timetable 70 is without doubt the worst timetable we have had in the last 19 years. It's not just Epping either, you get held outside Hainault, Ealing Broadway and West Ruislip.
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 13, 2022 11:35:35 GMT
As a regular user of Epping, the trains normally go into platform 2. They only go into platform 1 if platform 2 is occupied. As someone who has worked as a TOp on the Central Line for 19 years I can confirm they also use Platform 1 if a train is running late to avoid having to hold the train behind Occasionally you have one train departing Platform 1 while another arrives on Platform 2 or passing each other just outside the station which obviously you couldn't do if the trains were the other way around
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 13, 2022 7:53:06 GMT
I work late shifts and from my own observation it would appear that the gate on Platform 1 is left open until the end of the evening peak. Not sure about weekends, to be honest I only notice it is open when I happen to end up on platform 1 instead of Platform 2
There is a Help Point next to the gate so passengers can summon assistance if its locked
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 13, 2022 6:13:44 GMT
The "right platform" is Platform 1, the "left platform" is Platform 2
I’ve noticed that trains arrive on the right sided platform as you look towards Ongar even though sometimes the left platform is empty. Mostly trains will go into Platform 2 as that is the side for the buses, car park and station staff accommodation. If a train is running late with a train less than 4-5 minutes behind it can be switched to Platform 1 so that the train behind isn't held outside the station waiting for it to come back over the crossover from Platform 2 (or it isn't delayed waiting for the train behind to go over the crossover to Platform 1,
I also see that there is a crossover to allow trains to pull into the right platform from the eastbound track but never see trains arrive on the westbound and cross over so they pull into the left platform. The only situation where you'd see a train "arrive on the westbound" was if a train had departed the station and for some bizarre reason had to return to the platform. For this move the Line Controller would have to authorise a wrong direction move over the points with the points "Scotched and clipped" by a Customer Service Manager/Duty Response Manager. The move would be carried out in Restricted Manual at a max speed of 15kph and in my 19 years as a TOp on the Central Line I can't recall a single instance of this move being carried out
trains leaving always leave on the westbound track so transfer across if they leave the technically eastbound platform. As Epping is the terminus station there isn't an "eastbound" platform, both are "westbound"
Train destination seems to be for West Ruislip from Epping. And trains from Newbury Park go to Ealing Broadway. Are there set patterns? Epping trains go to West Ruislip, Ealing Broadway, Northolt, White City or North Acton, the same with Newbury Park trains. You'd need to look at Working Timetable 70 (available on the TfL website) for details
Also the other evening a lot of late night trains were terminating at Loughton from Epping. If there's been an incident Epping trains are "short tripped" at Loughton and Debden in order to recover the service. The Line Controller will check how late each train is running, how many passengers it has onboard then select which trains "short trip" and which ones carry on to Epping
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Post by aslefshrugged on Sept 3, 2022 10:38:48 GMT
Freedom Pass is funded by London Councils, the local government association that represents all 32 boroughs plus City of London. The funding is split between TfL and ATOC
I imagine the government give the Boroughs a grant to cover the Freedom Pass and give similar grants to other English councils
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Post by aslefshrugged on Aug 3, 2022 17:11:27 GMT
ah but ... sometimes people without detailed knowledge of what the work would entail simply do not know enough to even be able to ask the right questions, let alone understand the true complexity of the ask. I've fallen foul of this more than once! Oh and I am talking about the physical attributes of what would be required - not myopic human politics issues caused by 'can't we just have another study' civil servants or 'but thats not we do things here' other officials (I can quote an example, if requested) You say "myopic human politics issues" I say "people not wanting their homes demolished" Mod edit [Antharro]: Quote partially removed. Please be selective about the part of a post you wish to quote rather than the whole post verbatim, particularly if you are replying to the previous post in the thread. It's not always necessary to quote a post AND a post previously quoted within that post.
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Post by aslefshrugged on Aug 3, 2022 8:40:56 GMT
The line between reality, possibility and complete fantasy becomes blurred if you cross it too many times I think we just crossed it again with "demolition could easily be done"
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 27, 2022 16:52:43 GMT
Platform 1 was in use today as all London Overground services were terminating at Barking
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 22, 2022 7:19:11 GMT
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 21, 2022 13:50:13 GMT
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 21, 2022 12:48:18 GMT
Just heard that the Central Line will be suspended this evening due to staff shortage at Wood Lane (sickness) Last trains approx 18:00 WB from Liverpool Street and EB from White City If they can rustle up enough SRT staff they'll run shuttles from Leytonstone to Epping and Hainault How will SRT staff help if the problem is lack of staff at Wood Lane ? Don't ask me, that's what it said on the screenshot published on WhatsApp. I suppose there might be some SRT managers who are licenced to operate the local panels and they're going to do it "old school" I just drive trains...
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 21, 2022 12:35:48 GMT
Just heard that the Central Line will be suspended this evening due to staff shortage at Wood Lane (sickness)
Last trains approx 18:00 WB from Liverpool Street and EB from White City
If they can rustle up enough SRT staff they'll run shuttles from Leytonstone to Epping and Hainault
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 21, 2022 5:36:38 GMT
There is no interest in reporting that industrial disputes have been settled as it doesn't give the news media an opportunity to scream that the strikes are politically motivated and that the unions are out to bring down the capitalist system.
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 20, 2022 5:28:13 GMT
RMT have basically accepted what ASLEF agreed in May 2021 so they've been on strike for 33 weekends for absolutely nothing
And that is why I am an ASLEF member
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Post by aslefshrugged on Jul 11, 2022 8:37:26 GMT
Harlow council floated this idea about a year ago and there was supposed to be a public consultation last autumn but just how it would be funded seemed uncertain. As with reopening the Ongar line fleet limitations would mean any expansion of service would require cutting services to other parts of the line (ain't going to happen)
Seems like another project created by someone with an extensive Crayola collection...
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