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Post by christopher125 on Feb 5, 2013 19:36:58 GMT
I think i can see the logic behind Ally Pally - it gives the GN commuters an alternative to the Victoria/Piccadilly at Finsbury Park, providing much needed relief for the station and those two tube lines.
Regarding the Lea Valley, it's safe to assume this involve reinstating the second pair of tracks.
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Feb 5, 2013 12:27:03 GMT
I think the hint about Epping was the result of poor research, the new CR2 proposal is, as expected, a variation of the 'regional' route but with a combined Euston/St Pancras/King's Cross station.
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Feb 1, 2013 0:49:43 GMT
None of the scenarios for changes to 'classic' services are likely to be what really happens given the 20 years till opening, but its inevitable that some service patterns will be altered to reflect changes in demand and the loss of some long distance traffic to HS2 - but then creating more capacity, by freeing up the existing network for more regional, commuter and freight services, is the whole point of the exercise.
The alternative is ever more overcrowded trains on a network too busy to be maintained effectively, with passengers being priced off services and service patterns compromised to try and fit in more services. This has already being seen on the WCML.
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 20, 2013 14:09:51 GMT
Looks like it is going ahead tonight:
Last Updated: 20 January, 13:55
NOTICE: We are still planning on running the steam train on Sunday 20 January, as part of the Tube 150 celebrations. Please keep an eye on the website for up to date information.
Please note that if the train is cancelled and we are unable to reschedule, ticket holders will be entitled to a full refund.
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 19, 2013 1:40:48 GMT
Not quite - see para 3.1 (e) in the paper that refers to up to 5 for peak frequency enhancements. As someone pointed out to me it's referring to extra 5-car units rather than 5 extra units - easily misread due to the missing hyphen. "procurement of new Class 378 rolling stock cars to extend the existing four-car units to five-car units plus potentially additional five car units to increase peak service frequency" Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 18, 2013 19:36:48 GMT
- up to 5 extra trains may be procured. Only two by the looks of it - "Discussions are also being held on a price for the two additional units to enhance ELL frequency"Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 16, 2013 17:37:08 GMT
Some positive comments from Howard Collins in this Evening Standard article"Next weekend, there will be a series of further trips but after that there may be some time before steam returns to the Underground, though it definitely will, according to Howard Collins, London Underground’s Chief Operating Officer. He said: "This has been a fantastic success and the work we put into it means we will now be able to run future events like this. Transport for London is considering running them every year. The engine has a certificate for 10 years, so it should be back"Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 15, 2013 15:40:45 GMT
Any idea what the verdict is from inside LU, was this as great a success as it appeared? I didn't notice any crowd issues or late running, all seems to have gone very well.
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 15, 2013 15:29:42 GMT
The crowds seemed fine to me, and thinned out considerably later in the evening especially at the quieter stations - Baker St was probably the busiest but even then it was nothing excessive. The IanVisits blog has some updated times of the various runs, a lot more than were advertised in the public ballot and now reversing at Edgware Road. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 10, 2013 22:02:05 GMT
Does anyone have a timetable for the Jan 13 run? This will be well worth photographing. IanVisits has a good summary hereChris
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Post by christopher125 on Jan 9, 2013 1:37:26 GMT
There's a few videos of the ECS run now up on youtube too
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Dec 24, 2012 23:49:02 GMT
Would i be right to presume they'll be covering the steam runs? It would be great to see some 'behind the scenes' footage and very appropriate for LU's 150th.
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Dec 17, 2012 17:29:20 GMT
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Post by christopher125 on Dec 11, 2012 1:35:10 GMT
From the same people who are going to electrify freight routes for companies which are only interested in running diesels! XF To be fair the 'electric spine' is just existing or reopened passenger lines electrified, and will see a lot of them go over to electric operation - it would be worth doing even if the freight remained diesel hauled, but that's pretty unlikely. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Dec 5, 2012 15:01:29 GMT
Slightly wishful thinking unfortunately, it's a shame the webcast of that assembly meeting isn't working. That said Val Shawcross has tweeted "Peter Hendy tells @jennettearnold we may have good news on the electrification of the Barking Gospel Oak train line tomorrow. Fingers crossed" so who knows.... Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Dec 5, 2012 2:28:48 GMT
According to this article they are "working with the Department for Transport to see if we can fit in an extra train service to Victoria", could this account for the extra 2tph mentioned? Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Dec 5, 2012 2:23:10 GMT
A good place to start is to read this BBC article and this TfL Board Meeting paper from last year which should give you an overview of the plans. In answer to your questions, there will be a series of steam and electric hauled trips between Kensington Olympia/Edgware Road/Moorgate for special ticket holders only on the 13th and 20th of January - alas its too late to apply for tickets which have already sold out but if your curious the times and prices are available here. Regards, Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Nov 19, 2012 21:31:17 GMT
Hot on the heels of the carriage restoration, Met No1 steamed today after her overhaul. According to the article, the January runs are a sell-out - this would tie-in with the 40,000 applications that a visitor to the LTM was supposedly told they'd received by someone there, though that sounds a touch on the high side to me... Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 29, 2012 1:55:51 GMT
Which misses my point that not all of the expenses you mention will need to be put against just the two days of specials on the city section of the Met. Of course not, but it's these trips that much of the expense has been necessary and demand is likely to outstrip the limited supply even at these prices so it makes sense for them to shoulder their fare share of the financial burden - as much as i'd like to travel on them the other event's should be more affordable and without needing to win a lottery for tickets. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 27, 2012 19:20:39 GMT
Whilst some of those costs would fall on these trips, there is also a steam on the Met event in May to help with the expenses. The overhauled Met 1 will also be able recoup the costs over a longer period. The substantial costs need to be recouped, its as simple as that. If there were unclaimed seats then questions would have to be asked, but i think that's highly unlikely. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 27, 2012 13:01:23 GMT
Proceeds from the A Stock Tour were supposed to be going to the "Railway Children" charity. The web site doesn't mention where proceeds from the Steam on the Met tour might go. LT Museum itself given its current financial problem ?? Presumably it helps match the HLF grant and make inroads into the rest - after all, for a handful of return trips they need to overhaul Met No1 and restore the Jubilee carriage, move the Chesham set up to London and back, refit vacuum brakes to Sarah Siddons, conduct trials and complete the mountain of paperwork all that requires for operating on the underground. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 26, 2012 18:54:05 GMT
PDF with timetable and prices now available from LTM website - www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/lu150/calendarTrips behind Sarah Siddons are £50 for 3rd Class, £80 First Class. Behind Met No1 are £150 £3rd Class and £180 for First. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 25, 2012 13:37:15 GMT
Talking of the 150th anniversary, any idea what the "Train wraps of Metropolitan line trains" will entail? Will we be seeing s-stock dressed up like the 4TC?
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 18, 2012 23:06:13 GMT
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 18, 2012 22:55:39 GMT
I remember reading on the SEMG yahoo group a post from someone who actually inspected the 38ts and newer aluminium stock (59ts or 62ts presumably) as replacements for the IoW and found that actually the latter were in far worse condition due to said electrolytic corrosion.
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 11, 2012 15:06:16 GMT
If they're not broke then don't fix em. This is the issue that people often seem to forget - simply replacing one set of life expired stock with another is pointless. The replacement stock has to be simple to maintain, in good condition, requires minimal modifications and will survive the salty air. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Oct 5, 2012 22:36:53 GMT
I cant recall any suggestion that through services would call at Camden Road - with limited capacity on the NLL and the extra width/platform alterations needed for the larger loading gauge its likely only one line will be available, and the station is neither convenient or suitable for the 400m long international services that will be using the link.
As a temporary/emergency terminus it wouldn't be much help either - in the unlikely event that trains cant proceed into Euston, turning back at Old Oak Common would be the only practical option... though it would be amusing seeing the passengers from a 400m double deck train trying to squeeze onto a 378!
Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Sept 30, 2012 14:48:55 GMT
Really sad to see them go, but i've been wondering about something for many, many years - the Metropolitan Railway crests on some of the units. Any idea why and when they were applied and was there any method to the units that received them or was it just random?
Regards, Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Aug 27, 2012 0:07:15 GMT
They may use North Pole (former Eurostar depot) across the GWML from OOC from Crossrail as it has been mothballed since St Pancras was redeveloped for Eurostar. North Pole will be used for IEP i believe. Chris
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Post by christopher125 on Aug 20, 2012 14:09:10 GMT
My argument with Crossrail 1 is that it is designed to pour loads of wealthy commuters from the Home Counties into London.... the sort of people who milk all the benefits of London whilst contributing nothing If they are working in London, and its making them wealthy enough they can commute from the Home Counties, then London (and the UK's economy) is benefitting. I see the latest RAIL says TfL's timetable for CR2 is broadly based on an application for construction powers by 2019, a decision by 2021, opening by 2033. Apparently the cost of the metro option would be around £9-11bn with a BCR of 1.4-1.6, whereas the Crossrail option would cost £13-16bn but with a higher BCR of 2.2-2.5 Chris
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