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Post by snoggle on Sept 28, 2019 15:28:31 GMT
I was aware of the Oyster vs Contactless issue (i.e. having to likely go contactless only) a while ago. It is tactically interesting that this decision, presumably with City Hall's endorsement, has emerged now - well before the annual blood letting / political row over fare increases etc. I assume City Hall have decided to get the political fall out sorted sooner rather than later because I can imagine there will be quite a row about a breach of a long standing Mayoral commitment that Oyster and Contactless would be "equal" and would apply throughout Crossrail. I must confess that the more I think about the lack of Oyster, west of West Drayton, the more bizarre I find it. I know there are genuine technical constraints here and an obvious desire to push contactless but having no Oyster (incl railcard discounts) facilities is surely going to cause issues. We also have the lack of an ITSO based PAYG scheme on GWR and even an apparent reluctance to commit to the existing GWR Smart scheme working on Crossrail. I fear we will see some monumental confusion as to what tickets work where post Jan 2020 that will cause issues for revenue protection staff / penalty fares. I assume stations will have to have Oyster style validators or readers on the gates but they will only recognise contactless (and possibly GWR) cards but not Oyster. Quite how the public are going to fathom all this out is a bit beyond me. Brookmans Park is the first "contactless only" station and is only designated by a small symbol on the Rail and Tube Map that shows zones plus how far Oyster stretches.
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Post by snoggle on Sept 23, 2019 16:54:30 GMT
Any views on how well the class 710s are now performing? For obvious reasons I am behind the times in terms of their coverage and reliability.
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Post by snoggle on Jun 24, 2019 21:29:27 GMT
A short post to say that test train paths have been booked on the Watford DC line for evenings this week. However thus far none of them have been utilised for a variety of cancellation reasons. Just to reply to myself the first 710 on test has tonight made it to Euston station. It's also reached Watford Junction earlier and will be back there shortly.
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Post by snoggle on Jun 24, 2019 13:24:53 GMT
Looks like the GOBLIN timetable has been quietly restored to a 15 min headway from today. There are six trains operating on the line and a 15 min interval timetable seems to be being adherred to on realtimetrains. I can't say what trains are running as I'm not well enough to actually go and see the service in operation.
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Post by snoggle on Jun 20, 2019 21:33:01 GMT
A short post to say that test train paths have been booked on the Watford DC line for evenings this week. However thus far none of them have been utilised for a variety of cancellation reasons.
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Post by snoggle on May 27, 2019 11:28:40 GMT
Does anyone have a vague idea of the time frame for the next diagram(s) being introduced in the GOBLIN? I have seen a comment on another forum citing "next month". Jonathan Fox, of TfL Rail (not the MTR operating company), said on the Geoff Marshall video that the 3rd train is dependent on driver training progress. At present they don't have enough trained drivers to be able to reliably cover the extra train remaining in service. I'm unclear about the nature of the 710 course as I keep seeing different things being said about it and I don't know how much is "at the wheel" on a train and how much is in depot / on the simulator. All I do know is that the 3Zxx training runs on the GOBLIN have been rather sporadic over the last week but I imagine all the effort was about getting trains into passenger service. As an aside a train has failed in service today leaving only 4 units in service for the morning. Looks like it has been replaced now. The use of 2Gxx train ID codes seems to have been abandoned today so it's hard to spot the 710 workings between the 378s.
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Post by snoggle on May 26, 2019 22:35:06 GMT
Is there not a 315 being retained for the Romford-Upminster shuttle? I think that is the common understanding based on that horribly confused TfL Board paper that sought authority for extra class 710s to be ordered. I wonder if Bombardier have "done a deal" to add a freebie train to the order to cover the Romford - Upminster shuttle? I can see that being beneficial to TfL, Arriva and Bombardier. None of them will really want a sole 315 at Ilford depot to look after / use long term.
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Post by snoggle on May 25, 2019 12:33:46 GMT
AIRI, the A stock seats of 1960 were deep and comfortable; quite suitable for the backsides of Bucks commuters. They and the 62TS were I suspect the last with sprung and horsehair seating, but doubtless someone will correct me. The older stock on the District was the most comfortable on the Underground that I can remember. Now all you get is a strip of thin foam (is this some EU edict?) but of course in the intervening 60 years, the internal padding of many of the passengers has increased exponentially! Didnt 67, 72 and 73 stock originally have very similar sprung seating as the A stock? Maybe not as bouncy but still had "give". On the subject of thin seat cushions I was told the 09 stock seat design was "signed off" after the then LU MD had pronouced them satisfactory. IIRC he was a thin gentleman for whom such thin seats probably proved adequate.
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Post by snoggle on May 21, 2019 20:32:17 GMT
I have seen comment on another forum that the 710s will not be in passenger service tomorrow (22/5). This is apparently due to non handover of ORR paperwork to Arriva. It is therefore probably prudent for anyone wishing to go snapping or riding new trains to check something like Realtimetrains tomorrow to see what is actually going on.
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Post by snoggle on May 21, 2019 20:30:04 GMT
No it was due this Summer. There has been no public statement to indicate when it might now take place. There are some pretty big commercial issues knocking around any retiming of this work because of the Greater Anglia franchise timetable changes / introduction of new stock. Until there is a bit more certainty around when Crossrail core can open we can't begin to guess when the Shenfield services would be slotted in (theoretically 6 months later) and then the Liv St works done. There is a little bit of me that thinks that there may be an eventual decision to scrap the planned peak 4 tph Crossrail services into Liv Street thus negating the need to do the platform works. I suspect the pressure for this will come from DfT who will not want yet more disruption on the Gtr Anglia franchise that is already in a financially weakened state. TfL may well agree as they will not want to foot the "compensation" costs to Network Rail and Greater Anglia. We shall see if my mad musings prove to be correct. If the work is planned for this summer, why not just do it? 12tph on the Shenfield line would be s disaster in the peak. Cannot believe that it would even be discussed as an option, because it simply cannot be. Had been planned! Given last August's bad news re Crossrail and the continued stream of project slippage I suspect Network Rail sought clarification and then decided to stop planning and removed any possessions booked into the calendar. Something as big as this would take at least 2 years planning, possibly longer because of the impact of the work. I think it is possible that once Shenfield services go into the core that they may well have to survive with 12 tph in the peak albeit with longer trains. I say this because *if* the Liv St platform works do happen then I doubt a 4 tph TfL Rail service would be run into Liv St during the works given the need to somehow still cope with Gtr Anglia's services. I am guessing here - I have no specific info / insight as to possible working arrangements.
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Post by snoggle on May 21, 2019 16:57:59 GMT
Wasn't there a closure of Liverpool Street already to extend the platforms? No it was due this Summer. There has been no public statement to indicate when it might now take place. There are some pretty big commercial issues knocking around any retiming of this work because of the Greater Anglia franchise timetable changes / introduction of new stock. Until there is a bit more certainty around when Crossrail core can open we can't begin to guess when the Shenfield services would be slotted in (theoretically 6 months later) and then the Liv St works done. There is a little bit of me that thinks that there may be an eventual decision to scrap the planned peak 4 tph Crossrail services into Liv Street thus negating the need to do the platform works. I suspect the pressure for this will come from DfT who will not want yet more disruption on the Gtr Anglia franchise that is already in a financially weakened state. TfL may well agree as they will not want to foot the "compensation" costs to Network Rail and Greater Anglia. We shall see if my mad musings prove to be correct.
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Post by snoggle on May 20, 2019 20:29:13 GMT
Looks like the 2 extra 710s will be in passenger service from Wednesday onwards. The extra journeys are now showing in Realtimetrains. They are easily identified with a 2Gxx train ID rather than the normal 2Jxx. They run from around 0700 to 2200. Time to get trodden in the crush of rail photographers and others out for a ride on them on Wednesday. Next weekend is showing as x15 minute service but I rather suspect that will change between now and then.
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Post by snoggle on May 15, 2019 22:30:08 GMT
When are the 710s for Chingford/Enfield etc due? presumably not for a year or so now till the Goblin ones have been thoroughly debugged? I haven't seen anyone speculate about a timescale for the AC only versions. As already mentioned there are two specific ORR restrictions which need resolution and presumably a fair amount of testing - running on DC power and then running in multiple. I assume Bombardier are taking an approach of (a) get the GOBLIN trains into service on AC only as quickly (ahem) as possible followed by (b) testing a unit or units on DC tracks to accumulate sufficient evidence for compliance sign off *or* to make yet more software modifications if testing throws up more issues. I assume the West Anglia units will have to start delivery (assuming there is space for a few of them) so that they can start testing on West Anglia metals. So far I don't believe one has yet reached Chingford for some reason. They have made it to Enfield and Cheshunt on limited runs so far. I expect the testing will have to include multiple operation - again to build up enough evidence to demonstrate compliance against whatever requirements have to met. What I don't know is whether any units are whizzing about up north to try to build up mileage or if testing is constrained to Old Dalby. I believe a fair number of 710s are stored at Crewe but I don't know for certain. There are only so many tweets and forum posts I can absorb at any one time. I suspect it is near to impossible to set any sort of realistic timescales for these remaining activities. As Dazz285 said in another post only one train has software version 33 on it and that will need a fair bit of testing to see if it is stable and fixes the things that have to be fixed before Arriva and ASLEF are happy. We just have to hope that it does. At some point, goodness knows when, Bombardier will have to get Class 710s off conditional approval and on to full approval. However I understand other classes of train that are in regular service are also still on conditional approval - GWR's IEPs are one example. I think the GTR Class 700s is another but not 100% certain on that. Siemens are still modifying the 700's software to help build reliability further. I suspect Bombardier will be doing this for a fair while too when they finally get 710s into passenger service.
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Post by snoggle on May 15, 2019 16:36:51 GMT
But does that saving take into account the lost revenue, (including the promised free travel) the cost of replacement buses, the conversion of three 378s to 4-car and the cost of running them (including the lack of maintenance cover, and the suspension of the refurbishment programme) All perfectly fair comment. Bombardier will be covering the free travel scheme however that ends up being framed. I'd not be shocked if Bombardier have covered the cost of the 4 car conversion under an existing maintenance contract. I also doubt that Bombardier or Arriva are being hit under their respective contracts for carrying out a client instruction to operate the train fleet to tighter margins than are normally expected. I've certainly read somewhere that the performance regime on the Overground has effectively been suspended. I expect the refurbishment programme suspension has been a negotiated variation and I doubt it is having much of an impact in terms of passenger ambience issues. There clearly *are* problems with the 378s' reliability as I've seen various reports of trains with multiple door failures, there was a serious train failure near Wembley Central earlier this week and there are gaps in the NLL service where stock is clearly not available.
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Post by snoggle on May 14, 2019 22:54:41 GMT
The Quarter 4 Financial Report, in next week's TfL Board Papers, contains an interesting statement re the class 710s. Seems that TfL are £26m better off because of payments received from Bombardier for the delays to the Class 710s! I assume that ignores the fact that Arriva (and thus TfL) are not incurring higher leasing charges for the new trains as none have been delivered and also skips over the savings from having lost the class 172s and also not paying for diesel fuel for those trains. Also electricity traction charges will be marginally lower than expected given the 50% cut to the GOBLIN frequency. Kerching! Elsewhere in the Commissioner's report it makes reference to 60 out of 200 drivers having been trained so far. I assume the report was drafted a wee while ago given Dazz285 recently stated a higher number. No indication of a start date (unsurprisingly) but there is the (obvious) reference to the trains now being seen on the system for training purposes.
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Post by snoggle on May 13, 2019 20:05:55 GMT
Version 33 has been uploaded to 1 train for testing on Wednesday, fingers crossed it solves ALL of the ongoing software issues.. 90+ drivers have been trained & more training is ongoing. Until all the powers that be are happy with the software be it 33 or higher then NO 710 will be coming into service soon. Thank you for the clarification. I was clear I was speculating as I had info from one source and it was unverifiable hence my caution. Looks like I was right to be cautious.
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Post by snoggle on May 13, 2019 15:28:28 GMT
A little update of things I've noticed or been told about / read.
- from today there are a couple of extra peak time empty stock workings with class 710s. This use the normal bay platforms at Barking and Gospel Oak. Looking at the timing it is possible these are runs that could be livened up for passenger use in the near future. They're timed to cover busy times in the AM and PM peak. Fewer of the test runs are now accompanied by a "rescue" loco. Barring issues related to planned possessions there has been a reasonable volume of test runs on the GOBLIN in daylight hours plus some overnight trips on the WCML.
And now more speculative stuff.
- an informed source on another forum has said that class 710 passenger operation on the GOBLIN is imminent with the 378s likely to disappear relatively soon. - a reasonable volume of drivers have now been trained up with more to come. - trains are now on version 33 of the software.
I have yet to see anything that says the trains have been formally accepted by Arriva Rail London but I assume that has to happen before passengers can use the trains. So some positive signs or hints.
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Post by snoggle on May 9, 2019 21:51:41 GMT
No plans to do Hanwell? It may be a Grade II listed station, but it's a Grade II listed dump. I believe the works at Hanwell, including new lifts, is a TfL sponsored piece of work so outside the scope of this contract award. I understand the contract for those works was awarded quite a while ago (similar applies at a few other stations which are not getting substantial rebuilds).
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Post by snoggle on May 8, 2019 22:12:20 GMT
So this year, the May National Rail timetable change is due on 18 May. Is it just wishful thinking that after spending about half a billion pounds on Class 710 trains, and noting they seem to have finally received some sort of ORR caveated approval to carry passengers, then perhaps it would be nice if Arriva Rail London uses the Timetable change to deliver a full service with the new trains on Goblin in ten days time? I rather fear the Class 378 fix has removed a lot of the pressure on Bombardier to sort out their software mess let alone other understandable ORR concerns. As a result we could possibly be waiting until the December timetable update before we actually see 710s in squadron passenger carrying service rather than a handful of 710s shuttling along Goblin. This has knock on consequences for other Overground services, which should have been reinforced by 378s being redeployed after 710s take over the Watford Junction-Euston route. I understand that ORR has explicitly not approved the use of 710s in passenger service on third rail routes - which rather scuppers that plan for now, and probably makes the December Timetable changeover the only real deadline against which TFL can now bash Bombardier to get these trains sorted out rather than clogging up sidings all over place. I don't see any sort of squadron service on the GOBLIN any time soon. I certainly don't see it in time for the timetable change. A few more weeks are needed and we might see some peak time infills. Having seen a e/b 378 approaching Blackhorse Rd (BHO) this evening at 1700 or so it was well loaded and there are always large crowds waiting at BHO. Peak time relief is needed. I don't agree the 378 "fix" has removed pressure from Bombardier. They have to make Aventra work as a product. They have hundreds of the things on order. That is a massive commercial imperative given they don't want to be forking out compensation on every contract. The point is it is a generational change in how trains are designed and made. Now OK Bombardier have undoubtedly badly misjudged how long it would take to get them in to a working state. The pressures for delivery on Crossrail can't be helping either. I don't think anyone was shocked with a conditional ORR consent to operate. Given barely any testing has been on DC tracks on NR metals there isn't the data to present to ORR to demonstrate compliance. The use of the 378s is a sticking plaster that can come "undone" at any point. In fact we've seen how fragile the service is when units fail - you very rapidly have no GOBLIN service at all. I suspect everyone wants to move away from their use as soon as possible but only when the 710s are running OK and in sufficient number. I agree there are knock on consequences but once they can start putting 710s into service on the GOBLIN I would expect to see a fairly quick move to build up testing on West Anglia metals and also on DC tracks. The aim must be to get the third rail / "working in multiple" for passenger service conditions removed as quickly as can be sensibly achieved. Given there are no service enhancements on West Anglia it will simply be a driver training task initially and doing "multiple unit" testing. The only problem for TfL / Arriva is that the interworking on West Anglia makes it difficult to put 710s into squadron service without "multiple unit" capability. I guess they could run a few single units at weekends to begin with. I don't see any deliberate delay with 710 deplyment until timetable switchovers. The aim has to be to get trains into service quickly provided reliability builds. That's the next potential "showstopper" - how often do the trains fail once passengers are let loose on them and doors etc all start getting used properly (or improperly)? I suspect timetable enhancements are out for this year. May 2020 is probably the earliest that something can be done with NLL/ELL/WLL. Sadly it looks like the Watford DC timetable moves to a ludicrous 15/15/30 headway in 10 days time.
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Post by snoggle on May 8, 2019 12:05:48 GMT
Network Rail have awarded the contracts to rebuild several stations on the West London stretch of Crossrail. Press release below from Crossrail themselves. Seems there are actually two contractors not one as stated earlier by the BBC - HOCTIEF and Graham. www.crossrail.co.uk/news/articles/network-rail-awards-final-west-london-station-upgrade-contracts-for-crossrail-projectIn the latest Programmes and Investment Cttee papers there is also a short reference in the Crossrail update to Network Rail having awarded the contract for fitment of platform to train CCTV for those platforms out west that need it. Their programme of work for platform extensions in West London is also being finalised. So a few small glimmers of more positive news for works in West London.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 30, 2019 20:57:31 GMT
Interesting stance taken by the chap from MTR about the failures in Hong Kong. What has gone on there is pretty damning but apparently it's the HK Government's fault for asking MTR to build 5 lines at once. It could have turned round and said it couldn't do so!!! That takes some gall to try to lay the "blame" at the government's door. That remark won't go unnoticed in Hong Kong. This is clearly a pretty standard approach from MTR about seeking to ensure as much return as possible from the contract. Given the delays on the construction side the operating contract must be in a shambolic state as all the assumptions about what work is done when, what cost is incurred etc have gone out of the window. There must be a shedload of contract notices and variations to keep the show on the road. If MTR's right to an extension has any dependency on operational performance in the core then clearly they're going to be disadvantaged in how they can demonstrate performance given the railway's not open. Just as well TfL is taking the revenue risk and not MTR or else the claims would be astronomic. The more worrying remark is the apparent disengagement until recently of MTR Crossrail from the actual project. Another aspect of the flawed governance structure that emphasised construction but not the transition to operation.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 27, 2019 16:56:45 GMT
Looks like it's Monday 9 September for the introduction of the enhanced STAR service from Meridian Water to Stratford. The new Greater Anglia timetable shows the timetable and dates when the extra services start. Shame the Sunday service is diabolically bad - 5/25 headways southbound and 10/20 headways northbound. M-S is near enough every 15 mins Stratford - Tottenham Hale. New GA timetable
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Post by snoggle on Apr 26, 2019 12:29:16 GMT
... and Realtimetrains is showing a currently-normal (30 minute) Sunday service now on Sunday afternoon. Indeed and that's why I hedged my original post with "possibly" etc. Sorry if anyone was misled as I posted in good faith having double checked the online info. Just saw one heading towards Woodgrange Park going over the flyover at Barking. Driver training? Yep - there are 4 return workings scheduled on weekdays. That was most likely the second trip out of Barking today.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 25, 2019 7:33:09 GMT
Don't hold your breath. They are just the standard WTT paths that they haven't got round to cancelling yet, not any sort of additional run. Strange given they've never been present on any other Sunday timetable in recent times. However I take the point about not holding my breath.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 24, 2019 22:24:52 GMT
There is a possibly interesting development with the GOBLIN service this coming Sunday. Someone has pointed me at realtimetrains.com which shows some supplementary journeys from Upper Holloway to Barking late morning and then the advertised passenger service is a x15 min headway for the remainder of the day. As there are only 3 class 378s this must mean there *may* be an attempt to run 3 Class 710s on Sunday in passenger service. That's the only practical way a x15 min service could be operated.
Obviously it's worth just saying that timetables can and do get changed on the GOBLIN at literally hours notice so it might all vanish again by Saturday! Nonetheless a potentially interesting development. The Monday service remains half hourly so no one should get *too* excited about a massive breakthrough.
Two Class 710s were out today on driver training runs but only until lunchtime. Nothing in the afternoon at all.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 23, 2019 22:25:12 GMT
Perhaps no surprise comes news today (twitter) that recycled D Stock (class D230s) have now entered into passenger service with LNWR. Meantime fancy brand new 710s whizz past platforms on GOBLIN without a single fare paying passenger aboard. Perhaps it is fair to say well done to LNWR and VivaRail, as for the 710s I hope it will not be too many more weeks before they too enter passenger service. To be fair it's not really a proper comparison. Yes Vivarail have eventually got their D stock conversion to work but it has taken a lot longer than expected and has had its share of problems along the way. However it is still an old train with a bit of modern tech stuck inside it that really should not have taken as long as it did. I do wonder just how much money has been poured into that venture and whether they will ever see a solid financial return on the investment. I'm not aware that a pantograph equipped version has even been trialled so I can't see them turning up on the GOBLIN. A return to diesel passenger trains would not exactly fit with Mayoral commitments on air quality. The 710s are a vastly more complex train and represent a generational step in design. Yes we're all completely fed up with the delays and it should never have taken Bombardier this long to get to just a tentative possibility of passenger service use. It is worth noting that no 710s have whizzed past a GOBLIN platform today - all the training runs have been cancelled. I wonder if ARL have now "folded their arms" and said "no more" until you fix all the things we (and ASLEF) want fixing plus cleared the conditional issues set out by ORR. Will be interesting to see if they have done that or whether it's just a one day glitch that I've noticed.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 23, 2019 17:50:38 GMT
Sadiq is running for Mayor in 2020, he was reselected by the London Constituency Labour Parties last year. What will happen if Crossrail isn't open by May 2020? Not a lot, the only polling so far was by YouGov back in December last year, Khan scored 55% to Shaun Bailey's 28% in the first round and no Mayoral candidate has ever polled more than 49% in the run-up to election day. Khan is so far ahead it is going to take something huge for him to lose, a lot bigger than Crossrail not opening on time and the Tories know that. Bailey was selected because no one bigger wants the job after Zac Goldsmith got mullered. Also it looks as if the GLA Transport Committee (of which Shaun Bailey is a member) have just thrown Mike Brown under the bus... Perhaps we should call him "Slippery Sadiq"... Well the Transport Cttee are determined to have as many "heads on plates" as they can get. It is also the long campaign period to May 2020 so it's inevitable that opposition politicians will want as much trouble for the Mayor as is possible. Yes Crossrail is a mess and I happen to think "massaging" the comms messages to the Mayor in the way that appears to have been done is a ludicrous thing for the Commissioner to be involved in. Still he has to account for that. He will undoubtedly be attacked and attacked when he appears in front of the Transport Cttee this Thursday. Barring Mike Brown (MB) going of his own volition or some massive unforeseen disaster happening I don't see him being kicked out this side of May 2020. However I would not rate his chances very highly of surviving beyond then regardless of who wins the Mayoralty. Sadiq will argue a new term gives him the opportunity for a fresh start. I also suspect Sadiq bears grudges for a long time so the perceived / real failings of MB will count against him when Sadiq wants his payback for TfL being in a mess / Crossrail being late. Any other politician winning will want their own team and I suspect Mike Brown will be seen politically as "damaged goods" from here on in. IMO there are several other things that count against the Mayor and MB but that's for another post.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 19, 2019 14:51:36 GMT
I've been seeing variations on this story for about a month now, despite it being explained every time that 314s (like all units without in-cab CCTV and bodyside cameras) are not practical for the Goblin. It has always been assumed that the 314s were actually just going to be used to supply parts for the 313s and/or 315s to keep them in service longer, but if they are getting heavy overhauls (something I've not seen previously mentioned) then what Phil says is more likely. The first time I saw it was on a post dated 1 April 2019 so I somewhat discounted it for rather obvious reasons. A possible aid to class 315s I hadn't considered so there is some logic there but where's the money coming from for this? Bombardier? I must admit to remaining a bit sceptical about this idea but time will tell. Oh and I'm not criticising any previous points.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 19, 2019 14:41:55 GMT
What happens to Sadiq Khan if it's not open by polling day 2020? If he chooses to stand again*, it is entirely up to the voters. What they think of it will depend in part on what questions he is asked (regarding this and other issues), by whom, what his response to them is, who is standing against him, what questions they are asked, by whom, and how they respond and the state of local, regional and national politics at the time. *In the hustings prior to the last election he did indicate a desire to serve at least two terms, but he has until the close of nominations (4pm 31 March 2020) to make a final decision. I thought Khan had indicated towards the end of last year that he was standing for re-election. I accept there is the formal process to conclude but I can't see him being in a competition within Labour for the nomination. On the other point I actually don't see Crossrail being politically damaging for the Mayor. He can point to an inherited mess, an inherited dysfunctional governance system that he could not unilaterally change and the fact that he's had to pick up the mess without government help. His opponents will seek to paint a very different picture but things were going wrong before he took over. He can also point to the fact that the National Audit Office (I think) recommended years ago that governance and project control be changed as the project transitioned - that was not taken forward by TfL or the DfT or Crossrail itself. Obviously people are "annoyed" it is late but the reality is that what isn't running isn't missed. Politically it could be far more dangerous for the Mayor to push for a hurried opening with the railway not being as reliable as hoped for and people being delayed and stuck in tunnels due to breakdowns. That could form the newspaper headline backdrop to a re-election campaign and it would be inescapable as the Mayor's people and changed governance *are* now in place. People have short memories and would forget the last few years of problems and just focus on the delays. In some ways a delay to after May 2020 may work better for the Mayor - a view I hadn't previously considered as I thought he'd be impatient for a March 2020 opening.
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Post by snoggle on Apr 18, 2019 17:54:42 GMT
Replacement buses on the Goblin over the Easter Weekend, does anyone know if this is for engineering work or so they can do a lot of Driver Training? Ray Apparently for track works by NR but don't ask me where on the line they are working. There is plenty of scope for test train running during the week - they've been out most days except half of Wednesday and Thursday (today) for some reason. No one cancelled the Thunderbird loco though - it's been going back and forth! As Bigvern says the WCML overnight runs have resumed but so have overnight runs on the GOBLIN as well. No idea why and whether that's driver training or more mileage accumulation on units that haven't yet reached their targets. I still don't know if Arriva Rail London have actually accepted a single unit yet. Comments on London Reconnections suggest there are still some software issues that ARL and ASLEF want resolved. Also some of the conditions in the ORR conditional approval also have to be built dealt with.
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