Easter Met Line Closures

I don't get it. Would you rather these engineering works were done mid-week?

No I wouldn't want these works during the week,but first we wouldn't need these if upgrades had been done years ago,in a timely manner like the metro systems in other European cities.
In this current situation then,when will it end? Or are we doomed for years of disruption?

Are any extra crossovers being installed to protect against future disruption though?

Not quite sure i understand your argument there. Surely that's a chicken and egg scenario.

The upgrades are being carried out in order to introduce a new signalling system for the new rolling stock - so that efficiency on your journey is improved. They are being carried out in a timely manner - i.e. not during peak weekday periods, and before the introduction of the new S-Stock.

....surely something that will benefit us all once completed.

Well its good that it is being done, but the chance should be taken to include extra flexibility so when, in however many years, this happens all over again, more options are available.

I think the Met main has quite a flexible layout already. Trains can be reversed at Chalfont, Ricky, Northwood, Hillingdon, Ruislip, Rayners Lane, Harrow and Wembley Park! There are others in the covered way! Maybe Pinner would be a nice option, but as Colin says, its about cost/benefit.

Yep it probably is bad for the punters north of Northwood, they must be quite used to getting on a bus now. When the Uxbridge branch is closed I just drive to work.

Pinner, hmmmm.... alot of work going on at Pinner, flattening the ground and large ballast sacks at one end.

Lets hope these works bear fruit, unlike the ATO cable debacle on the North end of the Jubilee.

And in actual fact if you make a given piece of work bigger - shall we say for arguments sake we'll roll up seven weekend closures into one two week one? - you'll end up with too many workers tripping over themselves, too many guv'nors, too little over control of the entire work site and a bloomin' large risk of a very major over run.

Just look at the Christmas closure of Liverpool Street two years ago for a shining example of how easily a major project can very easily go wrong.

Weekend closures are the best way forward - this work has got to be done - and there will be tangible benefits at the end of it all. How long will it take? I dunno as I'm only a train driver but I can assure you the current level of work is achieving a heck of a lot that won't be obvious to the ordinary Joe public traveller....and it will not last for decades, if that helps

I can understand fully the complaints. I complain when my NR service is disrupted. I don't mind having an easier weekend with fewer trains running at work, but I hate having to catch a bus to get there ;D

But, it is always true that we don't always see what is being done, and these works can seem to last forever.

To be realistic, such works may not end up with an increased service level, or faster journey times. But, what will happen is that the ride quality will improve where track replacement has taken place, and the reliability of the track and signalling will improve - which means less chance of things going wrong.