Another Bad Day on the District

The line controllers seemed to buckle under the sheer amount of "call requests" they were receiving - resulting in at least two missed 'pass alarm' calls that I know of.

Once again, the fact that the line controllers can call individual trains left most of us quite literally in the dark when it came to deciphering exactly what was going on (with the old "legacy" system it was possible to gauge information from the general radio traffic).

And twice on my first half I tried to confirm if my Dagenham train was turning at Barking as per the platform DMI's - in the end I found out the answer the old fashioned way on arrival at Barking, when the shunt signal propmtly cleared for the sidings

I've said it before and I'll say it again: has Connect improved communications as promised?

Nope, not in the slightest! If anything, it's made things worse

What would you prefer/suggest? Having the LC's do a general broadcast in the event of anything bigger than a minor disruption? That would be a rather simple and quick solution I suppose...

I'm surprised that the drivers aren't calling each other up and passing the information laterally - surely there is time to do this safely whilst stuck at a red stick.

Hear hear.

Easiest way to get hold of the controller is still to use the auto phone, if there's one available. I did that today when I was given the route to Richmond instead of Ealing at Turnham Green, and got an answer very quickly. Unfortunately the controller called me back a couple of minutes later (Connect private call) to say that as there was no signaller on that desk they could not take a release.
So, we now have a new approach to wrong routes - don't change the signal, change the train's destination!

I was on the district today, was at turnham Green west, kept hearing the radio scratching away asking for train 71... Got to Chiswick Park, control still asking!

You believe? Whoever told you most of that is wrong!
Yes we can lift the handset, press the button and talk - only very occasionally a train will pick up the message. It'd be the same for the signallers.

The preferred method is to press the 'LC' button - this will inform the line controller by text message that you wish to communicate. It is then up to the line controller as to wether he talks to you one-to-one, or by group call. My issue isn't how the line controller responds to my personal call - it's the fact that if they were to make the odd group broadcast here & there, they would get less calls. Connect is superior to the old system meaning that if a driver uses his/her handheld appropriately, it's nigh on impossible to miss a message. Infact, the system permits the line controllers to send text messages to both handhelds and cab units (I have been turned by use of a text message to my cab unit, so it's possible) - just using this facillity would go a long way.....

Yes, if the controller uses the group call we all hear one side of the conversation - but herein lies the issue.......they ain't using the group call feature enough or for the right reasons.

That's what I've been saying.

That's a new one - I have never seen that!

I think we got crossed wires there - the District controllers are not using the 'repeat' function.......hence we only hear one side.

You get the idea ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

If you are sat on the front carriage of a Central Line train, you will often hear a general broadcast from the cab radio, such as;

"All East bound drivers between Lancaster Gate and White City, into platforms and hold please. We have a xxxxx at xxxxx station".

When whatever problem is solved, the follow up message is something like;

"All East bound drivers between Lancaster Gate and White City who were asked to hold, if you have clear codes and signals, please proceed."

Simple, seems effective and is always polite!

You can often hear something similar on the District.

When connect first came in we could hear both sides of the conversation and all was fine and dandy, then it was stopped and we are, for reasons explained by Colin, worse off than before.

Some drivers do try to call the controller using the PTT button direct, since this is not the designated call method, most controllers now ignore such calls or rebuke the caller, telling them to call in the designated manner (using the LC button).

As stated before, it is the general absence of "all call" information messages that is a real problem. From my rides about the Central are particularly excellent at making very informative calls as to what is going on about the system. Likewise the Victoria.

All you hear on the District is " Train x hold at a", "train y hold at b" ....but you have no idea what's going on.

As for reasons for being stuck in a very slow moving queue of trains, all you get is "blocking back driver ..." or ..."train in section ahead" ....well duuuuh, we can deduce that much from the slow running and tail lights of the one in front !!!! If you attempt to quiz them further they get shirty ! lol (especially if it's a circle line calling)

Another downside became clear on sun eve, someone with a hand held obviously had it in their bag or coat and the "ptt" press to talk button was continually being engaged, this had two effects, the train radio was continually giving off loud bleeps every time the button went down, about every 2 seconds. It also blocked out the wavelength, preventing trains logging in or changing signaler area.... Control could speak over it, but not stop it and loads of drivers called up to complain about it ....it went on for about 15 mins, not sure if it only affected the group area I was in (Richmond) as all the complaining trains seemed to be on the Richmond branch too.

A few drivers have been ticked off for not having the radio logged in ...but i have on several occasions entered all the details and logged on, the radio makes the usual bleeping noises and sets up the usual display, however where your set number and handheld number are it shows "NOT LOGGED IN" but doesn't alert you in any other way to the fact login failed. It seems to occur when the train tries to log in when a long broadcast is being made. But the words "NOT LOGGED IN" are not really visible from my normal driving position, being hidden by the overhang of the set back display.

Also if a long broadcast is being made, the radio misses it's queue to change signaler area.

Now isn't it a pity I list all these faults here, coz there is no comparable forum for listing them internally ?!!!

BUMP.

I wonder if Connect is exacerbating the current problems at Upminster.

Bump? It's a current thread! ;D ;D ;D

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "the current problems at Upminster"?

It's a shame I can't hear anything as the Central is such an interesting line - it puts more of an edge on it.