Advance Warning of problems this Friday

The problem last night, was the failure of a number of signals in the (I think) Plaistow area. So the district was suspended Whitechapel - Upminster (in reality some trains were still running To Upminster).

The H&C service was curtailed at Moorgate/Aldgate due to the congestion and trains being held in platforms approaching the failure area(s).

Adding H&C services (which are seen by the railway as an "additional service" into the area would have added to the congestion problems).
Every now and then one may have gone through to Whitechapel, and H&C trains with a Barking crew relief usually run through too (but as they come back late they miss out a Hammersmith branch headway!).

The other reason is that C stock cannot run east of Barking sidings due to gauging issues, and lack of road knowledge (unless and EAst End district operator is able to pilot/or drive C stock)

Multiple signal failures at Plaistow, Upton Park and East Ham causing the service to be suspended for about an hour. I got off my first train 156 minutes late.

Despite my being on earlies this week (yep, you read that right - earlies ;D ;D), I do happen to know all about this..........

There was initially a negative earth detected in the East Ham area. This in itself wasn't a problem - but a C stock with a defective motor, and hence causing a positive earth fault in the same area meant that all the track circuit fuses blew.

Without the track circuits working, signals couldn't be cleared; hence the disruption experienced.

I belive it is Dagenham East and that it actually only affects C77's not C69's but the ban is blanket. About 6 or so months ago a failure at Barking w/b saw C's run to Upney and reverse to Barking sidings ..prompting a flurry of reminders that C's were not allowed to do this !

My understanding is that the route was supposed to be cleared for C's to resume use, so they could attend the wheel lathe at Upminster depot, though I have heard no more about it.

(Upminster and Dagenham East are on C stock blinds ...there have been a few scheduled workings in times past)

OK - just to clarify (again - I'm sure I've mentioned this in the past ) the problem was at Dagenham Heathway W/B originally (and possibly Becontree W/B as well), and came to light some years ago when C stock were booked to travel to Upminster to use the wash. The problem at those stations was caused by some of the nosing stones having been replaced with metric ones, which were just that little bit bigger, causing a couple of trains to strike the platforms.

As to the recent test run, I understand (although cannot confirm for certain) that it DID take place and there were still some gauging issues which need to be sorted out.

a failure can be easy arranged but by the way the line has been running this past week im sure it will screw up itself

Indeed you did mention it previously (reply #3):
www.districtdave.proboards39.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=district&thread=1146608484&page=1