Back to life, back to reality

For starters, the Metronet strike was called off late last night - around midnight - so the Metronet rostered early turn staff may not actually be aware and may well have not turned up for work as expected.

Then we have a game of catch up - train preps [that must be done by a fitter within the 24hrs prior to a train entering service] & track walks that need to done (usually within 48 or 72 hours, depending on specific site). I suspect off the top of my head that the Bakerloo, for example, has less trains that need prepping and so they'd consequently have less of a problem starting up quicker.

From the District's point of view, well Upminster at least - my morning went like this (all times approximate):

0610 Book on - no trains prepped for service.
0715 2 trains prepped, 2 to follow within 20 mins - Barking shuttle proposed by service control, to start by 0800.
0800 Barking shuttle shelved as track inspection not completed Barking sidings to Bow. Trains remain in depot.
0930 8 trains now prepped by depot - 26 trains (out of usual 29) expected to be available.
1000 Service control requests that 3 trains are put into Upminster platforms in readiness for Barking Shuttle (2 further trains to follow and make up the service). DMT only allows trains up to the reception roads to prevent customers hopes being built up - track walk still not complete.
1100 14 trains now prepped.
1120 ASLEF & RMT union reps request written proof that the track walk has been completed as they have confirmed the Barking to Bow section as having exceeded the laid down time limits. Depot now working towards making 28 out of the usual 29 trains available.
1145 C stocks from Triangle sidings start limited Earls Court to Mansion House service.
1300 Service control & line management request that a train is made available to collect track inspectors from an unknown location (that's right, nobody actually knows where these people are!), and ride through the Barking to Bow section.

I was released to go home at 1330 - lets just say that the track cannot be properly inspected from a train cab, and that there was continuing 'discussion' on this point when I left work.

I probably shouldn't have posted some of this information, but I think the public ought to be aware that unfortunately this is is why they haven't been offered a service at the east end of the District.

Cab ride inspections are a useful tool but nothing more than that - I agree with Oracle they are not a substitute for a track walk.

Is there any chance of a full service being avaliable today

The first on the District was a shuttle 600-604 of C Stocks (ex Triangle) Olympia-Mansion House about 11.45ish I think, then alterted to Putney Bridge (via the shunt on the bridge) - Tower Hill.
At about 12.50 there were 10 D Stocks No. 500-511 running Ealing - Whitechapel about every 10-15 minutes.

Happy Bunny, where was this train at Ealing? Had it been vandalised.

As the above have said trains needed to be taken back to depot, cleaned, fixed and prepped. Also the tracks needed to be checked too.

The SSR I believe out-stabled a lot more trains than BCV, which doesnt help matters too much.

Still no word on when East Ham-Whitechapel and Richmond- Turnham Green and Putney Bridge - Wimbledon will resume.

Though Rest Day today I had to get to St James for Duty Managers assessments (yawn) and called in at ACT on my way. This was about 07:15ish.
The TOM was there and just about to check the junction at Hanger Lane (don't make any funny quips ) and there was talk of vandalised trains at EBDY - this was always going to happen IMHO.
The plan was for two T/Ops to go to EBDY for each train so that they could be returned to ECMDT.
Though there was much preparation of plans for trains to come out and drivers being pencilled in it was always going to be a 'fluid' plan.
My biggest gripe in all this is that it was 'us' operational staff that were taken the venom from the punters - there was too much tarring with the same brush. But I suppose this is always the way - the ones who are there get the blame for being on strike!!!!! Think people......

There was! Very detailed too!

I guess either they ran late or were planned to outstable so there were trains in ZOne 1 toward the end.

The whole customer information about the whole Action, was truly shambolic on TfLs part! Not good at all.....

Metronet will be paying for that costly mistake not TfL.

Why couldn't a service be operated from Upminster to Hornchurch or Dagenham East (thus feeding the C2C at Upminster) even if the track Barking to Bow hadn't been checked ?

In the end only 2 trains were available for the East Ham to Upminster section, until the track inspection between there and Whitechapel/Tower Hil was complete.,,,

I thought the resumption was handled well and was dealt with on a line basis, with stn staff being kept informed!