Today

A visit to the TfL website reveals "an earlier signal failure at Baker Street".

So you could have answered your own question had you looked at the said website.

I was on a Southbound Amersham - Aldgate train which tipped out at Wembley Park this morning. Rather annoying because I had my bike with me meaning I had to squash into a Baker Street train in order to make it to victoria (cycling from Baker Street) on time for my train to Brighton!

Not meaning to have a dig at you personally, here... Quite... why don't people think like customers?

I agree, that you need to test the new trains. However, instead of running the testing trains while there's a suspension and severe delays, would it not be more beneficial to the customers in the 'here and now' to run passenger service trains? Certainly, I would have thought the passengers of today would prefer that rather than seeing this shiny, new, empty train wandering around the tracks.

In a perfect / fantasy world, the new trains would have been delivered ready for service, and our drivers would simply need to jump into the cab and off they go.

But it cannot be done like that unfortunately. Staff need training, the trains need rigorous testing, so that when they all enter service there will be far fewer teething problems than there could be.

The testing program has to stay on track to get the trains in sooner rather than later. The odd passenger trip has been done, but the testing program does mean that sometimes it won't be in service. We cannot yet use the stock to substitute another train - they are not technically "ours" to use.

The testing simply cannot be restricted to overnight running or to times when nothing else is going on - unless people don't want the trains in service until 2015.

We do have a say in whether the stock operates its test runs, but do have to have a fairly good reason to cancel them. Whilst the train you saw was a bit like rubbing salt in the wound, it may have been that even this train was en-route to depot to get it out of the way of the service disruption.

We do have a timetable for the required runs. Some are in passenger service, the odd one is empty and at least one of the empty trips can run in passenger service if the Service Manager allows it (the I/Op on the train has to contact the SM prior to the train leaving the depot).

That would probably have been the "FIFA Delegate Special" heading towards Baker Street. I hope they bought tickets ;D ;D

Yes, fewer seats. I can only compare to Southern & Southeastern's 377 Class services. They tend to be longer distance than those on The Met. Both operators have used 3+2 and 2+2 formations. Eventually 2+2 sems to have been favoured. In my experience the average posterior let alone should width does not allow for comfortably travel with 3+2 arrangements.

Now I am sure the argument will be spread that LU is not a a franchise like either Southeastern or Southern and so should not be compared as such. I am simply not comparing the service, only the size of people. Unless you presume to suggest that people in North London have slimmer waist lines or similar than those south of the river... And I am open to any stats you may have to offer.

While I know some longitudinal seating may not be ideal for everyone, but neither was the abolition of smoking carriages or space for wheelchairs, luggage and buggies. But that is progress or should I suggest a more inclusive arrangement.

Two last points - most people in central London sit at desks all day. What is so bad about having to stand for a short while? There were always going to be fewer seats owing to wider doors and space for wheelchairs. While my personal preference would have been for 2+2 seating with some folding seats in a longitudinal arrangment, there still would have been significantly less seating capacity than on the A Stock.

Sorry, have verged very much off topic!

As my body gets crankier, I think I would consider a portable cane/stool - sitincomfort.com/posefocaslse.html - and just unfold it on the S-stock if I couldn't get a seat.
Imagine the consternation that may cause!

Perhaps in the UK area they make these as cane/stool/umbrella units similar to this:
www.haas-jordan.com/UI/ProductsListing.aspx?m=skwd&kwd=seat

The second one may be awkward during stopping and starting.

Don't laugh but on some of our V/Line services people are bringing folding chairs on board because the train is full.