tube changes add to chesham journey times

Chiltern trains are already busier than before since the reduction in service to Amersham to 2 trains/hr. As its been noted before with the inminent timetable change there will a few extra services stopping at Met stations than before, however no increased in capacity is planned and there is plainly no more stock at present to reinforce the Met services. The 172s have got no tripcocks so they can only run when boxed in (both ends) with two 165/168s, this and training issues makes almost impossible to use them on the Met. Hopefully the changes due in September with the new fast services on the High Wycombe line, combined with more 67s+Mk3, might release some stock to reinforce the service as it is likely than more people may choose Chiltern with the demise of the off-peak fast services.

Sorry, when I said handful I meant that based on the whole day there were just a handful of fasts. The peaks (roughly 0700-0930 and 1630-1930) have the fast trains. Digging a little deeper into the draft timetable I have, I notice that there is indeed a smattering of semi-fast Watfords that I hadn't noticed at first - mainly because the only stops they miss are Preston Road and Northwick Park and they are not as easy to spot as faster services.

No, they will be happening in December.

However, consultation with those of us who actually run the railway (myself and a colleague) has begun for the May 2012 timetable.

The trial for this December's timetable is not until September - which will be too late to change any big problems before either the December or May 2012 timetables. So we'll have to make suggestions based on predictions and experience.

It could very well be that December's timetable is short-lived until May, or it could be that the changes are built upon, giving some people the best of both worlds (some ideas have been put on the table already to achieve this )

Thank you MetControl for clarifying the revised off-peak service that is too be introduced on Dec 11th 2011. A few observations:
- I welcome the restoration of direct off-peak services to/from the City for passengers using stations between Amersham to North Harrow inclusive, a feature that existed prior to May 2001
- I can see that the new service pattern across the branches dovetails nicely with each other, i.e. 8tph (every 7.5 mins) on the Uxbridge Branch, between North Harrow and Moor Park and between Baker Street and Aldgate (although I do recognise that timings may not be exactly to 7.5 min intervals in all cases)
- The increase in Metropolitan Line trains from 6tph to 8tph between Baker Street and Aldgate will restore to most stations on the ‘northern part of the Circle’ the slight reduction in the number of trains over this section that arose from the introduction of the 10 min frequency on the Circle and Hammersmith and City Lines in Dec 2009
- I’m struggling a little to understand why Northwick Park and Preston Road need 16tph at off-peak times. That’s more trains than currently serve these stations at peak times
- I’ve not seen a great deal of evidence in my daily Met Line travels that warrants a need for an increase in frequency on the Uxbridge Branch and between North Harrow and Northwood at off-peak times. The proposed 8tph between North Harrow and Northwood is the same number of trains that currently serve these stations at peak periods
- I’m also struggling to understand why it is after fifty years since the 4-tracking north of Harrow, LUL considers there is no longer a need to provide the Amersham Line with a fast electric service to/from London at off-peak times, particularly now that through journey opportunities to the City are to be restored
- As you say, off-peak services will no longer all be self-contained. I do recall that one of the reasons given for introducing the present pattern of off-peak services in May 2001 was that the re-introduction of self-contained off-peak services would make service recovery easier and quicker.

I would have liked to have seen the following:
- x10 min retained on the Uxbridge Branch but with the new planned alternate Baker Street/Aldgate pattern
- x10 min retained on the Watford Branch but with the introduction of an alternate Baker Street/Aldgate pattern
- x30min Amersham-Baker Street fast service retained but extended to Aldgate
- x30min Chesham-Baker Street fast service retained unchanged (having Chesham trains running to/from Aldgate effectively all day each day of the week just can’t be a good thing for Chesham Branch reliability).

I suspect that the O-initialled event to which you refer (and possibly to it's P-initialled younger sibling) will be served by a temporary timetable.

A lot of trains have to slow down to a ridiculous speed through Wembley anyway, it's not going to make much difference if any.

I agree, and actually, trains often pass through Wembley at speed when non stopping.

yes i think the wembley park stop should be omitted completely! i also think graeme186 timetable is a very good idea!

also when you say delayed at ricky to let another chiltern through, how does the chiltern get past the chesham train?

This is where i get Flamed ;D , i had taken the earlier Amersham service to L/Chalfont. I can only come to two conclusions . 1) the Chesham service came up the slow track, and waited just past Moorpark. 2) It was delayed at Harrow .

im from pinner and to be honest, i agree, they are empty!

wouldnt it be a better idea to alternate the chesham and amersham trains by one fast and one slow?

At the risk of getting inundated with suggestions, I'll stick that bunch into my notebook for future discussion (as others have voiced agreement to it. But I'll be honest and say I can't see you getting all your wishes. For instance, having the alternate Uxbridge-Baker Street/Aldgate service means you have to "mix them up" with the Watfords, and lose the self-containment of each service.

Customer pressure. Unfortunately, it's one of those occasions where many people's fellow travellers have had their say and got their wishes. Mr and Mrs Chesham got theirs last year, this year Mr and Mrs Wembley have made a suggestion and it's been listened to.

So many times we've been criticised for not listening or doing as our customers want. This timetable, rightly or wrongly, seems to have listened to everyone and given back all the customers what they want - whatever the impact. Almost a case of "Let them take over. Give them everything. Make them see what happens when they take over. Make them beg for the return of our control." ;D ;D

Is the Bayswater blockade just affecting Circle services as the planned works calendar on the TfL site informs us, or is it District line services as well?

I'm sure there's something in the relevant (H&C) board but just to say it will affect the District Line "Wimbledon Branch" service, and will also affect H&C services on various days / weekends.