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Post by citysig on Jun 22, 2005 16:24:02 GMT
Noticed this earlier today. www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/press-centre/press-releases/press-releases-content.asp?prid=387I am sure that supporters of the Aldwych shuttle and Ongar branch numbered more than 300 or so. It's not even as if we were going to close the Chesham branch - just improve it's service and the reliability of the line as a whole. So at least another year of delaying everyone else in the peak to ensure the direct trains run. I think those 300 or so respondents obviously had great influence. I know democracy was used to a certain extent, but maybe give the passengers of the entire line a say. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2005 18:42:02 GMT
Despite the rather apparent overtones of NIMBYism over the loss of through services, IMO, they do have several valid points.
It seems to me that the most sensible option (other than a burrowing junction from the down Met&GC to the single line north of Chalfont) is to either build a footbridge to improve access between the platforms, or scrap the off-peak shuttle service and run off-peak through trains to Watford, with a combination of shuttle services and through trains as per the current timetable. The former would be expensive and the latter a potential disaster, but both appear to be reasonable solutions on the surface.
Thoughts?
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Post by Harsig on Jun 22, 2005 20:32:07 GMT
Despite the rather apparent overtones of NIMBYism over the loss of through services, IMO, they do have several valid points. It seems to me that the most sensible option (other than a burrowing junction from the down Met&GC to the single line north of Chalfont) is to either build a footbridge to improve access between the platforms, or scrap the off-peak shuttle service and run off-peak through trains to Watford, with a combination of shuttle services and through trains as per the current timetable. The former would be expensive and the latter a potential disaster, but both appear to be reasonable solutions on the surface. Thoughts? The principle probelm with through services of any sort onto the single line is what happens when those trains are delayed before the reach the single line section. The absolute minimum time between a through train leaving Chalfont towards Chesham and returning to Chalfont is of the order of twenty minutes. Therefore if the following through train to Chesham is less than twenty minutes behind it will have to wait on the Main Line at Chalfont blocking any trains going towards Amersham and Aylesbury. While that might be acceptable when the delay is only a couple of minutes, should the trains be significantly closer together, as could easily happen, then there would be no choice but to divert one of the two trains to Amersham effectively meaning that there is cancellation to Chesham. The chance of through trains being delayed must be greater than that for a self contained shuttle as through trains can be delayed by any failure or incident that occurs anywhere throughout their journey, whereas a self contained shuttle will generally only be daelayed by failures or incidents between Chalfont & Chesham. |
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Post by citysig on Jun 22, 2005 22:22:46 GMT
It seems to me that the most sensible option (other than a burrowing junction from the down Met&GC to the single line north of Chalfont) is to either build a footbridge to improve access between the platforms... As some here may know I recently travelled the entire system over a period of weeks. My trip to Chesham was completely without incident and was quicker than planned. The connection and access to it was, I found, pretty reasonable, given some of the other connections I encountered elsewhere on the system. I also had almost an entire car to myself in both directions, and the train as a whole carried around 20-30 people. This was around 1530hrs on a weekday. So whatever passenger numbers are found during the peak, off-peak hardly appears to justify a regular through service. I just cannot understand the favour they give to a regularly late through service (of which they regularly complain) against a pretty reliable shuttle service. Or is the short walk too far for some of them? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2005 8:31:17 GMT
It probably is. If the subway entrances were further north on the platforms, it might be easier for the shuttle passengers to reach.
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Post by citysig on Jun 23, 2005 16:42:20 GMT
Again, I was a first time user and had no trouble at all using the interchange. Put that against Bank station. Halfway through a trip I wanted to leave there for a quick puff. After following signs for the Way Out I ended up on the Central Line platforms! And I'm staff and should know my way around (good job I was out of uniform ;D )
Anyway it's not as if they have to use the subway in each direction. On their way to work (and let's face it the large majority of users will be heading that way around 0800 ish) they can slope off the shuttle (with their hangovers from posh wine) and straight onto a southbound service - which might even be a Chiltern.
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Post by q8 on Jun 23, 2005 19:21:42 GMT
I wanted to leave there for a quick puff.
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A quick puff? ........... Is that a race for gays?
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Post by citysig on Jun 23, 2005 23:10:15 GMT
Did pass some likely looking candidates, but my intentions were purely of the other dirty habit kind  |
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Post by Nick Booth on Jun 24, 2005 11:15:33 GMT
The principle probelm with through services of any sort onto the single line is what happens when those trains are delayed before the reach the single line section. The absolute minimum time between a through train leaving Chalfont towards Chesham and returning to Chalfont is of the order of twenty minutes. Therefore if the following through train to Chesham is less than twenty minutes behind it will have to wait on the Main Line at Chalfont blocking any trains going towards Amersham and Aylesbury. While that might be acceptable when the delay is only a couple of minutes, should the trains be significantly closer together, as could easily happen, then there would be no choice but to divert one of the two trains to Amersham effectively meaning that there is cancellation to Chesham. The chance of through trains being delayed must be greater than that for a self contained shuttle as through trains can be delayed by any failure or incident that occurs anywhere throughout their journey, whereas a self contained shuttle will generally only be daelayed by failures or incidents between Chalfont & Chesham. So maybe the best thing to do, if a thru service is kept, would be to double one train length of track just past Chalfont towards Chesham. The Met's guests could then contemplate the scenery (is there any?) while waiting for a delayed train to return from Chesham, without delaying the Amersham passengers. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2005 12:49:54 GMT
True. Up until now, no one has mentioned the possibility of upgrading the branch infrastructure.
Off the top of my head, an eight-car passing loop between JT83 and the axle counter and a second one somewhere near the midpoint of the single line, with favourable gradients on the latter, combined with the restoration of the four-car bay platform and the siding next to the existing platform road, would all work admirably to enhance the ability to work around disruptions on the single line or the Met&GC.
Thoughts?
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