Timetable Changes 31st July 2011

Great! Make very busy peak hours trains into London slow so people can't get to work on time any more so they have to get the train before! Good thinking LU!.

Doesn't sound like its well planned at all!

With fewer seats and more stops it sounds like it's all designed to upset the Bucks crowd! Thankfully I drive to work and as part of my job now!

What about using the semi fast configuration?

Indeed, selecting a semi-fast code would indicate all stations Moor Park-Harrow, then fast to either Wembley or Finchley Rd.

I'm guessing a software update will add the new semi fast service. It is classified as semi fast though, right?

The alterations have been tried, tested and lived with for a number of months now - albeit in maybe a slightly different form and at slightly different timings.

You may recall that back when WTT 329 was introduced, we had numerous issues with the weather, a new train crew facility, and new staff unfamiliar with the line. There were also stock shortages, and a couple of timetable clashes that needed attention.

Back then we had a plan for both peaks, which involved diversions, altered stopping patterns and cancellations. Gradually over the weeks and months, most services were re-instated, and the publicity surrounding them was dropped.

However, a couple of altered stopping patterns and cancellations still existed to help keep the service more reliable. These same (well more or less) current "cancellations" will become permanent alterations from 31st July.

There has never been any real effect on passenger loadings around the "gaps" that were created, and to be honest I doubt your average customer even noticed the holes. Thanks to this publicity, unfortunately it will become common knowledge, and so for the first time we'll probably get complaints.

perhaps its been misunderstood.i have not been on one of these new trains so i cannot comment as to their passenger comforts so its unfair to comment,however the fondness for the previous stock remains.

i am not a train person so cannot comment on the upgrades to the line overall,but as a traveler it does strike that the new timetables are not universally well received.anyone traveling down form chalfont&latimer north is going to notice these additional stops even though there only quoted around 7-8 minutes but that is on top of the considerable distance of the other stations,the furthest from london.

i don't know about anyone else but on arrival at chalfont the journey seems tedious its a long way out.aylesbury is even further but the switch at amersham breaks the journey adding another twenty or so minutes.

problems that have arisen in the past seem to have cascaded down the line.i dont know if anyone else feels the same?.

The easiest way of explaining this is that a cancellation is a statistic. WTT 329 has the trains which "don't work" and are therefore constantly cancelled - meaning they are a statistic everyday.

WTT330 doesn't have the trains, which means they are not cancelled, which means no statistic.

Now it may seem like cheating, but I doubt any other company would continue to mark itself against something that was un-achievable. It would re-draw the markers to something that could be achieved.

The train is booked in the timetable to call all stations to Moor Park, then Harrow, then all stations from Harrow.

Platform working at Harrow is the responsibility of the local signaller, and whilst the train is booked to use platform 6 at Harrow, there is absolutely no reason why platform 5 cannot be used - both platforms allow a southbound departure to either the local or fast line.

The occasions you mention where the train has had to have its stopping pattern changed will normally be as a result of late running. The train was made all stations from Harrow to cover for the loss of another service. However, if the train arrives late from Amersham, it may be that a further service has already left Harrow and served Northwick Park and Preston Road. In this case, rather than delaying everybody further, the train is run fast to catch-up time.

Each time such a decision is made, the signaller, driver and station staff are all informed - if the first 2 were not, then the move would not happen. Whilst it may be short notice when the decision is made, those travelling further south than Wembley will not be inconvenienced - and in fact their journey will be made a little quicker. Those requiring stations up to Wembley will usually have a train arrive very soon after.

The red signals at Wembley. Remember at Wembley that we're squashing both fast and local services into one single line. Whilst the "plan" is always to keep fast services moving through, it cannot always be done - especially during the peak. Occasions where the service is running more or less to time can mean fast services turn up at Wembley slightly early. In this case they may have to wait for the local service to get ahead. This may mean the service is allowed into platform 6, and if it is to be held, drivers will generally open the doors. It's a bonus service to anyone that happens to be on the platform, but also allows a small "breather" to those on the train. We cannot simply send everything through Wembley in any order, as it could end up disrupting the city.

Best advice is if the train is announced as not stopping at Wembley, then take that as red.

There is a very well known move at Harrow where customers tend to get off and do the Platform 5/6 shuffle to try to get what they believe will be the fastest service. It isn't always the case, and to be honest most of the time you're better off staying on the train you're on.

From December virtually all trains on both fast and local lines will be stopping at Wembley - so that should clear that part up ;D.

As for the other stuff, it is a shame that you're still seeing that sort of thing. We do I strive to get the message across from the control room out to the stations, and try to make sure everyone is singing from the same hymn book so to speak.