Charing Cross branch TBTC

Is it a possible WIP in that things will be tidied up at a later time, and engineering hours aren't sufficient?

Can't imagine that they'd stay bottom of the pit for a variety of reasons, most of all the potential for arcing if there's a power surge (?)

Question mark because that would depend on the insulation, and power strengths.

Not seen, so can't really comment - Maybe it is all just getting shoved through on the cheap? AIUI, it's behind schedule anyway (But then what isn't?)

I can ask the question of someone I "know" on Twitter that works the Northern.....

Engineering hours are very short though, and you only have to look here at the amount of people moaning about closures - Damned if you do, damned if you don't!

We have a few other tricks up our sleeve to take the pain out of the NL upgrade. For example - the Highgate Test Facility is being significantly extended in length so that more meaningful testing can be done on it. Late start up is also commencing on the High Barnet branch every Sunday to give a bit more time in Engineering Hours.

You are right though that TBTC passenger service is a long way off yet.

Regards,

Dan

I read in a rail magazine that that the First section to be switched on is Morden to Kennington apparently in 2012 and Highgate to High Barnet will be used as a testing ground for the trains in Passanger service. When they get TBTC fully up and running they want to use Protected Manual then convert the whole line to ATO in one weekend! Good luck with that Delays here we come!

Very True!

I may sound like a doomster here but I think this Upgrade is going to be a right mess and will take forver to finally be finished. On the Edgeware branch the loop cable has not even been installed yet from what I have heard only preperation for it.

I saw a photo of a section that looks like this last week and have just seen this thread again. It looks like a short section of loop has been incorrectly installed. It should be at the top of the pit and, as you say, the crossovers are wrong. Will need to be fixed. The cabling is installed by Thales though not Tube Lines.

Like most things on here, because it is far easier to argue against something than for it.

I know the cables you mean. Or they may have worked out that they can still get the loops to generate signal that far down in the pit and in that fashion. Would be interesting to know as I have noticed it too.

Jardine01, I assume that you are a railway professional holding such views?

As a regular northern line passenger who has been using the line for years and 4/5 days a week in the morning peak for the past four months, I have to say the current service provided on the line is very robust and I’ve never experienced any significant hold ups in the four months. IIRC it was even the most reliable on LU not so long ago and could still be. If the upgrades are late, I'm not bothered, what we get now is very reasonable and it would be great if TBTC improves it slightly.



You don't really have to be a "professional" to understand what jardine has mentioned. Anyone can research facts on the internet and experience such things as a passenger.

I don't think anyone can argue that the installation of the Jubilee upgrade was anything other than a foul-up. It took ages, left huge swathes of people without trains for long periods of time and did not deliver a reliable service after installation for a long time after it was supposedly complete.

Whilst there are a number of reasons for that, I don't think simply questionning someone's credentials as a "qualifed railway professional" (whatever one of those is) when they express concern about the likely problems with the Northern Line installation is helpful. I haven't seen any evidence that lessons have actually been learned from the Jubilee. I've seen lots of management people saying lessons have been learned, but that's not the same thing at all.

Yes Tubelines won't be doing it, but I'd like to know (1) who the contractors doing the work are, (2) how this differs from the Jubilee, (3) how much project management time has been spent and who has tested and verified all the timings/pricings for the jobs, (4) what qualifications and experience of successful underground projects the management team of all parties have. Unless these are better than the jubilee line, then from my professional experience, I wouldn't expect any improvement.

When the line goes ATO section by Section I hope they don't do it like the Jubilee line did like most of the line goes ATO in one go due to setbacks. They must drive in Protected Manual before ATO they have to make sure TBTC is safe & reliable before they can even think about going ATO. When TBTC went into operation on the Jubilee line it was in protected Manual for a few days and gradually brought in ATO.
I think lessons have been learned but its a complex signaling system and probally even more complex than the Jubilee line. Thales is Doing the upgrade for the Northern.

I think closures will happen frequently and there is a big shut down over easter time I think.
Unfortantly this upgrade we probally won't see any increase in speeds due to the curves on the line.
Is the Northern line going to have a dual fitted area? However less closures means less work will be done which is going to make this upgrade finish later. Some people would probally shoot me for saying this but I think they should most of the line for a few weeks and get as much work done as possible.