Post by superteacher on Feb 17, 2016 21:22:57 GMT
During a signal systems failure at Kennington this morning, the service was suspended from Charing Cross / Moorgate to Stockwell. So it was fair to assume that one could catch a northbound train from Charing Cross.
With time on my hands, I made my way to Charing Cross via the Bakerloo line. On arrival at the Northern line platforms, I found a load of people on the northbound platform. On the southbound, there was a train in the platform which was in the process of being reversed south to north via the crossover, which is a passenger move. I asked the staff member on the platform why the train was not in service. He told me it was going to the depot! (What depot . . .) I told him that the train should be in service going north, and asked why it wasn't. He then said the service was suspended. The train departed empty. When the next train arrived, I decided to have a word with the driver. He agreed that the trains should be going north in passenger service, and didn't get why they were being detrained by the platform staff. He had a conversation with the platform staff, telling him that he was in service and that he should be telling the passengers on the other platform to come over to this one. I boarded and told a few others that they could go northbound on that train. At that point, the station PA comes to life, saying that the whole service was suspended and that they should leave the platforms!
I stood firm, and proceeded northbound with a handful of others. Why is the communication so poor? If a northbound service is being advertised, then the staff at Charing Cross should know that. And they should surely know that the south to north move can be done in passenger service?
With time on my hands, I made my way to Charing Cross via the Bakerloo line. On arrival at the Northern line platforms, I found a load of people on the northbound platform. On the southbound, there was a train in the platform which was in the process of being reversed south to north via the crossover, which is a passenger move. I asked the staff member on the platform why the train was not in service. He told me it was going to the depot! (What depot . . .) I told him that the train should be in service going north, and asked why it wasn't. He then said the service was suspended. The train departed empty. When the next train arrived, I decided to have a word with the driver. He agreed that the trains should be going north in passenger service, and didn't get why they were being detrained by the platform staff. He had a conversation with the platform staff, telling him that he was in service and that he should be telling the passengers on the other platform to come over to this one. I boarded and told a few others that they could go northbound on that train. At that point, the station PA comes to life, saying that the whole service was suspended and that they should leave the platforms!
I stood firm, and proceeded northbound with a handful of others. Why is the communication so poor? If a northbound service is being advertised, then the staff at Charing Cross should know that. And they should surely know that the south to north move can be done in passenger service?
