|
|
Post by jimini on Jul 31, 2005 19:11:47 GMT
Another one of Jim's random questions:
Following the resumption of services through Aldgate, Wimbleware's back up and running, and the impending restoration of a full H&C service, why are LU still quoting "several weeks" before the Circle line is back in service? I ask because, as a Tower Hill resident who travels north on a regular basis (Circle to Farringdon), it would obviously restore my usual commute to work and add those oh so valuable minutes in bed back to my daily schedule (and satisfy my curiousity into the bargain!!).
Or am I reading out-of-date notice boards (apologies if so!)?
Cheers,
Jim.
|
|
|
|
Post by q8 on Jul 31, 2005 19:15:46 GMT
I ask because, as a Tower Hill resident . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ You live at Tower Hill   Tell me which particular dungeon is yours and does it have direct connection to the station? ;D |
|
|
|
Post by jimini on Jul 31, 2005 19:21:43 GMT
LOL, nah, St. Katharines Docks to be precise, my only other option is to walk to Wapping station and change at Whitechapel for a W/B H&C, or to get on a (sharp intake of breath) bus... and this takes ages in the morning peak.
|
|
|
|
Post by q8 on Jul 31, 2005 19:25:42 GMT
OH SKD... I see and on your perambulations to and from Wapping Station have you seen the ghost yet?
|
|
|
|
Post by jimini on Jul 31, 2005 19:28:02 GMT
Only my housemates coming home first tube after a heavy night out  |
|
|
|
Post by q8 on Jul 31, 2005 19:37:02 GMT
Well you ,may see the ghost of the pirate that was hung at Wapping dock (forget his bloody name) I used to work at Wapping station and had several people tell me he has been seen along that lane.
|
|
|
|
Post by jimini on Jul 31, 2005 19:44:57 GMT
I have to admit I haven't heard that one, and therefore haven't been looking for him, but I will be now! What's it like @ Wapping station as a member of staff? All we ever see there is one lonely looking chap in the ticket office, and the occasional maintenance bloke trying to establish why the lifts aren't working!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2005 19:46:04 GMT
You might also see the ghost of the district driver who took the wrong stick at Hangar Lane
hahahahaha..ha..ha
I'll be on my way!
|
|
|
|
Post by q8 on Jul 31, 2005 19:58:27 GMT
What's it like @ Wapping station as a member of staff? All we ever see there is one lonely looking chap in the ticket office, and the occasional maintenance bloke trying to establish why the lifts aren't working!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Them Wadsworth lifts never was much good. In my day at Wapping (early 80's) it was family with some good mates there. In fact the whole ELL was like a country railway in town. How they all put up with me and my antics I'll never know.
We had A foreman (3) collectors (3) railman/woman and 3 booking clerks. and a lot of fun.
|
|
|
|
Post by jimini on Jul 31, 2005 20:04:27 GMT
The lifts confuse us, sometimes they'll go straight down without hesitation, sometimes you need to push the "magic" button in the corner, and sometimes pushing said magic button makes the doors re-open at street level!
It certainly has a fair bit of history associated with it though, saw a documentary a few months ago about it, the Brunel origin, conversion to railway line from road / passenger traffic etc. Have they confirmed whether it'll be renamed to the Brunel Line when the ELL extension is complete? Or is this still undecided?
|
|
|
|
Post by jimini on Jul 31, 2005 20:05:34 GMT
P.S Elaborate on the fun part Q8!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2005 20:37:53 GMT
Wapping station is / was one of my favourite stations on LU, with its permanent eerie feeling, narrow platforms and those wonderfull horseshoe tunnel portals. There's always that feeling of knowing that you are rather close to Father Thames. It must have been fantastic in the days of F stock. In fact there is a wonderful photo somewhere of an F stock train entering Wapping s/b platform. I'm glad that I explored that area before too much re-development took place.
|
|
|
|
Post by citysig on Jul 31, 2005 21:24:40 GMT
Another one of Jim's random questions: Following the resumption of services through Aldgate, Wimbleware's back up and running, and the impending restoration of a full H&C service, why are LU still quoting "several weeks" before the Circle line is back in service? I ask because, as a Tower Hill resident who travels north on a regular basis (Circle to Farringdon), it would obviously restore my usual commute to work and add those oh so valuable minutes in bed back to my daily schedule (and satisfy my curiousity into the bargain!!). Or am I reading out-of-date notice boards (apologies if so!)? Cheers, Jim. Just to pick up on the original question... Throughout the recovery of full services, there have been one or two problems with various items, both staff and train related, which I will not delve too deeply into here. Restoration of a full H&C service is still (at time of writing) planned for Tuesday 2nd August. To enable this to operate effectively, all efforts have been focused on this service, including staffing and rolling stock allocation. Due to the tragic incidents, we are left with a shortage of rolling stock - despite the majority of the trains involved being left un-damadged. Some rolling stock has also been stabled in different depots than normal. All of these trains have currently expired their "licence" to run during traffic hours. Once arrangements can be made to run them to thier own depot (Hammersmith) then they can undergo their planned "exams." However, each one of those exams takes around half a day to complete at minimum. The line through Edgware Road opened on the same day the work at White City commenced. The latter could not of course be cancelled, as it is an "outside" project and would have found LU paying stiff penalties if the work was delayed. Rather than run bits and pieces of services which help nobody, it was felt best to attempt to run 100% on the H&C. Inconvenient as it is to have no Circle service, you can at least reach your destination via other routes. |
|
|
|
Post by jimini on Jul 31, 2005 22:08:24 GMT
Many thanks citysig, now I understand! It wasn't (I hope) a question that could be misconstrued as inconsiderate, rather one of curiosity. To the uneducated LU eye such as mine there's not an obvious answer to the lack of a Circle line service. I'm still learning... predominantly thanks to this forum!
|
|
|
|
Post by citysig on Aug 1, 2005 0:32:34 GMT
No problem, and I didn't think for a minute you were being inconsiderate - just some details cannot be released due to their "sensitive" nature (although the media have given it a good bash).
Until us as operators were furnished with the facts, it also seemed strange to us that the Circle was not going to be re-started. After all, the sites affected are now back up and running. So I am sure you were not alone in your curiosity.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2005 20:54:14 GMT
Fun Fact RE: Wapping Station
My uncle did the crosshatched artwork things that are up on the platform walls there now.
|
|
|
|
Post by q8 on Aug 1, 2005 21:13:35 GMT
Wapping Station. The land of the winkle stall. So called because it always smelt of winkles and gas. At the north end of the platforms where the enormous iron girders are there are retaning walls in front of the recess's. Behind those walls is WATER lots and lots of water. On both platforms there are (or were) pipes through the wall that had a continous flow of water through them. Sometimes pigeons that had died fell into this water and sank to the bottom and bunged up the pipe. If you the unscrewed the pipe to let the water out it exited with such force it hit the wall on the other side and flooded the track. The northbound side was worst.
Another thing you saw in the gullies were shrimps. Not very big and pure white but shrimps nonetheless. In the middle of the night in the deathly calm you could be on the platform and hear a steady thumping noise. Used to put the heebie jeebies into me until I realised it was the sound of a boat going along the river being magnified by the tunnel. Another oddities about the station was SPIDERS. I cannot abide those bloody things and those at Wapping were damn great sods. No Tarantulas but just effing great daddy long leg sort of things. Why they got to such a size there I've no idea. They have been known to drop down from the roof onto people below.
|
|
Tell me which particular dungeon is yours and does it have direct connection to the station? ;D
