WTT 70 & Hainault to Woodford Shuttle

I've yet to see how a shuttle service saves anything.Two trains to provide 3tph service including reversing times is very inefficiently. It requires two drivers and four operative cabs. The current through trains avoid reversing time at Hainault platform, and instead take it at Woodford siding. By running through they have 20 minutes extra run time, which can be covered by one 8-car train, one driver and two operative cabs. 

I have read this with incredulity ... utterly astonished that the shuttle will be run - even though the trains will be no shorter.

There is a practical reason why a few months delay will significantly benefit the travelling public.

This is because it is the winter and passengers will be happier not having to alight at open air stations in the colder weather. At present they do not need to do this - passengers on trains which terminate at Hainault or Newbury park tend to alight at Gants Hill and wait for a Woodford via Hainalt there.

Admittedly its not yet been icy cold, but I still see people doing this.

By way of contrast, in the summer its much more pleasant to change trains at an outdoor station.

1) if WTT70 is introduced on 26 January the loop will have 8-car shuttles until they can find a way to stop 4-car shuttles getting "gapped". Once they sort that out it will be 4-car shuttles until they introduce WTT71 or whenever they reintroduce the Woodford via Hainault service.

2) don't know.

3) ditto.

This all sounds like a shambles!

Does either 1962 RAT (Rail adhesion train) have a de-icer car? If so would it be possible to run that (not in passenger service) in between the shuttle paths?

Not sure how to sort out the gapping issue. Perhaps short trip a couple of Hainault trains every so often to Newbury Park and a couple of Epping trains at Loughton/Woodford to release a train?

Message from the ASLEF rep, they've met with management and WTT70 will go ahead as planned, starting Sunday 26 January

Let the fun and games commence!

Latest fleet summary has CLIP 2020/23, and Siemens deliveries 2030/36, with a programmed lift 2027/29, but no funding available at present. So current trains will have 10-16 years to run at least.

I've a feeling the contract with Siemens was modified before signing to have only one production line instead of two, but with possibility of further discussions to speed deliveries.

If there is an urgent need for deicing perhaps the 8 car RAT can be taken by road to Hainault although that concept is absurd!

If the shuttle runs every 20 mins there should be available paths on the Chigwell section. I don’t know what difficulties there would be at Woodford and Hainault though. Perhaps a reverse off the platform at Woodford and the use of a spare platform (if there is one?) at Hainault?

Or alternatively. allow for slippage.

Wheels on the RAT train generally get turned on the lathe after every season. Its normally done at Northfields, so you have to wait your turn to use the lathe. Service trains take priority. You then have the team who looks after the RAT, they don't just get packed away until next sandite season, so exams need to booked and the team made aware so they can plan. Any issues the train may have, the team needs to be available to carry out repair, especially if the train is providing a required service, in which case repairs need to be done as quick as possible and I believe the team is based at Acton.


But never say never, regardless how absurd an idea is.

It can be enough to stop the service, as it builds up an insulating layer on the conductor rails which can prevent trains picking up current. This is especially risky if the train is climbing a gradient, going over points or a short train - in other words places where continuity of power is more essential.

When it snows this is the main reason for trains getting stuck, there would be no chance at all of running without de-icing.

Having said all this, I don’t think this is necessarily a show-stopper for the shuttle plans. They could just have the odd Epping train diverted on a random basis, or a train terminating at Hainault via Newbury Park could be diverted via Woodford instead as the running times more-or-less match up. Naturally wait for the day when someone forgets and watch out for an inquest into why!

On the topic of snow, power rails and the Central line this still image from video may be of interest (filmed from footbridge over the line near Sainsbury's Newbury Park)



As for the changes to the Hainault - Woodford service, this line guide extract (seen at Bank station) might be old, but its becoming relevant again.

Wonder why the line map is shown inverted?

The most disappointing part of that (otherwise great) story was them not getting to couple and drive a 24 car train!