Automated Driverless Railway Upgrade Taking 12 Years!

That's progress for you. I cn't see any system being capable of doing 60tph as people take longer than that to board and alight. The District Railway managed 42 tph at Mansion house in the days of steam with semaphore signalling and trains terminating needins turnovr locos to be provided. I don't think any of the current tube lines can match that at the moment.

There was certainly a 40tph peak service on the District in the 60s west from Mansion House. 7½min services to each of Ealing, Richmond, Hounslow, Wimbledon and Circle. Some skip-stopped after Sloane Square. I still have the timetable.

I don't suppose you have a reference for that Chris sounds interesting.

There was a mix of 6- and 8-car trains. Any idea how many of each? 8-car peak only operation required an additional platform attendant to give the clear to the guard. That was a reason for dropping to 7-car trains, apart from all the staff time taken (un-)coupling. I worked guard in the rear cab on C-stock. Westminster westbound was a nightmare. Even walking forward to the 5th car you couldn't see the front of the train. That would be the position of the guard on a 6-car District train. You closed up, and with the pilot light gave the start signal. If you heard no shouting, you assumed all was OK as the train departed.

Underground News October 2024 has 1962 timetable summaries, which shows peak District Line was 44 8-car, 38 6-car which would include Edgware Road branch (but the Circles were 6-car). Also, 8-cars would be concentrated in central area at busiest times. So around half and half. Underground News October 2023 has details of District Line platform indicators which show non-stopping patterns for such trains: Ealing non-stop S.Kensington & Gloucester Rd; Wimbledon n/s W.Brompton; Hounslow n/s Ravenscourt Pk & Stamford Brook; Richmond n/s W.Kensington & Barons Court, which ceased from 1964.

There was no level boarding in those days; you stepped up into the train. So the guard's position was somewhat elevated to look down upon the crowd on the platform. Once people were off or on the train, a gap appeared between those still waiting for another train and the side of the train. That was the cue to press the close buttons. Quite different to the driver's seated position today, which depends on TV monitors to see anything.

Perhaps you are thinking of the 6'2" requirement for Grenadier Guards, but no female train crew in my day.

Not since 26th March 2022 when CBTC was commissioned. They may still depart and stop at a target point short of the junction, but it isn't a red signal...

You need to re-read the reply from Tom , trains could still stop at the imaginary (non-visible) target point and still be within the platform.

Yes now I understand ... at first read I thought that Tom was suggesting that the target point / emulated red signal is nearer to the junction than the real red signal had been, and therefore when they stop at it the rear of the train would now be fully beyond the station.

Thanks for the clarification - and apologies to Tom.

From a rough look on Google Maps it seems to be about 80m from the junction to the western end of the platform