Automated train hiccup.

If you can get a tube train from Epping to Ealing Broadway, I'm sure you could get one to Penzance!

As the system worked, this will be the future. Didn't they want to do something similar between Seven Sisters and Northumberland Park depot?

Paddington is a special case on the new line, with almost half the service reversing there. Since safely walking through a moving train requires open gangways between cars, it is difficult to think of such a location on the SSR, or on the Piccadilly that could justify such an arrangement.

This has been proposed for CBTC Lines and a trial at Barking which was defeated by the unions.
It wouldn’t necessarily be the same train that would be picked up on the other platform. (the initial train could return before the driver has crossed platforms)

Not without new track! The only connection between the Central line and National Rail is the transfer siding at West Ruislip. Once you've reversed there, the GWML is easily accessible via the Greenford branch but powering the train might be an issue. I wonder how far you'd get if you filled the passenger saloon with fully charged batteries connected to the motors?

I was told that this happened on the approach to Brixton SB, when the train was held outside the car examiner thought the train was in the platform and went out through the cab door to fix the tail light. He waited on the sound deadening board until he was spotted.

I can understand the resistance to the train move being "unstaffed" (ie no one on train to resolve any problems).
But with walk though trains and in car CCTV there is good certainly scope for staffed reversals.
Note the main problem/delay with reversing trains at somewhere other than in a platform is the current detraining rules/arrangements (so you need a spare platform) else I would suggest Ruislip on the Met

All stock has the ability for anyone in a carriage to 'alert the driver' about a problem, so there is a way to get a signal to the cab.

Thus is should be fairly simple to arrange this signal to initiate an emergency stop when switched to 'auto-whatever' mode.

Has TFL ever done a large scale investigation into the cost and practicality of fully ATO?

Of have smaller studies shown it's so far from feasible in the foreseeable future that it's not worth spending the money on a full study?

It seems the talk of fully ATO is little more than political grandstanding.

(I hope this isn't straying to far into political / pseudo political territory.)

I have seen reports on the economics of various staffing models for the new generation of tube trains. They seem to conclude with different recommendations depending upon assumptions made and resultant calculations. I wonder if they start out with the question “What outcome do you want to see?” The case one way or the other is probably close, but full automation would certainly require a much higher capital investment which is not currently available. There is also a big backlog of maintenance work which cannot be put off indefinitely without consequence.

The case for eventual full automation, but with customer service assistant present on all trains, was reviewed and found financially worthwhile in the 2016 DTUP Business Case. A possible unattended train operation was less financially attractive, although a further option between the two was also considered, known as 'planned attended'. This would require staff rostered for all planned services but may allow operation, subject to conditions, with service disruption or staff missing.

However, after further work, the 2017 DTUP Business Case now showed negative benefit (or dis-benefit) from attended GoA4 (full automation), but similar levels of benefit from either planned attended or unattended GoA4. The impact on station dwell times awaiting platform edge doors at each station will add 0.5 seconds, and gap fillers at curved platforms add a further 1 or 2 seconds. This was left to a subsequent investment programme, allowing time for more study since a decision was not needed for a decade. When funds become available for Piccadilly Line resignalling, perhaps a case will then be made for the level of automation to be provided.

Only went to Westbourne Park sidings - so can block the signalling system from allowing it back out. Then just send somebody up on the next train to go and retrieve it