WTT 64

Why did the Woodford - Hainault service finish at 20.00 before?

Lack of units, or less demand by passengers etc ?

Now you mention it Joe, that's an interesting question. It's finished at 20:00 for donkeys years, I've never known it any other way. Will Roding Valley have a member of staff in the evenings, or will this be left unstaffed?

As for lack of units, it probably wasn't down to that reason, as a few off peak stablers and all day runners would have finished by 20:00. Probably light passenger loading. I have a copy of the 1992 WTT and through the day it was operated by one unit (numbered T161) and this was not very frequent at all. Roughly a train every 30 - 40 mins (off the top of my head).

I was told in about 1986 that the line was a dead duck and the thyristor testing units were the main reason to keep it running. There was a worked up project - well, it was worked up to a 'non-detail' level to close it and keep only enough track to keep Hainault as a double-ended depot. The costs of decommisioning and the scarcity of qualified signal engineers put it on the back-burner and there it's stayed.

At the time of the Central line project (CLP) we found funding to include the HAI-WOO section and it was renewed along with the rest of the line - only to find that a rich and powerful Chigwell resident secured a high-court injunction to force us to maintain the 20:00hrs closing time and to keep the 20mph temp speed limit by his house even after we had finished re-grouting the ash embankment so that full speed was possible. We lost every application to remove the injunction until the b*st*rd moved away, not that our legal people were up to much.
There was me thinking we lived in a democracy where wealth and privilege didn't really count. Naive or wot?

Dorien, and her husband Marcus. Bit of a man eater wasnt she. Shame she dont live in Finchley church end. ;D

Northolt are getting off-peak reversers. That'll please 'em. (help get more staff ;D )

BTW All stations on the Woodford loop will be staffed by SSMF's 24/7. Don't expect to see ticket offices open though, but may be an improvement for Roding Valley punters

From 3rd to 13th November White City Depot will be closed,commissioning new sdgs.

I did have a moan to one of the complainers at Chigwell years ago who complained about the speed past their houses. I told her that she shouldnt have moved near a railway line - if she didn't like the noise. No difference than moving near a busy road. I left her speechless.

I would imagine it will be as it is now, every 4th train from Ealing running on to Woodford in off peak and weekends,during the peak they could come from anywhere.

Off peak they go back to Ealing,during the peak it could be Ealing,Ruislip or any of the reversing points White City westwards.