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Post by spsmiler on May 28, 2021 20:29:36 GMT
Ealing Broadway has become the 3rd of the original TFL Rail West station rebuilds to be completed coming into use this morning. Southall, West Drayton and Hayes & Harlington stations are all projected to be complete by September 2021. Click here if Tweet fails to appear Here is a photo showing a FGW DMU at platform 4 plus some Central line trains at platforms 5 & 6) that I took several years ago. Note the planters with flowers (on the right) and the hanging baskets with flowers in front of platform 5. Now that building works have been completed it would be great if whoever it is that runs the station nowadays reinstated these features!
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Post by spsmiler on May 28, 2021 20:03:01 GMT
But why run it through tube tunnels?
I favour a 'do nothing' policy for a while yet, as maybe it could be converted to battery operation and used on a living museum railway / not on LU metals.
Right now the pandemic is affecting everything, including finances, but maybe in a few years time the financial outlook will have improved.
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Post by spsmiler on May 25, 2021 9:20:14 GMT
Is the other entrance still there? The temporary entrance had better still be there as the brand new station building on Cranbrook Road is not yet ready for use. I'll be in Ilford town centre this afternoon so will take a look
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Post by spsmiler on May 25, 2021 8:57:06 GMT
in what is sometimes the hottest time of the summer, just when air-conditioned trains would have been most welcome. Instead many passengers will need to divert to the non-airconditioned Central and Piccadilly lines (unless they want the museums at South Kensington - in which case they will have to walk.)
oh and without Crossrail to soak up the load
part of the route could have been replaced with buses but recent speed limit reductions extending journey times mean that roads like the Embankment are no longer 'fit for purpose' for this task
Would a shuttle service be possible between Edgware Road and High St Kensington via Notting Hill Gate? Or is it that trains will still be able to run through Earls Court (Wimbledon / Richmond / Ealing Broadway / Olympia to Edgware Road)?
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Post by spsmiler on May 16, 2021 9:56:16 GMT
It seems that the new timetable also marks the start of the fully Class 345 service - the last few Class 315 trains have now been withdrawn and are being replaced with the first 9-car Class 345 trains to operate in the east of London - sort of a 'back to the future' as the LNER Class 306 trains which served the Great Eastern Main Line also comprised 9 cars, albeit as three 3-car sets in multiple. As I said in an earlier message I went to film trial running of Class 345 trains at Custom House station. Alas, I drew a 'short straw' and found myself there on a day when different tests were being conducted. Nevertheless, as I had my camcorder with me I made good use of it (see below).... also included in this film is some April 2018 footage showing part of the Crossrail line whilst still under construction in the Abbey Wood area of south-east London. Enjoy!
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Post by spsmiler on May 15, 2021 18:29:15 GMT
Alas, these non-passenger journeys are not showing on Real Time Trains Strange, I can see them. However, nothing showing for today apart from 5U91. Maybe you need to change a setting?. In view of there not having been any testing on the day I was searching on I now realise that this is the reason why I did not see anything! What it also suggests is that whilst the information (press release?) about testing having commenced may be accurate the devil was in the detail - it did not say that testing was underway every day! I arrived a little before 3pm and stayed for about 45 minutes, during which time I saw just two trains - one running 'wrong line' and one stationary at the station. The latter however was actually quite useful, especially when a DLR train arrived on the scene, see tweet below! btw, I have no idea what happened to the railroad hashtag.
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Post by spsmiler on May 14, 2021 10:39:03 GMT
Alas, even the Gidea Park trains are 'all stations', its just that they miss out stations east of Gidea Park! No trains terminate at Chadwell Heath to use the new reversing siding Especially in the AM peaks some trains should enter service from Ilford depot so as to give passengers between Ilford and Maryland a fairer chance to board a train. Doing this will replicate another of the benefits (in days past) of the tragically removed bay platform at Ilford.
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Post by spsmiler on May 14, 2021 10:27:57 GMT
Sorry, is that test running through the middle, or just the extremities? It’s the core between Westbourne Park Sidings and Abbey Wood. Alas, these non-passenger journeys are not showing on Real Time Trains
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Post by spsmiler on May 12, 2021 23:15:53 GMT
btw, I know that this was filmed in the year 2000 because to get this view I was standing on the front of Met No.1, which was in the track for the bay platform *On* Met No.1? Damn, thats awesome! yes, at the front / with my back to the smokebox door, along with other people. Jack, I was under the impression that since the bay was hardly ever used it was not going to be made compatible with CBTC signalling therefore the track was not renewed when the bridge was replaced. Even if the bridge had not been replaced the track to the bay platform was doomed / expected to be disconnected from the rest of the system.
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Post by spsmiler on May 12, 2021 22:47:01 GMT
Maybe when the timetable is fully restored (next week) these new train will be needed and hence enter passenger service.
Or is it that the trains need testing on the NLL / WLL and the drivers need training?
Or even could it be that the 710's will not be needed until the 378 refurbishment and painting to the new livery restarts?
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Post by spsmiler on May 8, 2021 11:21:57 GMT
I think back then there were five ticket offices at Liverpool St, more than elsewhere. Both ends of the sub-surface and Central lines and a direct route from the Southend lines. Are you referring to the LU station or the BR station? I can recall suggesting meeting some cousins at 'the ticket hall' at this station but the idea fell through because they could not get around the idea that there were more than one here and my telling them that I would be at the British Railways ticket hall that was upstairs / opposite the high number platforms was beyond their understanding! There are still several mainline ticket sales areas here today - but nowadays I would suggest the designated meeting place! re: London Transport ticket sales areas, the one accessed via the steps at the eastern end of the subsurface platforms was notable because it continued to sell Edmundson card sized tickets long after other ticket sales areas had switched to credit card sized paper tickets. Also, these were lime green in colour! I have one in front of me, dated 26 OC 83 (ie: October). Whenever I wanted to buy a ticket here I would aim for this ticket sales window and vaguely recall an encounter with a roving ticket inspector who was curious to know where and how I had obtained what I suspect was a very rare type of ticket. Of course my explanation satisfied him. I also vaguely recall exploring Broad Street station and noting things like disused lifts, alas I did not take photos.
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Post by spsmiler on May 8, 2021 10:57:34 GMT
I wonder if that is what is next to the JP2 signal name in this view (if viewed at Flickr the image can be enlarged by clicking on it) Various-Rickmansworth-SteamOnMet2000btw, I know that this was filmed in the year 2000 because to get this view I was standing on the front of Met No.1, which was in the track for the bay platform
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Post by spsmiler on May 8, 2021 10:42:14 GMT
Its a curious example of pastiche nostalgia creating something that has become real and worthy of nostalgia in its own right! As we know, the Class 20's were not built by or for either the Metropolitan Railway or London Transport, although (conjecture alert) they may have travelled over LT metals if any were ever used on services that included this part of the former Great Central Railway. Here is Sir John Betjeman at Harrow On The Hill. 20142-HarrowOTHill-P1410932
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Post by spsmiler on May 4, 2021 10:29:25 GMT
next perhaps Wanstead - Leytonstone?
perchance to dream?
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Post by spsmiler on May 3, 2021 23:37:56 GMT
Access was right at the west end of the Central Line platforms - now behind closed doors. Nothing to do with the present Central Line (west end) escalators. what a pity ... not used, not accessible to the public (maybe a future destination for a LTM hidden tour?)
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Post by spsmiler on May 1, 2021 14:21:04 GMT
Snip it with wire cutters job done yes but use electrically insulated wire cutters plus wear 'electric safe' gloves ... 'just in case' (voice of experience from when doing electrical work at home, although in my case I made a last second decision to turn the power off in advance of cutting the wire; afterwards when I restored the power and tested the wire where I had cut it I found it to be live)
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Post by spsmiler on May 1, 2021 13:32:16 GMT
so ... both will enter passenger service at the same time?
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 25, 2021 19:24:21 GMT
The doors don't open on Platform 2 if the train is terminating and reversing via the sidings, in that case you are supposed to use the subway but I've seen people with buggies waiting on Platform 3 for the next District Line train and then go through it to Platform 2. Obviously the easiest thing to do is to get on a train that's going to Dagenham East or Upminster instead of one terminating at Barking. Another issue with Barking terminating trains is that some of them go into the bay platform!
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 24, 2021 9:35:25 GMT
More CBTC today... Monument - Sloane Square
below are a few tweets on the topic (one by me)
re: Embankment, I have some interesting video footage of it in action, although before I can use it I need to return and see it bagged-up.
As an aside, in anticipation of more CBTC roll-outs over the past few days I've been photographing signals on the Upminster branch, was surprised to see so many of them are atop of the signal control box rather than free-standing. Some also have wire mesh cages to ensure that LU signal staff do not accidentally tray too near the mainline's overhead electric wires.
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 23, 2021 22:54:32 GMT
Right now the finances are a mess, but who can be sure what they will be like in a few years from now. Its easy to assume and guess, I'd rather wait and see!
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 23, 2021 22:41:44 GMT
There is an announcement on eastbound LU trains advising passengers who want a lift to exit on the left - but what happens with trains that don't open their doors on that side?
Below are two tweets about planned works at Barking.
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 17, 2021 19:37:45 GMT
I'm also wondering about the Q stock and Standard stock heritage trains. I suppose that funding is the issue.
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 17, 2021 19:30:42 GMT
I recall reading about interest in what Vivarail are doing from within the USA. Maybe one day in the future I'll go and visit this museum to see the train in action, however not until things have settled down and international travel does not come with a risk of an expensive stay at a quarantine hotel when arriving back in the UK.
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 13, 2021 20:08:16 GMT
Aha, I wish I'd read this thread yesterday ... I was out today and also expected to see 9 coach Class 345 trains at Stratford. I was planning to complete the train part of my journey home via Ilford station so that I could film the longer trains at the same lineside location I filmed the 7 coach trains a few weeks ago. In the event I returned home via Gants Hill and got my first haircut in many months!
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 13, 2021 19:51:52 GMT
It annoys me that with so much money spent on new signalling, they still can't get anywhere near the end-to-end running times achieved in the 70's / 80's, although it's partly down to speed limits being more liberally observed (and enforced) back then. Perhaps speed limits were breached - not being a train driver I cannot really comment. But, if this was happening then what is significant is that it was done in perfect safety - therefore since the speeds which might have been being travelled at were proven 'safe' they should become the normal limits. Especially since train speeds nowadays are very tightly monitored and controlled with automated systems preventing breaching the limits. As an aside, I was on the SSR today and noted that the trains seem to accelerate more rapidly than before, but they were running so close to each other that it was not possible to experience the newer top speeds (where they exist). Whilst waiting on the platform at Kings Cross (eastbound) the trains seemed to be entering the station more slowly than before and there was at least one train where the white lights did not illuminate immediately prior to door closure. However that may have been my fault (LOL) because it only happened when I had a still image camera in my hand hoping to film the white lights in action! I also noted that the new track to the east of Tower Hill's bay platform is still not available for use.
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 11, 2021 20:59:17 GMT
Im guessing Euston Square to King's Cross, King's Cross to Farringdon, Victoria to Sloane Square and St. James's Park to Victoria. SMA 5 could have Sloane Square to South Kensington having better speeds. For part of the northern side of the Circle see link below - this leads to a message earlier in this thread. Note how in some places CBTC is so much slower than 'traditional manual' that average journey durations for westbound journeys are now longer than before! This mirrors the situation in the Watford area where track replacement some years ago saw points designed for higher speeds were replaced with points designed for significantly slower speeds. It also mirrors the situation on the roads where speed limit reductions are rife. districtdavesforum.co.uk/post/500682
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 9, 2021 23:15:18 GMT
Recent Central Line newsletter to Staff suggests that the W&C '92 Stock will have some of the CLIP work done; no mention of where but would guess within Waterloo depot Does Waterloo depot have the required equipment to install wheelchair bay? Oh and if the works are done here will the wheelchair bays be identical to the Central line fleet?
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 9, 2021 22:57:06 GMT
re: Ilford station... 1) Rebuilding Cranbrook Road main station entrance is delayed by the virus situation, estimated completion now 'end 2021' 2) Several months of potentially noisy night time works ahead Information source: a pdf file published by Network Rail - link here and in tweet below:
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 7, 2021 20:31:50 GMT
The trouble with the word Harlequin is that one of its usages is to refer to 'a comedian' - in the past this meaning became too apt as the service itself was seen as a joke.
Does the DLR often change its service patterns? What about the LU Subsurface network when weekend engineering works sees Circle line trains going to Barking (etc) or Upminster - Edgware Road District line trains travelling direct between High Street Kensington and Gloucester Road. These too must confuse some passengers!
Brunel Line sounds great to me. A new name is also needed for the North London line, as that way it mitigates the loss of the West and South London Lines and the fact that part of the (nowadays) East London line was originally part of the North London line!
As for the maps, rather than use a different colour per line the Overground should remain orange but with different shapes in the lines. This tweet of mine (actually a reply to other people) shows what I mean...
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Post by spsmiler on Apr 7, 2021 19:57:40 GMT
What do you mean by behave unexpectedly?
Is some sort of alarm message played, telling you to refrain from holding the doors?
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