|
Post by jeremy on Feb 20, 2024 17:04:14 GMT
Have you changed a suspended platform sign? Have you replaced an escalator? Have you carried out engineering works in a confined space, below ground, adjacent to a live railway line? Have you been in charge of planning the schedule for a complex project that had to be replanned part-way through because assets were found to be in significantly worse condition than was apparent from the checks that can be done without intrusive works? If the answer to any of those is no, then you have no basis on which to doubt the competence or truthfulness of those who have. Nobody is disputing that the extended closure will be disruptive, however an extra ~2 months closure now will have been determined to be either unavoidable (i.e. it would not be safe to reopen the station before the work is complete) and/or less disruptive than doing the work at a different time (for example doing it later may require three or more months of closure). It is all-but guaranteed that doing the work now will be cheaper than doing it later (or, in the longer-term, not doing it at all), and given that the majority of TfL's income comes from fares, this means lower fares and better value for you. No. I haven't done any of these but those who are planning and carrying out such tasks have a responsibility to try to get the timing right. Of course there might be something totally unexpected but the frequency with which such things occur makes one doubt the efficiency of the planning. As already commented the comms that surround such announcements is also poor, short on fact and long on defensiveness. The main problem seems to be that the customer comes last. One example is that works by those sorting out things on roads has become more efficient since utility companies started to pay penalties for overrunning.
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Feb 19, 2024 15:47:21 GMT
Perhaps there are people here that have worked on station maintenance for many years and know what they are talking about.. They might know what they are talking about(although one doubts that when there is moaning about the difficulty of changing a suspended platform sign) but not how to set and stick to a realistic schedule and perhaps they are apologists who cannot see how an extra two months causes difficulty for passengers and local businesses (or perhaps they don't care)
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Feb 18, 2024 16:24:05 GMT
Painting and cleaning are unplanned? Too many apologists for TfL here!
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Feb 17, 2024 17:09:00 GMT
And, of course, whilst planning the closure no-one could have predicted the need for painting or deep cleaning. Not much use the escalators being finished on time(if this is the case) if no-one can use them for an additional 2 months because of a lamentable shortcoming in the planning.
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Feb 16, 2024 14:21:49 GMT
A TfL spokesperson said: "The work to upgrade the escalators at Kentish Town Tube station is progressing well and we are on track to complete the installation of the new escalators this summer.” Progressing so well that there is now a couple of months extra closure on top of the already lengthy one!
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Aug 1, 2022 12:53:23 GMT
At least the repetition saved you from "see it, say it, sorted"
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Sept 18, 2019 14:07:22 GMT
For those who haven't seen, London Reconnections did an article on the Northern line closure (and the impact of Crossrail delays). The article included their best-guess prediction for the timetable during the closure in both directions (which I was interested to see - I've been very curious about this question too, and asked about it on this forum last year). In the comments section of the London Reconnections article PoP (around 19 February) there's discussion of how the timetable could look during the southbound-only closure: in particular, whether there could be spare trains which make one extra northbound journey in the peaks (potentially terminating at Golders Green or Finchley Road) before running back south when the timetable is less crowded. If the extra train terminates at Finchley Road that could make for an interesting pattern/route!
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Sept 16, 2019 13:43:32 GMT
A new signalling system has been introduced and training wasn't adequately undertaken until the system was live and running. The information given out as to what and why was misleading, inaccurate, conflicting and not kept up to date. It's not a great way to run a business. Whilst this sounds firmly a case of mismanagement the day when the trains and the signals will allow driver free running can't come fast enough!
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on Dec 12, 2018 14:22:47 GMT
potential reasons that I have seen mentioned 1) recession leading to greater unemployment ?? Employment higher than it has ever been, Unemployment at lows not seen for many years. Which two quarters has growth turned into decline or have you a new definition of recession. Whatever the reasons I think you need to look further than item 1.
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on May 12, 2017 15:48:21 GMT
Interesting if it is elderly signalling or other systems because it is typically correct when travelling westbound where, because there are two divergent lines, it matters more.
|
|
|
Post by jeremy on May 12, 2017 13:23:28 GMT
I stood on Ravenscourt Park station yesterday morning and the board said
1. District Line 2. Upminster 3. District Line
The first train had "Upminster" at the front. By Hammersmith it said "Upminster" on the board as well. What is the problem with the District Line that they can't show the train destinations? It seems quite common.
|
|