Delays due to "train cancellations"

[Mojo]

Piccadilly now suspended between South Harrow and Uxbridge

Only for around an hour to facilitate meal relief.

 

[bluegoblin7]

want or not, having a driver's license should be a requirement of the job, keeping the Tube running is of utmost importance.

If TfL, and by extension the farepayer, want to pay for my driving lessons, car, MOT, etc then happily!

 

[whoosh]

And why doesn't your sister have a drivers license? Keeping the ward staffed is of the utmost importance...

High five!
It's a total lack of commitment isn't it?!

Meanwhile, if the notion that half of the Met control staff have Covid were true (I don’t believe it is!) then they wouldn’t be attending work in any capacity, be that by car or train.

If more than 10% of the train drivers based at my depot on the mainline can be off with Covid in the last month, then I'd say 50% of a smaller group of people who work together in the same room is perfectly realistic.


My black bin was collected a week and a half late in January. Because the dustbin crews had to isolate because of Covid. The other crews couldn't catch up even by working their days off.

A nursery in my hometown has 5 members of staff out of 7 off with covid. The other 2 had it last year. It can't run at full capacity with only two staff.


Isn't it inconvenient having a global pandemic raging amongst us?!

 

[ctrh136]

I feel like TfL should be more transparent like they were during lockdown 1, I know it's tough but politics are obviously not helping.
I've also noticed that they have closed a lot of their Twitter update accounts recently; I guess those staff were furloughed earlier on and now won't be replaced until things get busier?

 

[Lewlew]

I feel like TfL should be more transparent like they were during lockdown 1, I know it's tough but politics are obviously not helping.
I've also noticed that they have closed a lot of their Twitter update accounts recently; I guess those staff were furloughed earlier on and now won't be replaced until things get busier?

The Twitter feeds have gone permanently, the main @TfL feed will still be providing updates/customer service

 

[700007]

The Twitter feeds have gone permanently, the main @TfL feed will still be providing updates/customer service

The @TfL feed has to be one of the most useless feed and misguided digital marketing strategies out there. They offer little to no customer service (quite often very late or very vague), poor or no publicity on anything and I think they treat the Twitter feed more as an Instagram account where they post 'cute' pictures unnecessarily of the TfL network 24/7.

 

[Ralph Ayres]

The @TfL feed has to be one of the most useless feed and misguided digital marketing strategies out there. They offer little to no customer service (quite often very late or very vague), poor or no publicity on anything and I think they treat the Twitter feed more as an Instagram account where they post 'cute' pictures unnecessarily of the TfL network 24/7.

...which in many cases just prompts a torrent of rants from taxi drivers and other special interest groups. Do people really follow TfL's Twitter account to see "Guess the station" posts and fluff about all the improvements being made? I really don't know why TfL bother with Twitter at all, but perhaps I'm not the target audience.

 

[whoosh]

Twitter is mainly just a place for people to hate each other or organisations.

 

[jacksmithyton]

Yet again disruption to the Metropolitan line this weekend. This is getting ridiculous, it would actually be better if TfL just admitted now that they can't run a service during the weekend for the foreseeable future instead of just announcing it on the Friday evening...

 

[Recessio]

Yet again disruption to the Metropolitan line this weekend. This is getting ridiculous, it would actually be better if TfL just admitted now that they can't run a service during the weekend for the foreseeable future instead of just announcing it on the Friday evening...

Because they're probably doing their utmost to try get a weekend service, right up to the very last minute on Friday... You'd rather they just didn't bother (much like your sister hasn't bothered to get a driving licence) because it makes announcements more convenient?

 

[jacksmithyton]

Because they're probably doing their utmost to try get a weekend service, right up to the very last minute on Friday... You'd rather they just didn't bother (much like your sister hasn't bothered to get a driving licence) because it makes announcements more convenient?

How about you be quiet and not speculate on my sister's circumstances eh?

 

[Lewlew]

It's only Saturday night this time. No service from 2100ish sat evening - 0800ish sun morning

Not ideal but not as bad as last weekend. No one wants to suspend the service and they will be doing absolutely everything they can right up to the last minute to keep trains running.

The whole service control team are suffering with staff shortages and are relying on a lot of overtime and goodwill of the staff. But there is only so much you can squeeze out of them. There is an ongoing recruitment program, which has been going on for almost 2 years now but has been delayed due to various reasons, one of which being the control rooms closing to visitors to protect the current staff, this affects the recruitment process as well as the training (which takes approx a year btw).

So TfL really are trying their best, hopefully once restrictions are eased, training and recruitment can restart.

 

[whoosh]

Because they're probably doing their utmost to try get a weekend service, right up to the very last minute on Friday... You'd rather they just didn't bother (much like your sister hasn't bothered to get a driving licence) because it makes announcements more convenient?

I'm waiting for us to learn that there's an ongoing training program to learn to drive a car by the aforementioned, but it's been subjected to delays and cancellations due to a worldwide pandemic, and maybe the penny to drop that it's affecting everyone...
Or alternatively, perhaps that "beggars belief" as well!

 

[matt_world2004]

Out of curiosity, Are the metropolitan line control rooms shared with the other sub surface control rooms on the network, and the cutting down of the metropolitan line services is to preserve other services on the network?

 

[Dstock7080]

Out of curiosity, Are the metropolitan line control rooms shared with the other sub surface control rooms on the network, and the cutting down of the metropolitan line services is to preserve other services on the network?

The Metropolitan Service Controllers at Hammersmith serve the MET, H&C (Hammersmith-Aldgate north curve), Circle (Aldgate-Hammersmith/Bayswater), PICC (Rayners Lane-Uxbridge).
the same floor occupies the District Service Controllers for the District (whole Line).
Signal Operators control various parts of the SSR from there.

 

[700007]

Can we not pit ourselves against each other this week? As mentioned up thread, staff are doing their best to keep a service running. By the grand scheme of things right now, barely any people use the Met line after 2100 due to ongoing restrictions so honestly this is a decent trade off compared to last week. It is inconvenient, yes, to everyone including the signalling staff. But they're not abandoning you. Rail Replacement buses - albeit slower - will still get you home if you really need it.

Key workers up and down the country in shops, on buses, in hospitals, on trains etc are giving in a lot of extra blood, sweat and tears to keep their essential services running despite the pandemic affecting all of them. We are a year into this now, we should honestly praise the TfL control room for managing to *not* suspend the line at certain points for the first 12 months of this horrible plague.

And the only reason this happened was people delaying their retirements, people putting in extra hours and pulling together - just like any other key worker in other professions - to do their utmost best to serve the public. Inevitably there will be times where every avenue is exhausted and they simply cannot provide a service of sorts on specified days - whether it be a supermarket shutting shop for a day or two, or certain hospitals no longer being able to accept new patients. Give it to all these key workers up and down the country, for they tried and did their best.

 

[TFN]

Can we not pit ourselves against each other this week? As mentioned up thread, staff are doing their best to keep a service running. By the grand scheme of things right now, barely any people use the Met line after 2100 due to ongoing restrictions so honestly this is a decent trade off compared to last week. It is inconvenient, yes, to everyone including the signalling staff. But they're not abandoning you. Rail Replacement buses - albeit slower - will still get you home if you really need it.

Key workers up and down the country in shops, on buses, in hospitals, on trains etc are giving in a lot of extra blood, sweat and tears to keep their essential services running despite the pandemic affecting all of them. We are a year into this now, we should honestly praise the TfL control room for managing to *not* suspend the line at certain points for the first 12 months of this horrible plague.

And the only reason this happened was people delaying their retirements, people putting in extra hours and pulling together - just like any other key worker in other professions - to do their utmost best to serve the public. Inevitably there will be times where every avenue is exhausted and they simply cannot provide a service of sorts on specified days - whether it be a supermarket shutting shop for a day or two, or certain hospitals no longer being able to accept new patients. Give it to all these key workers up and down the country, for they tried and did their best.

Exactly. I was working at Wembley Park last Sunday on the Rail Replacement and all the customers were very understanding.

I do think however that it is poor from TfL to announce last minute, I think it would be preferred that they come clear and just shut down the Met on Sunday all day, in order to keep Monday-Saturday running as smooth as possible for the foreseeable future.

 

[jacksmithyton]

Can we not pit ourselves against each other this week? As mentioned up thread, staff are doing their best to keep a service running. By the grand scheme of things right now, barely any people use the Met line after 2100 due to ongoing restrictions so honestly this is a decent trade off compared to last week. It is inconvenient, yes, to everyone including the signalling staff. But they're not abandoning you. Rail Replacement buses - albeit slower - will still get you home if you really need it.

Key workers up and down the country in shops, on buses, in hospitals, on trains etc are giving in a lot of extra blood, sweat and tears to keep their essential services running despite the pandemic affecting all of them. We are a year into this now, we should honestly praise the TfL control room for managing to *not* suspend the line at certain points for the first 12 months of this horrible plague.

And the only reason this happened was people delaying their retirements, people putting in extra hours and pulling together - just like any other key worker in other professions - to do their utmost best to serve the public. Inevitably there will be times where every avenue is exhausted and they simply cannot provide a service of sorts on specified days - whether it be a supermarket shutting shop for a day or two, or certain hospitals no longer being able to accept new patients. Give it to all these key workers up and down the country, for they tried and did their best.

I understand that these are difficult and trying times, however my problem is lack of notice. Giving 24 hours notice is just really poor in my opinion. As for the replacement buses, my sister would have to take three of those buses to get home, not least a long walk from the Barbican area to Baker Street just to catch the Jubilee line. Why is there no direct bus from Wembley Park to the end of the line?

 

[Lewlew]

I understand that these are difficult and trying times, however my problem is lack of notice. Giving 24 hours notice is just really poor in my opinion. As for the replacement buses, my sister would have to take three of those buses to get home, not least a long walk from the Barbican area to Baker Street just to catch the Jubilee line. Why is there no direct bus from Wembley Park to the end of the line?

Can't she walk to Moorgate for the Northern line to London Bridge and get the Jubilee from there?

What's her overall journey? There may be a quicker route than 3 buses...

 

[jacksmithyton]

Can't she walk to Moorgate for the Northern line to London Bridge and get the Jubilee from there?

What's her overall journey? There may be a quicker route than 3 buses...

Amersham, so Jubilee to Wembley Park, replacement bus to Harrow on the Hill, another one to Rickmansworth and yet another onwards to Amersham, the only other alternative route would be a train to High Wycombe and then a cab...

 

[whoosh]

I understand that these are difficult and trying times, however my problem is lack of notice. Giving 24 hours notice is just really poor in my opinion.

It would be great if Covid could give a 3 day heads up period that people can plan in advance when they have to take time off work to isolate wouldn't it? But sometimes we don't get what we want...

Perhaps if Covid could make people display symptoms before they spread it to others so not as many people catch it, as well - whilst we're making a fanciful wish list.

 

[700007]

Replacement buses have been revised from last week:

ML-1 Wembley Park to Ruislip, all stations

ML-2 Harrow to Watford, all stations except Moor Park but includes Rickmansworth

ML-4 Rickmansworth to Amersham, all stations

ML-5 which is the Northwood to Moor Park shuttle will not be running this weekend.

ML-6 which is the Amersham to Chesham shuttle service was actually pre planned today anyways for engineering work. This service is operated by Arriva.

ML-7 will be a new route which is Ruislip to Uxbridge, all stations. Not sure why this isn't merged with the ML-1 (the ML-1 normally does go all the way to Uxbridge during planned engineering works).

Other than the ML-6, does anyone know who is operating what this weekend? A lot of the 'normal rail replacement' bus operators are tied up dealing with the planned mammoth Piccadilly and District line closures this weekend.

 

[bramling]

It would be great if Covid could give a 3 day heads up period that people can plan in advance when they have to take time off work to isolate wouldn't it? But sometimes we don't get what we want...

Perhaps if Covid could make people display symptoms before they spread it to others so not as many people catch it, as well - whilst we're making a fanciful wish list.

TFL could do a bit better on the information front. Last weekend no one really seemed to know what was going to happen with Chiltern, and stuff like the Picc beyond South Harrow.

What actually did happen with Chiltern in the end last weekend?

 

[Mojo]

TFL could do a bit better on the information front. Last weekend no one really seemed to know what was going to happen with Chiltern, and stuff like the Picc beyond South Harrow.

What actually did happen with Chiltern in the end last weekend?

There was one service controller on duty, so Chiltern, District and Picc were able to run, however these had to be withdrawn for two brief periods due to meal reliefs.

 

[philthetube]

I'm waiting for us to learn that there's an ongoing training program to learn to drive a car by the aforementioned, but it's been subjected to delays and cancellations due to a worldwide pandemic, and maybe the penny to drop that it's affecting everyone...
Or alternatively, perhaps that "beggars belief" as well!

Not sure if you are suggesting that key workers are excused from driving tests, try googling covid and driving tests and see what you find.

 

[TitanMike]

Replacement buses have been revised from last week:

ML-1 Wembley Park to Ruislip, all stations

ML-2 Harrow to Watford, all stations except Moor Park but includes Rickmansworth

ML-4 Rickmansworth to Amersham, all stations

ML-5 which is the Northwood to Moor Park shuttle will not be running this weekend.

ML-6 which is the Amersham to Chesham shuttle service was actually pre planned today anyways for engineering work. This service is operated by Arriva.

ML-7 will be a new route which is Ruislip to Uxbridge, all stations. Not sure why this isn't merged with the ML-1 (the ML-1 normally does go all the way to Uxbridge during planned engineering works).

Other than the ML-6, does anyone know who is operating what this weekend? A lot of the 'normal rail replacement' bus operators are tied up dealing with the planned mammoth Piccadilly and District line closures this weekend.

ML-1 is Sullivan Buses, ML-2 and ML-4 are Ensignbus and ML-7 is Metroline. I did hear there would be a 2100 closure on Sunday evening as well.

 

[40129]

Timetables for Covid are not produced, because timetables are prepared months in advance, for example in February we are writing timetables for engineering works in June. The availability of both driving staff and control room staff is such that it is impossible to know far enough in advance to write a suitable timetable. Therefore it is up to the line management to resolve issues as best they can in the circumstances. I do know there's a current/live recruitment drive for Service Control Room staff and ongoing internal recruitment of drivers. However the training of new drivers and the updating of existing drivers into new signalling systems is a significant obstacle, due to social distancing in cabs. There was talk, after a 6 month delay of getting driver training started again by forming a permanent "buddy" system between Instructors and Trainees, though I've no idea how successful this was/is. It is possible that due to Covid that both control rooms and driving pools are running with numerous vacancies that cannot be filled because of problems carrying out training safely during Covid. Therefore staffing gaps that should have been filled have not been. Lay on top of that on the Sub-Surface lines dealing with the phased adoption of the new signalling system and the phased closure of the old signalling desks and locations, creating more training required, and you can see that there are bound to be issues. The situation is just too volatile - and I think all the contributing factors have been mentioned above. LU's aim other than engineering works is to plan to run full service, and adjust as necessary as staffing shortages dictate. This is meaning highest priority to a full service in Mo-Fr peaks, and everything else takes second place. Decisions to close a whole line due to lack of control staff is sad to see, and will not have been taken lightly, but there's a limit to how many extra shifts one person can do. The very fact it is happening is proof positive of the need for transport workers to be high priority for vaccination.

Posts like this highlight the need for a like button on here. Couldn't have put it better!

 

[sammyg901]

Chiltern are also affected this weekend some cancellations, diversions via (and calling at) Beaconsfield and High Wycombe and the offer of alternative transport from the help points at Stoke Mandeville, Wendover and Great Missenden. I imagine the volumes are so low from those stations at those times that ad hoc taxis will be sufficient

 

[jumble]

Replacement buses have been revised from last week:

ML-1 Wembley Park to Ruislip, all stations

ML-2 Harrow to Watford, all stations except Moor Park but includes Rickmansworth

ML-4 Rickmansworth to Amersham, all stations

ML-5 which is the Northwood to Moor Park shuttle will not be running this weekend.

ML-6 which is the Amersham to Chesham shuttle service was actually pre planned today anyways for engineering work. This service is operated by Arriva.

ML-7 will be a new route which is Ruislip to Uxbridge, all stations. Not sure why this isn't merged with the ML-1 (the ML-1 normally does go all the way to Uxbridge during planned engineering works).

Other than the ML-6, does anyone know who is operating what this weekend? A lot of the 'normal rail replacement' bus operators are tied up dealing with the planned mammoth Piccadilly and District line closures this weekend.

There have in the past been large service gaps between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge
It could also be that there was no operator who had enough spare capacity for both ML-1 and ML-7

 

[700007]

What's the most likely situation this weekend regarding the Metropolitan line?