Historical Metropolitan Service Pattern

[Mojo]

And yet again, today large gaps between trains on the Met leading to overcrowding. The signallers really need to pull their finger out of their ears...

Nothing to do with signallers. They aren't responsible for deciding which trains are cancelled, that is the responsibility of the Service Controllers.

Unfortunately with so many trains being cancelled due to lack of Train Operators there isn't very much that can be done.

 

[Daniel740]

Nothing to do with signallers. They aren't responsible for deciding which trains are cancelled, that is the responsibility of the Service Controllers.

Unfortunately with so many trains being cancelled due to lack of Train Operators there isn't very much that can be done.

Why are the service controllers sending services to Amersham and Chesham as normal leaving Watford and Uxbridge underserved? People north of Moor Park aren’t paying council tax in London so why isn’t the service being thinned out there to boost London services?

 

[Mojo]

I would agree with you that the service to Uxbridge should be a priority however you have to take into account a number of things, such as Chesham trains being cancelled can lead to an hour long gap, and also the fact that many trains going to Amersham and Chesham have crew reliefs at Rickmansworth, so you cannot divert them to Watford or Uxbridge.

 

[bluegoblin7]

I’ve got today’s sheets in front of me... precisely zero double cancellations so I’m not sure what the worry is to be quite honest - it’s a 15 min gap to UXB and a 30 min gap to WAT. There’s also been a number of cancellations to Amersham and Chesham.

Plenty of work’s been done to reform and divert where possible, but as has already been explained this isn’t as easy as it might seem at first glance.

Nice to be appreciated, though.

 

[Daniel740]

I’ve got today’s sheets in front of me... precisely zero double cancellations so I’m not sure what the worry is to be quite honest - it’s a 15 min gap to UXB and a 30 min gap to WAT. There’s also been a number of cancellations to Amersham and Chesham.

Plenty of work’s been done to reform and divert where possible, but as has already been explained this isn’t as easy as it might seem at first glance.

Nice to be appreciated, though.

The problem is none of this is communicated to the passenger. If I knew that there were so many cancellations I’d have made alternate arrangements.

 

[bluegoblin7]

The problem is none of this is communicated to the passenger. If I knew that there were so many cancellations I’d have made alternate arrangements.

That isn’t the argument you’ve been putting forwards, is it?

Bemoaning TfL’s standards on communication of delays is valid and is something I don’t think you’ll find many staff disagreeing with. Unfortunately it is out of the hands of those who actually run the railway. A single cancellation is not sufficient to trigger a ‘Minor’ delays message.

 

[Daniel740]

That isn’t the argument you’ve been putting forwards, is it?

Bemoaning TfL’s standards on communication of delays is valid and is something I don’t think you’ll find many staff disagreeing with. Unfortunately it is out of the hands of those who actually run the railway. A single cancellation is not sufficient to trigger a ‘Minor’ delays message.

It’s not just one cancelled train. Yes I had to wait 15 minutes after a cancellation but then I decided not to board the one that turned up because in my opinion it would have been unsafe to do so. Desperate times call for desperate measures. If there’s cancellations get the managers out to operate services, don’t run services north of Northwood and concentrate on running trains to London destinations. Gone are the days where it’s acceptable to cancel trains, it’s not safe anymore.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Good luck reversing a meaningful service at Northwood.

I think we’re done here, your post shows a complete ignorance to the machinations of operating a transport service.

(I’m not even going to address the capacity concerns, I’m not sure they really need a response based.)

 

[Daniel740]

Good luck reversing a meaningful service at Northwood.

I think we’re done here, your post shows a complete ignorance to the machinations of operating a transport service.

(I’m not even going to address the capacity concerns, I’m not sure they really need a response based.)

You’re right, I don’t know how to run a transport service, but I am a very frequent user of the Met and have done so for nearly 30 years. These problems aren’t unique to COVID, they’ve been occurring for years. When travelling to school in the City I used to have to leave home in Ruislip at 6:30 in the morning to make sure I got to school in time for an 8:50 start such were the cancellations on the line...

(Also do you actually use the Underground day to day as a passenger? I know two people who worked for LU, one a driver and one a station supervisor who hardly used the service outside of their work and so when I complained to them didn’t understand the hassle delays and cancellations cause to the average passenger)

 

[matt_world2004]

Why are the service controllers sending services to Amersham and Chesham as normal leaving Watford and Uxbridge underserved? People north of Moor Park aren’t paying council tax in London so why isn’t the service being thinned out there to boost London services?

Because people in Amersham and cheshan are still paying a fare and a higher one as well. The fare premium for outside the zones is in part to account for the fact that local residents are not paying council tax

Iirc buses that travel outside greater London for example are required to break even on fare revenue for the sections outside the greater London boundary. Or recieve sponsorship from the local authority or business in the area. This is why the 465 was threatened with withdrawal and why buses that have ran outside the boundary of greater London have been cut back.

 

[jfisher21]

Its swings and roundabouts really, must have spent days at Harrow over the years waiting for Amersham/Chesham train when multiple Uxbridge ones have gone through!