On 12/04/2012 16:19, Richard J. wrote:


LU reverted to the old-style Circle on Tuesday evening this week (10
April) after an earlier signalling failure at Baker Street which
resulted in the northern side of the Circle being closed. The resumption
of service in the evening consisted only of an (old-style) Circle Line
service, plus a shuttle service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road.

Quite why LU decided to recover from the suspension by operating a
completely different service from normal is a mystery. The result was
predictably a shambles. I saw two successive westbound trains held up
for 10 minutes while a driver was found. At one point there were 4
drivers and a manager on the platform, while we waited for a 5th driver
to arrive who could actually take the train forward.

I think I was on the first eastbound train out of Paddington at about
21:20 that evening which claimed to be only for Edgware Road but then
immediately changed into a Circle Line. Great I thought until arrival
at Edgware Road where we managed to pause for over 5 minutes waiting for
a relief driver...

In article , (Someone
Somewhere) wrote:

On 12/04/2012 16:19, Richard J. wrote:

LU reverted to the old-style Circle on Tuesday evening this week (10
April) after an earlier signalling failure at Baker Street which
resulted in the northern side of the Circle being closed. The resumption
of service in the evening consisted only of an (old-style) Circle Line
service, plus a shuttle service between Hammersmith and Edgware Road.

Quite why LU decided to recover from the suspension by operating a
completely different service from normal is a mystery. The result was
predictably a shambles. I saw two successive westbound trains held up
for 10 minutes while a driver was found. At one point there were 4
drivers and a manager on the platform, while we waited for a 5th driver
to arrive who could actually take the train forward.

I think I was on the first eastbound train out of Paddington at about
21:20 that evening which claimed to be only for Edgware Road but then
immediately changed into a Circle Line. Great I thought until
arrival at Edgware Road where we managed to pause for over 5 minutes
waiting for a relief driver...

My observations (more than once for reasons I won't bore people with) on
Monday were that they were waiting for 5 minutes on every train. None of
mine changed drivers.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:21:12 -0500
wrote:
I think I was on the first eastbound train out of Paddington at about
21:20 that evening which claimed to be only for Edgware Road but then
immediately changed into a Circle Line. Great I thought until
arrival at Edgware Road where we managed to pause for over 5 minutes
waiting for a relief driver...

My observations (more than once for reasons I won't bore people with) on
Monday were that they were waiting for 5 minutes on every train. None of
mine changed drivers.

I'm surprised anyones bothers with the circle line TBH. On the rare occasions
I need to go to the western end of it I'll just use the central or bakerloo
and walk. It simply isn't worth the hassle using the Circle anymore, its
a total failure as a line.

B2003

In article ,
Someone Somewhere wrote:

I think I was on the first eastbound train out of Paddington at about
21:20 that evening which claimed to be only for Edgware Road but then
immediately changed into a Circle Line. Great I thought until arrival
at Edgware Road where we managed to pause for over 5 minutes waiting for
a relief driver...

So it really was back to the authentic Circle line then !

Nick
--
"The Internet, a sort of ersatz counterfeit of real life"
-- Janet Street-Porter, BBC2, 19th March 1996

In article , d ()
wrote:

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:21:12 -0500
wrote:
I think I was on the first eastbound train out of Paddington at about
21:20 that evening which claimed to be only for Edgware Road but then
immediately changed into a Circle Line. Great I thought until
arrival at Edgware Road where we managed to pause for over 5 minutes
waiting for a relief driver...

My observations (more than once for reasons I won't bore people with) on
Monday were that they were waiting for 5 minutes on every train. None of
mine changed drivers.

I'm surprised anyones bothers with the circle line TBH. On the rare
occasions I need to go to the western end of it I'll just use the central
or bakerloo and walk. It simply isn't worth the hassle using the Circle
anymore, its a total failure as a line.

If you have luggage and walking issues and want to get from King's Cross to
Putney it's still the best option. If you have a non-folding bike with you
it's the only option.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In article , (Nick Leverton)
wrote:

In article ,
Someone Somewhere wrote:

I think I was on the first eastbound train out of Paddington at about
21:20 that evening which claimed to be only for Edgware Road but then
immediately changed into a Circle Line. Great I thought until arrival
at Edgware Road where we managed to pause for over 5 minutes waiting for
a relief driver...

So it really was back to the authentic Circle line then !

Yay!

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:13:41 -0500
wrote:
I'm surprised anyones bothers with the circle line TBH. On the rare
occasions I need to go to the western end of it I'll just use the central
or bakerloo and walk. It simply isn't worth the hassle using the Circle
anymore, its a total failure as a line.

If you have luggage and walking issues and want to get from King's Cross to
Putney it's still the best option. If you have a non-folding bike with you
it's the only option.

The circle line goes to putney now? No wonder its been having problems.

Seriously , if you have a bike why not just ride it and save yourself
some money? Otherwise why bring it?

B2003

In article , d ()
wrote:

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:13:41 -0500
wrote:
I'm surprised anyones bothers with the circle line TBH. On the rare
occasions I need to go to the western end of it I'll just use the
central or bakerloo and walk. It simply isn't worth the hassle using
the Circle anymore, its a total failure as a line.

If you have luggage and walking issues and want to get from King's Cross
to Putney it's still the best option. If you have a non-folding bike with
you it's the only option.

The circle line goes to putney now? No wonder its been having problems.

Seriously , if you have a bike why not just ride it and save yourself
some money? Otherwise why bring it?

What's the f***ing point? Wait till you have a suspect stress fracture in
your foot and heavy luggage, as my daughter did, with granddaughter in tow.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:41:10 -0500
wrote:
If you have luggage and walking issues and want to get from King's Cross
to Putney it's still the best option. If you have a non-folding bike with
you it's the only option.

The circle line goes to putney now? No wonder its been having problems.

Seriously , if you have a bike why not just ride it and save yourself
some money? Otherwise why bring it?

What's the f***ing point? Wait till you have a suspect stress fracture in
your foot and heavy luggage, as my daughter did, with granddaughter in tow.

Well if you're not going to ride it why f***ing take it then??

B2003

In article ,
d wrote:
Well if you're not going to ride it why f***ing take it then??

Because you want it in once place, rather than the other.

Might be because you can't manage the ~80 miles from Cambridge -
or the ~10 miles from Kings X - and want to get the train part of
the way. This could be because you cycled from Putney to Cambridge,
and are too tired (*tish*) to cycle back again; because you're not that
fit; or because you're in a hurry.

Use your imagination and empathy, Boltar.


--
Mike Bristow