On Jun 19, 12:21*am, Tim Woodall wrote:

And as my minor bit of excitement tonight. After a little too much to
drink my train arrived at Watford Junction.

[snip]

Ah, a drunken train, there's your problem...

"Tim Woodall" wrote in message
e.uk
On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:18:56 +0100,
Recliner wrote:
I'll be taking a train to Watford Junction next week using Oyster
pre-pay, and then continuing the journey on a charter train (paper
ticket) -- would I be correct in assuming that there are Oyster
validators on the platforms so I don't have to leave and re-enter the
barriered zone (and vice versa on my return)?

There are validators on platforms 1-4 DC line (I think - I almost
never use those platforms)
There is a validator on platform 9(&10) where the carpark entrance is.
And there are validators in the subway joining the platforms.

AFAIAA there are no validators on any of the other platforms.

Yes, I did the journey yesterday, and that's exactly what I found. It
was very slightly annoying to arrive and depart from platform 7, and
have to go down to the subway to touch out. As I had ample time, it
wasn't a problem. On the return, I had to go through the subway anyway,
as one train arrived at platform 6 and the other departed from 8.

The station seemed to be messed up, however, last night, as the fast
platforms (and lines, presumably) were closed from 21:50, and the
screens on the other platforms were showing the wrong trains. The first
possible train I could catch seemed to have disappeared altogether, and
the next wasn't shown on the screens. It still turned up, dead on time,
despite being announced as delayed. To add to the confusion, it was a
Southern service, being operated by an LM train. Yes, I know about the
loan of trains from LM to Southern, and why, but it could easily confuse
pax to see the wrong route maps in the cars.

On Jun 24, 12:26*pm, "Recliner" wrote:

"Tim Woodall" wrote:

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:18:56 +0100,
* Recliner wrote:
I'll be taking a train to Watford Junction next week using Oyster
pre-pay, and then continuing the journey on a charter train (paper
ticket) -- would I be correct in assuming that there are Oyster
validators on the platforms so I don't have to leave and re-enter the
barriered zone (and vice versa on my return)?

There are validators on platforms 1-4 DC line (I think - I almost
never use those platforms)
There is a validator on platform 9(&10) where the carpark entrance is.
And there are validators in the subway joining the platforms.

AFAIAA there are no validators on any of the other platforms.

Yes, I did the journey yesterday, and that's exactly what I found. It
was very slightly annoying to arrive and depart from platform 7, and
have to go down to the subway to touch out. As I had ample time, it
wasn't a problem. On the return, I had to go through the subway anyway,
as one train arrived at platform 6 and the other departed from 8.

Though I think it'd be fair to assume the number of people arriving at
WJ from points south using Oyster PAYG and then changing there for
another train (or v.v.) is pretty limited.


The station seemed to be messed up, however, last night, as the fast
platforms (and lines, presumably) were closed from 21:50, and the
screens on the other platforms were showing the wrong trains. The first
possible train I could catch seemed to have disappeared altogether, and
the next wasn't shown on the screens. It still turned up, dead on time,
despite being announced as delayed. To add to the confusion, it was a
Southern service, being operated by an LM train. Yes, I know about the
loan of trains from LM to Southern, and why, but it could easily confuse
pax to see the wrong route maps in the cars.

The LM trains on loan to Southern still have LM route maps in them
then? If so (what you say isn't entirely clear), then that's a bit
shabby. Though are the units on loan to Southern fixed, or do they
rotate (for maintenance purposes etc)?

And does anyone have any idea how much longer this situation will
persist - and yes, I know it's dependent on deliveries of new
Electrostars to FCC, so I suppose my question is when will FCC have
enough new Electrostars up and running?

In article
,
(Mizter T) wrote:

The LM trains on loan to Southern still have LM route maps in them
then? If so (what you say isn't entirely clear), then that's a bit
shabby. Though are the units on loan to Southern fixed, or do they
rotate (for maintenance purposes etc)?

They must be fixed, surely? They had to fit shoegear which only applies to
the units loaned to Southern.

And does anyone have any idea how much longer this situation will
persist - and yes, I know it's dependent on deliveries of new
Electrostars to FCC, so I suppose my question is when will FCC have
enough new Electrostars up and running?

Have they stopped sending them back for rectification yet?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On 24 June, 13:00, Mizter T wrote:
The LM trains on loan to Southern still have LM route maps in them
then?

Absolutely. All stops to Liverpool.

And does anyone have any idea how much longer this situation will
persist - and yes, I know it's dependent on deliveries of new
Electrostars to FCC, so I suppose my question is when will FCC have
enough new Electrostars up and running?

They're due to get 23 of their own, currently have 5-ish, and the
*ambition* for delivery is 1 a week. So the timescale is measured in
months.

However, they only have a handful of trains from Southern, and I
believe returning them is the first priority as the new deliveries
come in (ahead of expanding FCC's total fleet, or returning 317s and
465s), so potentially Southern services could be back to normal in the
next month or two.

U

"Mr Thant" wrote in message

On 24 June, 13:00, Mizter T wrote:
The LM trains on loan to Southern still have LM route maps in them
then?

Absolutely. All stops to Liverpool.

Or, as in this case, a train to Clapham Junction, with route maps
showing Euston but no sign of the West London line or CJ.

On Jun 24, 1:31*pm, Mr Thant
wrote:

On 24 June, 13:00, Mizter T wrote:

The LM trains on loan to Southern still have LM route maps in them
then?

Absolutely. All stops to Liverpool.

Rather less than ideal. Still, at least the on-train PIS has been
programmed to display that it's a "Southern" service.


And does anyone have any idea how much longer this situation will
persist - and yes, I know it's dependent on deliveries of new
Electrostars to FCC, so I suppose my question is when will FCC have
enough new Electrostars up and running?

They're due to get 23 of their own, currently have 5-ish, and the
*ambition* for delivery is 1 a week. So the timescale is measured in
months.

However, they only have a handful of trains from Southern, and I
believe returning them is the first priority as the new deliveries
come in (ahead of expanding FCC's total fleet, or returning 317s and
465s), so potentially Southern services could be back to normal in the
next month or two.

Thanks for the info.

Anyone have any idea how many of the Southern WLL services are
currently operated by the LM 350 Desiros now - all of them, or just
some?

On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:52:14 -0700 (PDT), Mizter T
wrote:

Anyone have any idea how many of the Southern WLL services are
currently operated by the LM 350 Desiros now - all of them, or just
some?

Just some, though I don't know what proportion. I have seen
Electrostars on them recently.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

On Jun 24, 1:22*pm, wrote:
In article
,

(Mizter T) wrote:
The LM trains on loan to Southern still have LM route maps in them
then? If so (what you say isn't entirely clear), then that's a bit
shabby. Though are the units on loan to Southern fixed, or do they
rotate (for maintenance purposes etc)?

They must be fixed, surely? They had to fit shoegear which only applies to
the units loaned to Southern.


They're not fixed, as there are at least 10 units with shoegear and
the 'spares' still operate LM services. There is an ECS diagram to/
from Selhurst to swap units over for maintenance.

And does anyone have any idea how much longer this situation will
persist - and yes, I know it's dependent on deliveries of new
Electrostars to FCC, so I suppose my question is when will FCC have
enough new Electrostars up and running?

Have they stopped sending them back for rectification yet?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Jun 24, 2:06*pm, (Neil Williams)
wrote:
On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:52:14 -0700 (PDT), Mizter T

wrote:
Anyone have any idea how many of the Southern WLL services are
currently operated by the LM 350 Desiros now - all of them, or just
some?

Just some, though I don't know what proportion. *I have seen
Electrostars on them recently.


Sunday services have always been Electrostars. I've not seen a weekday
service that's not a 350 since they were introduced. I think that
Saturdays have a mix of units.

Don't forget that the new 377/5 units undergo their AC commissioning
on the WCML, often with a 377/2, before Southern hand the units to
FCC; as the 377/5s are only subleased from Southern to FCC. So 377s
still appear on the WCML.