On 29 Apr, 09:36, wrote:
On Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:19:35 -0700 (PDT)

wrote:
Posting from Arnos Grove.

Got Cockfosters Station at 0757, made a silly error in not boarding
the train at Platform 1 where the signal was green as I thought I
wouldn't have time to get from concourse to platform
in time : it actually waited 3 minutes on a green signal before
departing (I didn't make it) and boy did that cost me. Next train left
so soon after I didn't have time to get from P1 to P4 so left about
0803. It's now 0819 and just at Arnos Grove.

"Good Service"

Since I no longer commute by tube I feel it is only proper to hand over
the official UTL Piccadilly Line Sufferers Baton to you. I wish you as
few "a good service is running" , "we'll remain here to regulating the
service", "signal failure at arnos grove" and "this train will be terminating
here" as possible.

Happy travels! Or should that be travelcards?

B2003

And so it continues...

It's currently 01:36 and I have just got off the Nightbus from Kings
Cross (N91). Why did I get the nightbus?
I waited on the Eastbound Piccadilly Line platform at Kings Cross for
at least 15 minutes. The electronic display was blank, however this is
not unusual
as there were "Minor Delays" and of course I have learned that minor
delays on the Piccadilly Line are a special kind of delay, and 15
minutes is indeed, minor. No staff on the platform. After another 6 or
7 minutes a fellow passenger presses the Help panel on the platforms
to ask when the next train will be. The voice - via speakerphone -
says "Dunno, but I do know when the last train is". Shortly after, an
announcement is made the next train at Kings Cross is 25 MINUTES AWAY.
No apology, no explanation. A groan goes up from the passengers on the
platform... and I just know what the display upstairs will say.

You guessed it - MINOR DELAYS.


Last week, I sat on a train at Arnos Grove and after five minutes was
told "The train on the adjacent platform will be leaving first".
Myself and the other passengers duly moved over to the other train and
sat there, and after five minutes were told "The train on the adjacent
platform will be leaving first". So we traipse back onto the train we
just left, and after a minute the train leaves. "Good Service"

I can't recall any journey I have made on this line where I haven't
had a delay somewhere en route.... several times the announcements at
Cockfosters of when trains will leave haven't worked, and it is
literally pot luck as to what train will leave first. I played that
game again last week, and the train sitting at the green signal was
the last one to leave, after numerous other trains arrived and
departed. My driver did enjoy their coffee, I saw that.

I have been late every day this week - I just can't win with this
friggin' line. On Friday morning, I left 30 minutes early and reached
Cockfosters where there was a points failure. They were advising
people to take the Bus 299 to Oakwood - except, er, during the day
there are no buses to Oakwood from Cockfosters.

As soon as my lease is up, I am scampering back to South London and
the relative reliability of a Southern service.

Moving to Cockfosters was always going to be difficult - but the
knowledge of having a direct tube service to central London made the
move easier. What a shame that the Piccadilly Line is the thing that
has made me give up on this part of the world.