On Jan 26, 4:49*pm, Fat richard wrote:

On Jan 26, 1:31*pm, D7666 wrote:

Given that even with the full TL pattern the GN side only gets 1/3 of
through trains and MML side 2/3, first it makes more sense for depots
on the MML side, but even greater sense its south of the river,
towards Brighton/Sussex coastway, at least as far out of Gatwick, in
which case 3B is the ideal.

Yes it really is a no brainer. At present TL has a gaping wound south
of Cricklewood. There is no where to get units to when they go wrong
"south of the river". Lovers Walk offer C.E.T. discharge and tanking
ONLY and this is at weekends only. Selhurst is an occasional stabling
location (especially weekends) but there is NO work done on TL units
there at all and FCC fitters cannot work there except in very very
unusual circumstances. A failure there or a dumped unit is dealt with
by dragging the defective stock out North side. So apart from dumping
stock at Brighton, in the sidings at Preston Park or Gatwick (the
three places a fitter can work) it's a case of cancel the train and
run it to Cricklewood or preferably Cauldwell. Of course running
defective stock all that way is a nightmare. A Brightoon driver needs
to get to the stock and work it all the way North and then doesn't
sign Cauldwell and by the time he travels back passenger what else can
he do in a day after a P.N.B. As mentioned elsewhere there is also the
"core" through the centre of London. Running a unit on half power or
being dragged / in some form of degraded mode with a change of power
at Farringdon makes the person that organises this a nervous person.
Seeing the train clear the tunnels into Kentish Town is always a
pleasant site.

So the positives.

Cauldwell / Hornsey / Three Bridges - No brainer !

Having had dealings both GN / TL operations in the past I have to say
that the GN really is a dream. Plenty of stabling at the end of all of
the service groups (Peterborough, Cambridge, |Kings Lynn, Welwyn and
Letchworth and lots of rotating diagrams so that evven if you have
defective stock there are enough planned moves to and from Hornsey to
swap trains around and running an emty train to Hornsey from almost
anywhere on the GN to Hornsey was never really a major issue. I wonder
sometimes why I went over to TL from the GN !

I'm curious as to why Selhurst is so off-limits?
(And what are the chances of a Three Bridges depot?)