The Only Living Boy in New Cross wrote to uk.transport.london on Thu, 13
Jan 2005:

So clearly the staff at Holborn and at Covent Garden either wilfully
lied, which I think is highly unlikely, or they simply didn't know
what was going on. If the latter, why on earth not? Is it really
that difficult?

I think sometimes they really *aren't* told what's going on in real
time, as it were. I remember once at Canary Wharf station, there'd been
an incident on the Central Line and the staff were saying "Don't even
think about changing on to the Central Line tonight", then there was a
murmur in the background and the same voice said, "Oh, they *are*
running, then?" and came back properly on to the PA to explain exactly
where on the Central Lines trains were and were not running.

I only ask because I've noticed in lots of cases where there are
incidents like this, the station staff generally seem to be at a total
loss as to what's actually going on.

They do seem to be better these days, with those clever notices they put
up showing which lines have problems and which are running "well".
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 2 January 2005