On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 07:52:12 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 23:40:28 on
Tue, 19 Jul 2005, Robert Woolley
remarked:
The crime scene is very close to the trailing crossover just south of
Kings Cross hence the closure.

There are no other crossovers between Arnos and Hyde Park Corner.

Why can't they run a "one train on the line" shuttle service on both the
tracks simultaneously? Over strategic sections: eg from Green Park to
Holborn and back. And Kings Cross to Finsbury Park and back.

Or is the reduced capacity that would offer actually worse than running
nothing at all?

The frequency would be so low as to be almost useless - a train every
20-25 mins in each direction on each track at best. That analysis
ignores whether you could deal with the situation at Arnos Grove as not
every train could head south from there so some people would still have
to be placed onto replacement buses as the trains couldn't carry the
likely demand. You also have the issue of trains from each platform
going in each direction with the platform indicators and station signage
not configured to be able to cope with such an operation.

You would get massive issues at somewhere like Finsbury Park - what
platform would you go to and when for a northbound or southbound train
if both Picc tunnels ran in both directions? The potential for people
interchanging to get crushed in the narrow connecting corridors would be
too great and the risk to staff of assaults from angry and confused
passengers would be an issue too. As a side issue thank goodness it is
not the football season at present - quite how match crowds for Arsenal
will be managed I dread to think if the Picc remains out of action for a
long while.

You'd also run into issues about evacuation in the event of emergencies
where such a different method of operation could create risks and which
would require additional mitigation / controls over and above existing
procedures. All of that would have to be developed, approved and rolled
out before operation could take place.

It is far better to get people away from closed sections of line and on
to alternatives that are able to provide a robust level of service.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!