On Sat, 8 Jul 2006 12:28:37 +0100, "John Rowland"
wrote:

From the TfL website...

++++++++++++
VICTORIA LINE: On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July, suspended between Seven
Sisters and Highbury & Islington, with a reduced service on the rest of the
line, due to planned engineering works.
REPLACEMENT BUS SERVICES;
Seven Sisters - Manor House (Southbound only);
Finsbury Park - Highbury & Islington (Southbound only);
Highbury & Islington - Finsbury Park - Manor House - Seven Sisters
(Northbound only);
Passengers should use Piccadilly Line services between Manor House and
Central London where possible;
++++++++++++

Unless there's a bus crushing plant in Manor House and a bus factory in
Finsbury Park, these buses are running empty southbound between Manor House
and Finsbury Park. If your journey was from Seven Sisters to H&I, you would
find that very annoying.

Yes they would - or more pertinently I did. The set up for these
replacement services is barking mad IMO. Worse there were emergency
engineering works this morning thus shutting the line down between
Highbury and KX - my guess is that the crossover failed to work properly
and something went "ping". This despite promises made by Metronet that
all would be well. I am dreading Monday morning as it will be a miracle
if the line restarts on time with a full service.

I had to resort to the nonsense that is "one". Their own website did
not have the correct times for trains today - only the National Rail
journey planner. I see we still have that bloody stupid non compliant
"15 minute" service that runs 15,30,15,15,30 minute intervals. Even then
they can't run it properly. Can't we just have a reliable 20 minute
service instead and One can be punished contractually for not meeting
their franchise obligations due to their own mindless incompetence. The
08.35 ran late (how?) which meant a sprint for a connecting bus at
Liverpool St to Waterloo.

At least SWT were running well and their refurbed 455s are jolly decent
- how about something similar for One's aging fleet of 315s? Oh sorry,
that would cost money wouldn't it. Can't have that.

On my return journey the 26 from Waterloo got snarled up in the Waterloo
Bridge road works, diverted via the Embankment as Fleet St was closed,
got jammed because there are road works on the approach to Ludgate
Circus which narrows the road to one lane. Then the 17.02 to Chingford
never ran (not that it is the timetable) with no apology. The 17.15 was
4 cars only (i.e. packed) with a 30 minute gap in the service. The West
Anglia services at Liverpool St were clearly in a mess with Stansted
trains late and others cancelled or disappearing into a black hole. Did
anyone know anything? - no. Did anyone provide an explanation? - no. Did
anyone apologise? - no.

I normally try extremely hard to avoid using rail at the weekend as it
is a nightmare - today it was unavoidable. I shall be having words when
(if!) I get to the office on Monday morning as it is intolerable that
the Vic Line is shut, "one" is simply crap, the Central Line has a
reduced service and so does the Jubilee Line. Better planning please LU
& NR / ATOC.

Yours not at all happy (can you tell?)
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!