Paul Corfield wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:32:16 -0600, "Tristán White"
wrote:

I've noticed, in the past few weeks, a decrease in courtesy when
trains actually wait for passengers to leave the arriving train
across the platform.

Sorry, that made no sense did it? I'm talking about things like
Finchley Road (Metropolitan to Jubilee) and Mile End (District to
Central) and vice versa.
[snip]

BEFORE ANYONE LEAPS DOWN MY THROAT AND TALKS ABOUT HAVING TO STICK
TO TIMETABLES ETC - I just wanted to say that IN THE PAST they
waited, they don't now (or they're less likely to do so now).
That's all.

I have been using the Mile End interchange relatively frequently of
late and I have noticed trains on each line waiting for each other.
I've arrived on a District and the Central Line that was already
there waited. I've also observed for a few trains in a row as I
waited for the service I wanted.

You make the comment about timetables - I'm afraid this is a
relevant point here. The Central Line timetable is very finely
balanced - especially in the peaks so it's hard to justify extended
dwell times when you're running on 2 min headways.

I'd put it more strongly than that. If you have a peak service with 2
min (or less) headways, you MUST NOT have extended dwell times out of a
misplaced sense of courtesy. A longer dwell time at one station means
larger crowds at the next few stations which leads to enforced longer
dwell times which leads to larger crowds further on which leads to ...

.... the timetable in ruins! It always amazes me that there seems, on
the manually driven lines at any rate, to be little or no automated
assistance to the driver to keep to the timetable. The best way to deal
with crowded stations is to have a very regular frequency of trains, yet
apart from crude regulation at places like Hyde Park Corner, little is
actually done, as far as I can see, to ensure this. Indeed, scheduling
crew changes at places such as Earl's Court (District) without any
apparent monitoring of the process on the platform is sheer negligence
in my view, as it inevitably leads to erratic intervals.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)