On Jun 27, 10:07 am, Kev wrote:
So why are there signal failures on the less than 10 years old Jubilee
Line extenstion or the less than 30 year old Jubilee Line or the less
than 50 years old Victoria Line. I thought it was all due to the aging
Victorian infrastructure. It doesn't seem reasonable to blame Metronet/
Tubelines for the **** that they inherited, even if they should have
known what they were letting themselves in for.

Scientifically speaking, when you're talking about complex
electromechanical systems like train signalling, 30 years and 50 years
is Pretty Damn Old.

Between 1945 and 2000, with the exception of the absolutely-necessary-
to-avoid-gridlock Victoria Line, the half-arsed-compromise Jubilee
Line, and the Thatcher's-Docklands-project-must-succeed-or-else JLE,
there was no investment in the Underground system. None.

Central government skimped on the money for essential maintenance, and
didn't make any money available for capital projects such as major
line or signalling upgrades. London was a declining city and the train
was a declining transport mode - cars and suburbs were the way
forward.

So anyone who blames Ken, LUL management, or even Metronet and
Tubelines for the state of the tube today is simply wrong. Ken, the
current government, LUL's current management and the infracos are the
first people since the days of LPTB in the 1930s to embark on a
serious programme of upgrades to the underground. This isn't
necessarily because they're all wonderful people, just that people
have suddenly noticed that London is growing again and the private car
is not a viable means of transport within London.

Yes, it gets frustrating when there are signal failures because 30, 50
or 80 year old kit doesn't work very well. It's also frustrating when
there are signal failures or lift failures or train failures because
brand new kit hasn't bedded in yet[*]. But there's a generally
understood curve over time in reliability of major capital assets - it
doesn't work very well when brand new, works quite well for some time
after that, and then doesn't work very well again because it's too
old. And at the moment, most of the kit on the Tube is either brand
new, being replaced, or very old and knackered...

Hopefully, Ken's Tory rival will also be aware of the glaring reality
that continued investment in London's transport system is absolutely
vital - although given their previous choices of a perjurer and a road-
builder, I've got to admit I'm sceptical. But IMO anyone who refuses
to vote Ken because they think he isn't doing a good job on London's
transport is an idiot (if they refuse to vote Ken because they don't
agree with his left-wing politics in other areas, then that's a
different story).
[*] or because a new high-speed train control system makes the trains
accelerate so fast that the motors fall off, as with ATO on the
Central line.

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org