In message
,
Boltar writes

Ah yes, we did have that the other week. There was a point failure with
the new points at the east end of the platform and the controller
suspended the service. 10 minutes later he ran a train through to
Cockfosters - I know that as I drove that first train!

I'd be interested to know how the points managed to fix themselves.

They didn't. We had a man working on the control box for about 20 mins
that I know of. The main control box for those new points is virtually
out of sight of the platform though. You don't necessarily need a man
on site with a big hammer to fix these things.

As it happens, the driver you so blithely accuse of wanting to get off
early had just picked up the train fresh from another driver who was

I only mentioned it because I was listening to him chat on that phone
at the end of the platform and I distinctly heard him ask if he could
go home now.

The one who had just got off, or the replacement one? The one who had
just got off was already very late, it's often said by us to our
managers as a tongue in cheek comment when you're that late. The new
driver was getting towards the end of his spare turn (I think he had
about an hour left - plenty of time to do a CFS and back but not much
more) and couldn't take the train west so another driver got on at the
west end. As at that point we were still shut down, once he was told
not to take the train it was a fairly reasonable question to ask.

about 50 mins late finishing. He was as surprised as us all when the
signaller took a release (reset the eastbound starting signal to danger
- without warning) and the Line Controller then told him that the
service was suspended and that train was to go back west.

Well, whatever the reason , one minute the service was suspended , 10
minutes later its not. Which isn't much comfort for the people who
eventually got off to look for a bus (including me) once the driver
had legged it only to see the train heading off north shortly after.
Perhaps some joined up thinking from the staff could have got someone
to make a station announcement to the effect that the line was re-
opened and everyone come back down to the platform. But hey , who am I
kidding , this is Britain...

No, you didn't see that train go 'north'. The first train went back
west, the one that went east (don't forget the Piccadilly is an east to
west railway) was about 10 minutes later. Once a decision has been made
to suspend the service - which isn't something done lightly - it would
be assumed that it would be a long shutdown. The fact that the
Technical Officer managed to fix it fairly quickly is a bonus. the
priority then is to get some trains moving and get people home. Mine
was packed full, and had you waited around a few minutes as quite a few
of your fellow passengers did, you would have heard me shouting that we
were going to CFS after all and to get on the train.

Anyway, wasn't it you the other week who was celebrating that you no
longer have to use the Underground? That didn't last long then did it?
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)