On Tue, 1 Apr 2008 15:54:32 -0700 (PDT), Mizter T
wrote:
On 1 Apr, 22:43, Paul Corfield wrote:
Seems like TfL have exercised all their options for Class 378s with
another 7 ordered.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/medi...ntre/7821.aspx
No idea how that relates to the "1300 extra carriages" but a 7-8 min
service on the core section of the NLL will be a pretty impressive
frequency.
Excellent news, though to be honest given both the great popularity of
the NLL route and the copious potential for attracting more custom -
or indeed, perhaps I should say the significant level of currently
suppressed demand - I don't think this is anything more than what is
justified for the NLL.
Quite possibly true but do you think that any of this would have
happened if the route was not under TfL control / direction? I could
not have seen either a DfT invitation to tender or a TOC bid including
even one tenth of the level of improvement that is on the way to being
delivered.
Let's hope that whoever wins the Mayoral election doesn't wreck all
this.
The irrepressible Mr Thant has had a tip off about the new NLL service
patterns and shares his discoveries with us grateful mortals here on
this blog post:
http://londonconnections.blogspot.co...e-upgrade.html
I've said it before but I really don't know how he manages to keep track
of all of this.
The link to the timetable study for TfL via the ORR website is
fascinating stuff. I've only skimmed bits of it but it's rather
reassuring to see things like a draft timetable showing GOBLIN trains
every 15 minutes.
Though whether the freight trains traversing the NLL are going to stop
failing so as to enable this frequency to be delivered is another
question! I dare say TfL is already piling the pressure on EWS, GBRf
et al to try and ensure their trains don't break down and cause log
jams.
I'm sure they are but this is where the ORR has a bit of tough job
because it has to weigh the advantages and disadvantages and if they've
said freight can run and Network Rail have sold the paths then we
potentially have a problem. Without some imaginative work elsewhere on
the network freight and the NLL are going to have to be bedfellows for
quite some time.
--
Paul C
Admits to working for London Underground!