I had my first journey on the automated Jubilee Line between Stratford
and Westminster today and it’s very difficult to notice that the train
is being driven by a computer unlike on the sister Central and
Victoria lines.

All the signals have been sellotaped and bagged over, including the
platform repeaters - I used to use the trio cluster of signal
repeaters on the Jubilee concourse at Stratford to know if I should
make a hasty run for the next departure or casually walk to the
opposite platforms and travel on the next train.

In comparison to the Central and Victoria line systems, the Jubilee
ATO drives the train at a very humble and civilised pace, unlike on
the other said lines which have the touch of an elephant and drive the
trains as “fast as possible between stations” (the words of a Central
Line manager who I once spoke with) and brake on a sixpence at the
very last possible moment. From what I experienced today, the ATO
accelerates to line speed then coasts and gradually notches back up
should the speed fall, unlike on the Central line that I notice is
driven by only using acceleration and braking without coasting in a
constant power-brake-power-brake-power state.

I believe that pre-ATO the 1996 stock (and Northern 1995s) were
restricted to 60-70% power - now that ATO is in operation have they
been let off their leashes? It was difficult to notice any significant
acceleration/braking difference.

One last question, I know that on the Central Line that the platform
staff are informed that the train is ready to depart by ***MIND THE
DOORS*** appearing on the dot matrix displays and on the Victoria the
platform repeaters are still used but I couldn’t understand how the
platform staff at Westminster knew when to announce that the train was
ready to depart now that the signals have been obscured?