In article
,
(Recliner) wrote:

Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have done
until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a more
comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

The West Ham siding was indeed the only significant non-standard track. We
arrived on platform 2 and departed from platform 6 at Barking. I don't think
those platforms had a regular C Stock service and we didn't use platform 3
which is still (for a bit longer) the normal H&C platform there. I guess
regular H&C trains using Barking Sidings would use the platforms we used
though.

We also only used platforms 1 & 4 at Edgware Road. 2 and 3 were a bit busy
with reversing the normal service.

We also didn't go to Olympia though it was on the C Stock line diagrams. I'm
not sure C Stock went there any time recently anyway.

The tour wasn't crowded. They only sold the seats so standing was entirely
optional.

I'm not a big one for farewell tours, but the ones that very occasionally
attract me are the ones that run on unusual track (if I'd known about it
and been free, I'd have gone on the earlier C stock farewell tour that
went to places like Northfields).

I agree with you on the last point but it seems the earlier tour wasn't very
widely advertised, outside London anyway. It was in April.

I also gathered it nearly did another bit of unusual track when the
signaller tried to put it directly into the Hammersmith headshunt without
detraining the passengers in the station first. :-)

--
Colin Rosenstiel

wrote:
In article
,
(Recliner) wrote:

Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have done
until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a more
comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

The West Ham siding was indeed the only significant non-standard track. We
arrived on platform 2 and departed from platform 6 at Barking. I don't think
those platforms had a regular C Stock service and we didn't use platform 3
which is still (for a bit longer) the normal H&C platform there. I guess
regular H&C trains using Barking Sidings would use the platforms we used
though.

We also only used platforms 1 & 4 at Edgware Road. 2 and 3 were a bit busy
with reversing the normal service.

We also didn't go to Olympia though it was on the C Stock line diagrams. I'm
not sure C Stock went there any time recently anyway.

The tour wasn't crowded. They only sold the seats so standing was entirely
optional.

Was there a commentary?

I'm not a big one for farewell tours, but the ones that very occasionally
attract me are the ones that run on unusual track (if I'd known about it
and been free, I'd have gone on the earlier C stock farewell tour that
went to places like Northfields).

I agree with you on the last point but it seems the earlier tour wasn't very
widely advertised, outside London anyway. It was in April.

Yes, April 13. I live in London and didn't hear about it in advance, and
the date wouldn't have been good for me, anyway.

I also gathered it nearly did another bit of unusual track when the
signaller tried to put it directly into the Hammersmith headshunt without
detraining the passengers in the station first. :-)

That would have been fun; I wonder if they couldn't have visited more
sidings, to add some spice to the tour?

In article
,
(Recliner) wrote:

wrote:
In article
,
(Recliner) wrote:

Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have
done until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a
more comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

The West Ham siding was indeed the only significant non-standard
track. We arrived on platform 2 and departed from platform 6 at
Barking. I don't think those platforms had a regular C Stock
service and we didn't use platform 3 which is still (for a bit
longer) the normal H&C platform there. I guess regular H&C trains
using Barking Sidings would use the platforms we used though.

We also only used platforms 1 & 4 at Edgware Road. 2 and 3 were a
bit busy with reversing the normal service.

We also didn't go to Olympia though it was on the C Stock line
diagrams. I'm not sure C Stock went there any time recently anyway.

The tour wasn't crowded. They only sold the seats so standing was
entirely optional.

Was there a commentary?

All the drivers bar one used the PA but there wasn't that much commentary.

I'm not a big one for farewell tours, but the ones that very
occasionally attract me are the ones that run on unusual track (if I'd
known about it and been free, I'd have gone on the earlier C stock
farewell tour that went to places like Northfields).

I agree with you on the last point but it seems the earlier tour
wasn't very widely advertised, outside London anyway. It was in
April.

Yes, April 13. I live in London and didn't hear about it in advance,
and the date wouldn't have been good for me, anyway.

Nor for me, now I check.

I also gathered it nearly did another bit of unusual track when the
signaller tried to put it directly into the Hammersmith headshunt
without detraining the passengers in the station first. :-)

That would have been fun; I wonder if they couldn't have visited more
sidings, to add some spice to the tour?

Suggestions were made here, weren't they?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In message

, at 14:20:44 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014, Recliner
remarked:
Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have done
until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a more
comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

Yes, but it as more about being on the very last C-stock train's trip
before it was scrapped.

And of course running non-stop, which was most noticeable in the
Paddington area after lunch when the platforms were full of obviously
very frustrated normal passengers waiting far too long for a service
train.
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at 14:20:44 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014, Recliner remarked:
Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have done
until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a more
comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

Yes, but it as more about being on the very last C-stock train's trip
before it was scrapped.

And of course running non-stop, which was most noticeable in the
Paddington area after lunch when the platforms were full of obviously
very frustrated normal passengers waiting far too long for a service train.

Yes, I can see the amusement in the non-stop element, but personally I find
it hard to get excited about the last journey on a fairly mundane train. I
wouldn't go as far as Boltar, but I don't mourn their departure, as I much
prefer their replacement. However, I suppose it might be different if I'd
been a regular commuter on C stock trains.

In article
,
(Recliner) wrote:

Roland Perry wrote:
In message

,
at 14:20:44 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014, Recliner
remarked:
Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have
done until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a
more comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

Yes, but it as more about being on the very last C-stock train's trip
before it was scrapped.

And of course running non-stop, which was most noticeable in the
Paddington area after lunch when the platforms were full of obviously
very frustrated normal passengers waiting far too long for a service
train.

Yes, I can see the amusement in the non-stop element, but personally I
find it hard to get excited about the last journey on a fairly mundane
train. I wouldn't go as far as Boltar, but I don't mourn their departure,
as I much prefer their replacement. However, I suppose it might be
different if I'd been a regular commuter on C stock trains.

I used to take quite long journeys on C stock at times, typically from
Edgware Road to East Putney. I didn't dislike it and there was more to see
on the journey than on deep-level tube alternatives. I prefer D stock
because it has some transverse seats but the short benches weren't too bad
an alternative.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

wrote:
In article
,
(Recliner) wrote:

Roland Perry wrote:
In message

,
at 14:20:44 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014, Recliner
remarked:
Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have
done until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a
more comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

Yes, but it as more about being on the very last C-stock train's trip
before it was scrapped.

And of course running non-stop, which was most noticeable in the
Paddington area after lunch when the platforms were full of obviously
very frustrated normal passengers waiting far too long for a service
train.

Yes, I can see the amusement in the non-stop element, but personally I
find it hard to get excited about the last journey on a fairly mundane
train. I wouldn't go as far as Boltar, but I don't mourn their departure,
as I much prefer their replacement. However, I suppose it might be
different if I'd been a regular commuter on C stock trains.

I used to take quite long journeys on C stock at times, typically from
Edgware Road to East Putney. I didn't dislike it and there was more to see
on the journey than on deep-level tube alternatives. I prefer D stock
because it has some transverse seats but the short benches weren't too bad
an alternative.

Of course, when new, the C stock was all-transverse seating, like the A
stock. Unlike the A stock, it lost that feature when refurbished. Despite
the change, the capacity didn't grow, so that was one refurbishment I
really didn't like.

In message

, at 18:35:42 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014, Recliner
remarked:
Of course, when new, the C stock was all-transverse seating, like the A
stock. Unlike the A stock, it lost that feature when refurbished. Despite
the change, the capacity didn't grow,

Seating capacity? There's room for more people standing in the new
arrangement.

so that was one refurbishment I really didn't like.

--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at 18:35:42 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014, Recliner remarked:
Of course, when new, the C stock was all-transverse seating, like the A
stock. Unlike the A stock, it lost that feature when refurbished. Despite
the change, the capacity didn't grow,

Seating capacity? There's room for more people standing in the new arrangement.

Yes, that's why they did it. People are more likely to "move right down
inside the car" now. But the narrow bench seats between the arm rests are,
I think, slimmer than before, so very often only one person will be sitting
in each pair of seats.

wrote:
In article
,
(Recliner) wrote:

Roland Perry wrote:
In message

,
at 14:20:44 on Mon, 30 Jun 2014, Recliner
remarked:
Was the West Ham siding the only part of the route you couldn't have
done until recently on a C stock service train with a Travelcard (or a
more comfortable, probably less crowded S stock train today)?

Yes, but it as more about being on the very last C-stock train's trip
before it was scrapped.

And of course running non-stop, which was most noticeable in the
Paddington area after lunch when the platforms were full of obviously
very frustrated normal passengers waiting far too long for a service
train.

Yes, I can see the amusement in the non-stop element, but personally I
find it hard to get excited about the last journey on a fairly mundane
train. I wouldn't go as far as Boltar, but I don't mourn their departure,
as I much prefer their replacement. However, I suppose it might be
different if I'd been a regular commuter on C stock trains.

I used to take quite long journeys on C stock at times, typically from
Edgware Road to East Putney. I didn't dislike it and there was more to see
on the journey than on deep-level tube alternatives. I prefer D stock
because it has some transverse seats but the short benches weren't too bad
an alternative.

Gone, but not forgotten: guess which stock the BBC has used to illustrate a
pending strike story?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28093118