Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs whilst a train
is in service, which is deliberately held up for that purpose!

Today, around 9.45a.m., I was in the front carriage of an Edgware Road train at
West Brompton. 2 fluorescent-jacketed men got into the driver's cab. About 200
yards from Earl's Court, the train stopped (just before it emerges into
daylight from the tunnel, West of the station) for about 10 minutes. Clanking
could be heard in front of the train - like spanners being dropped on the rail.
All the passengers looked at each other rather bemused. After a few minutes,
came the announcement from the driver: "Sorry for the delay, but we are
checking a piece of trackside equipment"! A few minutes later, the train moved
off into Earl's Court and the 2 men in fluorescent jackets got off, complete
with tools!

Never experienced that before!

Can any of the more experienced aficianados of this site shed any light on this
curiosity?

Marc.

Mait001 wrote:
Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs
whilst a train is in service, which is deliberately held up for that
purpose!

No nothing new, it's been happening for several decades.

Jack Taylor wrote:

I was surprised that the vehicle was in service. Had it been an
overground TOC then the vehicle would have been locked out of
service, rather than full of after-show revellers on their way home,
surrounding working engineers - but then that's LUL for you!

Even when cars are "locked out of use" pillocks still walk through the
emergency doors and then complain when they can't get out.

"Mait001" wrote in message
...
Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs whilst a
train
is in service, which is deliberately held up for that purpose!

Today, around 9.45a.m., I was in the front carriage of an Edgware Road
train at
West Brompton. 2 fluorescent-jacketed men got into the driver's cab. About
200
yards from Earl's Court, the train stopped (just before it emerges into
daylight from the tunnel, West of the station) for about 10 minutes.
Clanking
could be heard in front of the train - like spanners being dropped on the
rail.
All the passengers looked at each other rather bemused. After a few
minutes,
came the announcement from the driver: "Sorry for the delay, but we are
checking a piece of trackside equipment"! A few minutes later, the train
moved
off into Earl's Court and the 2 men in fluorescent jackets got off,
complete
with tools!

I can't offer an explanation but I had a similar experience last year on a
Bakerloo line train. I boarded at Piccadilly Circus to find that the
carriage reeked with a burning smell, a whole bank of seats were lifted and
two engineers were intently watching the traction motor below. There were a
lot of grinding and banging noises (unusual ones) coming from the wheelset
as we progressed towards Queen's Park.

I was surprised that the vehicle was in service. Had it been an overground
TOC then the vehicle would have been locked out of service, rather than full
of after-show revellers on their way home, surrounding working engineers -
but then that's LUL for you!

Mait001 wrote:
Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs
whilst a train is in service, which is deliberately held up for that
purpose!

No nothing new, it's been happening for several decades.


What would have happened had a serious fault been found, i.e. one that meant
the train would not have been able to proceed further?

And, aren't there health and safety rules about "track possessions" and
switching off the current before workers start fumbling about in semi-darkness?

Marc.

Mait001 wrote:
Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs whilst a train
is in service, which is deliberately held up for that purpose!

Today, around 9.45a.m., I was in the front carriage of an Edgware Road train at
West Brompton. 2 fluorescent-jacketed men got into the driver's cab. About 200
yards from Earl's Court, the train stopped (just before it emerges into
daylight from the tunnel, West of the station) for about 10 minutes. Clanking
could be heard in front of the train - like spanners being dropped on the rail.
All the passengers looked at each other rather bemused. After a few minutes,
came the announcement from the driver: "Sorry for the delay, but we are
checking a piece of trackside equipment"! A few minutes later, the train moved
off into Earl's Court and the 2 men in fluorescent jackets got off, complete
with tools!


I was on a tube train a while back where the driver took a couple of
engineers into the tunnel and then stopped at a certain point to let
them inspect something.

"Jack Taylor" wrote in message
...

I can't offer an explanation but I had a similar experience last year on a
Bakerloo line train. I boarded at Piccadilly Circus to find that the
carriage reeked with a burning smell, a whole bank of seats were lifted
and
two engineers were intently watching the traction motor below. There were
a
lot of grinding and banging noises (unusual ones) coming from the wheelset
as we progressed towards Queen's Park.

I was surprised that the vehicle was in service. Had it been an overground
TOC then the vehicle would have been locked out of service, rather than
full
of after-show revellers on their way home, surrounding working engineers -
but then that's LUL for you!

You'd prefer the entire train to be withdrawn from service?

Mait001 wrote:
Mait001 wrote:
Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs
whilst a train is in service, which is deliberately held up for that
purpose!

No nothing new, it's been happening for several decades.


What would have happened had a serious fault been found, i.e. one
that meant the train would not have been able to proceed further?

And, aren't there health and safety rules about "track possessions"
and switching off the current before workers start fumbling about in
semi-darkness?

There are rules about possessions, but it is not necessary to have a
possession for work to be carried out. Where the track is concerned the only
thing likely to stop a train proceeding is a section of rail missing. If
some other problem arises then there are rules that the driver must follow
to get round the problem and keep trains moving, even if at reduced speed
and/or frequency.

"Mait001" wrote in message
...
Mait001 wrote:
Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs
whilst a train is in service, which is deliberately held up for that
purpose!

No nothing new, it's been happening for several decades.


What would have happened had a serious fault been found, i.e. one that
meant
the train would not have been able to proceed further?

The procedure "staff working in double track tunnels" wouldn't have been
introduced if it was suspected to be a fault that would require a suspension
of service.

And, aren't there health and safety rules about "track possessions" and
switching off the current before workers start fumbling about in
semi-darkness?

Hence the train protecting them. Under the electricity at work act 1989,
current should be discharged unless there is a good reason not to do so.
Perhaps the work they were doing require current to be on to identify /
remedy the fault?

On 06 Apr 2004 16:16:46 GMT, (Mait001) wrote:

Here's a new phenomenon: carrying out Underground track repairs whilst a train
is in service, which is deliberately held up for that purpose!

as others have said it is nothing new. Surely you would prefer that a
running repair was made in this effective fashion rather than being
turfed off the train, the line suspended and you being delayed?

I can imagine outraged headlines saying how awful it is "to push 500
passengers off a train while the train then takes 2 engineers in full
comfort to hit a widget with a hammer. Bloody LUL - don't give a toss,
only look after their own."
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!