Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

I often travel from Hatch End to Euston, sometimes changing to the County
service at Harrow & Wealdstone. The Silverlink County services are fairly
good on timekeeping but I don't think I have had one of their Metro trains
on time for years !!
Cheerz,
Baz

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

Barry Salter wrote:
On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 00:13:25 +0100, "Marratxi"
wrote:

I often travel from Hatch End to Euston, sometimes changing to the
County
service at Harrow & Wealdstone. The Silverlink County services are
fairly
good on timekeeping but I don't think I have had one of their Metro
trains
on time for years !!

If the second reversing siding at Harrow & Wealdstone was restored it
would go some way to clearing the backlog of late running Bakerloo's
and getting the Metro's to run to some semblence of a timetable.

Burkey

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

"Barry Salter" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 00:13:25 +0100, "Marratxi"
wrote:
I often travel from Hatch End to Euston, sometimes changing to the County
service at Harrow & Wealdstone. The Silverlink County services are fairly
good on timekeeping but I don't think I have had one of their Metro
trains
on time for years !!
At a guess, it's partly to do with having to share the route with
Bakerloo Line trains between Kensal Green and Harrow & Wealdstone.
Looking at the Live Departures for Kenton right now on the National Rail
site, for instance, shows three Bakerloo trains heading for Harrow: one
13 minutes late, one 5 minutes late and the third 6 minutes late, with
the Silverlink services showing as On Time.
Cheers,
Barry

Yes, but the Bakerloo trains cannot be blamed for making Silverlink Metro
trains late arriving at Hatch End from Watford. Are the schedules just
unworkable, the trains incapable of maintaining the timings ?
Regardz,
Baz

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

"Marratxi" wrote in message
...
Yes, but the Bakerloo trains cannot be blamed for making Silverlink Metro
trains late arriving at Hatch End from Watford. Are the schedules just
unworkable, the trains incapable of maintaining the timings ?

Of course they can. If the Bakerloo is in such disarray as to cause
Watford-bound services to be significantly late on the outward journey then
they will quite likely be late on their return, making them late slotting in
between Bakerloo services from Queens Park and making them even later on
their London-bound journey. However much recovery time is built in at the
terminii for turning trains back can easily be used up if the Bakerloo
section is completely SNAFU'd and delays can accumulate throughout the day.

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 08:31:06 +0100, Marratxi wrote:

Yes, but the Bakerloo trains cannot be blamed for making Silverlink Metro
trains late arriving at Hatch End from Watford.

Not only can they be blamed for it, they might well be the cause of it.
Short of building in huge layovers at Watford (which could cause other
problems if trains run punctually), it's a fact that a train delayed on
the outward journey may already be running late before it even starts
back.
--
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p9683696.html
(51368 in chocolate and cream for "GWR 150" in 1985)

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

"Chris Tolley" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 08:31:06 +0100, Marratxi wrote:
Yes, but the Bakerloo trains cannot be blamed for making Silverlink
Metro
trains late arriving at Hatch End from Watford.
Not only can they be blamed for it, they might well be the cause of it.
Short of building in huge layovers at Watford (which could cause other
problems if trains run punctually), it's a fact that a train delayed on
the outward journey may already be running late before it even starts
back.

Yes, I can see that but I've also travelled in from Watford Junction on the
DC lines and I can tell you that there seems to be quite a long layover
there with as many as two or three trains in the station.
Cheerz,
Baz

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

"Marratxi" wrote in message
...

Yes, I can see that but I've also travelled in from Watford Junction on
the
DC lines and I can tell you that there seems to be quite a long layover
there with as many as two or three trains in the station.

One is often stabled there as cover in the event of a failure. You could
argue that this should be used in the event of serious late running but the
problem is most likely then one of late incoming train crew.

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

"Jack Taylor" wrote in message
...

"Marratxi" wrote in message
...
Yes, but the Bakerloo trains cannot be blamed for making Silverlink Metro
trains late arriving at Hatch End from Watford. Are the schedules just
unworkable, the trains incapable of maintaining the timings ?

Of course they can. If the Bakerloo is in such disarray as to cause
Watford-bound services to be significantly late on the outward journey
then
they will quite likely be late on their return, making them late slotting
in
between Bakerloo services from Queens Park and making them even later on
their London-bound journey. However much recovery time is built in at the
terminii for turning trains back can easily be used up if the Bakerloo
section is completely SNAFU'd and delays can accumulate throughout the
day.


Silverlink trains ALWAYS get priority over Bakerloo trains at Queens Park on
the Northbound
quite often causing "blocking-back" or queing from Paddington. Sillylinks
also get the same
priority everywhere else (holding trains in the Harrow siding/ Stonebridge
reception roads)
It's all to do with the Network Rail signaller and his/her targets.
Sometimes I think they fail to
see the bigger picture eg Holding a Bakerloo in the siding at Harrow for
2-3mins with another
on the platform and a Sillylink outside on the north just so a southbound
train can remain on time.
They both would run alot better if they kept to their own section. But them
the poor travelling
public would suffer. Then of cause there's always points/signal failures,
defective trains etc etc

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 22:03:04 +0000 (UTC), "Colin"
wrote:

Silverlink trains ALWAYS get priority over Bakerloo trains at Queens Park on
the Northbound
quite often causing "blocking-back" or queing from Paddington.

I'd suggest that it is more important to give Silverlink priority
given their lower service frequency. LUL, generally speaking, operate
a turn-up-and-go type service where few will refer to timetables, even
though they do exist.

The half-hourly Silverlink service isn't frequent enough for this, so
delaying a Bakerloo train a couple of minutes (or sending one off
early, for that matter) is less of a concern, and is probably
worthwhile overall to keep the Silverlink on time.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

Why are Silverlink Metro trains NEVER on time ?
 

"Neil Williams" wrote in message
...

I'd suggest that it is more important to give
Silverlink priority given their lower service frequency.
LUL, generally speaking, operate a turn-up-and-go
type service where few will refer to timetables, even
though they do exist.

They do exist alright, they control when the drivers work, have lunch breaks
and go home. Mess that up and you are paying a hell of a lot more overtime
than if you mess around a couple of Silverlink drivers.

The half-hourly Silverlink service isn't frequent
enough for this, so delaying a Bakerloo train a
couple of minutes (or sending one off early, for
that matter) is less of a concern, and is probably
worthwhile overall to keep the Silverlink on time.

*Every* *single* *time* I've tried to catch Silverlink from Kilburn High
Road to Euston, the train has been announced as cancelled and I've had to
walk to Kilburn Park instead (this was before the station burned down,
obviously). They would keep me waiting until ten minutes after the scheduled
departure time before the tannoy would suddenly announce that my train
wasn't coming because it had not left Watford Junction half an hour earlier.
*******s. I think it is unfair to blame LU for what goes on on that line.

--
John Rowland - Spamtrapped
Transport Plans for the London Area, updated 2001
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acro...69/tpftla.html
A man's vehicle is a symbol of his manhood.
That's why my vehicle's the Piccadilly Line -
It's the size of a county and it comes every two and a half minutes