In message .com,
Mizter T writes

No. It's a normal alternative route for us - it's not uncommon for them
to run us 'fast up the local' to clear backlogs or to run all stations
to help the District when they have problems. In fact, the other week,
I was sat in the eastbound local platform at Acton Town and for a change
asked to be run up the local to Hammersmith - which they did!


Thanks. I'm still a little puzzled as to how running 'fast up the
local' - i.e. running a non-stop Pic train on the District tracks -
would clear backlogs though?! And obviously this could only be done
when there isn't a stoppng District train in front of you.

Well, it's not done awfully often, but is used to clear traffic if we
are queuing into Acton, say. Rather than all the point throwing there
(and those few lost seconds with the signal interlocking and overlaps),
they take a train from the Rayners branch out of the way through the
local platform at Acton and deal with it at Hammersmith.
Also, a train ahead might be reversing east to west at Hammersmith with
a queue behind it and a problem, you effectively run round it.
I've been routed non stop westbound when we had a signal failure on the
fast at Ravenscourt Park. Only every third train went down the fast and
applied the rule.

As the District have a lower level of service, it's relatively easy to
fit a few odd Picc trains in. You're right about the District trains
though. We do tend to get held behind them when we're run that way.
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

On 22 Feb, 10:42, Steve Fitzgerald ] wrote:
In message .com,
Mizter T writes

No. It's a normal alternative route for us - it's not uncommon for them
to run us 'fast up the local' to clear backlogs or to run all stations
to help the District when they have problems. In fact, the other week,
I was sat in the eastbound local platform at Acton Town and for a change
asked to be run up the local to Hammersmith - which they did!

Thanks. I'm still a little puzzled as to how running 'fast up the
local' - i.e. running a non-stop Pic train on the District tracks -
would clear backlogs though?! And obviously this could only be done
when there isn't a stoppng District train in front of you.

Well, it's not done awfully often, but is used to clear traffic if we
are queuing into Acton, say. Rather than all the point throwing there
(and those few lost seconds with the signal interlocking and overlaps),
they take a train from the Rayners branch out of the way through the
local platform at Acton and deal with it at Hammersmith.
Also, a train ahead might be reversing east to west at Hammersmith with
a queue behind it and a problem, you effectively run round it.
I've been routed non stop westbound when we had a signal failure on the
fast at Ravenscourt Park. Only every third train went down the fast and
applied the rule.

As the District have a lower level of service, it's relatively easy to
fit a few odd Picc trains in. You're right about the District trains
though. We do tend to get held behind them when we're run that way.


Interesting stuff, thanks. It would thus seems possible for one Picc
train to overtake another between Acton and Hammersmith!

If you do stand in for the District line and stop all stations from
Acton to Hammersmith I can imagine the passenger confusion that would
follow - I guess it gives you plenty of time to practice your PA voice!

In message . com,
Mizter T writes

As the District have a lower level of service, it's relatively easy to
fit a few odd Picc trains in. You're right about the District trains
though. We do tend to get held behind them when we're run that way.


Interesting stuff, thanks. It would thus seems possible for one Picc
train to overtake another between Acton and Hammersmith!

If you do stand in for the District line and stop all stations from
Acton to Hammersmith I can imagine the passenger confusion that would
follow - I guess it gives you plenty of time to practice your PA voice!

That wonderful new DVA system they have just fitted has an option to
announce all stations along the local for us.
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:05:10 +0800, Steve Fitzgerald
] wrote:

In message . com,
Mizter T writes

As the District have a lower level of service, it's relatively easy to
fit a few odd Picc trains in. You're right about the District trains
though. We do tend to get held behind them when we're run that way.


Interesting stuff, thanks. It would thus seems possible for one Picc
train to overtake another between Acton and Hammersmith!

If you do stand in for the District line and stop all stations from
Acton to Hammersmith I can imagine the passenger confusion that would
follow - I guess it gives you plenty of time to practice your PA voice!

That wonderful new DVA system they have just fitted has an option to
announce all stations along the local for us.

FSVO "wonderful"!

Incidentally, how are we supposed to tell the difference between a
train going HX-H4-H123-HX and one going HX-H123 and terminating there?
Surely the first case should be announced as "Heathrow Terminal 4" not
"Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3"?

In message , James Farrar
writes

That wonderful new DVA system they have just fitted has an option to
announce all stations along the local for us.

FSVO "wonderful"!

Incidentally, how are we supposed to tell the difference between a
train going HX-H4-H123-HX and one going HX-H123 and terminating there?
Surely the first case should be announced as "Heathrow Terminal 4" not
"Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3"?

That is a problem that has exercised us for some weeks now. General
feeling is that (apart from a very few exceptions) all T123 trains call
at T4 first and the tube map indicates this. The driver can make an
appropriate announcement at HX if they are not calling at T4, which is
booked to be only about 5 trains all day, very early morning/late night.
Those that run direct to T123 for timekeeping purposes during the day,
which isn't awfully common anyway, would only usually know once they
arrive at HX and get the 'wrong' signal.

Of course, before they modified them, all trains just showed Heathrow
Airport which ever way they would get there, so the driver had to make
an announcement at HX.

We've asked for the destination to revert back to this, pending the T5
bit opening and the subsequent revisions of services to there.
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)