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I pay for this ?
On Jun 27, 10:07 am, Kev wrote:
So why are there signal failures on the less than 10 years old Jubilee Line extenstion or the less than 30 year old Jubilee Line or the less than 50 years old Victoria Line. I thought it was all due to the aging Victorian infrastructure. It doesn't seem reasonable to blame Metronet/ Tubelines for the **** that they inherited, even if they should have known what they were letting themselves in for. Scientifically speaking, when you're talking about complex electromechanical systems like train signalling, 30 years and 50 years is Pretty Damn Old. Between 1945 and 2000, with the exception of the absolutely-necessary- to-avoid-gridlock Victoria Line, the half-arsed-compromise Jubilee Line, and the Thatcher's-Docklands-project-must-succeed-or-else JLE, there was no investment in the Underground system. None. Central government skimped on the money for essential maintenance, and didn't make any money available for capital projects such as major line or signalling upgrades. London was a declining city and the train was a declining transport mode - cars and suburbs were the way forward. So anyone who blames Ken, LUL management, or even Metronet and Tubelines for the state of the tube today is simply wrong. Ken, the current government, LUL's current management and the infracos are the first people since the days of LPTB in the 1930s to embark on a serious programme of upgrades to the underground. This isn't necessarily because they're all wonderful people, just that people have suddenly noticed that London is growing again and the private car is not a viable means of transport within London. Yes, it gets frustrating when there are signal failures because 30, 50 or 80 year old kit doesn't work very well. It's also frustrating when there are signal failures or lift failures or train failures because brand new kit hasn't bedded in yet[*]. But there's a generally understood curve over time in reliability of major capital assets - it doesn't work very well when brand new, works quite well for some time after that, and then doesn't work very well again because it's too old. And at the moment, most of the kit on the Tube is either brand new, being replaced, or very old and knackered... Hopefully, Ken's Tory rival will also be aware of the glaring reality that continued investment in London's transport system is absolutely vital - although given their previous choices of a perjurer and a road- builder, I've got to admit I'm sceptical. But IMO anyone who refuses to vote Ken because they think he isn't doing a good job on London's transport is an idiot (if they refuse to vote Ken because they don't agree with his left-wing politics in other areas, then that's a different story). [*] or because a new high-speed train control system makes the trains accelerate so fast that the motors fall off, as with ATO on the Central line. -- John Band john at johnband dot org www.johnband.org |
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