Minor delays - change at Rayners Lane

[Chris M]

There was signal failure earlier at Wood Green that has had repurcussions all day for the service. The official line status is currently "minor delays" but accompanied by the note "Customers travelling beyond Rayners Lane towards Uxbridge should change at Rayners Lane and use the Metropolitan line for onward journeys". It was also shown earlier when there were severe delays.

Does this mean that the Picc is actually suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge? If not, why would I have to change from a through train?

[Deleted]

Going on past experience I think the idea is most likely to be one of "take the first train and change where necessary." In other words, I think the advice is meant to be decoded as: if going towards Uxbridge, don't wait around for a through-train, cause you could be there for a long time - take a Rayners Lane train and change for the Met if one comes along first. Presumably the line was not officially part suspended and Picc trains were going to Uxbridge. Just not very many of them. So: "Customers travelling beyond Rayners Lane towards Uxbridge should change at Rayners Lane and use the Metropolitan line for onward journeys".

[orienteer]

Didn't see any Piccs on the Uxbridge branch this afternoon, guess they can save three trains by terminating them all at Rayners Lane.

[Deleted]

Nov 28, 2014 21:48:59 GMT Chris M said:

There was signal failure earlier at Wood Green that has had repurcussions all day for the service. The official line status is currently "minor delays" but accompanied by the note "Customers travelling beyond Rayners Lane towards Uxbridge should change at Rayners Lane and use the Metropolitan line for onward journeys". It was also shown earlier when there were severe delays.

Does this mean that the Picc is actually suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge? If not, why would I have to change from a through train?

This is another instance of the truth not quite being told accurately. In the event of serious Picc disruption (which often results in an Acton - Rayners Lane shuttle) the Picc is suspended Rayners Lane - Uxbridge, but rarely is it declared (admittedly there is a good Met service these days). Another similar instance is when there is a problem at Heathrow T5, it normally shown as a 'station closure' rather than a suspension between T123 and T5 even though there is no service. It makes the figures look better - a 'station closure' is deemed better than a 'suspension'. Directions from "on high". I'm saying no more but I'm sure you get the drift

[Deleted]

Just to add a little more, the problems at Wood Green went on until mid-morning and in addition there was a person ill on a train at Holloway Road, which caused another 20+ minute suspension of service. The service never did recover with 20-30 cancellations right throughout the day until the close of traffic. So I guess there was little or no Picc Line to Uxbridge for the rest of the day. But of course it wasn't suspended ........

[whistlekiller2000]

I've always wondered just how critical the Piccadilly line service to Uxbridge actually is? When I was young we actually managed to catch a 1938TS to Uxbridge and regarded that as a major achievement seeing as the service was severely restricted at the time. Undoubtedly patronage of Rayners Lane to Uxbridge has increased but is it such a big deal to change at Rayners Lane?

[North End]

Nov 29, 2014 14:14:44 GMT whistlekiller2000 said:

I've always wondered just how critical the Piccadilly line service to Uxbridge actually is? When I was young we actually managed to catch a 1938TS to Uxbridge and regarded that as a major achievement seeing as the service was severely restricted at the time. Undoubtedly patronage of Rayners Lane to Uxbridge has increased but is it such a big deal to change at Rayners Lane?

It's more done for operational reasons, as reversing the whole service at Rayners Lane isn't regarded as robust enough. Apart from reducing the turnround time, it creates a problem if two Rayners Lane trains arrive close together, and also doesn't allow a convenient opportunity for turning short in the event of late running. An Uxbridge train can be turned short at Ruislip or Rayners Lane if running late, whereas for Rayners Lane the only option is South Harrow which is less convenient operationally, and for passengers as there's no alternative service on the South Harrow to Rayners Lane section.

So, when the line goes up the wall and there are massive gaps to Uxbridge, this is the strategy working as it means late running is being recovered. If all trains were booked to terminate at Rayners Lane, anything arriving late would go back late.

If the terminating platforms at Rayners Lane ever get built, I would think that could be the end of the Piccadilly Line running to Uxbridge -- unless political considerations dictate otherwise!

[Tomcakes]

Do passengers value the through service to the point of letting a Met (into town) or Picc to Rayners (out of town) go past, preferring to catch one train than change?

The fibbing about what the service actually is is endemic throughout TfL and is probably to make somebody's management targets look good - quite why they can't honestly declare that it's suspended is beyond me.

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2014 14:45:05 GMT North End said:

It's more done for operational reasons, as reversing the whole service at Rayners Lane isn't regarded as robust enough. Apart from reducing the turnround time, it creates a problem if two Rayners Lane trains arrive close together, and also doesn't allow a convenient opportunity for turning short in the event of late running. An Uxbridge train can be turned short at Ruislip or Rayners Lane if running late, whereas for Rayners Lane the only option is South Harrow which is less convenient operationally, and for passengers as there's no alternative service on the South Harrow to Rayners Lane section.

So, when the line goes up the wall and there are massive gaps to Uxbridge, this is the strategy working as it means late running is being recovered. If all trains were booked to terminate at Rayners Lane, anything arriving late would go back late.

If the terminating platforms at Rayners Lane ever get built, I would think that could be the end of the Piccadilly Line running to Uxbridge -- unless political considerations dictate otherwise!

Terminating services sometimes reverse in the westbound platform in these circumstances and there is the option of reversing at Ruislip. The idea of extra platforms at Rayners Lane disappeared when usage and service levels increased. The only thing in favour of cutting the Piccadilly line back to Rayners Lane permanently would be that there wouldn't be two different door levels (Piccadilly lower than Met Line) for accessibility.

[rummer]

Nov 29, 2014 10:56:44 GMT @reganorak said:

Just to add a little more, the problems at Wood Green went on until mid-morning and in addition there was a person ill on a train at Holloway Road, which caused another 20+ minute suspension of service. The service never did recover with 20-30 cancellations right throughout the day until the close of traffic. So I guess there was little or no Picc Line to Uxbridge for the rest of the day. But of course it wasn't suspended ........

You are right there was an emergency timetable in operation for the rest of the day. all trains from Cockfosters going to Heathrow and shuttle service Acton Town to Rayners Lane. If its any consolation i finished well late at 2am

[rheostar]

Nov 30, 2014 0:31:40 GMT rummer said:

Nov 29, 2014 10:56:44 GMT @reganorak said:

Just to add a little more, the problems at Wood Green went on until mid-morning and in addition there was a person ill on a train at Holloway Road, which caused another 20+ minute suspension of service. The service never did recover with 20-30 cancellations right throughout the day until the close of traffic. So I guess there was little or no Picc Line to Uxbridge for the rest of the day. But of course it wasn't suspended ........

You are right there was an emergency timetable in operation for the rest of the day. all trains from Cockfosters going to Heathrow and shuttle service Acton Town to Rayners Lane. If its any consolation i finished well late at 2am

In addition to the Cockfosters - Heathrow service and the Rayners Lane - Acton shuttle, during the peak period an additional four trains ran from Cockfosters through to Uxbridge.

So the Uxbridge service wasn't suspended. :-)

[rincew1nd]

Posts on ideas for an alternative District/Picadilly service pattern moved to a new thread on the RIPAS board here.