Euston loop - chance to ride!

[Deleted]

Well I guess we all make mistakes !

I sort of guessed what had happened when we came to a standstill and the driver then made an announcement about some "operational problems", when he then announced that he would be walking back through the train to carry out "a safety manouvre" it confirmed my suspcions.

A few of the staff at KX were giving him some good natured stick for taking "a wrong turning" with suggestions of fitting the train with a sat nav ;D!

The driver made an apology when we eventually did get to Euston and thanked passengers for their understanding, no doubt a stack of following trains would have built up during the 20mins delay.

Jan 25, 2010 15:56:30 GMT Colin said:

Jan 25, 2010 14:39:55 GMT @kentuckytony said:

Pardon me butting in with a naive question from afar.

The only silly question is the one you don't ask!

Certainly - taking the District line as an example (cos it's what I know!!)....

If I get to EJ1 (on the eastbound, just before Tower Hill) and I'm on an Upminster service, for example, I'm looking for a plain green. If I see a green with a route indicator to the right, I'm being offered the bay platform - a wrong route. Of course if I'm on a Tower Hill service, it's the opposite way round.

Another classic is WM20/21 (Hanger Lane junction) - here I want a green with the route indicator to the left, which will take me to Ealing Broadway - if I just get the plain green, the route is set up for North Ealing.....a wrong 'un!!!

At somewhere like Upminster, it doesn't really matter what route you get unless, as an example, you know your train is going onto 51 reception road to act as a "hot spare" - then you'll want platform 5; if you are offered platforms 3 or 4, it's a wrong route.

Does that help?

Jan 25, 2010 14:39:55 GMT @kentuckytony said:

I assume they have an idea where each trip is going per a schedule they may have (WTT piece), but perhaps they are being rerouted for some purpose. Would they expect to hear from someone if that is the case?

Absolutely!!

Unless you are informed otherwise, you are always going where you are booked to as per the WTT.

[Deleted]

Am I right in inferring from what has been posted above (as to driver responsibility) that an LU driver is always expected to approach a junction signal prepared to stop at it (in case it's displaying the wrong route)?

[superteacher]

On the Central, which is ATO, if a train is offered a wrong signal, the only way to stop the train is to take it out of ATO, which will, I believe, produce an emergency stop. Hardly comfortable for the passengers!

[North End]

Jan 25, 2010 17:57:16 GMT etr220 said:

Am I right in inferring from what has been posted above (as to driver responsibility) that an LU driver is always expected to approach a junction signal prepared to stop at it (in case it's displaying the wrong route)?

Yes, because even in cases where there is a high approach speed (e.g. NQ.28 Finchley Central nortbound junction signal), there would be repeater signals which also repeat the junction indicator.

I can't readily think of any examples on conventional lines where the approach speed is too high by the time the junction indicator comes into view. E4 at Camden Town n/b is a dodgy one as at 20mph the junction indicator tends to get drowned out by the green aspect, I don't think this would wash if a Train Operator used it as mitigation for taking a wrong route.

Obviously on ATO lines things are different, and on the Victoria Line certain signals do not have junction indicators -- though I think the most critical signal, on the northbound approaching Seven Sisters *does* have a junction indicator for use in manual working.

[flippyff]

I had a ride over this on Saturday and something caught both myself and the other passengers in the leading car by surprise... Arriving at Euston the leading set of doors did not open but there was no prior warning announcement. Should there have been?

Simon

[Tom]

Jan 25, 2010 20:37:29 GMT North End said:

Obviously on ATO lines things are different, and on the Victoria Line certain signals do not have junction indicators -- though I think the most critical signal, on the northbound approaching Seven Sisters *does* have a junction indicator for use in manual working.

Confirmed, there are three signals on the Victoria Line with Junction Indicators; VL1, the Seven Sisters NB home, VL6, the Seven Sisters bay road starter and VK11, the Finsbury Park SB starter.

[railtechnician]

Jan 24, 2010 17:34:49 GMT @happybunny said:

Jan 24, 2010 17:28:53 GMT Colin said:

No Chris, it's not "shared".

TOK is right - if the driver accepts it, it's the driver's fault and it's recorded and dealt with as such.

If the driver raises it and does not move, it will go down to the signaller and will be recorded and dealt with as such.

Who blames the program machine, and it gets swept under the carpet

Sometimes a signalman will blame a P/Mc but it won't be swept under the carpet. As delays have to be attributed to a cause and paid for Signals won't pay the penalty unless the equipment is faulty! We used to go to a lot of trouble to investigate reports of P/Mc issues by signal operators.

[pgb]

Jan 25, 2010 22:51:00 GMT Tom said:

Confirmed, there are three signals on the Victoria Line with Junction Indicators; VL1, the Seven Sisters NB home, VL6, the Seven Sisters bay road starter and VK11, the Finsbury Park SB starter.

I thought the Southbound platform at Victoria had one? I could be thinking of somewhere else mind you!

[Deleted]

This should repeat on both Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend (20/21 February 2010), along with Golders Green middle platform north end.