Empty Train

[Deleted]

Ive noticed that for the past few days, at exactly 16:07 a Southbound Service passes through Piccadilly Circus, but it is not in service.

Would there be any reason why an out of service train would pass through, at the same time, every day?

[Colin]

Yes, the timetable says so!!

I can't be certain, but ISTR something about it being a "hot spare" that comes from Stonebridge Park and sits in London Road depot for the evening peak......

EDIT: and before you ask, the reason it doesn't run in service is that it'd need to be "tipped out" at Waterloo - the inevitable delay caused would not be good.

[cso]

There's a train in the WTT that should pass Picadilly Cirus at 1607 empty... Train 204 - it's designed to form a Spare Train.

WTT from www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/london_underground_working_timet#incoming-296945

[Deleted]

There are also three empty trains that come down from Stonebridge Depot in the late evening - 251, 252 and 253 - to stable in the Elephant Sidings (251 in the north, 252 in the south) and on the platform (253 - southbound Mon-Sat, northbound Sunday). All nice cushy Elephant turns by the way!

[SE13]

Can't think of a better way of putting it, rather than thinking of school buses going back to the depot. They have no alternative other than to run past bus stops out of service because there is no official route for them to use. They have to get back to the depot, the regular services are unaffected, they just sort of get your hopes up for a few seconds, but those buses are going to bail you out if there is a failure later through the day.

Without those empty runners, there would be no back up in case it all went T/U later in the day.