Barking for H&C

[Deleted]

The other day, I went to Barking with the intention of getting the H&C to Hammersmith.

I went to Platform 3, where H&C trains terminate and depart from, and there wasn't one for about 20 odd minutes! Eventually, I decided to get a westbound District, to Tower Hill.....
As we were pulling out of Barking, a H&C train comes in

Do H&C trains often get turned back early? Speaking of which, do alternate trains terminate at Barking / Whitechapel, because I saw a couple of trains terminate at W'Chapel, later on in the afternoon, or was this train also turned back early?

[Deleted]

Off peak, I believe many H&Cs do turn round at Whitechapel, and if the service is up the wall you can bet they're turning them round early somewhere. If you're travelling from Barking or onwards, always get the first train to Whitechapel and you should be able to pick up an H&C from there.

[Deleted]

OK - thanks Biolizard

[markt]

It'd probably help if some of the train describer displays worked on the LUL platforms too - not seen any of them work at all in the last 6 months or so...

[Deleted]

As far as I could see, Mark, there were none for the LUL platforms at Barking (at least not for the H&C anyway!) - there's one for platform 4, which is the c2c platform..... couldn't see any for the LUL though!

[Deleted]

Barking has no train describers for the District or H&C platforms.

IIRC the H&C off peak service is one every 16 minutes to Whitechapel plus one every 16 minutes to Barking. So if one Barking train runs late and gets turned at Plaistow ( a common occurrence) then you'll have a long wait!

[Deleted]

adw said:

Barking has no train describers for the District or H&C platforms.

IIRC the H&C off peak service is one every 16 minutes to Whitechapel plus one every 16 minutes to Barking. So if one Barking train runs late and gets turned at Plaistow ( a common occurrence) then you'll have a long wait!

Ah! That could explain it!

I'll go to Liverpool Street and see if I can get one from there
(Least I've got a host of lines to get if H&C goes up the wall )

[citysig]

sturdjos said:

Ah! That could explain it!

I'll go to Liverpool Street and see if I can get one from there
(Least I've got a host of lines to get if H&C goes up the wall )

As mentioned a few posts back, your better off going to Whitechapel and finding one there.

Should you manage to get as far west as Liverpool Street on a direct service, then the chances are you were on a H&C to begin with. If the H&C is up the wall, and you manage to reach Liverpool Street on, say, a Circle Line, my advice is to stay on that train until you are beyond Moorgate or even until Edgware Road.

If it's up the wall, we may be turning the H&Cs at both those locations.

The H&C operates an 8-minute service more or less throughout the day. During the peak, most trains alternate between Plaistow and Barking. Off peak, trains alternate between Whitechapel and Barking - giving the 16 minute frequency mentioned above.

It's also worth remembering that not all H&Cs leave from Barking platform 3. There are a few trains - even during the midday off-peak - that start from Barking Sidings. The advice given by biolizard to take the first train heading west and change at Whitechapel (or more conveniently at Aldgate East and remain on the same platform) is what I would strongly recommend.

[Deleted]

citysig said:

The advice given by biolizard to take the first train heading west and change at Whitechapel (or more conveniently at Aldgate East and remain on the same platform) is what I would strongly recommend.

Whenever you're travelling on the SSR, take the first train that's going some way towards your destination and get off at the last point where you can change for your destination.

It's always the quickest way, especially if its all gone wrong and trains are turning at odd places. H&C trains could start from either platform at Barking, or East Ham, Plaistow, Bromley By Bow, Whitechapel, Aldgate East, Aldgate, Liverpool St, Moorgate and probably a couple of others I've forgotten. Some of these are rarely used, but you never know!

[Deleted]

And if things are REALLY bad on the SSL, the H&C may be cut back to serve Hammersmith-Edgware Road only. In that case, District to Tower Hill and Circle round to Edgware Road (clockwise or anti from Tower Hill, depending on which section of the Circle is screwed up!)

[citysig]

adw said:

Whenever you're travelling on the SSR, take the first train that's going some way towards your destination and get off at the last point where you can change for your destination.

Could have sworn that was kind of what I said when I mentioned places such as Aldgate East.

biolizard said:

And if things are REALLY bad on the SSL, the H&C may be cut back to serve Hammersmith-Edgware Road only. In that case, District to Tower Hill and Circle round to Edgware Road (clockwise or anti from Tower Hill, depending on which section of the Circle is screwed up!)

Or, having examined the thread author's intended destination a bit closer, stay on the District. It might not be the H&C but if that's up the wall, at least you will get to where you're going.

[markt]

adw said:

Barking has no train describers for the District or H&C platforms.

Odd, could have sworn I saw a light box on platform 6 (Westbound) - the light allowed the bottom part to show some destinations - possibly referring to changing at Aldgate East for the "Metropolitan" line...

[Dstock7080]

Yep & one eastbound too.
They are/were of BR Eastern Region style.
They are black faced and when lit show the destinations in blue.

The eastbound one showed:
Upminster
Dagenham East
terminates here

As MarkT says, the westbound one didn't show the final destination, just a summary (as at Bromley WB) such as "westbound District Line train via ". . . . etc

They fell out of use some time ago now.

[markt]

Cheers, thought I wasn't seeing things

So if these light boxes work on the rest of the line, why not Barking - a major junction station?

[Deleted]

Probably the maintenance of them is up to c2c or Network Rail and they couldn't give a toss.

[Deleted]

dstock7080 said:

Yep & one eastbound too.
They are/were of BR Eastern Region style.
They are black faced and when lit show the destinations in blue.

The eastbound one showed:
Upminster
Dagenham East
terminates here

As MarkT says, the westbound one didn't show the final destination, just a summary (as at Bromley WB) such as "westbound District Line train via ". . . . etc

They fell out of use some time ago now.

There is or at least was until recently one for platform 3 at Barking too, it is or was under the canopy at the tail end of plaform 2.

I''m not sure if the one on 2 is still there a few months back the glass was broken allowing the blue "backlit" destinations to be seen. The westbound one is still there. Neither have worked for many years indeed, however the one on pl 3 did work much more recently, but it too has given up the ghost now !

I agree it's v poor that such a major station doesn't have them !

Also of note that hardly any of the recently fitted dot matrix at the Eastern end of the District / H & C work now, even though all excpet Heathway w/b did work at one time or another after recent fitment !

[markt]

I sent an email to tFl customer services...

Update:

There are a number of factors involved here. The problem arose about four
years ago following a fire. Vital equipment was damaged. As a result, we're
unable to transfer the messages from our signalling systems to the indicator
boards.

As you may know, the station is owned and run by c2c and despite having
referred this matter to them on a number of occasions I don't know when they
plan to replace or repair the damaged equipment. I have, though, have been
in touch with one our liaison managers who deals directly with other train
operating companies like c2c. And he'll personally try and get this matter
resolved, as soon as possible.