Victoria Line Closures - 2009. Loads of them.

[Pip]

no strange dials on the bits under the seats

 

[quimcunx]

You can always get a seat at Victoria to Brixton with one of the carriages right at either end....you've got to stand right by the doors and nip in sharpish when the wall of humanity and suitcases alight though.

I get on at stockwell on the way home, but that's not the point, Mrs M. The Victoria line isn't just for us Brixtonians. There are fewer seats. that means fewer seats.

 

[Pip]

I get on at stockwell on the way home, but that's not the point, Mrs M. The Victoria line isn't just for us Brixtonians. There are fewer seats. that means fewer seats.

Yeah, that doesn't fill me with joy either.

BTW I sat on a new carriage in the London Transport Museum and it was crap. What are they saying the point is? When will the old (current) trains all be gone?

BTW 2 last weekend they had a green line route master as a rail replacement bus in Finchley Road

 

[honto]

I am not sure I even care at the moment about the new style trains (though I secretly love the look of the old 60s style ones in the way i love old minis despite people telling me they are potential death traps etc.)

I just want a weekend service. This weekend will be the 3rd on the run with no Victoria line at all right? I like an excuse to stay home and watch the telly as much as anyone but 3 on the run seems like they are taking the piss.

 

[teuchter]

When will the old (current) trains all be gone?

Gradually phased out between now and 2012 apparently.

 

[Pip]

Gradually phased out between now and 2012 apparently.

That's some Mayan shit

 

[teuchter]

That's some Mayan shit

Standard LU pace of renovation I would say.

Quite speedy compared to the tube station rebuilding, anyway.

 

[ChrisSouth]

Less seats

FEWER seats.

 

[teuchter]

Less seatery.

 

[Crispy]

I eagerly await the first report from an urbanite who's been on the new train.

 

[19sixtysix]

I'm wondering at adding to the tube toolkit,

Bottle of water
Torch
Portable Seat

 

[Crispy]

would probably work, but you wouldn't half piss people off

 

[19sixtysix]

would probably work, but you wouldn't half piss people off

Though this could be better for the tired commuter.

 

[teuchter]

Maybe something along these lines -

 

[Blagsta]

Ahhhh, the daily commute! I'm glad I left London is all I can say!

 

[Foucault's Wife]

Phasing out the old trains and bringing in the new trains that I have been waiting for, for what seems like forever just as I am about to stop using the tube and start cycling again. Will I EVER see and use these new trains?

I reckon they don't exist, they're like father christmas. One day I think I'll be catching one and then my Mum or Dad will come chugging up the tracks.

But seriously, why is it taking 3 years to phase the new trains in? Can someone explain? Can't they just take the old ones off one night [or one weekend when the line is shut] and put the new ones on? Surely they've tested them enough already when they closed at 10pm for all those months.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Phasing out the old trains and bringing in the new trains that I have been waiting for, for what seems like forever just as I am about to stop using the tube and start cycling again. Will I EVER see and use these new trains?

I reckon they don't exist, they're like father christmas. One day I think I'll be catching one and then my Mum or Dad will come chugging up the tracks.

But seriously, why is it taking 3 years to phase the new trains in? Can someone explain? Can't they just take the old ones off one night [or one weekend when the line is shut] and put the new ones on? Surely they've tested them enough already when they closed at 10pm for all those months.

maybe they have to test them on new tracks or something?

 

[Crispy]

But seriously, why is it taking 3 years to phase the new trains in? Can someone explain? Can't they just take the old ones off one night [or one weekend when the line is shut] and put the new ones on? Surely they've tested them enough already when they closed at 10pm for all those months.

Cos they can only build them so fast. One rolls off the line every 2 weeks, so that's how quickly we'll get them from 2010 onwards. For a fleet of 47 trains, that's 2 years. It makes sense to roll them out incrementally, as it spreads driver training costs out, and allows for any design bugs to be found before the whole fleet is constructed.

 

[Foucault's Wife]

maybe they have to test them on new tracks or something?

Lo! Minnie I think you may be right.

 

[Foucault's Wife]

Cos they can only build them so fast. One rolls off the line every 2 weeks, so that's how quickly we'll get them from 2010 onwards. For a fleet of 47 trains, that's 2 years. It makes sense to roll them out incrementally, as it spreads driver training costs out, and allows for any design bugs to be found before the whole fleet is constructed.

So they hadn't actually built any of them when they were testing them? I can understand that they wouldn't build 47 new trains when they might not have passed the tests but what about the ones they were using to test where are they now? Where did they end up? Between when they finished testing them nearly 18 months ago they didn't build any trains? They could have built approximately 39 in that time so where are they?

Could they not have trained the drivers when they tested the trains? Or I suppose not in case we didn't get the trains. What if the trains had failed the tests? What would have happened to our promised new trains? Oh this is all too confusing, I don't know why I even try to understand anything TfL does, they seem to operate in a parallel universe to all logic or at least what I understand as logic.

Or perhaps it is that TfL treats us like numpties and doesn't ever bother to tell us anything, the 'information' they deign to give its customers is not 'information' they are dictats. It is not: "Customers will get new trains on the Vic line in this time frame for the following reasons..." It is: "Due to investment the Vic Line is closed for the testing of new trains. Now give us your money."

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Lo! Minnie I think you may be right.

indeed

Our Victoria line upgrade will deliver new trains, track and signals, which means faster, smoother and more reliable journeys.

By 2012, 47 new trains will be in service, each with more seats, higher ceilings, wider aisles and doors, plus improved ventilation and lighting, and an energy-efficient braking system.

Already more than three-quarters of the track has been renewed and two-thirds of the new signalling equipment has been installed. This means we will be able to run more trains closer together safely - vital during busy periods.

 

[Foucault's Wife]

Completed stations:

Euston, Stockwell.

 

[teuchter]

when they finished testing them nearly 18 months ago

Where did you get this from?

 

[Foucault's Wife]

Err isn't that when they finished testing the trains? When the line used to close at 10pm.

 

[Crispy]

Err isn't that when they finished testing the trains? When the line used to close at 10pm.

That was for track replacement

 

[quimcunx]

I was sure we were told the weekday 10pm closure was for testing new stock.

 

[Crispy]

I was sure we were told the weekday 10pm closure was for testing new stock.

It was for track replacement. They needed the extra time to get all the special machinery in and out.

 

[teuchter]

And they had to send in the giant hoovers too.