Quote Of The Day

"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake - Chessmaster Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower (1887-1956)"

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Victoria Line #Fail...

I get the London Underground into work everyday. The Victoria Line takes me door to door as is happens. As do many other people. Occasionally there's the odd delay in the service. Hey, occasionally there's the odd detective train and we get turfed off only to catch the next one. No biggy. You get used to it when you ride a 19th century mass transit system. But this morning was special.

First we were delayed between Euston and Warren Street. Then they emptied our train at Warren Street to regulate the service - planning to reverse the train up the line to cross over to the northbound line just outside the station. Then they couldn't do that as the train behind ours had come too close to the station platform and blocked the line. Then our train continued on it's way anyway without us in it. Then the next train pulled in. Packed of course. The that train was delayed due to a signalling failure at Victoria. Which was only affecting the 'new' trains not the 'old' ones. But there were plenty of new trains on the line so we all had to wait. So eventually we pulled into Green Park - my final destination - 25 minutes late.

While the 2nd train was waiting to depart Warren Street A scuffle broke out on the platform. The tube can be very hot and tempers were fraying. Someone had got off the train and barged someone else without apologising. Or they had, but the other guy hadn't heard him. How quickly the veneer of civility breaks down. Punches were thrown. OK, it's not quite Egypt but that was my drama this morning.
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3 comments:

  1. DavidCW7:50 am

    Make sure you put in your charter claim... it's the only way they learn.

    http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/tickets/refunds/tuberefund/

    And what it is with the new trains? They are less comfortable (even crowded), less reliable and have doors that can't cope with -gasp - passengers in the way.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I will certainly make my claim. As you say, it's the only way they will learn.

    Those new trains are certainly fast. And bright. But as you say, if you stand by the central pole you are already in the way.

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  3. meetthecroppers3:13 pm

    The problem with the new Victoria Line trains is that they were procured under a PFI agreement - and in order to cut costs, the government stipulated that there was to be no pre-service testing. So they are being tested in full service, and as you can see, there are a lot of bugs still to be sorted.

    Just so you know, like.

    ReplyDelete

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