Central Line service changes from January 2020

[Ethano92]

Just read this article from the Ilford recorder
https://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/ne...vices-between-woodford-and-hainault-1-6348464

'Unacceptable': Commuters blast TfL's planned Central line changes that would see Woodford to Hainault services slashed from January

More than 2,400 people have signed a petition calling on TfL not to go ahead with planned "Central line improvement" works that would see services between Woodford and Hainault reduced significantly from January next year.
Yesterday (Tuesday, October 29), Transport for London emailed customers to inform them that from January 26, "essential changes" were to be made to Central line services east of Leytonstone.

It revealed that there will be an increase in services between White City and Leytonstone, but that this will come at the cost of several services further east.

Under the planned timetable, most of the current Woodford via Hainault services will become a shuttle between Woodford and Hainault, calling at Grange Hill, Chigwell, and Roding Valley.

The current eight car full-length trains will also become four-car shuttles.

Customers that need to head into central London should change at Woodford or at Hainault.

There will also be a reduction in services between Debden, Theydon Bois and Epping stations by two trains per hour, although TfL says this is to maintain the frequency of services between Woodford and Loughton.

The email, sent from TfL's Customer Information Team, said: "As part of our ongoing investment in improving services on the Central line, from enhancing the performance of the trains to introducing CCTV, we will be making some essential changes to Central line services from January 26 2020.

"This new timetable is required as a result of works we are carrying out as part of the Central line Improvement Programme.

"Due to the scale of work involved, we need to operate with slightly fewer trains from January 2020.

"So in order to continue to provide you with a regular and reliable service, we are introducing a new timetable.

"This timetable delivers an enhanced service on the busiest section of the Central line.

"More information will be available with customer email updates and meet the manager sessions in some stations."

A petition set up urging TfL to halt the planned changes was created online on October 29 and had received more than 2,400 signatures by 9.30am on October 30.

It reads: "This will have a hugely negative effect on the already stretched tube service running at these stations.

"Usage of these stations is set to continue to grow in the coming years with new developments planned in the local area.

"At peak times thousands already use this service.

"This decision taken by TfL is unacceptable. We are calling for a review of this decision."

TfL has been approached for further comment on how long the changed service will be in place for and how the decision to limit certain parts of the track was reached.

The petition against the changes can be found here.

Looking at the petition itself I've found comments calling it a cost-cutting decision, telling people not to believe it's for maintenance and my favourite.

Close the other end of the central line! Why Epping end !?!?!? They have more options that side of the line.

Now I understand they were referring to both Ealing Broadway and the Ruislip area having other services nearby but I find it comical still, as though they simply believed the West side must run with empty trains whilst the East side is full.

The 92 stock really does need some work both from a passenger and I'm guessing a mechanical perspective so if TFL do want to (sensibly) keep high frequencies through the core, what other options do they have. A similarly reduced service West Ruislip to Northolt?

 

[AM9]

Just read this article


Looking at the petition itself I've found comments calling it a cost-cutting decision, telling people not to believe it's for maintenance and my favourite.


Now I understand they were referring to both Ealing Broadway and the Ruislip area having other services nearby but I find it comical still, as though they simply believed the West side must run with empty trains whilst the East side is full.

The 92 stock really does need some work both from a passenger and I'm guessing a mechanical perspective so if TFL do want to (sensibly) keep high frequencies through the core, what other options do they have. A similarly reduced service West Ruislip to Northolt?

That petition won't get very far. The Hainault to Woodford service has been a shuttle for many years in it's history, I don't use the line these days but I can't see it being too heavily loaded for passengers to board. Each station on the loop will have a route to London and there will be little difference in travelling time over direct services through the core and for relatively few passengers, a change at Woodford (same platform) or Hainault (50% same platform in the morning peak) will be necessary. Roding Valley is the least used station on LU ISTR.
The western side cannot be compared with the loop, it's more like the Hainault vs Epping lines, and nobody is suggesting that those are served by shuttles.

 

[Mojo]

Given that most customers from Chigwell and Roding Valley at least would usually go to Woodford and change anyway (as it is quicker that way), I doubt that many people will adversely be affected. The direct trains that run as 8-car from Grange Hill end of Hainault depot to central London direct via Woodford will continue.

 

[Ethano92]

Indeed I agree the petition is somewhat pointless as many people don't use the direct service. I do wonder what TFLs response will be however, I couldn't find anything on their website in their 'planned engineering works' page.

 

[Mojo]

It isn’t planned works, it is a proposed timetable change.

 

[Ethano92]

Oh, I took it as a temporary timetable change. And I suspected a reduced service (which Loughton-Epping will be) would be better advertised even if it only effects an extremity of the network.

 

[Mojo]

TT changes are normally advertised on posters at stations for customers affected and emails are often sent out too.

 

[simple simon]

What I would hope for is that LU and TfL monitor the situation north of Loughton after the changed service have began.

Just to ensure that passengers are not being left behind because of over-crowded trains.

It would be an astonishment if the Hainault - Woodford service experienced severe over-crowding - without another totally unconnected cause.

 

[BJames]

The Hainault - Woodfood service can easily cope with 4 cars and a change at either Hainault or Woodford, as people have noted before. I have used this service to Grange Hill and I take the first train from Grange Hill, whether this is Hainault bound or Woodford bound, and change where necessary. I really can't see it affecting scores of people on this stretch.

North of Loughton - not sure at all about loadings but I can't imagine people will be left behind by overcrowded trains either.

 

[Mikey C]

Not had half length trains running on the Underground since the A stock on the Chesham shuttle!

 

[sprunt]

It isn’t planned works, it is a proposed timetable change.

From the quote in the OP:

"This new timetable is required as a result of works we are carrying out as part of the Central line Improvement Programme.

 

[Mojo]

From the quote in the OP:

It still isn’t works, as in track/signals works. It is a medium term timetable change; the planned engineering works page is for short-term closures. The service frequency will remain largely the same as at present.

 

[sprunt]

It still isn’t works, as in track/signals works. It is a medium term timetable change; the planned engineering works page is for short-term closures. The service frequency will remain largely the same as at present.

So what are the "works we are carrying out" then? That can't refer to the timetable change, otherwise TfL would effectively have said "This new timetable is required as a result of the timetable change" which would be nonsense.

I didn't say anything about the planned engineering page so I'm unsure what the relevance of that is.

 

[Mojo]

I didn't say anything about the planned engineering page so I'm unsure what the relevance of that is.

Because that is what the response to the post you quoted is about.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It always used to be a shuttle, so meh. At least they're not going back to the days when Woodford-Hainault stopped at 8pm!

 

[Surreytraveller]

Not had half length trains running on the Underground since the A stock on the Chesham shuttle!

Waterloo & City?

 

[AM9]

Waterloo & City?

The 4-car W&C trains are full length.

 

[Dstock7080]

further details now revealed:

All week:
Train services at the eastern end of the line have been re-organised to provide a train for the Central Line Improvement Project (CLIP). The peak train requirement is reduced to 75 x 8 car trains plus 2 x 4 car trains.
A Hainault-Woodford shuttle service (formed of 4 cars of 1992 stock) has been introduced replacing through trains to/from Woodford via Hainault. This service will reverse via platform 1 at Hainault with most London-bound trains departing from platforms 2 and 3.

Mondays to Fridays:
Peak services on the Epping branch have been re-cast with Loughton trains alternating with Epping trains. Debden terminating trains have been withdrawn. Stepping back of Train Operators has been introduced at Loughton.
Early morning train services have been improved with 3 additional trains in both directions through before 07.00.
An additional eastbound train has been scheduled in the morning peak providing a period of 30tph between 0830 and 0900.
One additional westbound train has been scheduled in the evening peak providing a period of 30tph between 1700 and 1730.
Late evening train services have been improved by extending the 24tph central area pattern until 2300, providing 4 extra trains in both directions between 2200 and 2300.
One additional train will stable between the peaks at Hainault Depot with one fewer trains stabling at Ruislip Depot.

Saturdays:
Late evening train services have been improved by extending the 24tph central area pattern until 2300, providing 4extra trains in both directions between 2200 and 2300.

Sundays:
Afternoon train services have been increased from 21 to 24tph (central area) between 1630 and 1800.

 

[Nym]

They were going to wait for Crossrail to open and soften the blow of dropping the Central Line service, but CLIP was supposed to be at least half way through production by now...

 

[si404]

They were going to wait for Crossrail to open and soften the blow of dropping the Central Line service

The Elizabeth Line from Ealing Broadway would have enabled stock to be freed up by reducing service on that branch instead of Essex.

 

[simple simon]

So this old line guide (seen at Bank station a few months ago) is about to be come accurate again!

 

[Dstock7080]

Public leaflet with slightly different map:

 

[Mojo]

So this old line guide (seen at Bank station a few months ago) is about to be come accurate again!

Will there be any direct trains from Fairlop to Grange Hill as implied by the dashed line on that map? I couldn't see any in the Journey Planner.

 

[notverydeep]

Will there be any direct trains from Fairlop to Grange Hill as implied by the dashed line on that map? I couldn't see any in the Journey Planner.

Train 23D 1818 Ealing Broadway to Woodford via Hainault (and similar workings at Weekends) - it then takes over shuttles from and allows train 171D to stable after the PM peak. Expect 8 car trains on 171 and 172 until late March as the changes to boarding ramp locations required for 4 car operation won't happen until then...

 

[Mojo]

Train 23D 1818 Ealing Broadway to Woodford via Hainault (and similar workings at Weekends) - it then takes over shuttles from and allows train 171D to stable after the PM peak. Expect 8 car trains on 171 and 172 until late March as the changes to boarding ramp locations required for 4 car operation won't happen until then...

I did actually see T23 in the WTT but for some reason the Journey Planner still says to change at Hainault... wonder why. The "D" just implies de-icing unit, which is another issue alongside ramps and gapping, in that 4 car trains couldn't include have any de-icers (unless it only had a cab at one end I suppose!), although apparently some units were being modified.

 

[ZL exile]

Went round the loop off peak earlier this week visiting all stations, and the trains were very poorly loaded, could have used a single car on most of them! On most trains I had a whole coach to myself, never more than 4 passengers and myself at any station for any train.