On pins and needles, did the train come?At Tottenham Court Road right now and the platform screens aren’t working, so no idea when the next services are etc - not great!
On pins and needles, did the train come?At Tottenham Court Road right now and the platform screens aren’t working, so no idea when the next services are etc - not great!
The peak rolling stock requirement comes later when they open through running from Paddington - Shenfield with no through running at Paddington (terminating everything there results in lower unit utilisation than the final timetable and thus being short of units) and very early in the period with through running from Paddington when there are the last remaining 7car units to convert which can't go through the core.Why do they still have 315s? Since Paddington to Whitechapel is running at half its intended frequency, they must have spare 345s sitting around rusting.
Certainly no 4G and the WiFi in the trains does not seem to be working again yet, it has been switched off ready for opening EL a few weeks/months(?) back.Real shame that 4G couldn't be provided, hope it won't be a huge wait to fix it. Also felt like spotty WiFi in the stations too but I wasn't paying a huge amount of attention so could have got that wrong. Is there any indication of when 4G will be provided in the tunnels?
Liverpool street entrance near central line did feel bizarrely claustrophobic given how massive all the rest of the station is. I was also on it with one of the escalators out of service and it was really backing up. I imagine with time the other entrance will get used more which may shift the load but given loadings I imagine are still down a bit on what they could be I can see that becoming a real pinch point.
I also did the Lizzie yesterday. I did a change from Thameslink to Crossrail and vice versa, that was easy. The problem with LU eastbound is that the platform is some way west of the other line and you can't just walk along the TL platform as you can on the westbound. Front of LU to back of Lizzie is still quite quick, and more than compensated for on a journey between Farringdon and Abbey Wood which takes less than 11 minutes. Before this week, such a time would be unimagineable.Went on it for the first time yesterday, from Abbey Wood to Farringdon.
General impression:
- Definitely a quick journey, and you can really feel the acceleration of the trains as they pull out of stations. The long wait times at stations is disappointing though.
- Surprised how crowded the train was, with people standing in both directions once West of Woolwich. It's definitely attracted people very quickly, which is good.
- Very uncomfortable hard seats.
- I feel that no toilets on the trains or in most stations is a serious mistake.
- Disappointingly long walk when changing at Farringdon - particularly from Eastbound Circle/H&C to Eastbound Elizabeth Line - and having to exit the station en route too if following the signs. I see from other comments in this thread that's not unusual.
Why are such long dwell times needed with Through running?
Services continuing from Paddington have various calling patterns and 15 - 30 min gaps so it better to make sure passengers have enough time to enter and exit the train without causing delays. I estimate there is only 90 secs leeway to get everything on the right track at westbourne park before delays and cancellations.No doubt part of the reason for long dwell times, at Tottenham Court Road heading east at least, is that the trains will likely be running on schedules that allow for a stop at Bond Street despite nothing actually stopping there currently.
I find interchange between everything poor at Canary Wharf. Even on the DLR they often advertise Jubilee from West India Quay, I believe, due to the walking distance.The interchange between the EL and Jubilee line Stations at Canary Wharf is poor. The stations are a good distance apart and the signage at street level is poor. I can see people wandering around for ages in the Canada Square area trying to find it.
Moorgate side or Liverpool Street side? All seemed fine on the LST sideThere was a problem with the escalators at Liverpool Street in the evening peak yesterday which was causing long queues to access the EL.
Isn't that the plan? Let people walk past as many retail opportunities as possible?The interchange between the EL and Jubilee line Stations at Canary Wharf is poor. The stations are a good distance apart and the signage at street level is poor. I can see people wandering around for ages in the Canada Square area trying to find it.
Interested in why you chose Farringdon.Disappointingly long walk when changing at Farringdon - particularly from Eastbound Circle/H&C to Eastbound Elizabeth Line - and having to exit the station en route too if following the signs. I see from other comments in this thread that's not unusual.
Noting the alternatives for many Jubilee Line journeys (Stratford once the Sheffield branch is connected and Bond Street, together with continuing on Southeastern from Abbey Wood and Woolwich to London Bridge or Waterloo East) what do you see as the biggest interchange demand at Canary Wharf? I had somehow always seen it as principally a traffic source/sink in its own right.The interchange between the EL and Jubilee line Stations at Canary Wharf is poor. The stations are a good distance apart and the signage at street level is poor. I can see people wandering around for ages in the Canada Square area trying to find it.
I could understand slightly extended dwell time at Paddington for that reason, but why all of the other stations?Services continuing from Paddington have various calling patterns and 15 - 30 min gaps so it better to make sure passengers have enough time to enter and exit the train without causing delays. I estimate there is only 90 secs leeway to get everything on the right track at westbourne park before delays and cancellations.
4 months to get Davies Street Ticket hall up and running!
Maybe the timetable has been planned for demand beyond the first day?I could understand slightly extended dwell time at Paddington for that reason, but why all of the other stations?
Agreed. Canary wharf is mainly a destination rather than an interchange hub.Interested in why you chose Farringdon.
How does it compare with Moorgate or Liverpool Street (to opposite ends of Liverpool Street EL station)? Would at least avoid the 'double barrier and crossing Cowcross Street in a thunderstorm' syndrome.
I think that the seats are excellent (but I've always appreciated firm seats).
Noting the alternatives for many Jubilee Line journeys (Stratford once the Sheffield branch is connected and Bond Street, together with continuing on Southeastern from Abbey Wood and Woolwich to London Bridge or Waterloo East) what do you see as the biggest interchange demand at Canary Wharf? I had somehow always seen it as principally a traffic source/sink in its own right.
Thanks for info on dwell times, reassuring that a lot of stations on the Abbey Wood branch have adjusted dwell times which sound more appropriate. I think 60 seconds, whilst noticeable, is not too bad, and probably preferable to 5 minutes recovery time waiting for path to get onto GWML.It has been noticed by the powers that be that additional Oyster readers are needed at Farringdon and Abbey Wood, so hopefully they will be installed in the not too distant future.
Re. the dwell times, most stations are booked as 60 seconds except Woolwich, Custom House and Whitechapel which are 30 seconds. Driving on Tuesday late afternoon, I did need 60 seconds at some stations as people were bunching at one end of the train and were taking longer to board so at other stations the dwell time was reduced to around 43 seconds to make up the time. Hopefully this will get better once people get used to where they need to get on and off at stations.
Interested in why you chose Farringdon.
How does it compare with Moorgate or Liverpool Street (to opposite ends of Liverpool Street EL station)? Would at least avoid the 'double barrier and crossing Cowcross Street in a thunderstorm' syndrome.
They advertise the Jubilee line from Heron Quays, and the Elizabeth line from West India QuayI find interchange between everything poor at Canary Wharf. Even on the DLR they often advertise Jubilee from West India Quay, I believe, due to the walking distance.
I wonder if Thameslink going on the Tube map (initially only due to the Northern line closure) is causing unforeseen capacity issues at FarringdonIt has been noticed by the powers that be that additional Oyster readers are needed at Farringdon and Abbey Wood, so hopefully they will be installed in the not too distant future.
How does it compare with Moorgate or Liverpool Street (to opposite ends of Liverpool Street EL station)? Would at least avoid the 'double barrier and crossing Cowcross Street in a thunderstorm' syndrome.
On the train journey times do not really warrant it. If they did you could argue that most suburban trains such as Southeastern or tube trains would also require it but as hardly anybody does travel the complete length (current Abbey Wood to Paddington excepted) then it would just waste space.I feel that no toilets on the trains or in most stations is a serious mistake.
Heron Quays is what I meant, yes. Still same thing - my point clearly being that Canary Wharf’s interchanges are so far that they’re advertised from other DLR stationsThey advertise the Jubilee line from Heron Quays, and the Elizabeth line from West India Quay
I wonder if Thameslink going on the Tube map (initially only due to the Northern line closure) is causing unforeseen capacity issues at Farringdon
The interchange between the EL and Jubilee line Stations at Canary Wharf is poor. The stations are a good distance apart and the signage at street level is poor. I can see people wandering around for ages in the Canada Square area trying to find it.
I think that's because from Autumn, Whitechapel will be the final stop on the central core before the split into the Abbey Wood and Shenfield branches. So if you're coming from Abbey Wood, Canary Wharf etc and want to go to Stratford, Shenfield etc you'll change at Whitechapel rather than Liverpool Street.- Why is there a sign at the far end of the Whitechapel westbound platform pointing to the eastbound platform??? Is this solely for people who got on the wrong train at Canary Wharf???