Greater Anglia.. run by idiots?

[VauxhallandI]

Most of the time GA do accommodate Spurs matches- it is quite often that I see posters further up the WA mentioning that services will call additionally at Northumberland Park and services strengthened 4 to 8 cars, both for weekend games and evening.

With wires down, trains will have been trapped in the section- and as it is quite hard to bring out a train from the depot at short notice if it s being worked on, it is quite possible there simply wasn't the stock available and in position to be able to strengthen the services stopping at White Hart Lane that easily. As I understood it, the transport issue did actually come close to getting the game called off.

Indeed the trains call at Northumberland Park on match days. It's a terrible sinking feeling when it happens but it does.

 

[GNER 91128]

You're spot-on.

Anyone who went to the Olympic Park in the summer will have noticed that the walking routes to Stratford/West Ham were designed to do just that.

It's especially true when a nearby station has limited capacity. E.g. at Arsenal's Emirates stadium, Holloway Road and Drayton Park* stations are always closed when matches are played

* A couple of the access bridges to the stadium actually go over Drayton Park station. Whilst Holloway Road is a station with lifts and no escalators.

I use Finsbury Park after games, to go for a beer and to let the crowds die down. Arsenal is open afterwards and the flow into the station is regulated. There is also Highbury and Islington many people use too.

Money was set aside to pay for improvements at Holloway Road, but tfl decided they wasn't going to do the work. So remains shut for and hour to those exiting before games and an hour afterwards the other way.

 

[09065]

It would appear i touched a nerve with this, the way that the railway 'family' have gathered the wagons in a circle
The pillocks i referred to were the planners and possible arsewarmers who 'run' the railway, not the guys at the pointed end.

I was unaware that

1) it was a equipment failure on Sunday,

2) that works are planned 2 YEARS!!!!! in advance. In which case perhaps the person who does this bit of forward planning could let the FA know so they can move their matches to suit

It would appear that our original author has allowed representatives of the Football Association to gorgonize and impress upon him that they are beyond the need for dissemination of information which will either be provided in advance of the appropriate season decisions or on request for such an important national institution.

With regard to 'not having spare stock' Can someone explain to me where all the stock that was used on Friday Rush hours and will be used 12hrs later on Monday goes to?.

The points i mentioned have not popped out of the ground overnight, in fact it has only been in the last two years that 8 car trains have been put on the Lea Valley line, and thank God for that. But Why someone cannot see past the end of his nose to put an extra stop at Northumberland Park on the up Stansteds i fail to understand.
I have not got a 1958 WTT to hand but i am sure that there was a modified steam operated service on match days, and even when the electrics first started there was a rushhour service IIRC that was 0,20,40 Fast Lower Edmonton-LSt 3,23,43 all stations, 13,23,43 all stations to Hackney Downs then fast to Lst . So dont bleat it cannot be done, or is it progress that is stopping a service like that now. Also back then the crowds were 20k more than today,AND private transport was a luxury so God help the transport infrastructure when the 60k Stadium is completed in 4yrs It isnt only the rail who appear not to bother, the successors to LT also dont give a toss, I have pictures of Tottenham High road with upwards of 20 trolleybuses all waiting to disperse the crowds..

I would suggest that the timetable of 1958 would show much less need for additional transport as football support was a much more local event at the time.

An interesting research article into football association fans of the 1950s suggests that allegiances were considerably more regional than they are today and indeed rather than travel to away games they remained in their region and watched what would only be considered now as the "bitter rivals".

The research suggests that the cultural shift towards "single team support" too place somewhere between your WTT of 1958 and the late 1960's which is when you would expect the so called football specials to take place.

And finally, when i contacted Tfl 4yrs ago, to ask why a Tube station at Northumberland Park,with perhaps match day only facilities could not be built on the land between the station and the depot, i was advised that it would
1) cost £80m
2) extra bridges would be needed

BS on both counts surely?

Infrastructure would be required to ensure that the station would remain compliant with current technical and security standards. This could include the requirement for a new power supply for the lighting and security systems, facilities for staff should mandatory dispatch be required for any reason.

You also have to consider that new telecoms connections would be required for the Oyster readers and whether additional computer equipment is required at the location to connect these into the oyster network.

Then you need to take actions to ensure that people can actually buy tickets to the station, which requires not only action from TfL but also from National Rail/DfT. We would consider this easy, however the back passages of power are usually about as useful as a chocolate pint pot in a bar in Westminster.

The infrastructure would require an island platform, perhaps 4 oyster readers
no more than a mile of track and two points with five signals to give protection/access, and a basic station building
I tell you what , give me the 80m and let me keep what is left over

Oh and no extra bridges are required at all.

As regards Transport TfL/NR for the London Clubs

Asrenal Has the nearest Tfl Stations closed and only Finsbury Park on NR with Highbury on NR/Tfl 60k(or so they say)

Chelsea 1 Tube station Fulham Broadway (40k)

Which of course is considerably reduced from the planned 100k capacity which was originally suggested for Stamford Bridge

Fulham (30k) Putney Bridge Tfl and East Puntey NR both long walks

West Ham (30k) Upton Park

Spurs (35k) have the two NR stations both 5mins walk from the stadium and yet everyone says it has lousy transport links.. Now whose problem is that to sort out?

and when Network Rail "sorts it out" only to find Tottenham Hotspur moved into some new stadium in the development formerly known as Olympic Park; who becomes liable for the white elephant?

Oh and Yes Asrenal did promise to fund the transport improvements, i believe it was part of the planning permission, looks like Tfl are still waiting

QED

No i was getting at the management not the workers. It seem the shareholders are more of a priority than the travelling public

Flame away,but do it objectively

and all you seem to have done was burden rank and file staff with the inane research which will need revisiting.

 

[district]

but if the rail company is not there to provide a service for events like football or concerts then why bother running trains

People don't just use the railway to travel to events.

 

[spurs4life]

Yes but we run trains for people to go shopping as c2c did with extra trains to Stratford why should the railways do that.There is no difference at the end of the day you run a service to get customers to where they need to go.

 

[DarloRich]

Yesterday, they decided to shut the Lea Valley line for some reason.

This meant that the bulk of the footbsall traffic was put on the Enfield Town line. Not only that they ran some 4 car!!! FFS trains after the match. surely someone with a brain cell that isnt frozen would have had the nous to schedule something on a day Spurs are away. After all they know about the fixture list Waaaay back in June last year

Speaking as a traveller... pillocks all of them. Also what is to get them to get the Stansteds making an extra stop at Northumberland Park to relieve the London bound Traffic? It isnt rocket science, they do manage to put the extra stop in for the Northbound trains prior to the match

It would appear i touched a nerve with this, the way that the railway 'family' have gathered the wagons in a circle
The pillocks i referred to were the planners and possible arsewarmers who 'run' the railway, not the guys at the pointed end.

I was unaware that

1) it was a equipment failure on Sunday,

2) that works are planned 2 YEARS!!!!! in advance. In which case perhaps the person who does this bit of forward planning could let the FA know so they can move their matches to suit

With regard to 'not having spare stock' Can someone explain to me where all the stock that was used on Friday Rush hours and will be used 12hrs later on Monday goes to?.

The points i mentioned have not popped out of the ground overnight, in fact it has only been in the last two years that 8 car trains have been put on the Lea Valley line, and thank God for that. But Why someone cannot see past the end of his nose to put an extra stop at Northumberland Park on the up Stansteds i fail to understand.
I have not got a 1958 WTT to hand but i am sure that there was a modified steam operated service on match days, and even when the electrics first started there was a rushhour service IIRC that was 0,20,40 Fast Lower Edmonton-LSt 3,23,43 all stations, 13,23,43 all stations to Hackney Downs then fast to Lst . So dont bleat it cannot be done, or is it progress that is stopping a service like that now. Also back then the crowds were 20k more than today,AND private transport was a luxury so God help the transport infrastructure when the 60k Stadium is completed in 4yrs It isnt only the rail who appear not to bother, the successors to LT also dont give a toss, I have pictures of Tottenham High road with upwards of 20 trolleybuses all waiting to disperse the crowds..
And finally, when i contacted Tfl 4yrs ago, to ask why a Tube station at Northumberland Park,with perhaps match day only facilities could not be built on the land between the station and the depot, i was advised that it would
1) cost £80m
2) extra bridges would be needed

BS on both counts surely?

The infrastructure would require an island platform, perhaps 4 oyster readers
no more than a mile of track and two points with five signals to give protection/access, and a basic station building
I tell you what , give me the 80m and let me keep what is left over

Oh and no extra bridges are required at all.

As regards Transport TfL/NR for the London Clubs

Asrenal Has the nearest Tfl Stations closed and only Finsbury Park on NR with Highbury on NR/Tfl 60k(or so they say)

Chelsea 1 Tube station Fulham Broadway (40k)

Fulham (30k) Putney Bridge Tfl and East Puntey NR both long walks

West Ham (30k) Upton Park

Spurs (35k) have the two NR stations both 5mins walk from the stadium and yet everyone says it has lousy transport links.. Now whose problem is that to sort out?

Oh and Yes Asrenal did promise to fund the transport improvements, i believe it was part of the planning permission, looks like Tfl are still waiting


No i was getting at the management not the workers. It seem the shareholders are more of a priority than the travelling public

Flame away,but do it objectively

Whilst I am sure you know best I think you ought to try a little bit of research before unleashing a tirade of utter wibble. I can’t even be bothered to respond in detail because it will be like banging your head against a wall. I shall simply make the following general points

As for the cost you set out the figure of £80m seems reasonable, if not a little low, for the level of work you would need to build a new station. Yes, it is expensive to build railway infrastructure items in this county, something which frustrates me incredibly, but you are not working in a general building environment.

You may have decided that new bridges aren’t required but legislation will make you look like a fool. Sorry, but your new station has to comply with DDA and other legislation. You might not like it but tough.

Track is expensive to design, construct and install, particularly when you add in switches and crossings. Signalling is ruinously expensive to design, construct install, plumb in and test. Even basic construction work around the railway is expensive, mainly because you can’t just round up a gang of brickies and set them on. Unfortunately they need to be trained and assessed competent ( this alone will cost you quite bit!) to work in a live railway environment. In this case they may also need training in working in an AC OHLE area and perhaps DC training to. Then when you have trained them you need to procure and use specialist tools and plant that you don’t need in general building work. This is mainly to ensure you don’t come into contact with the OHLE or bash a moving train. You have to segregate the site from moving trains so you will also have to pay for all of the site safety personal, site safety planning documentation and procedures to ensure your staff don’t come into contact with moving trains. You may need to have a possession of the line to do even the simplest work if you breach the “safety envelope” set out by the rule book.

However I am sure you know all this.

 

[silverfoxcc]

Thank you all for your imformative replies

Lewisham2221.
If you can find anywhere in my original post that i was complaining of walking to the match i will personally deliver my car to you in person as recompense. In fact, but don't let that get in the way of a good reply rant, i was pointing out that a four car unit was put into service, which i am sure you will agree that could have been run as an 8 car from the outset. I was unaware of the passenger being ill at Highams Park, and the wiring problem, hence my comments in my second post.

Question

Do the units now run to Enfield and then Chingford alternately from LStreet. eg in from Enfield, out to Chingford, in from Chingford out to Enfield? ( as pointed out in a previous post that the passenger problem disrupted the Enfield service)

Paul, i apologise for not sitting on this site 24/7 waiting to reply to every poster

No one has yet answered one of my questions



WHY if they can put an extra stop in the down Stansted service with no one missing their planes, it is not possible to do the same for the up services?




Yes i agree that people all walk at different speeds. however when the service is every 15 min they do tend to back up on arrival at the station

I was unaware that every oyster reader needs a seperate feed back to the main frame. I thought that as there are four extant readers at NP that it might be a reasonably easy job to wire in a few more.

If any of your researchers looked at GSV/Maps it is quite obvious that no additional bridges are required to put the two platform lines in adjacent to the existing station.

And could someone in the railway constructon industry give a ball park figure to prove the £80m quoted. Its no good you sitting there pontificating that it will cost that much without backing it up. I just feel that having read the railway-technical.com finance page that 80m is quite possible. The new 2 platform station at Southend Airport is costed at £12.5m. There are no current new track builds shown but the Madrid-Albacete High speed line is costed at £10m per km. I assume that is everything, signalling, ground preparation and rail laying
So allowing for 3km of new track for the new tube station at NP, can someone tell me what the other £48m is being spent on?

As you can see my 36 posts in just under a year could well put me as lurker status, a situation i will happily return to.

My first post was based on on the spot observations without prior knowledge, but having read some of the replies, it would appear that they would really enjoy their job, if there were no passengers to carry, a situation that may well exist in several years the way fares are rising.
Just to give you an example. My wife an i used to travel to Scotland by train each year,as

1) the total cost door to door(for us both) was cheaper than the petrol
2) the travel was less hassle
3) We enjoyed it

Now we drive as the fares are to put it blunty, obscene, despite the cost of fuel going up as it has, and i now have a diesel which is more economical than the petrol predecessor.

I am pro rail, but am being driven off it, due to the what i feel, is a lackadaisical attitude shown by some so called professional railwaymen. I use it only now when i have to.
First GW persist in putting on three car 165 on the local Slough-Padd on Sats, which results in the train being wedged by West Drayton, so we drive to Hayes and get the Heathrow Connect and a seat

 

[Dave1987]

Please please please listen silverfoxcc.

You make it sound like every infrastructure project on the railway can be treated the same. Ah just bang in a platform, whack down a bit of track and just throw in a few signals.

For example there is a position light between the UP/DOWN electrics and UP/DOWN main near Romford. The piece of track it is associated with is completely disconnected from the line and it is completely disused. This position light though is still there and still works even though it will never be used. Do you know why? I is because the cost of the paperwork and hoops NR would have to jump through just to get that position light removed are so great it just isnt worth it. So it stays there in full working order even though it will never be used.

This is why it is not as easy and as cheap to build this station as you think it is.

 

[306024]

It would appear i touched a nerve with this, the way that the railway 'family' have gathered the wagons in a circle
The pillocks i referred to were the planners and possible arsewarmers who 'run' the railway, not the guys at the pointed end.

"Pillocks" - I thought we were meant to keep this friendly .

Time to correct a few misconceptions.

1) Tottenham Hotspur FC have the highest percentage of supporters that travel by heavy rail of all the premiership clubs. When pre-planned engineering work does occasionally clash, it is damage limitation time, but as previously explained the FA are not often interested in Network Rail's requirements.

The planners are proactive and a huge number of timetable and diagram modifications are required for each game, none of which seem to kick off at the same time so many different plans are needed. All trains are diagrammed to be 8 cars wherever possible, but the planners can only work with the infrastructure / resources available. So as for being 'pillocks', I await a suitable apology

Of course events on the day can destroy the best of plans, and the Cheshunt / Enfield service is generally resourced from Chingford, as there are no stabling points or drivers depots on the White Hart Lane route. I have no access to the facts, but there does seem to have been disruption on the Chingford line.

2) Greater Anglia is not run by idiots. They did lose a number of key operating managers at the start of the franchise, and since the overall success of the Olympics a few more senior staff thought it was a good time to retire / move on.

May I suggest a slightly over emotive title for this thread perhaps?

 

[DarloRich]

I have solved it. If Tottenham put up, say, 2 international centre forwards worth of cash the station could be built& GA could run a dedicated shuttle. Easy.

 

[jopsuk]

How true- though the prosed station is a Victoria Line one, basically alongside the depot, with trains that currently terminate at Seven Sisters but don't go the dpot continuing forward to terminate there.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Lewisham2221.
If you can find anywhere in my original post that i was complaining of walking to the match i will personally deliver my car to you in person as recompense. In fact, but don't let that get in the way of a good reply rant, i was pointing out that a four car unit was put into service, which i am sure you will agree that could have been run as an 8 car from the outset. I was unaware of the passenger being ill at Highams Park, and the wiring problem, hence my comments in my second post.

My apologies, I was reffering to spurs4life's post, not yours!

 

[silverfoxcc]

Lewisham2221

Thats OK, no long term damage!! Still got the car!!

Still there are a few questions that are still unanswered,
re the cost of putting in a station,
How do the Chingford/Enfield town diagrams work,
and why cant 2 or 3 Stansteds both up and down after the match have the extra stop put in to assist in moving the crowds? after all in 3-4yrs time there is going to be another 25k to shift

I ask those as an interested traveller nothing more

 

[Dave1987]

Lewisham2221

Thats OK, no long term damage!! Still got the car!!

Still there are a few questions that are still unanswered,
re the cost of putting in a station,
How do the Chingford/Enfield town diagrams work,
and why cant 2 or 3 Stansteds both up and down after the match have the extra stop put in to assist in moving the crowds? after all in 3-4yrs time there is going to be another 25k to shift

I ask those as an interested traveller nothing more

I think the reason the Stansted's cannot stop is due to the agreement with the airport for the service GA have to operate to the airport as part of the franchise agreement. That is how I think it works anyway.

 

[306024]

Well despite the lack of an apology I'll explain how the diagrams work as I'm a nice chap

If you take a Saturday as the base pattern, then the sequence for the 06 and 36 arrivals in Liverpool St is Chingford - Liv St - Cheshunt - Liv St - Enfield - Liv St - Chingford. The 21 and 51 arrivals work Chingford - Liv St - Hertford - Liv St - Chingford. This pattern is sort of there on Monday to Friday too but the detatching and attaching for the off peak service cuts across it.

Why so complicated? Well it is all around the dreaded word productivity. Planned like this makes the most efficient use of the Chingford based drivers, some diagrams cover all these routes in a single shift. If there were still traincrew depots at Hertford East and Enfield Town then the units could be kept to the same routes, but they closed years ago.

Stopping down Stansteds additionally is problematic as they can miss their path on the single line through the tunnel approaching the airport in some cases, which then adds nearly 10 minutes to the journey time and is deemed unacceptable. No doubt there are pathing and platforming considerations that prevent similar for up services, never mind the fact that BAA are not over keen for their passengers to be subject to the company of THFC fans.

 

[CockneySparrow]

So why have a railway service on a weekend as there are no commuters if its not to get people to where they need to go where ever that might be.

Oh I think there are commuters at weekends, how about those who work in shops, or at the local football club two stops along the line

 

[09065]

No one has yet answered one of my questions

WHY if they can put an extra stop in the down Stansted service with no one missing their planes, it is not possible to do the same for the up services?

If any of your researchers looked at GSV/Maps it is quite obvious that no additional bridges are required to put the two platform lines in adjacent to the existing station.

My first post was based on on the spot observations without prior knowledge, but having read some of the replies, it would appear that they would really enjoy their job, if there were no passengers to carry, a situation that may well exist in several years the way fares are rising.

I offer no apology for the economising of your rodomtade, but some of it was simply incensed jabber. On the points about though lets find some answers, some of those I would perceive to already be answered but ignored.

* The reason that GA could probably not put an additional stop in the up services is because that is likely what the agreement put in place with Stansted Airport says. I wonder, as well as giving away cars at random, do you also conduct protracted contract negotiations? I suspect some of our favourite unions would invite you to discuss their pay discussion needs.

* How do you propose that passengers traverse from one platform to another and indeed from the platform furthest from your beloved stadium? One hope you are not trying to cut costs by installing a level crossing, especially with Network Rail being decisive to removing as many as possible.

* The final paragraph I reproduced would advocate that you might find the Daily Mail a more enjoyable read than the responses that are being offered. Indeed your experience as a customer of First Great Western would suggest that you would indeed denigrate the wider railway community at pleasure.

 

[silverfoxcc]

Apologies for the delay ,but for some reason my laptop has the last log on this as Darios #67.

Back on my PC to read the updates and add bits

Right first of all having had the workings of the N london circuit explained. pillocks was a bit harsh OK?

As regards the estimate of 80m for a new station and track, i was poo pooed by several as to not doing research and making them do it, (which they did not show) and generally mocked..Fair enough, but if you cannot take it, please dont dish it.

SO

From the website Railway Technical costings re new station at Southend Aiprort

This from Railway Technical.com

Network Rail UK 2011 New Station at Southend Airport £12.5million 2-platform facility Built in 23 months

Note Station only. As for the track etc a site of HM treasury has this to say

Recent work for the Department for Transport suggested a new double track high-speed rail line might cost £12-16 million per route-kilometre.
The £12-16m per route-kilometre figure varies according to whether construction is on a disused railway alignment (£12m) or built on green fields (£16m). The figure provides for complete double track new high speed line including track, control systems, power, earthworks and most structures but excluding tunnels, significant structures and stations.
The attached costings are based on existing route distances. It is important to note that it is possible that new alignments would take a different route and so might cost more or less depending on route distance and how much major engineering works – such as tunnels (none reqd flat land and no bridges as access is already there) - are needed en route


Note a high speed line not a two road terminus


So as i asked before, even with some rounding up this adds up to a max of 20m for the station and say £40m for the track. Still £20m short of this 80m and even less than some on here were quoting

So show me your figures and i will retract the above


Re The Stanted service
09065 quoted
'The reason that GA could probably not put an additional stop in the up services is because that is likely what the agreement put in place with Stansted Airport says. I wonder, as well as giving away cars at random, do you also conduct protracted contract negotiations? I suspect some of our favourite unions would invite you to discuss their pay discussion needs.'




It is operated by GA as a sub brand. BAA have nothing to do with it unlike the Heathrow Express and Connect services
And if BAA had a finger in its operation, then i would have thought it would have insisted on a non stop run, rather than having three regular stops at Tott Hale, Broxbourne, and Bishops Stortford as well as the odd one timetabled in for Stansted Mountfitchet The last three well known hubs for airline passenger interchange.
And surely if BAA really have some clout/agreement in this how come some down Stansteds have the additional stop at Northumberland park on match days only without them losing paths at the tunnel? (max 12 trains ph) So the argument is flawed as regards the Up stansteds as there IS no problem with the pathing in.


He later said

'How do you propose that passengers traverse from one platform to another and indeed from the platform furthest from your beloved stadium? One hope you are not trying to cut costs by installing a level crossing, especially with Network Rail being decisive to removing as many as possible.'


Hmm you dont know the area do you?
There is an existing LC and access to the up platform is either by footbridge from the downside, or an entrance on the east side of the LC, which by a happy coincidence would also be the entrance to the proposed tube station
Please see the attached google earth pic

Just to explain the area to the right of the station is the old formation of the goods relief lines that ran from Pickets Lock SB in the North to Temple Mills yard. There is enough spare land to build a two road island station between the existing NP station and the TfL building to its right.The two roads would then join the existing tube track and then onto the network
Most of you on here appear to be a genial lot, however there are some, and not all on this thread, who seem to take great exception at any negative views on thier employer.

Baileys Studio ( company in Tottenham) also did a blog on this link is

http://ballystudios.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/werecently-celebrated-7-years-of.html

although i think he is being ambitious with extending it to Edmonton Green!! the stop at Angel Road would be a ghost station

If you cannot give a rational well thought out answer then dont bother. dont use the old 'Its because' get out. Tell me why and explain it

Either pee or get off the pot!!!! (hopefully that is a smiley)

Have a good and safe weekend

 

[jopsuk]

I do see what you're saying, but it is a bit more complicated than that.
For instance, for various technical reasons, the spur from Seven Sisters and the track through the depot entrance will signalled to a lower standard, and the points designed to a lower standard, than is considered acceptable for passenger use. Your new station formation will require further pointwork- points are vastly more expensive than plain line. Doubt this would quite make it up to £80 million, granted, but I suspect that an underground station project at this location would probably be saddled with the cost of replacing that level crossing with a grade separated road route.

As for the site? Network Rail have confirmed that they will build a third track up the Lee Valley, to be used in a "tidal" manner during peak hours by express services to allow a better local service, and they intend to safeguard the space for a possible fourth track should Crossrail 2 come to fruition and be routed that way. Basically, that track bed isn't available- due to projects that will bring better services to Northumberland Park station anyway. Unfortunately for you, these will not be short term improvements.

 

[jon0844]

Stansted now has new owners doesn't it? I wonder if they will try and do things differently to that of BAA? And by that I refer also to the train service - perhaps being more open to ideas on expansion/improvements.

Gatwick has certainly transformed (the airport itself, but also new gatelines and things on the train side) under its new ownership, but Stansted is now part of Manchester airport isn't it? I have never been there so have no idea if there's anything that could be 'carried over'.

 

[leytongabriel]

Word is that Network Rail are set against any Victoria Line incursions up the Lee Valley and that effectively blocks it.

And yes will we ever get to see the planning gain money from Emirates stadium? Islington planners were so scared that Arsenal would carry out their threat to leave the borough that they let them get away with blue murder.

As a PS how about a certain tube station reverting back to being Highbury Hill now that Finsbury Park is the official station for the Arsenal??

 

[455driver]

Strange, SWT seem to manage well when there's an event at Twickenham by rescheduling maintenance, don't see why GA can't do the same - especially as there was a possession on another part of the network I'd have thought there'd be more stock available than usual.

SWT/ NR advise Twickenham Stadium when major engineering works are taking place up to 12 months in advance, if Twickenham then decide to book a sporting event when there is engineering work then its tough, the possession will not be re-dated and all the guards will be making announcements to the effect of-

"would customers please note there will be no trains to Twickenham this Saturday due to engineering work which has been scheduled for, and advised to the stadium over 12 months ago.The railway cannot reschedule the engineering work and all complaints should be directed to Twickenham stadium".

Or something like that, been there done that.

 

[bluegoblin7]

As a PS how about a certain tube station reverting back to being Highbury Hill now that Finsbury Park is the official station for the Arsenal??

Surely it should return to Gillespie Road, if anything? The tiling is even still in place!

As an aside, the station was only ever Arsenal (Highbury Hill), rather than Highbury Hill outright.

 

[09065]

If you cannot give a rational well thought out answer then dont bother. dont use the old 'Its because' get out. Tell me why and explain it

Either pee or get off the pot!!!! (hopefully that is a smiley)

Ahhhh the uncultivated of the commuter community. We got rid of them on our line long ago.
Oh and I don't give a brass bullock what my employer thinks; I do my job and pee off home.

 

[jon0844]

And yes will we ever get to see the planning gain money from Emirates stadium? Islington planners were so scared that Arsenal would carry out their threat to leave the borough that they let them get away with blue murder.

I think Spurs did the same, and the whole thing about moving to Stratford seemed like nothing more than a clever threat to get Haringey Council to drop many demands on upgrade work in the area if planning was given to the new stadium.

Maybe Tottenham did think of moving to Stratford, but I am of the belief that they were never serious and the end result was Haringey caving in on demands to upgrade local roads, stations etc.

(BTW, I'm a Spurs fan!).