TFL Rail - Reason for continued reduction in service in West (Paddington) compared to East (Liverpool Street)

[700007]

This is solely demand related. Excluding the newly added bit to Reading, the statistics for TfL Rail passenger wise was something like for every passenger that uses the Western branch, 9 use the Eastern branch. Even with the Reading branch bolstered onto it, I can't imagine it has massively changed. It is much, much quieter on that side.

 

[cactustwirly]

This is solely demand related. Excluding the newly added bit to Reading, the statistics for TfL Rail passenger wise was something like for every passenger that uses the Western branch, 9 use the Eastern branch. Even with the Reading branch bolstered onto it, I can't imagine it has massively changed. It is much, much quieter on that side.

I imagine that's because the main peak service is provided by GWR for the busiest stations on the line (Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford)
The other stations that TfL serve are basically villages such as Iver and Taplow

 

[Nippy]

That's what the manually recorded announcement said at Southall

Well they want a talking to then.

It's a problem with the fire protection systems.

 

[matt_world2004]

It's a problem with the fire protection systems.

There have been problems with the fire protection systems before in the Heathrow tunnel

 

[Non Multi]

This is solely demand related. Excluding the newly added bit to Reading, the statistics for TfL Rail passenger wise was something like for every passenger that uses the Western branch, 9 use the Eastern branch. Even with the Reading branch bolstered onto it, I can't imagine it has massively changed. It is much, much quieter on that side.

Between Slough and Reading social distancing on a 7 car set was easy, even pre-lockdown, because the car is king here. Passenger numbers may increase a bit when the many new apartments being built along the GWML become occupied.

 

[itfcfan]

Between Slough and Reading social distancing on a 7 car set was easy, even pre-lockdown, because the car is king here. Passenger numbers may increase a bit when the many new apartments being built along the GWML become occupied.

The bigger issue are the intermediate stations - Hayes & Harlington, Southall, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway to Paddington. Demand is far lower than usual, but you don't need many passengers (by London standards) to make keeping 2m distance on 5 car class 360 running at 2tph impossible. At peak times that is the case and numbers are only going to rise from here. Having 9 car class 345s at 4tph (while continuing to encourage essential journeys only) would make a big difference.

 

[matt_world2004]

Currently the way it works between Hayes and Southall during the peak is you queue outside the station. You are allocated a carriage number which is printed on the platform. You are supposed to board that carriage number.i haven't seen this in action yet. But seen the queuing outside the station at Southall

 

[Non Multi]

YES I'VE SEEN THE SIGNS AT TAPLOW.
YOU WAIT AT THE ENTRANCE TO BE ALLOCATED A ZONE IN THE STATION FOR YOUR PURPLE TRAIN.

THESE NOTICES TO PASSENGERS ARE ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS, BECAUSE THESE ARE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS. NORMAL MIXED CASE TEXT SIMPLY WON'T DO!

 

[cactustwirly]

Currently the way it works between Hayes and Southall during the peak is you queue outside the station. You are allocated a carriage number which is printed on the platform. You are supposed to board that carriage number.i haven't seen this in action yet. But seen the queuing outside the station at Southall

I haven't seen any of this at Twyford

 

[30907]

YES I'VE SEEN THE SIGNS AT TAPLOW.
YOU WAIT AT THE ENTRANCE TO BE ALLOCATED A ZONE IN THE STATION FOR YOUR PURPLE TRAIN.

THESE NOTICES TO PASSENGERS ARE ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS, BECAUSE THESE ARE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS. NORMAL MIXED CASE TEXT SIMPLY WON'T DO!

SO MAKE THEM AS DIFFICULT TO READ AS POSSIBLE. Apologies

OT: a local politician on my previous patch invariably wrote extremely lengthy e-mails ALL IN CAPS and with no paragraphing. I gave up trying to read them.

 

[JN114]

I haven't seen any of this at Twyford

Twyford isn’t a TfL managed station, so I’d expect arrangements to differ between them

 

[JonathanH]

There appears to have been a reintroduction of Hayes shuttles through the morning peak today. The units go off to the depot from Paddington after the 0911 / 0941 arrivals.

 

[matt_world2004]

There appears to have been a reintroduction of Hayes shuttles through the morning peak today. The units go off to the depot from Paddington after the 0911 / 0941 arrivals.

Yes. I have tried catching these at Paddington because they show themselves as terminating at Hayes and Harlington and next stop Acton Mainline but the PIS has been wrong and they are returning to the depot Acton main line doesn't have the stickers either.

 

[Horizon22]

There appears to have been a reintroduction of Hayes shuttles through the morning peak today. The units go off to the depot from Paddington after the 0911 / 0941 arrivals.

There are a few, but restricted to the early morning. They're all finished by 0848 departure from Paddington. TfL have the capacity to run more, so the only reason they are not is presumably demand related. But they are getting slowly busier so I imagine they will make an appearance throughout the day in coming weeks. Curtailing any service to T4 which is still signed out of use.

 

[TrainSailing]

Yes. I have tried catching these at Paddington because they show themselves as terminating at Hayes and Harlington and next stop Acton Mainline but the PIS has been wrong and they are returning to the depot Acton main line doesn't have the stickers either.

Hayes shuttles have not returned yet. Basically there is no easy way to display 'Not in service' or a blank PIS. So when returning to the depot or running ECS the Hayes headcode is used by most drivers hence why you might see a ECS back to the depot showing as a Hayes service. Also a 345 will run to Heathrow tomorrow in passenger service for the first time.

TS

 

[matt_world2004]

Hayes shuttles have not returned yet. Basically there is no easy way to display 'Not in service' or a blank PIS. So when returning to the depot or running ECS the Hayes headcode is used by most drivers hence why you might see a ECS back to the depot showing as a Hayes service. Also a 345 will run to Heathrow tomorrow in passenger service for the first time.

TS

I've seen not in service displayed on the side displayed before.

 

[JonathanH]

Also a 345 will run to Heathrow tomorrow in passenger service for the first time.

I'm guessing this will be the 0532 London Paddington to Heathrow Terminal 5 which appears to be set up for empty stock from Old Oak Depot rather than the Heathrow Express depot.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P62388/2020-06-10/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P63083/2020-06-10/detailed

 

[Nippy]

345s to Heathrow not happening tomorrow. Will try again Thursday.

 

[Horizon22]

345s to Heathrow not happening tomorrow. Will try again Thursday.

Yep it should be 9T07 on Thursday.

 

[JonathanH]

Yep it should be 9T07 on Thursday.

Didn't happen - 5T07 came from the Heathrow Express depot so still all 360s on Heathrow services for the time being.