Why are District Line trains held for extended periods of time at Earls Court?

[OneTrackMinded]

One of my major gripes with the District Line is the odd practice of holding trains going towards Wimbledon, Richmond, or Ealing Broadway at Earls Court for sometimes up to 3 minutes.
The excuse usually given is "to regulate the service" or "a red signal".
If somehow the train is arriving too early on the timetable, yet not to any of the other stations, something is clearly wrong with that part of the timetable.

This is particularly annoying considering this is supposed to be a high frequency metro network, and therefore journeys should be fast and efficient with minimum dwell times. This odd extended stop does not follow that logic.

If someone could explain the reason for this seemly obtuse imposition on the service that would be much appreciated. A friend of mind told me this only started happening late last year.

 

[hexagon789]

One of my major gripes with the District Line is the odd practice of holding trains going towards Wimbledon, Richmond, or Ealing Broadway at Earls Court for sometimes up to 3 minutes.
The excuse usually given is "to regulate the service" or "a red signal".
If somehow the train is arriving too early on the timetable, yet not to any of the other stations, something is clearly wrong with that part of the timetable.

This is particularly annoying considering this is supposed to be a high frequency metro network, and therefore journeys should be fast and efficient with minimum dwell times. This odd extended stop does not follow that logic.

If someone could explain the reason for this seemly obtuse imposition on the service that would be much appreciated. A friend of mind told me this only started happening late last year.

Because the gains from CBTC haven't yet been implemented into the Working Times, trains with an unimpeded journey thus wait longer.

There is booked stand time at Earl's Court each way anyway, but according to the WTT the stand is 2.75 mins westbound as standard off-peak. The maximum booked stand appears to be 4.25 mins though that's eastbound interestingly.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Because the gains from CBTC haven't yet been implemented into the Working Times, trains with an unimpeded journey thus wait longer.

Hopefully this is sorted soon considering it's basically defeating the point of the gains from CBTC
Thanks for the explanation

 

[Dstock7080]

A new Working Timetable is to be introduced from 13 January, it reduces the running time from Earl’s Court to Upminster by 4min and westbound by 2¾mins.
Earl’s Court to Hammersmith is however slightly increased by ¾min.
Dwell times at Earl’s Court have been revised.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

A new Working Timetable is to be introduced from 13 January, it reduces the running time from Earl’s Court to Upminster by 4min and westbound by 2¾mins.
Earl’s Court to Hammersmith is however slightly increased by ¾min.
Dwell times at Earl’s Court have been revised.

Good to hear.

 

[notverydeep]

All District line trains have at least a 60 second dwell time at Earl’s Court to allow for a crew change (duty schedules are completed after the timetable). Additionally, some trains have a few minutes of ‘stand’ time added. The purpose of this is to convert an even headway on the branch into the correct headway across Central London (or vice versa). This is particularly true of peak times or periods when the service pattern transitions from one frequency to another. Even headways are intended to reduce the likelihood of particularly long waits followed by a couple of trains in quick succession as this evens out the trainload and crowding.

 

[zero]

The annoying thing seems to be that often when you are just arriving into Earls Court you see the train on the other platform, which is going where you want to go, close its doors and depart. Sometimes meaning a 10 minute wait for the next Richmond train.

 

[Backroom_boy]

A new Working Timetable is to be introduced from 13 January, it reduces the running time from Earl’s Court to Upminster by 4min and westbound by 2¾mins.
Earl’s Court to Hammersmith is however slightly increased by ¾min.
Dwell times at Earl’s Court have been revised.

Is the new timetable launching with finchley road to preston road sma or does that come later?

 

[jfollows]

“sma” ?
Signal Migration Areas?
Even if so, I’m not sure what this actually means.

 

[Snow1964]

“sma” ?
Signal Migration Areas?

It is a series of signal replacements, the four line modernisation

Basically was divided into 14 chunks, although part of SMA 10 (Barons Court -Stamford Brook) all SMA 11 (Turnham Green -Ealing) and part of SMA12 (Fulham Broadway -East Putney have been deferred (indefinitely)

The timetable improvements in January are what was referred in TfL Board papers 6 months ago as SMA7 Runtime improvements (see table in section 4.21 in this paper)

https://board.tfl.gov.uk/documents/s22526/pic-20240626-Item09-Part1-Four-Line-Modernisation.pdf

 

[jfollows]

It is a series of signal replacements, the four line modernisation

Basically was divided into 14 chunks, although part of SMA 10 (Barons Court -Stamford Brook) all SMA 11 (Turnham Green -Ealing) and part of SMA12 (Fulham Broadway -East Putney have been deferred (indefinitely)

Thank you!

 

[Backroom_boy]

Basically was divided into 14 chunks, although part of SMA 10 (Barons Court -Stamford Brook) all SMA 11 (Turnham Green -Ealing) and part of SMA12 (Fulham Broadway -East Putney have been deferred (indefinitely)

That's interesting; which parts of 10 & 12 are still in scope?

 

[Dstock7080]

That's interesting; which parts of 10 & 12 are still in scope?

As @Snow1964 says, part SMA10 Barons Court-Stamford Brook remains in scope, Stamford Brook-Chiswick Park/Richmond descoped.
SMA11 Chiswick Park-Ealing descoped.
Part SMA12 Fulham Bdwy-East Putney remains in scope, down to Wimbledon is descoped

 

[simple simon]

I've often heard it said that running trains to Olympia is 'too difficult' because of a lack of rush hour capacity in the Earls Court area, so I'm wondering, how can the holding of trains at Earls Court for so long be compatible with the desire for 32 trains an hour on much of the Central London portion of the subsurface network in the peak hours?

Maybe if trains passed through more quickly there would be sufficient track capacity for the fully enhanced service - and even more! Such as trains to Wimbledon that terminate at High Street Kensington (as Edgware Road wont cope with more trains)

 

[Dstock7080]

New Working Timetable from 13 January 2025 does reduce the hold time at Earl’s Court slightly, and overall running time to Upminster by 4min.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Since it’s now the 13th of January, I assume the new working timetable has been put into place. Will see if it’s made any difference to the hold times later today

 

[jfollows]

See https://content.tfl.gov.uk/wtt-155-district-13-jan-2025.pdf

 

[OneTrackMinded]

It does appear to be noticeably better after the timetable change

 

[AlbertBeale]

I've often heard it said that running trains to Olympia is 'too difficult' because of a lack of rush hour capacity in the Earls Court area, so I'm wondering, how can the holding of trains at Earls Court for so long be compatible with the desire for 32 trains an hour on much of the Central London portion of the subsurface network in the peak hours?

Maybe if trains passed through more quickly there would be sufficient track capacity for the fully enhanced service - and even more! Such as trains to Wimbledon that terminate at High Street Kensington (as Edgware Road wont cope with more trains)

The westbound service to Olympia involves a conflicting crossing on the level, hence it seems to have been cut back in recent years to avoid the possible delays that entails. Though maybe the new more efficient signalling will allow more Olympia services to be reinstated at some stage?

 

[simple simon]

The westbound service to Olympia involves a conflicting crossing on the level, hence it seems to have been cut back in recent years to avoid the possible delays that entails. Though maybe the new more efficient signalling will allow more Olympia services to be reinstated at some stage?

The amount of 'waiting time' has recently been reduced at this station, so maybe that will help too.

Ideally, faster train throughput could also allow more trains to run, especially on the Wimbledon route, altbeit perhaps only as far as a bay platform at High Street Kensington - passengers between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road also need a better service but without £expensive£ works there is no capacity beyond Paddington.