Firstly thanks go to Tom for the report he has given us by Diamond Geezer. Very informative and at times, down right funny.
mullardo wrote:Begs the question, Why make new maps 3 months before they change 2 of the lines.
This really was my point in the first place, as I had heard of these ideas, and was surprised that if this was going ahead, TfL had chosen to bring in a new style of map prior to new routes on said map!
Anyhow, having read all of the report I now fully understand the changes, as you have to remember that Mr TfL that was on the radio clearly didn't understand it himself when he was telling listeners that the "nu-circle" (as DG dubbs it) was terminating at Paddington rather than Edgware Road (C&D). Mr TfL was selling the idea as more trains on the nu-circle flick, and that while there would be a reduction in actual Circle line services elsewhere, this would mean higher frequencies for all the other sub service lines with which it shares tracks, and therefore thanks to the changes, every sub surface station would have a higher number of trains per hour. This was enough to satisfy the presenter, and therefore he wasn't questioned about the two major soon to be squeeze points - Aldgate to Tower Hill and Edgware Road to Queensway, which from deduction of Mr TfL's words will now have a poorer frequency.
I don't feel I will add anything to the debate over the pros and cons of these changes, other than what has already been said here and on DG's comment sections at the end of the three relevent articles there. However I
can make a suggestion for TfL. If they
do decide to make another map in December, why not show the Circle line for what it really will be: a service that terminates at Hammersmith and Edgware Road? This will only add one extra horizontal yellow line to Edgware Road, which like it's neighbouring District line will terminate there. I accept that Edgware Road will then have the Circle line going to it twice, however it will be clear to everyone that all Circle line trains from Bayswater will be terminating at Edgware Road and that if you want to continue in the direction of Baker Street, you will have to find the other Circle line platform. I believe this (coupled with appropriate signage at Edgware Road) is a simple solution to the current problem.
Finally I am aware that this is a mammoth post and that I said that "I don't feel I will add anything to the debate over the pros and cons of these changes." I will however highlight what one person on DG's website - "AJ" - had to say, as I thought it was particularly interesting to tube challengers. (Unlike the previous paragraph which may be particularly interesting to TfL's map making department.)
There was a touch of slapstick about the whole experiment this weekend.
First, there was a big poster on the platform at Paddington (Circle) indicating a “restricted serviceâ€. Restricted is a pretty odd way of describing the Circle line of the future, albeit quite accurate if you’re one of the many passengers who now have to change trains. As far as I can tell the new system has kept the interminable delays at Edgware Road but added two further irritations: the hassle of changing trains and the guessing-game of where the trains are actually going. Heading eastbound on a terminating train we were kept outside the station for almost 10 minutes waiting for a platform and were then treated to the maddening sight of the ‘through’ train on the opposite platform closing its doors and pulling out just as the doors on our train opened. The platform staff laughed. We laughed even harder when we got on the following Whitechapel train only to discover at Liverpool Street that it had been a Circle all along. Cue a mad scramble for the exits.
The geniuses at Tower Hill were at it again on Saturday night, repeatedly announcing that the platform indicators were “defective†when in fact it was the automated announcements that were incorrect. The result: everyone ignoring the correct information on the boards and listening to the totally false information broadcast over the PA. Aldgate and Aldgate East must have had their busiest Saturday evening in years with people trying to get back to where they had come from. Oh, and the new service pattern results in westbound District line trains being held at Whitechapel until the H&C westbounds have departed from the platform at the other side of the station – infuriating anyone following TfL’s own advice to change from the District to the H&C at Aldgate East. None of this was announced, you understand: you just looked out of the window in horror as the train you were aiming for pulls out in front of yours. Again, the bored platform staff at Whitechapel seemed to think this cat-and-mouse game was highly amusing. Perhaps TfL could add to the pantomime atmosphere by throwing custard pies in passengers’ faces?
All in all this would be a confusing enough system on any line, but to introduce it on a line where the trains do not have dot matrix destination displays in the carriages and several of the stations do not even have real-time indicator boards is a bit daft. It does have the advantage of giving Hammersmith passengers a proper frequency at long last, but elsewhere it was business as usual on the Circle line with yawning service gaps, misinformation and endless unexplained pauses.
Feel free to comment here or there.
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/shornl ... 3183037847
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