tubechallenge.com

well apparently due to faulty communications equipment there is a complete suspension across the whole Piccadilly (which started at around 9pm, according to the realtime thing)

Blimey.

"Faulty communications equipment" seems to have been causing problems more frequently as of late. This weekend I walked onto a Central line platform and waited for a train.

1. Woodford via Hainault - 16 mins
2. Woodford via Hainault - 16 mins
3. Woodford via Hainault - 16 mins

Then, a few seconds after seeing this absurd information on the dot matrix indicator, it changed:

1. Woodford via Hainault - 20 mins

Then, after another 20 or so seconds, the train arrived at the platform! It was later announced that delays were occuring due to "faulty communications equipment" ...

Last time I was in Euston there was a member of the station staff standing at the northbound Bank branch platform. I noticed the dot matrix display had not changed in a while.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I will be announcing the destinations of the next train to arrive at this platform as they arrive. The dot matrix display is not working correctly due to faulty communications equipment."

Five minutes later, no train had arrived...

"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologise for the delays which are due to faulty communications equipment. I have just heard that more trains are arriving at the Charing Cross branch, you may wish to head over to the platforms there."

As you can imagine (this was around six PM), there was a not insignificant stampede following this announcement.

Our system seems to have a lot more problems than others of it's equivalence around the world, in my experience.

Was the piccadilly suspension definitely "faulty communications equipment" because when I was at Mile End at around 10.30pm, the board said "piccadilly line suspended owing to power supply problems", guess it's whatever TFL feel like telling us at the time!

Staff shortage seems to be another regular excuse as well. Reckon they just choose a random excuse from a list?

We had a track circuit failure between Baker Street and Euston Square last night on my way home. Just as we reached the signal too.

So we had to do with old "tell the passengers there will be a jolt" thing, before going through the red signal under instruction. Lots of tutting every time the train stopped but then what would you expect from commuters who don't know the first thing about the transport system they use every day?

And looking at the Realtime Info right now we have minor delays on the Central following a signal failure at Bethnal Green; minor delays on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines following a faulty train at Baker Street; and the Piccadilly suspended between Arnos Grove and Cockfosters due to faulty communications equipment.

Cheers,

Barry

This really looks promising for my upcoming GWR attempt...

You will rarely get a clear run ...

I know...

tpfkar wrote:Staff shortage seems to be another regular excuse as well. Reckon they just choose a random excuse from a list?

TFL have a customer charter that states that any passenger delayed by more than fifteen minutes for circumstances "within their control" (eg passenger pulling emergency alarm would NOT count) is entitled to a refund.

Signal failures, faulty equipment, staff shortages etc all count, but bad weather and actions by third parties do not.

Anyone ever completed a refund form? They're an arse.

I did once - my Metro train home was delayed by five minutes coming into Moor Park, which meant I missed my connection there and had to wait ten minutes, which meant I missed my connection at Chalfont & Latimer and had to wait twenty minutes. Because the problem was due to signal failures, I figured I could apply for a refund. But apparently, because the original delay was only five minutes, I was not eligible. It wasn't their fault I missed their connections. What a load of tosh.

So it's not just picking an excuse out of a hat, they do that to inform customers (or at least, any that are in the know, which is surely a minority) of the reason for the delay so they know whether to get angry at TFL and submit a refund form or just curse under their breath at whatever reason and accept they're going to be late.

PS, I don't want any of you pulling emergency alarms on Thursday - I'm doing a practice run. Wish me luck.

Practice run for what?

All 275?

I collected so many Customer Charter forms last year, I managed to get a free 7 day travelcard!

Root wrote:Anyone ever completed a refund form? They're an arse.

Several. One for an 18 minute wait for a Met at Aldgate, which I think was on a Sunday (though I stand for correction), but mostly for the Piccadilly with extended waits at Southgate. And every time I've got my money back.

My "worst" result on a Customer Charter claim, however, has to be from Virgin post-Hatfield. I was travelling up to Glasgow from Euston, and we got held outside Rugby, then again outside Penrith, where we eventually terminated due to a loco failure. Eventually got to Glasgow on a Virgin Cross Country service, which got me into Glasgow a full 90 minutes after I should've.

Virgin's response to this was a pathetic £6 in Vouchers on a ticket that I'd paid nigh on £60 for (given I was staff at the time, so got a 75% discount on the hideously expensive Open Return), and that was from Cross Country, not West Coast(!)

Cheers,

Barry

tubeguru wrote:Practice run for what?

All 275?

Yeah, but it's off now. I'm in Brighton at the moment staying with my girlfriend... I was going to head home and do the run, but she told me I was being silly and persuaded me to stay here for a few more days instead.

I'll do it sometime though.