Elizabeth Line 1st year operating figures

[mrmartin]

Must be pretty serious to smell so bad in places given the ventilation systems in action, or maybe the ventilation systems aren't working (all the time?).

 

[Busman]

The £20bn line is also attracting thousands of passengers from the Tube – with more than a third of those switching from the Underground preferring it to the Central line.

What I have found interesting is that the Central line is still standing room only when leaving Stratford and not as many people leave the train as I thought they would. Considering it's one of the easiest interchanges on the network, I would have thought more would get off. Even more interesting is that I noted people that got off the Central line at Liverpool Street were people that were already on the train before it arrived at Stratford so not many are using it for this purpose. I should add this was also people standing, not just those who couldn't be bothered to remove their bottoms from an uncomfortable Central line seat to stand on the Liz.

Journey time Central line to Liverpool Street - 11mins
Journey time Elizabeth line to Liverpool Street - 8mins

I also noted it takes a Gods age to exit Liverpool Street from the Liz line so the 3 minutes you're saving if you swapped at Stratford is effectively being swallowed up and then some by the time to takes to get out of the damn station at LS. Before the core opened, Liz line trains running direct to LS terminating platforms is pretty quick to leave the train and the station as they plonk you right at the Bishopsgate exit.

I would assume that the Ealing Broadway side would be a completely different story because it must shave so much time travelling into the the City and West End using Liz rather than using the Central.

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The Elizabeth Line stations absolutely wreak of damp! Specifically Liverpool St, TCR and Canary Wharf. Totally unacceptable. Complained to TfL and no response. The doors opened at Liverpool St and the smell was so intense it didn’t clear the train for two stops!! What on earth is going wrong?! It’s got worse and worse and no-one seems to do anything. It’s a health hazard now. It has to be.

Use it every day and most stops as part of my job (not sniffing out stinky stations but meetings around London) and I've not smelt one bad odour anywhere. Body odour on the trains on the other hand are a different story but this is not the correct forum for that kind of chat.

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My money's on Acton Main Line for least used station

One for Geoff Marshall ....

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Nope, and it seems I have support for this from many others. It stinks and that is the end of the story. It needs addressing, and it is inexcusable.

But you've put up with rancid tube station smells for years and never said a word?

 

[thomalex]

What I have found interesting is that the Central line is still standing room only when leaving Stratford and not as many people leave the train as I thought they would.

I also noted it takes a Gods age to exit Liverpool Street from the Liz line so the 3 minutes you're saving if you swapped at Stratford is effectively being swallowed up

I think you've just answered your own question there. The Elizabeth line while faster can indeed have a longer overall journey time with the size of the stations. This is the same for routes involving an interchange which tend to be much longer than the traditional tube lines so you might as well stick on the Central.

I would also say that the Central line serves more commuting destinations with not just Liverpool Street but Bank and the various City stations to Holborn. If you're staying on the Central for Liverpool Street the only major employment destination is really Farringdon.

 

[RichW1]

What I have found interesting is that the Central line is still standing room only when leaving Stratford and not as many people leave the train as I thought they would. Considering it's one of the easiest interchanges on the network, I would have thought more would get off. Even more interesting is that I noted people that got off the Central line at Liverpool Street were people that were already on the train before it arrived at Stratford so not many are using it for this purpose. I should add this was also people standing, not just those who couldn't be bothered to remove their bottoms from an uncomfortable Central line seat to stand on the Liz.

Journey time Central line to Liverpool Street - 11mins
Journey time Elizabeth line to Liverpool Street - 8mins

I also noted it takes a Gods age to exit Liverpool Street from the Liz line so the 3 minutes you're saving if you swapped at Stratford is effectively being swallowed up and then some by the time to takes to get out of the damn station at LS. Before the core opened, Liz line trains running direct to LS terminating platforms is pretty quick to leave the train and the station as they plonk you right at the Bishopsgate exit.

I would assume that the Ealing Broadway side would be a completely different story because it must shave so much time travelling into the the City and West End using Liz rather than using the Central.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2023 ==



Use it every day and most stops as part of my job (not sniffing out stinky stations but meetings around London) and I've not smelt one bad odour anywhere. Body odour on the trains on the other hand are a different story but this is not the correct forum for that kind of chat.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2023 ==



One for Geoff Marshall ....

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2023 ==



But you've put up with rancid tube station smells for years and never said a word?

I haven’t used the deep tube network for a long time; I hate it. But you may know more about the smells than I. On the occasions one has used it, one hasn’t smelled a strong smell of wet mop damp for £18bn in expenditure.

 

[BAFRA77]

I've used it on a couple of occassions and have smelt a belt of damp on certain parts on it.

I blame the pernicious nonsense of ESG and Diversity taking funds away from restocking the AirWick canisters on a regular basis.

 

[Busman]

The Elizabeth Line stations absolutely wreak of damp! Specifically Liverpool St, TCR and Canary Wharf. Totally unacceptable. Complained to TfL and no response. The doors opened at Liverpool St and the smell was so intense it didn’t clear the train for two stops!! What on earth is going wrong?! It’s got worse and worse and no-one seems to do anything. It’s a health hazard now. It has to be.

It's not often I'm wrong and on many occasions, I've been right even when I've been wrong but I have to sincerely apologise member RichW1. Travelling on the EL and stopped at Liverpool Street, within 30 seconds you could smell damp rushing through the train and yes, the smell lingered in the train until Canary Wharf. It's either got much worse - in order to get my smell buds tingling - or I just ignored it at first.

But yes, it's bad, it's very bad.

 

[AM9]

Nope, and it seems I have support for this from many others. It stinks and that is the end of the story. It needs addressing, and it is inexcusable.

If a significant proportion of its users say that it stinks, then maybe somebody will take notice, - otherwise it is just a few personal opinions that others are jumping on the bandwagon with as an opportunity to criticise the line. If you think there are 'many others' with this view, what proportion of the 700,000 users does that represent?

 

[Horizon22]

It's not often I'm wrong and on many occasions, I've been right even when I've been wrong but I have to sincerely apologise member RichW1. Travelling on the EL and stopped at Liverpool Street, within 30 seconds you could smell damp rushing through the train and yes, the smell lingered in the train until Canary Wharf. It's either got much worse - in order to get my smell buds tingling - or I just ignored it at first.

But yes, it's bad, it's very bad.

I personally don't think it's damp, but there's definitely a unique smell on the Elizabeth line.

 

[mrmartin]

I don't think it's just the fact it smells so badly of damp that is the problem, it's that it indicates a serious ventilation or sealant failing. I guarantee that there will have to be some significant remedial work done on to fix it at some point in the future. You can't have a new structure smell so badly of damp so quickly, doesn't make sense to me unless something is seriously faulty with the design.

 

[samulih]

Thread was about numbers but now almost two pages of smells....

 

[dk1]

Thread was about numbers but now almost two pages of smells....

I did find it very comical.

I take note of the EL trains running up/down the GEML as I work trains on that route and loadings on trains as they exit the tunnel at Pudding Mill Lane into an already crowded platform at Stratford are very impressive with severe crowding commonplace at all times of the day.

 

[Horizon22]

Remembering this thread about "damp" and somewhat related, but TfL are looking into getting rid of the 'ghost' marks.

Elizabeth line trial to cover platform 'ghost' marks

Trials are being carried out to cover marks on platform walls caused by Elizabeth line passengers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Transport for London (TfL) is exploring new ways of dealing with "ghost marks" on the walls of Elizabeth line's platforms.
The marks behind platform benches are caused by people leaning against the walls.
TfL is trying out solutions to the problem, including putting vinyl coverings behind the seats.

The issue was raised in a recent written question to Mayor Sadiq Khan by Caroline Pidgeon, a Liberal Democrat on the London Assembly.
She asked how TfL is ensuring the walls are regularly cleaned so that "the stations remain fresh for decades to come".
The mayor's office responded: "A rigorous cleaning programme is maintained at all of TfL's stations to ensure a clean and safe environment for customers.
"However, TfL is exploring new ways to clean the walls behind seating at some of its Elizabeth line stations to try to remove any marks and protect the walls in future.

Mods feel free to split if you feel it approriate.