Logic behind "Special Services"

[andos]

I wondered what the logic behind some of the "special services" i've seen running today is. For example:

Northern Line running High Barnet to East finchley only until about 8-9. The bus connections from East Finchley to central london are non-existent, unless you count the 263 to Nag's Head so I wondered why bother running it at all? Is it just to save a bit of time for people coming in from Barnet?

Picadilly Line running Cockfosters to Arnos Grove every 12 minutes which is only four stops. Again, Arnos Grove isn't a particularly useful place to be although I guess you can walk over to New Southgate station to get national rail. Is that why they run it?

 

[transmanche]

I wondered what the logic behind some of the "special services" i've seen running today is.

Both those sections (with the exception of Southgate station, which was closed) are above ground. IIRC, LU stations that are underground cannot open if they don't have any staff on duty.

Plus East Finchley and Arnos Grove are places where trains can be reversed.

 

[starrymarkb]

UK fire laws require all underground/covered* stations to be staffed while trains are running. No staff means trains can't stop there. (It's weird being somewhere like Lille where the majority of Metro stations and all trains are unstaffed)


*Covered includes stations that have been roofed over by building, eg Birmingham New Street (which is why Smoking was banned there before the National smoking ban)

 

[Deerfold]

*Covered includes stations that have been roofed over by building, eg Birmingham New Street (which is why Smoking was banned there before the National smoking ban)

I thought all Network Rail-managed stations had a ban in place beforehand. Leeds, Kings Cross and St Pancras certainly did.

 

[transmanche]

I thought all Network Rail-managed stations had a ban in place beforehand. Leeds, Kings Cross and St Pancras certainly did.

Quite possibly. I know Liverpool Street did, but I thought that was due to its 'sub-surface' status. I know Sunderland station had a smoking ban back in BR days.

One thing that's occurred to me is that T&W Metro stations appear to be unstaffed - certainly in the evening I have never seen a member of staff at any of the deep-level stations. Do they have an exemption (e.g. due to CCTV coverage) or is there someone hidden away in a cupboard somewhere?

 

[Mojo]

Picadilly Line running Cockfosters to Arnos Grove every 12 minutes which is only four stops. Again, Arnos Grove isn't a particularly useful place to be although I guess you can walk over to New Southgate station to get national rail. Is that why they run it?

The next place they can reverse West -> East after Arnos Grove is Wood Green; a fairly tricky move as the Train Operator would need to detrain, change ends, go into the siding, change ends again, go into the platform, change ends again and then head back East. This is in addition to requiring there to be station staff present!

Arnos Grove has a train crew depot, so you would also be relying on the right number of staff to attend for duty to run such a service.

 

[ModernRailways]

One thing that's occurred to me is that T&W Metro stations appear to be unstaffed - certainly in the evening I have never seen a member of staff at any of the deep-level stations. Do they have an exemption (e.g. due to CCTV coverage) or is there someone hidden away in a cupboard somewhere?

All deep-level T&W Metro stations are staffed on an evening. The staff are always visible, however they may be dealing with an incident somewhere within the station, so that could be on the platforms in a passageway (not many) or something like that.

It's probably just been chance that you haven't seen them as they do tend to wander the stations performing safety checks etc.

 

[transmanche]

All deep-level T&W Metro stations are staffed on an evening. The staff are always visible, however they may be dealing with an incident somewhere within the station, so that could be on the platforms in a passageway (not many) or something like that.

It's probably just been chance that you haven't seen them as they do tend to wander the stations performing safety checks etc.

It's good to know, as I have never seen one.

I had in the back of my mind a court case going back many years. A child was injured/killed on an escalator, and Metro was prosecuted on a technicality as there were no staff at the station and under the fire regulations there had to be someone on duty until a certain time. It was accepted that it would have made no difference to the outcome, but as the station was unstaffed earlier then it should have been, the fire authority prosecuted. (Too long ago, so that the details are hazy.)