For reference, Class 168s have 23.62m long by 2.69m wide vehicles, just like their Turbostar "cousins". The Class 165s are wider at 2.81m, making them about the same width as the "Heritage" DMUs they replaced, but shorter at 22.92m (the 114s and 115s being 64'6 or just shy of 20m).
Ah, I had a feeling but saw the track so wasn't 100% sure. The northbound platform 9 signal is permanently red.
I suppose so! I still think it would have been the 'lesser of two evils'. One thing we can certainly agree on is the poor revised design of Watford Junction bus station. I get that there was no Harry Potter bus a few years ago, so there were fewer people staggering about the place but this new layout is so bad, with buses doing complete 360 degree turns around parked buses in the middle to serve stops - really silly. Although the old layout had a 'floating island', I still think it was safer as you didn't have to dodge a 258 doing a pirouette.
It's not that bad, just means buses have to run around Beechen Grove. I'm surprised at how efficient it has been actually, if they sorted out better standing spaces for buses, I wouldn't be opposed to the High Street's further pedestrianisation now. I thought the 321 would take a massive reliability battering but it hasn't from what I've seen (admitted, I very rarely use it now though). And have you seen Stanmore station forecourt? Easily just as congested, in fact, probably worse as TfL H12 and 324 terminate in it, with the 142 stopping. At least there would be amenities in the area in Watford and I imagine the number of coaches would be fewer due to shorter journey time.
Not that the Harry Potter bus should be there during blockades as it is useless being there when there are no trains but it is not my bus company and not my Studio Tour
I would probably agree with you - on the condition that they build another road/bus station/access somewhere for the buses which is the big problem as there is no room!
Admittedly I have only gone past Stanmore in a car lately, not actually visited the station and definitely not during a blockade! From the sounds of the plans made it sounded like it was managed well but perhaps that is just on paper...
And you can't expect the organisation that is responsible for our railways to coordinate such an effort which would have real passenger benefits because they're too busy telling TOCs what seats to put in new trains.
But would it? You have a 10 car Voyager going to Marylebone (ignoring all the other things in the thread such as clearance and route knowledge) per hour. You normally have 9 Virgin trains per hour into Euston. People see a direct Virgin train from X to Marylebone in journey planners, what happens?
Indeed. The passenger steps have been shaved down on the class 365 units that are now in use By ScotRail.
The Blockbuster services have definitely run on Saturdays, Sundays, and bank holiday Mondays in the past. In particular, I travelled on a Blockbuster between Coventry and Euston (or v.v.) on Saturday 9th August 2014, and on (bank holiday) Monday 25th August 2014. My recollection is that there were at least three consecutive weekends in August 2014 with Blockbusters running all weekend, with Chiltern running an amended service to accommodate the diversions.
Just another example of the typical London-centred focus we have come to expect. The people "in charge" there can't imagine anyone wanting to go anywhere else!
