Not a good day for the Underground/TFL.

[class303]

Seems like everything that could possibly go wrong today did.

Arsenal playing at home tonight has no doubt compounded things somewhat. jeepers. stressful day, and searching for tfl on twitter it seems i'm not the only one

 

[AM9]

Seems like everything that could possibly go wrong today did.

Arsenal playing at home tonight has no doubt compounded things somewhat. jeepers. stressful day, and searching for tfl on twitter it seems i'm not the only one

Why not let us know what has happened rather than just posting shock horror hints?

 

[RJ]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/tran...ations-shut-amid-crowding-fears-a3409121.html

Multiple signal failures affecting numerous lines, people hit by trains (including one fatality) and emergency station closures. The Vic seems to have been in turmoil all day and the Piccadilly Line's problems are ongoing. Arsenal playing at home compounded the problems.

I'm in Barbados at the moment but being kept up to date, received numerous texts and emails with offers of shifts driving replacement buses for the Picc Line!

 

[class303]

morning peak:
Ongoing wheel flat incident on the Pic.
signal problems on Victoria, Distrcit and Met.
Lack of trains on Central.
Faulty train on edgware branch of Northern.
Statford DLR branch out to to obstruction on line.
Overground problems.
Severe overcrowding at Finsbury park.
Seemingly pointless one way system in operation at Kings Cross adding to problems.

afternoon:
one unders at Blackhorse Road & Holland Park affecting Victoria and Central.

evening peak:
Kings Cross, Euston, Victoria, Oxford Circus, Warren street closing intermittently to overcrowding/emergency. reports of arrests and people jumping barriers.

Chaos at smaller stations Euston Square etc, as everyone tries there instead.
Arsenal playing at home to compound to the Victoria line problems.

An 'orrible day to be a commuter in London basically.

 

[duncanp]

There was a signal failure at Seven Sisters this morning which meant that the Victoria Line was suspended between Walthamstow and Seven Sisters.

Then there was a person under a train at Blackhorse Road this afternoon, which meant that ......the Victoria Line was suspended between Walthamstow and Seven Sisters.

When the suspension was lifted, incorrect information was given out at Kings Cross, namely that Blackhorse Road was closed when in fact it wasn't.

Mind you, I think that the picture in The Standard article which says "Chaos : Passengers stuck at Kings Cross station" looks more like Euston to me.

 

[AM9]

There was a signal failure at Seven Sisters this morning which meant that the Victoria Line was suspended between Walthamstow and Seven Sisters.

Then there was a person under a train at Blackhorse Road this afternoon, which meant that ......the Victoria Line was suspended between Walthamstow and Seven Sisters.

When the suspension was lifted, incorrect information was given out at Kings Cross, namely that Blackhorse Road was closed when in fact it wasn't.

Mind you, I think that the picture in The Standard article which says "Chaos : Passengers stuck at Kings Cross station" looks more like Euston to me.

Thanks for giving a less generalised description of the actual issues. So a few problems but not exactly the end of the world.
I am however sceptical of any newspaper article that uses the word 'chaos', especially in connection with transport disruption.

 

[oversteer]

I was caught up in the mess at Euston last night. Got off a train to a full platform and emergency evacuation announcements.
It struck me how long it took to get out. Approx 20 minutes from train to mainline station. Meanwhile, more trains stopping behind.
I think it would have been quicker to get off at Camden and walk back.
An incident on the scale of the KCSP fire would be devastating.
I also didn't see any staff below the ticket office level, shouldn't there be some presence lower down to close off escalators / passageways and try to aid an orderly evacuation?

 

[bluegoblin7]

I was caught up in the mess at Euston last night. Got off a train to a full platform and emergency evacuation announcements.
It struck me how long it took to get out. Approx 20 minutes from train to mainline station. Meanwhile, more trains stopping behind.
I think it would have been quicker to get off at Camden and walk back.
An incident on the scale of the KCSP fire would be devastating.
I also didn't see any staff below the ticket office level, shouldn't there be some presence lower down to close off escalators / passageways and try to aid an orderly evacuation?

In an ideal world, yes. Sadly since the implementation of Fit for the Future things like this are all too common - with the limited staff the priority is entrances and the 'station closed' boards. If you're running a station on the minimum required legal numbers, you don't have enough to do all of that concurrently. However, I'm not at work at the moment so I can't say either way how things were managed yesterday. I do know that there were a number of closures due to insufficient staff, though.

As I've said elsewhere, it will get a lot worse before it gets better!

 

[oversteer]

I think Euston underground needs more emergency exits - getting six platforms into two escalators is unworkable, especially when they drop down to one next month.
I don't know whether the down escalators were switched off and used as stairs, I guess if staff aren't around it's up to us to press the emergency stop and use them..

 

[LTJ87]

Rush hour last night was truly terrible.

The Tube was effectively inaccessible in the West End with a whole swathe of stations shut due to overcrowding Oxford Circus is regularly exit/interchange only during the evening peak, but I've never seen crowds as bad as pictured in the Standard:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/tran...etwork-brought-to-grinding-halt-a3409251.html

It was unfortunate that a number of separate events coincided but TfL really needs to rethink communications in a situation like yesterday. There is little point in giving status updates on an individual line basis when so many stations are closed due to overcrowding that the network is effectively paralysed in Central London.

 

[Busaholic]

Rush hour last night was truly terrible.

The Tube was effectively inaccessible in the West End with a whole swathe of stations shut due to overcrowding Oxford Circus is regularly exit/interchange only during the evening peak, but I've never seen crowds as bad as pictured in the Standard:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/tran...etwork-brought-to-grinding-halt-a3409251.html

It was unfortunate that a number of separate events coincided but TfL really needs to rethink communications in a situation like yesterday. There is little point in giving status updates on an individual line basis when so many stations are closed due to overcrowding that the network is effectively paralysed in Central London.

Yet TfL have a so-called consultation out on reducing bus routes in Oxford Street, Regent Street and surrounding areas by up to 40%! As part of these proposals the number of buses directly linking Oxford Circus and Victoria, two stations frequently closed for swathes of the peaks, would decline by at least 50% by my calculations. No joined-up thinking!

 

[Nym]

Yet TfL have a so-called consultation out on reducing bus routes in Oxford Street, Regent Street and surrounding areas by up to 40%! As part of these proposals the number of buses directly linking Oxford Circus and Victoria, two stations frequently closed for swathes of the peaks, would decline by at least 50% by my calculations. No joined-up thinking!

But it's OK, because crossrail that goes nowhere near Victoria will solve that problem...