Stratford observations

[dpb]

Hi, after a few months of lurking and reading, I thought I'd make my first post, so go gently on me.

I'm no rail expert, I just merely have an interest in the railways and how they work and why things are how they are.

Going to uni, I have to go to Stratford every day, and there are a couple of things that I've always wanted to know, and this seems the best place!

1. There always seems to be a London Overground 313/378 'parked' in platform 2 at Stratford. Is there any reason for this? Is it for use at short notice to cover problems or something?

2. Why are there regular ECS on the NXEA metro service during the rush hour? I'm sure there's a simple, logical explanation, but I thought during the rush hour, they'd have as many trains in service as possible, yet when I'm waiting for my train to Seven Kings, there is always an ECS pass through between trains.

 

[NXEA!]

if your talking about on weekdays the 378/313 is there because they work an out and back turn in the mornings most likely then stable during the day as for the second one i wouldnt really know but if your travelling at 7pm in the evening it could be explained that the outer suburban trains to southend/braintree etc have worked early peak turns e.g 4.30/5.00 and have already come back which is what i find quite often to be the case when i go to hainault at about 7/8pm and am waiting for the tube. hope this helps

 

[Tottenham Flyer]

The ECS moves in the morning for NXEA metro services are getting the trains back to starting points to shift people back into London. There are more people trying to get into London than there are trying to get out, so the ECS moves you see are trains that have worked into Liverpool Street and are on their way back to Ilford, Gidea Park, Shenfield or wherever else to work another train into London.

Indeed, around 8am, there are trains already going back to Ilford for servicing or Orient Way for stabling during the day ready for the evening peak. These are usually 321's that go to Orient Way, followed by a couple of Intercity sets.