West Hampstead control room/automation

[voyager1]

I created a thread just over a year ago querying scenarios where the 1636 Thameslink from STP to BDM seems to have some priority over the 1647 EMR Connect from STP but I can't reopen it. It was mentioned the West Hampstead control room was changing over to automated route system and for a while, it seemed to go well for the EMR Connects. However, I seem to be noticing more occasions where the 1636 Thameslink from STP is kept on the fast line using P4 at St Albans instead of crossing over at Radlett to use P2 at St Albans. Has the system gone back to being manually operated?

Tonight, the Thameslink was running 4-6 minutes late leading to the EMR Connect having to stop in the West Hampstead tunnel behind it and then it (Thameslink) was kept on the fast line past Radlett resulting in the EMR Connect having to stop again outside St Albans whilst the Thameslink serves P4.

Do southbound trains north of London have priority in the evening? (I assume they didn't want to cross the train over because it would result in a southbound service having to slow down/stop)

Also I have seen it in the past where the Thameslink is running very late i.e. 10-12 minutes late and they allow it to cross over in front of the EMR Connect before the West Hampstead tunnel - slowing down the EMR Connect to allow it to pass in front, and add 8 minutes to the EMR Connect journey where had they allowed the EMR Connect to pass first of all, only the Thameslink would have a delay rather than two trains. How does this work? I thought EMR services had priority?

 

[ThameslinkUser]

Thameslink, despite often being stopping services, typically have priority owing to their potential to have knock-on effects network-wide. This is not to say they always do, nor in this particular case, but it’s not a fact that they’re the runt of the litter even when they ought to be.

 

[trebor79]

Thameslink, despite often being stopping services, typically have priority owing to their potential to have knock-on effects network-wide. This is not to say they always do, nor in this particular case, but it’s not a fact that they’re the runt of the litter even when they ought to be.

That explains why they often go out in front of the Great Northern services from Cambridge, even when the Thameslink is a few minutes late I guess. Very frustrating.

 

[John Webb]

It was Christmas 2023 that the former eNtrance-eXit panel, dating from the late 1970s, was replaced by 4 VDU screens. West Hampstead was then renamed as an SCC from PSB.

But I've no idea to what degree ASR (Automatic Route Setting) is used following the switch to VDUs.

 

[Geeves]

I created a thread just over a year ago querying scenarios where the 1636 Thameslink from STP to BDM seems to have some priority over the 1647 EMR Connect from STP but I can't reopen it. It was mentioned the West Hampstead control room was changing over to automated route system and for a while, it seemed to go well for the EMR Connects. However, I seem to be noticing more occasions where the 1636 Thameslink from STP is kept on the fast line using P4 at St Albans instead of crossing over at Radlett to use P2 at St Albans. Has the system gone back to being manually operated?

In my own experience I would say the opposite is likely true, that the moves you describe were being done by a human being and the backwards looking ones at being done by ARS and they still are.

While the name uses the word "Automatic" it is running on the same level of intelligence as a program running a washing machine, IE it will do exactly what it is programed to do, regards to platform, routing, class of train and time. The system does not care about anything regards to common sense or regulation. If train X is booked to be ahead of train Y it will do that whether that delays multiple other trains or fills a platform for 20 mins at the expense of everything else!