Reply to: Tube Strikes: Right or Wrong?

[Bob Dalek]

FWIW, during the eleven months that I was taking the Northern Line from Edgware to Leicester Square in the morning, and back again late at night, I found the service to be excellent. That includes the station staff, although the controllers that keep them informed as to which train is going where could seem a bit lackadaisical - then again, it's a complex line.

The odd times that I had to use the Bakerloo or Metropolitan Lines for a week, I found that the service was less reliable, although those lines haven't had the investment in improvement that the Northern Line and others have had. But the station staff at the point where one was delayed waiting for a connection were unfailingly polite, helpful, and often very funny as they attempted to keep a large crowd of mostly drunk people happy for twenty minutes until they found out what was happening.

But the important point to me is that, in fact, I always got where I needed to be, without having to get on a replacement bus, and never delayed by more than thirty minutes or so - and that on only a small number of occasions.

Still, some of you could buy a cat that shat gold coins, and you'd still complain it wasn't working properly

Commie.

[NickFitz]

FWIW, during the eleven months that I was taking the Northern Line from Edgware to Leicester Square in the morning, and back again late at night, I found the service to be excellent. That includes the station staff, although the controllers that keep them informed as to which train is going where could seem a bit lackadaisical - then again, it's a complex line.

The odd times that I had to use the Bakerloo or Metropolitan Lines for a week, I found that the service was less reliable, although those lines haven't had the investment in improvement that the Northern Line and others have had. But the station staff at the point where one was delayed waiting for a connection were unfailingly polite, helpful, and often very funny as they attempted to keep a large crowd of mostly drunk people happy for twenty minutes until they found out what was happening.

But the important point to me is that, in fact, I always got where I needed to be, without having to get on a replacement bus, and never delayed by more than thirty minutes or so - and that on only a small number of occasions.

Still, some of you could buy a cat that shat gold coins, and you'd still complain it wasn't working properly

[Gonzo]

They're on the warpath again! I do support the right to strike, some folk need some sort of last resort, but asking for beefy pay increases, when the economy is obviously dented? FFS, etc.

Back to the OP, I do not support the right to strike. These people are paid very well, above average for London and nearly as much as we'd all be getting if we were permie and more holiday than we get as contractors, and yet they think it is OK to hold the capital to ransom.

[Gonzo]

Great.

I wonder how these trains are programmed to deal with 'one unders' and people who slip and end up with their legs between the platform edge and the train before it pulls away.

The Jubilee line stations that were built for the Millenium (that's all the ones east of Westminster) all have a plastic wall at the platform edge which only opens when the train is there, which puts a stop to the "persons under a train".

I suspect that they will do this to the rest of the network. Although the Docklands Light Railway does not have drivers and people throwing themselves in front of those is still pretty rare. It does happen, but not much.

[Spacecadet]

For those crying 'automated trains'!!

Just think about it for a minute. The safety implications and service limitations would be enormous.

Automatic trains can work well on light rail systems that are designed from the outset to run them (these are usually very-light-traffic, low-passenger-capacity systems).

Trying to retrofit fully-automatic, driverless trains on the LU system (one of the most extensive and busiest in the world) would be a logistical and safety nightmare.

Just imagine the results if EDS got the gig

Seen it working in Singapore on their high capacity MRT system and its a Joy to Behold™.
The LRT systems that they run out in the suburbs is pretty cool too

I wouldn't advocate retrofitting the London underground system though, would need new rolling stock at the very least

[Diver]

They deserve a decent pay rise and get my unreserved backing. I hope they stay out until they get it.


>Diver in "living in Wales" mode<

[~Craig~]

A small increase for the drivers is nothing compared to the amount they spend on the rest of the useless feckwits that work for TfL

[Clippy]

If they don't like it they should seek alternative employment, not hold people to ransom including the public. I hope they get nothing.

Agreed.

Useless twunts.

[Alf W]

Yaaawwwnnnnn!!!

Local News alert.

The country doesn't grind to a halt just because a few Londoners can't get to work. Not that you'd think it from the disproportionate coverage this is getting.

Some people might like to get a train to work,
Or drive in in a Beamah or a Merc,
Some guys like to travel in by bus,
But I can't be bothered with the fuss.

Today I gotta take my bike
'Cause once again the tube's on strike;
The greedy bastards want extra pay
For sitting on their arse all day,
Even though the earn 30K.

So I'm standing here in the pouring rain,
Where the ****'s my ******* train?

London Underground (london underground)
They're all lazy ******* useless *****
London Underground (london underground)
They're all greedy *****,
I wanna shoot them all
With a rifle.

All they say is 'Please Mind the Doors',
And they learn that on the two-day course,
This job could be done by a four-year-old,
They just leave us freezing in the cold.

What you smell is what you get,
Burger King and piss and sweat.
You roast to death in the boiling heat,
With tourists treading on your feet
And chewing gum on every seat.

So don't tell me to 'Mind The Gap',
I want my ******* money back!

London Underground (london underground)
They're all lazy ******* useless *****
London Underground (london underground)
They're all greedy *****,
I wanna shoot them all
With a rifle.

Lalalala
Lalalala

The floors are sticky and the seats are damp,
Every platform has a ******* tramp,
But the drivers get the day off when
We're all late for work again.

London Underground (london underground)
Wa-wa-*******, they're all *******
London Underground (london underground)
Take your oyster card and shove it up your arsehole.

[thunderlizard]

& will they be able to make sarky comments while deliberately shutting the doors on drunk foreign students?

[bogeyman]

Actually, I believe the Jubilee Line will be switching to driverless trains in 2009, and the Northern Line in 2011.

But as this is a strike by maintenance workers, they could have all the automated trains they want and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference.

Great.

I wonder how these trains are programmed to deal with 'one unders' and people who slip and end up with their legs between the platform edge and the train before it pulls away.

[NickFitz]

For those crying 'automated trains'!!

Just think about it for a minute. The safety implications and service limitations would be enormous.

Automatic trains can work well on light rail systems that are designed from the outset to run them (these are usually very-light-traffic, low-passenger-capacity systems).

Trying to retrofit fully-automatic, driverless trains on the LU system (one of the most extensive and busiest in the world) would be a logistical and safety nightmare.

Just imagine the results if EDS got the gig

Actually, I believe the Jubilee Line will be switching to driverless trains in 2009, and the Northern Line in 2011.

But as this is a strike by maintenance workers, they could have all the automated trains they want and it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference.

[bogeyman]

When I was working Down Under the Sydney Cityrail staff would strike every couple of years for two or three days. They would actually carry on working but the gates would be open at all stations and the staff wouldn't charge or check tickets.

There's nothing like a freebie to get the general public on your side.

Well that would be the smart way to do it.

But this is Britain, and there's nothing the miserable little jobsworth Brit likes doing more than THWARTING people by means of petty regulations or union rules.

Sorry brother, can't do that now, can we?

(plus the fact they are all shiftless, idle sods)

[BrianSnail]

When I was working Down Under the Sydney Cityrail staff would strike every couple of years for two or three days. They would actually carry on working but the gates would be open at all stations and the staff wouldn't charge or check tickets.

There's nothing like a freebie to get the general public on your side.

[Diver]

For those crying 'automated trains'!!

Just think about it for a minute. The safety implications and service limitations would be enormous.

Automatic trains can work well on light rail systems that are designed from the outset to run them (these are usually very-light-traffic, low-passenger-capacity systems).

Trying to retrofit fully-automatic, driverless trains on the LU system (one of the most extensive and busiest in the world) would be a logistical and safety nightmare.

Just imagine the results if EDS got the gig

Already been thought of. Microsoft are writing the software for it.