D7666 wrote:
On Dec 22, 11:26*pm, Mizter T wrote:

When it works,

Key words those.

Thameslink can be an amazingly useful service - I
should add that I'm looking at it in particular from a London 'metro'
perspective - but when something goes wrong, it all just seems to fall
apart.

Exactly.

It now seems to go into total collapse at the slightest perturbation.
It does not seem to be able to sustain 10 TPH off peak in anything
less than perfect running in perfect weather when traincrew aren't in
need of half term or shopping or football days off en masse.

They've lost 4 points of resilience - Moorgate, St.Pancras HL,
Blackfriars bays and Farringdon crossover, so thare are no system
failed chageover bolt holes - I know all that and know the reason why
- but they have gained other resilience that the previous incumbent
did not have i.e. extra platforms with both way reversibility, at
Kentish Town, SPILL crossover and reversibility from the north, and
Herne Hill turnback. and AC wires to City (SB only at the moment).

How this route is ever going to sustain 24 TPH with a 16:8 split over
the junction at SPILL I do not know. No amount of ATO or dwell
management is ever going to work if perturbations on the network as a
whole cause deck of cards type collapse like we have had for the past
2 years now AND they don't put more effort (i.e. more crew) into
mitigating delays with these continuous tight traincrew turnarounds.


The problems can probably be cured, and 24 TPH is probably achievable,
but only with a different TOC.

First Group puts shareholder value above all else. As long as there
are no really serious (8 figure) financial penalties for a franchise
holder's non-performance, nothing is going to change and 24 TPH is
just a pipe dream.

First Group has a uniquely deep contempt for its paying customers.
That culture isn't ever going to change unless DfT Rail makes the sort
of threats that brought First Great Western to heel in similar
circumstances. Sadly, I see no sign of that happening with FCC.