EE507 wrote:

On Dec 23, 2:51�pm, Mizter T wrote:
On 23 Dec, 13:16, "Recliner" wrote:


"Spyke" wrote:

STOP PRESS... STOP PRESS...
I've just this morning read a thread on District Dave's internet
forum about the closure of the ELL - it looks like a 'special' train
of some sort was on the cards and was due to run this afternoon, but
this has seemingly been called off for reasons unknown (as is
explained on page 2 of the thread)...
http://districtdave.proboards39.com/...&action=displa...

I believe the original plan was to run the 4-car 1938TS in public
service, but the unions refused to allow it and LU was unable to
persuade them.

Why did they object? Was it to be driven by a non-union member?

I wonder if the union actually asked the drivers...

If you look elsewhere on that District Dave forum thread then you'll
read reports of how some 'enthusiasts' on the recent 1938TS tour of
the ELL behaved in what sounds like a pretty appallingly bad fashion.

Some people went past the platform barriers at Whitechapel, whilst
others used flash photography. Sadly, some of these were LUL/NR/TOC
staff. Clearly there should have been station staff and/or BTP there
from the start, to either prevent this or escort a couple of cranks at
a time past the barriers. Still, hardly 'appalling' by mainline
railtour standards e.g. a train full of loudmouth yobs with a poor
grasp of the concept of personal hygiene, who start drinking from
07:00.


I'm probably guilty of employing a bit of hyperbole by using the word
"appalling" - apols.

Truth is that I don't have much first-hand experience of such antics,
as I've never been on a railtour plus I've don't really go in for
'last days', it's more stuff that I've read on the internet. The
problem is that in a way I'd quite like to go on a railtour or two,
but I'm not sure I'd like to do it in the company of a few of these
bods. I went on an old style furnished Routemaster on the last day of
the 12 (one of the specials brought in for the day), and there was a
couple of guys on that who were total loonies - it was a real eye
opener to the sometimes bizarre world of the transport enthusiast. I
ended up getting off that bus and back on a regular 12 behind that was
populated by normal people.

Of course I am a transport enthusiast of sorts already, but some of
the stuff I've seen and heard about does make me think it's a somewhat
odd world out there that I'm not sure I really want to be part of!

Anyway, I wasn't planning on going along yesterday, but because my
plans for the day changed I did in fact have some time to make a
detour in the afternoon whilst on my normal travels to take a last
ride on the ELL (in part because I actually wanted to make a note of
the first and last ELL train times - by way of taking a photo of the
relevant posters - so that when the ELLX opens I'll be able to compare
them).


Maybe some of the drivers didn't want to turn the last day into a
circus with such individuals clowning about.

I spotted an average of 1 well-behaved crank per station at about
17:00 last night, with a few more there for haulage.


Yes, when I was there around then there wasn't anyone being stupid,
the only issue being the one guy who left the train having stunk the
whole carriage out with his general stinkiness - I felt sad for him to
be honest. There was a gregarious bunch at the north end of the
platform at Whitechapel who were having fun (were they the District
Dave forum mob I wonder?).