I was on the Tube on Monday and heard that the Drain was "partially
suspended". I wasn't able to hear any more details as my train left the
station, but I wondered how you could partially suspend such a simple
route. What actually happened?

Recliner wrote:
I was on the Tube on Monday and heard that the Drain was "partially
suspended". I wasn't able to hear any more details as my train left
the station, but I wondered how you could partially suspend such a
simple route. What actually happened?

No idea, but if one of the platforms at Waterloo became unusable, I think
the line would have to run empty in one direction.

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:09:59 +0100, Paul Corfield wrote:

I was on the Tube on Monday and heard that the Drain was "partially
suspended". I wasn't able to hear any more details as my train left the
station, but I wondered how you could partially suspend such a simple
route. What actually happened?

Leak at Waterloo meant people could not board trains there. They ran
empty to Bank to provide a service back to Waterloo. Considering this
was in the evening peak period it makes sense to offer a service from
the City back to Waterloo if it's possible.

Makes sense. Shame they've cried wolf on so many other occasions -
e.g. recorded announcement heard on Saturday: "The Jubilee Line is
part suspended between Green Park and Stratford." (Of course, they
weren't running a 1-way service - it was in fact fully suspended
between those points.)

asdf wrote in
:

e.g. recorded announcement heard on Saturday: "The Jubilee Line is
part suspended between Green Park and Stratford." (Of course, they
weren't running a 1-way service - it was in fact fully suspended
between those points.)

That always, always ****es me off. If they have to use different
terminology, why not "suspended between X and Y" and "closed" (for a full
line)?

On Mar 31, 11:41*am, "Ian F." wrote:

"Paul Corfield" wrote:

Drain
Leak

LOL

Ian
(a man of simple pleasures!)

Ha ha!

Where does the Drain nickname come from anyway? I presume it wasn't a
reference to its City banker-type clientele being considered effluent,
was it...

"Mizter T" wrote in message

On Mar 31, 11:41 am, "Ian F." wrote:

"Paul Corfield" wrote:

Drain
Leak

LOL

Ian
(a man of simple pleasures!)

Ha ha!

Where does the Drain nickname come from anyway? I presume it wasn't a
reference to its City banker-type clientele being considered effluent,
was it...

FWIW, this is what Wikipedia has to say:
The Waterloo & City is colloquially known as the Drain. The origins of
this name are somewhat obscure today. One theory is that this arose when
the line was operated by train crew in a link that otherwise operated
normal surface suburban routes. In comparison with working surface
railways, the Waterloo & City consists of underground tube tunnels.
Messroom conversation would include discussion of what turn a driver
would be working tomorrow, and if it was a Waterloo & City turn of duty,
it was an obvious metaphor to say that the driver was working "down the
drain". Another theory is that it was given this name by the maintenance
staff, because the tunnels, being under the river Thames, leak
considerably allowing much water to enter. This water has to be
continually pumped out. This water gives rise to a musty smell which
provides a third theory for the name.

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:25:54 +0100, "Recliner"
wrote:

I was on the Tube on Monday and heard that the Drain was "partially
suspended". I wasn't able to hear any more details as my train left
the station, but I wondered how you could partially suspend such a
simple route. What actually happened?

Leak at Waterloo meant people could not board trains there. They ran
empty to Bank to provide a service back to Waterloo. Considering this
was in the evening peak period it makes sense to offer a service from
the City back to Waterloo if it's possible.

Curiously the (TfL driven) screen on the King's Cross main line concourse
just said "Suspended". I was going to ask here but forgot. Thanks for
resolving the mystery anyway.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In article ,
() wrote:

In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:25:54 +0100, "Recliner"
wrote:

I was on the Tube on Monday and heard that the Drain was "partially
suspended". I wasn't able to hear any more details as my train left
the station, but I wondered how you could partially suspend such a
simple route. What actually happened?

Leak at Waterloo meant people could not board trains there. They ran
empty to Bank to provide a service back to Waterloo. Considering this
was in the evening peak period it makes sense to offer a service from
the City back to Waterloo if it's possible.

Curiously the (TfL driven) screen on the King's Cross main line
concourse just said "Suspended". I was going to ask here but
forgot. Thanks for resolving the mystery anyway.

I see it was still saying "Suspended" last night. Was that a G20
precaution or is the leak problem still going on?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Apr 2, 9:14*am, wrote:
In article ,





() wrote:
In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:

On Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:25:54 +0100, "Recliner"
wrote:

I was on the Tube on Monday and heard that the Drain was "partially
suspended". *I wasn't able to hear any more details as my train left
the station, but I wondered how you could partially suspend such a
simple route. *What actually happened?

Leak at Waterloo meant people could not board trains there. They ran
empty to Bank to provide a service back to Waterloo. Considering this
was in the evening peak period it makes sense to offer a service from
the City back to Waterloo if it's possible.

Curiously the (TfL driven) screen on the King's Cross main line
concourse just said "Suspended". I was going to ask here but
forgot. Thanks for resolving the mystery anyway.

I see it was still saying "Suspended" last night. Was that a G20
precaution or is the leak problem still going on?


Last night, at Waterloo, they were announcing no W&C line as Bank
station was closed due to police request.

On Apr 2, 9:14*am, wrote:

[snip]

I see it was still saying "Suspended" last night. Was that a G20
precaution or is the leak problem still going on?


Not a precaution so much as an inevitability - Bank station was closed
for much of the day as it was right in the middle of the protests
outside the Bank of England yesterday. All lines were non-stopping,
except of course for the W&C which just wasn't running at all.

I think Monument station remained open however - of course there is
currently no interchange between Bank and Monument anyway so that
would have made things a bit simpler.