Forum Topic

Severe delays on the Piccadilly Line

This has been the norm for several days now and is claimed to be down to 'lack of trains'. Do they mean lack of drivers? Have they all gone down with flu?

Susan Kelly ● 13d11 Comments

A word of warning for anyone wanting to travel to any station on the Piccadilly line beyond Rayners Lane. You will have heard that tfl have failed to solve the leaves on the line problem despite a blitzkrieg on the trackside greenery up to Uxbridge. Tonight I travelled to Hammersmith from Alperton and noticed that a shuttle service is only operating from Rayners Lane to Acton Town. It surely can't be beyond tfl to permanently stop Piccadilly line trains at Rayners Lane and make the Metropolitan line the only option? The Piccadilly line trains should then be used to improve the service going to Rayners Lane before the new units are ready.

peter king ● 6d

They've been working to prepare everything for the new trains for quite some time.  On Saturday I think trains were going part way on the Rayners Lane branch and passengers were then being encouraged to change to the Met line.  Travel has definitely become much rougher on the Picc Line!  Roll on the changeover to all the new trains and tracks and whatever else we know is coming and a smooth and safe changeover.  There is at least one new train being tested on the track.  It was definitely a bit of a worry for passengers to Heathrow on Saturday when the train we were on suddenly changed to going towards Rayners Lane!  (The next Heathrow one was actually waiting to come into the station - but you do need to keep on checking to be sure!)https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/piccadilly-line-upgrade

Philippa Bond ● 9d

So you let the service and trains run down until and when the new stock arrives and in the meantime passengers and a service suffer.Like a supermarket letting its shelves run dry while the boat from china is still 42 days away and stuck on the Suez canal.I dont think so

Julian Pavey ● 9d

Problems on the line again today with no service on the Rayners Lane branch.

Andrew OSullivan ● 9d

There is a much bigger chance of your Heathrow train becoming a Rayners Lane one en route - so stay alert!

Philippa Bond ● 10d

You may not have seen the refurbished Central Line stock yet but it started to come into service last month.As with the previous government, the Mayor has to negotiate the best deal he can get and there has been an increase in the amount he has been given which has allowed more new Piccadilly line trains to be ordered.What he didn't get, was funding for the upgraded signalling but there is a key government spending review next month. It may be cause for optimism that the Siemens Mobility factory in Chippenham, which would be handling the contract announced a £100million investment this week.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 10d

I see that Two Tier and Robber Rachel are forcing Khan to cut back on his financial demands, hence the fare increases on the rail system. I'm talking about the Central line which saw work started LAST November on reconditioning the trains and none have been sighted in west London yet.

peter king ● 12d

The new stock has already arrived in London and is being tested with a view to introduction next year. It is unclear how you think the Mayor could have accelerated this process or could speed it up now - it surely would be highly dangerous for a politician to intervene in a safety critical process?In the interim it probably makes sense for London Underground to limit the amount it spends on making older trains serviceable. If you want to be glass half full on this, you could say that the current lack of trains is a sign that the new stock is close to being brought into service.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 12d

Still no sign in west London of Khan's reconditioned Central line trains that started as a project in November 23. Don't hold your breath over the Piccadilly line trains.

peter king ● 13d

Yep,its due to new trains coming in 2025 and lack of funding available to current fleet when they go down. "TfL commissioner Andy Lord admitted the shortage of trains on the central line could spread to other lines - such as the Bakerloo, Northern and Piccadilly, prior to its new trains arriving from 2025 is due to a lack of funding to carry out regular overhauls" Perhaps TFL are better off not wasting money and Khan hiding from who the current GMVT is and talk to the public about not getting money it needs from labour. If it was the torys in charge he would be blaming them.You can only blame them for the past not now. Get on to the blower and speak to your mate starmer instead of keeping a low key on the matter.

Julian Pavey ● 13d

I was puzzled by this phrase ("lack of trains") a year or so ago. 
I then came to learn that the issue was the aging trains and problems with the supply of replacement parts (can't remember the exact details). Essentially the trains are old and break down, and the parts needed can't be sourced. So the train is out of service for a while. 

Angela Knight ● 13d

They can afford to skive off now after getting such huge pay increases from Rachel Thieves

Steve Taylor ● 13d