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This is a good explanation with the caveat that London Underground has never got near the theoretical timetable of a train every two minutes. The way it was explained to me was that there were two signal blocks between Hammersmith and Turnham Green at which trains can be held if the train in front hasn't cleared Turnham Green. This is not enough to avoid trains being held up back into the West End if there are by some miracle 30 trains per hour or even a more possible 24 trains per hour. However, when the number of trains drops as they decline from the peak level of service then it is perfectly feasible. There is little or no difference in the number of trains on the line from 8.30pm to 10.30pm when they are allowed to stop at Turnham Green.The new stock with its improved deceleration and acceleration will allow more leeway to increase the service at Turnham Green even without improved signalling.The change of policy from LU to provide a service at Turnham Green during District line engineering works and, increasingly during District Line disruption does seem to me to be significant. As Chris pointed out, the prime objective certainly used to be to guarantee a reliable service to Heathrow at the expense of local commuters. With the opening of the Lizzie line, the proportion of airport bound travellers on the Piccadilly line will have fallen so perhaps this imperative has reduced. This seems to have brought about less rigid thinking with regard to Turnham Green.I don't think LU will do anything about Turnham Green until we have a pathway to the signalling upgrade on the Piccadilly line but when this is in place, there would be a strong argument for increasing the regularity of the service at Turnham Green ahead of the full service that the signals would bring.

Mark Evans ● 1d