GOBLIN update

Background
The Gospel Oak to Barking line is part of the London Overground network which runs between, yes you guessed it, Gospel Oak and Barking. More commonly however, this line is referred to as the GOBLIN, and even has their own Users Group; The Gospel Oak to Barking Rail User Group (BGORUG). The line passed from Silverlink Metro to London Overground in 2007, originally using the former operator's 2 car Class 150-1 units. The line was unique being the only LO line that was not electrified either via third rail DC current or overhead AC wires. New rolling stock arrived in 2010, 2-car class 172-0 Turbostar DMUs.



172001 at Leyton Midland Road, prior to electrification of the line
© Tommy Cooling

172003 at Leytonstone High Road, on the last day before the line closed for electrification works in June 2016
© Tommy Cooling

Within a short time frame, the London Overground success story was beginning to act as a downfall, with passenger loads rapidly increasing to beyond levels sustainable by the line's 2-car units. Plans were afoot by 2013 to increase the capacity on the line to 3-car or 4-car diesel trains, however these plans were superseded by Government plans to electrify the line throughout with brand new 4-car electric trains (class 710s). Electrification work began in 2016, and was due to be completed by 2017, however complications during these works saw the project overrun by a year, and costs escalate. Full line electrification was achieved by 2018, a year behind schedule, the brand new class 710 units, ordered in 2015, were also delayed. The units were due into service in 2017, however this was pushed by to 2018 by which time the delayed electrification project would be complete. Despite this the trains were not delivered until November/December 2018, nearly 18 months later than first planned.

172007 under the wires at Upper Holloway
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/46269365944/in/album-72157650255683791/
© Tommy Cooling

The complications began when the existing class 172 units were earmarked for West Midlands Trains for their May 2019 timetable change, following the end of lease with TfL in May 2018 [on the basis that the 710s would be in service]. With no immediate chance of ANY class 710s being accepted by London Overground, drivers trained, and units passed fit for service before the class 172 lease expired, TfL took out a further sub lease on the units, from West Midlands Trains (WMT), keeping them until mid-March 2019. However, as these units required refurbishment and extensive internal modifications to retro-fit toilets, for use with West Midlands Trains, some of the line's eight units, would need to be 'handed back' to the leasing company prior to this date. The first unit went early on leaving the line, which requires six trains for a full service, with only only one spare. This also saw the morning extra service, which required the seventh unit, removed from the timetable, on the basis that only six trains could be used at any one time.

January saw no progress in the readying or the likelihood of acceptable by London Overground of the 710 units. It was at this point when the second 172 returned to WMT, leaving the line with no spare units. Inevitably, with little to no significant upkeep taking place on the remaining units, the prevalence of train faults and cancelled services increased. With the late January/early February cut-off approaching for half of the remaining six 172 units to go back to WMT, an emergency stop-gap measure was needed to prevent the line losing any further services. This solution was to use three shortened class 378s, taken from the fleet's refurbishment process and one other spare unit. Three class 378s (which had been lengthened from 3-cars to 4-cars, then 4-cars to 5-cars) were shortened from 5-cars to 4-cars, the same length as the new class 710s on the GOBLIN. This meant they would easily be able to operate using the existing class 710 platform stopping markers. The first of the three units, 378232 entered service in late January, followed by two further units in February to replace a 172 that went off lease at the same time. The other two shortened 378 units are 378206 and 378209.

378232 was the first electric passenger train in service on the GOBLIN
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/46269365784/in/album-72157650255683791/
© Tommy Cooling

During late winter, class 710 units made late night trips over the GOBLIN to increase their fault free test running. By late February and into March, passengers were greeted to their first glimpses of 710s running on the GOBLIN in daylight hours, as train testing was vamped up.

710269 at Brondesbury on a testing and training run
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/32491255047/in/album-72157650255683791/
© Tommy Cooling

Where are we now?
As things currently stand services on the GOBLIN have been reduced by 50% with one electric 378 every 30 minutes following the end of the sub-lease of the final three 172 units from WMT. On most days there are up to two electric 710 units testing on the line. These generally fall into the other paths that would have been operated by passenger services; a situation that would be very frustrating for a passenger facing a long wait for the next train. Overall train capacity on the line, as TfL seem to proudly claim, has not changed, with six 2-car 172s have been replaced by three 4-car 378s, still offering 8-cars per hour. The only difference being the intervals between have increased 100% from every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes.

There is still no indication yet as to when the GOBLIN saga will finally be over, however most will feel and are hoping, that the end is in sight.

Post by Tommy Cooling

Some of these images and more can be found on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/

Please do not reproduce any of my images without permission

Chiswick Cuts

From 9th March 2019, the highly opposed changes to routes 27 and 440 occurred. This involved the withdrawal of the 27 between Hammersmith Town Hall and Chiswick Business Park, the 440 rerouted to cover the 27, whilst leaving Chiswick Park Station and part of Bollo Lane unserved and terminating at Turnham Green.

DE20080 passing Chiswick Park Station on the last day of this 440 routing.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Route 440 has been rerouted between Bollo Lane Level Crossings and Turnham Green, running via Chiswick Business Park, Chiswick High Road, Oxford Road North, Wellesley Road to terminate at Turnham Green Church. This involves running the route in reverse along Wellesley Road/Oxford Road North, and leaves two notable places unserved by buses. Chiswick Park Station is one of the places that are affected, with the sole bus route running in front of it being rerouted away from it. Chiswick High Road buses from Turnham Green, and the 94 from Acton Green are however 5 minutes away.


DLE30238 in the last week of 440 serving Power Road.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The other part of the route being left unserved by buses is the barely utilised Power Road stand just off Chiswick Roundabout. Notably, Power Road is where W. Chump and Sons, producers of The Grand Tour are based. It is surrounded by smaller offices and a Citroen dealership.


DLE30318 exits Chiswick Business Park on the new routing
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The new routing means that the 440 serves Gunnersbury Station, finally giving Chiswick Business Park a link to Gunnersbury Station that does not involve significant walking. The route towards Turnham Green does not serve Gunnersbury Station as the bus stop is in front of the turn from Chiswick Business Park. However some drivers unofficially stop outside the station, at the forward end of the bus stop on Chiswick High Road.


DLE303022 stands at Turnham Green
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The stand at Turnham Green is not new to the route, having stood there between 2007 and 2010 when the route was withdrawn from Stamford Brook Garage, but prior to the reroute of the H91 via Chiswick High Road (and 440 extension to Power Road).


ADL27 from NCP days at Turnham Green in 2008
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The changes to the 440 are to mask a PVR decrease and shortening of Route 27 to Hammersmith (including night service). The withdrawn section of Route 440 is replaced by walking, including a new bridge from Chiswick Business Park to Chiswick Park LU Station.


ADH45028 passing under the bridge which partly replaces the 27 and 440
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The new bridge links the business park with Chiswick Park Station, giving relief to Gunnersbury Station. This section of the 27 is rarely used, as most people get on the 27 at Turnham Green Church onwards. The section of the route is not heavily used, but used well enough and relieves the 267 and H91 trunk routes going into Hammersmith along Chiswick High Road.


An empty LT71 at Gunnersbury Station
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The one notable omission since the start of the 27 extension, which has doomed it to be empty is that it touches, but misses Gunnersbury Station due to a lack of bus stop. Plans for a bus stop within the southern end of the Business Park to serve the station fell through, thus the 27 missed a major traffic destination as the Gunnersbury Station bus stops are at the wrong side of the Business Park entrance for the 27 to serve.


A trio of LTs on the last day of the 27 to Chiswick Business Park, from the bridge to Chiswick Park Station
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The 27 gained LTs from the 10, a notable route loss as it was withdrawn and replaced by the 23...which is barely used in comparison to the 9 between Hyde Park and Hammersmith. However, the amount of LTs from the 10 did not correlate with the PVR of the 27, thus the 27 had odd Enviro 400Hs still when the route was converted to LT.


LT167 on Chiswick High Road, no longer served by the route
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The consultation for the route cut had a massive 72% disapproval rate, with most notable responses including the cut of links between Chiswick and Kensington/Notting Hill Gate (still served by the 94) and some even noting that the cut was to reduce the traffic effect when CS9 is built through Chiswick High Road. It is deemed that approximately 1200 people will be required to change between buses at Hammersmith Bus Station.

Local people were very notable in their opposition, even resorting to anonymous posters against the cut back whilst the consultation was running. Unfortunately, the large level of local opposition did not result in the cut being cancelled, and it went ahead on 9th March 2019.


LT161 at the new stand at Glenthorne House
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The 27 now runs from Hammersmith Town Hall via Studland Street and Glenthorne Road to terminate at Glenthorne House. According to the TfL consultation, the rerouting "create[s] a short new local link from King Street to Glenthorne Road and Hammersmith Grove" which is usually dealt with by walking, and is seldom used so far. The only reason why the route terminates at the old 267 and H91 stand at Hammersmith is because the planned 266 stand at Beadon Road is now occupied by urban roadside gardens, and Hammersmith Bus Station has a lack of stand space, officially.

Talking of which, the information at stands in Hammersmith Bus Station for the 27 change have been abysmally wrong, as such that whiteboards by the local staff have had to be used to portray information. This is the same TfL that had 10 tiles at Hammersmith well into 2019, even though the route was withdrawn in 2018.

Transport for London are responsible for bus stop information. A week before the change was to happen, the tiles at Hammersmith Bus Station were changed. This stop is for the 27 towards Hammersmith Grove. Clearly the information is completely incorrect, as both the 27 and the new N27 are shown as heading towards Chalk Farm at this stop.

Midway through the week, on one side, the 27 line of destinations were covered, and, for some reason, the destination of "Kensington High Street" on the 23 at the eastbound stop was covered. However, the N27 tile is still uncovered, even though the N27 does not serve this stop. The N27 terminates where the 9/23 terminates, and starts where they start, unofficially. However, iBus differs, and states it terminates at Stop B, to provide the connection with the N9/N11 at the same stop. 

Above are the whiteboard notices in each direction for the 27. To show how poor the information and publicity there is for the 27 cut, as well as how popular the 27 was from Hammersmith to Chiswick, it required large notices at Hammersmith. Some passengers at the Chiswick end were unaware, as the notices for the cut were only A4 sized small, thus not very easy to notice.

Spider maps in Hammersmith Bus Station for the 27 have the Chiswick Business Park element removed by marker pen.

LT86 on King Street post-curtailment

(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The section west of the bus station until Hammersmith Town Hall is still used to an extent as it serves bus stops that were useful for patrons on the 27. Overall, the execution of this truncation is poor, and even to the extent where 27 tiles were removed on the two stops on Hammersmith Grove towards the terminus.

At night, the route is truncated even further, to Hammersmith Bus Station. As the 9 does not use their stands in the bus station as it runs as N9 to Heathrow, the new N27 uses those stands. Thus, the route runs only to Hammersmith, and thus Chiswick Business Park loses its night service, and the frequency of night buses on Chiswick High Road decreases to the sole 3 buses per hour by the N9.


LT72 starting its journey on the first night towards Chalk Farm
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

This is one of the first instances where the night route is shorter than the corresponding day route, as the N27 terminates at the bus station.


LT152 terminating at Hammersmith
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Under the most audacious of circumstances, London has a new night route born out of an old 24 hour route. Although Transport for London think this is a more effective deployment of resources, the tangible links broken and the effect of the cuts are irreversible. As Transport for London are undergoing a funding crisis, with many corners cut and larger projects being over budget, these small cuts all add up in their account books.

Post by Aubrey Morandarte

All rights reserved © WLTMTB 2019

Arriva, Serving Stratford

On 2nd March 2019, the first of a few Stagecoach London losses early in 2019 centred around Stratford was the 158. Awarded to Arriva London with existing buses, the route is now based at Edmonton (EC).

VLW909 on the first morning of Arriva operation on Route 158 at Stratford Bus Station.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The route uses the existing buses from Route 123, with hybrid B5LHs replacing the DB300s and B9TLs usually on the 123. The B9TLs are from First London (via Tower Transit), which did once operate the 158 (and the 123) prior to their tenders in 2005.


DW493 close to the end of the journey, enroute to the second bus stop for Stratford Bus Station.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The Stratford two-way scheme has led to the 158 running directly to the bus station than via the Stratford Gyrotary. There is a new bus stop outside the Stratford Centre, opposite the station which buses stop at before entering the bus station. Thus the last stop for the 158 is very seldom used now, as it is quicker to walk to the station from the prior stop.


DW498 at the start of a journey to Chingford Mount.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

Based at Edmonton, the weekend night service is currently run using hybrid B5LHs off the 123. The route had a weekend night service introduced in August 2016 as part of the Central Line night tube.


A token photo here: a Trident from the previous regime displaying 158, whilst the new order is shown by VLW905.
(© Aubrey Morandarte)

The route is the first Arriva full-time bus route to serve Stratford. Although Route 473 was initially operated by Grey-Green, it was under Cowie leadership, prior to the Arriva branding in 1998. Route 678 has been operated by Arriva London in the past.

The introduction of Arriva into the mix at Stratford further increases the operator diversity. A former Stagecoach stronghold ever weakens with the losses of Route 262 and 473 later on in the year.

Post by Aubrey Morandarte

All rights reserved © WLTMTB 2019