Much calmer, easier, happier start to the day today, since I didn't have to be in until 16:00 :) When I arrived at ROV, I noticed on the outer rail (towards HAI) that the following service pattern was being advertised on the dot-matrix indicator:
- Hainault 2 mins
- Hainault 5 mins
For me it was also a 5 minute wait for the WOO, which passed quickly and pleasantly enough. No trouble making WOO on a rather nice (and very windy, which I, personally, enjoy as long as it's not too cold) day. Changed at WOO as usual and boarded a NOR service which was actually rather empty. Indeed, between SNA and LES I actually had the entire first carriage to myself at about 15:30 on a Thursday afternoon. I enjoyed the journey in, to be honest, and took the chance to have another good look at my bit of the Central line. I can't, though, honestly think of anything much to report.
I changed, then, at LIS and - despite what, if I do say so myself, was a deft change, weaving my way through gaps in crowds of travellers - just missed an all stations Uxbridge. Little bit of a wait for a Circle line to Hammersmith but not too bad. That took me to Euston Sq and again it was a nice journey, but not particularly eventful. Couldn't see anyone working at Moorgate, mind, but it was afternoon at that point.
Since I'd been out with some friends, I came home quite late and from Russell Square - which did make a nice change. It did feel quite good to be doing that journey again, I haven't come back from Russell Square for ages. I took a Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 & 5 train the one stop to HOL. That train was very empty, but the Central line was still extremely busy even at about 21:45. When I arrived at Russell Square I couldn't see any problems being shown on the Central line, but I found out from an announcement at MIE that it was suspended between WHC and MAA (faulty train at SHB I believe) and that there were minor delays on the rest of the line. This may have had its effect on my journey, I don't know, but I only had about a minute to wait for an EPP either way.
As we pulled into BEG eastbound we braked fairly normally, then auto (I can only assume) briefly eased off on the brakes before braking hard again. We pulled up in a heap very short and had to edge forward quite slowly (probably a car's length, maybe more) before finally reaching the stopping mark. No idea what it was doing there, or whether it was man or machine which brought us the rest of the way in.
All was relatively smooth after that. I'd noticed that there was a HAI via NEP behind my train and then a WOO via HAI. I'd initially intended to change for that, but with the delays I thought it might be better to get as close to home as possible and go to WOO. Besides, I've known WOO via HAI trains to be short turned at HAI before and I didn't fancy adding to my journey. Besides the WOO was far enough behind that I thought I might make it in time to catch the HAI from WOO. As it was I didn't make it on time and had a 12 min wait at WOO, which isn't too bad. In fact, the HAI was the next train and there was nothing towards EPP shown for a good while. With probably 9 mins or so to go for the HAI, an EPP came up on the indicator shown as 15 mins away and then one 19 mins away came up. Obviously the service frequency is reduced towards the end of the day anyway, but it looks like the delays were having an effect on the eastbound.
At ROV we had another difficult stop, although this was, of course, a different train. We stopped very slowly and laboriously (and quite squeakily and noisily, too) but again way short. Not sure what was up with the 1992 stock today (or whether or not this was auto making a mess of things) but again we had to creep forwards. Probably only half a car's length this time, but still. Strange. Then again, whilst it is a little more uncommon for things to go wrong in the tunnels, this bad stop was not much of a surprise. It had been raining and, in fact, still was and - as we know - auto can't do moisture. Happily, this is okay, because London is very rarely at all wet. Still, my money would be on the rain as the culprit for the second fluffed stop, it really wouldn't be the first time.
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