It's long mystified me why Next Train Indicators at tube stations perform so very differently. At Bow Road, for example, we get just one minute's advance warning of the next westbound train, and the second train is never mentioned. Mile End, meanwhile, gets up to six minutes advance warning of up to three trains. Why should passengers at two consecutive District line platforms get such completely different information?
Part of the problem is the hotchpotch of legacy systems that make up London's sub-surface signalling, some of which dates back to the 1920s. There are major plans to replace the lot, especially the really flaky sections, but it'll be years until the full upgrade's complete. In the meantime we get to make do with minimal information at certain stations, and rather more at others.
So I've been on a clockwise tour of the Circle line to see how good or bad its Next Train Indicators are. They're certainly a mixed bunch. Most look like one of the two designs pictured here, either the sturdy older version above, or the cheap-looking recent version below. Only King's Cross and Westminster boast sleek black indicators, more usually seen on the deep-level lines. Meanwhile Edgware Road struggles on with some vile red LED display, and High Street Kensington functions with the aid of a 50 year-old lightbox. There is no consistency here, no consistency at all.
I stood on each clockwise platform waiting to answer two questions: "How many trains does this Next Train Indicator display?" (it's invariably 1 or 3) and "How much advance warning does it give?" The latter's quite a difficult question to answer. You need to watch for the moment when a previously invisible train suddenly appears on the display, and the flow of trains doesn't always let you do that. Most of the times in the table are the maximum possible, because I hung around long enough to confirm this, but where I've used brackets, that's merely the longest time I saw.
Next Train Indicators on the clockwise Circle Line
Station
Age of NTI
Number of next trains displayed
Maximum notice given
Notes
Hammersmith → Paddington
-
nil
nil
There are no functioning Next Train Indicators here.
Edgware Road
ancient
1
1 min
Barely any advance warning at all. The signage here is old, faint and atrocious. Anti-clockwise travel is much more complicated.
Baker Street
late 20thC
3
1 min
When the display says "1 min" away, that's incredibly optimistic.
Great Portland Street
21stC
3
1 min
With only a 1 minute advance warning, it's rare to see two trains on the board, let alone three.
Euston Square
21stC
3
3 mins
In the opposite direction, anti-clockwise, over 10 minutes advance warning is given.
King's Cross St Pancras
modern
4
4 mins
Next trains are also announced by a semi-intelligible automated female voice.
Farringdon
late 20thC
3
7 mins
New Next Train Indicators are being installed - they still have their plastic wrappers on.
Barbican
late 20thC
3
8 mins
Moorgate
late 20thC
3
9 mins
For some unexplained reason, all the Next Train destinations are in capital letters.
Liverpool Street
late 20thC
3
(11 mins)
The greatest advance warning anywhere on the clockwise Circle line.
Aldgate
-
1
(6 mins)
There are no functioning Next Train Indicators on the platform (yet), but there is a big display above the stairs.
Tower Hill
21stC
1
1 min
Two platforms. An illuminated arrow indicates the Next Westbound Train. This often changes without warning. Confuses the hell out of tourists.
Monument
late 20thC
1
1 min
Cannon Street
21stC
3
(1 min)
Closed at weekends, but the Next Train Indicator still works.
Mansion House
late 20thC
3
3 mins
Blackfriars
21stC
3
(4 mins)
A brand new station, but not blessed with the newest sharpest Next Train Indicator.
Temple
late 20thC
3
(5 mins)
Embankment
late 20thC
3
4 mins
For some reason, the advance warning here is shorter than at the previous station.
Westminster
modern
4
5 mins
Westminster's disembodied voice has been badly programmed... "The next train to Circle Line via Victoria will arrive in two minutes".
St James's Park
late 20thC
3
(6 mins)
Victoria
late 20thC
3
(7 mins)
Sloane Square
late 20thC
3
(6 mins)
South Kensington
late 20thC
3
(8 mins)
A lot of advance warning... but this tumbles to barely any at the next station.
Gloucester Road
21stC
1
1 min
Where the Circle and District lines split, there's minimal advance warning on either platform.
High Street Kensington
lightbox
1
1 min
The ancient lightbox says "First Train", but these days the destination's only ever "Edgware Road".
Notting Hill Gate
21stC
1
1 min
Sometimes says "Check destination on front of train", even though it must be Edgware Road.
Bayswater
21stC
3
3 mins
Paddington
late 20thC
3
5 mins
...and then we're back round to Edgware Road again.
In summary, there are three really useless stretches of Next Train Indicators on the clockwise Circle line, all of them at or just after a junction. Edgware Road to Great Portland Street, 1 minute's notice. Tower Hill and Monument, 1 minute's notice. Gloucester Road to Notting Hill Gate, 1 minute's notice. It'll get better before the end of the decade, really it will. But for now it's much easier to discover when the next ten buses are due (above ground) than the next one train (below).
Thank you for your suggestions of possible follow-ups to my Random Borough project. Here's why I'm unconvinced that most of them would work, and why some of them might...
There are too many places to visit, so the task isn't "completable". » Random Mainline Station: There are 357 of these. Even at one a fortnight, that's going to take 15 years. » Random Street: The index of my London A-Z has more than 160 pages of street names. It's so not doable (and very dull). » Random Postcode: There are 242 of these. Some of them are tiny. Even the SE postcode has 28 subdivisions. Something postcode-y might work, but not "random postcode". » Random Park: The Royal Parks are an obvious starting point, but then there are so many more, and then so many smaller green patches after that, and where do you stop? » Random Blue Plaque: There are more than 800 of these in London. And if I picked one at random, it probably wouldn't be anybody interesting.
The list isn't suitably defined, so the task is highly subjective. » Random Bridge: Over the Thames, over other rivers, over railways, over roads, over-many! » Random Roman site: Wikipedia lists just over 100 Roman sites in England. Rather fewer are anywhere near the southeast, and not all of those are accessible. » Random Old London village/district: That's places like Bloomsbury, Spitalfields, Bow, Dagenham, Heath Row... endless! » Random Street Market:Portobello and Walthamstow, obviously. And Shepherd's Bush and Romford. But Earlham Street and Sutton Farmers? And...?
I've been to too many of them already, so it'd be nothing new. » Random County Town: Ah but I've done Winchester, Chichester, Kingston, Oakham, Oxford and Hertford already. Although I haven't done Aylesbury, Bedford, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Lewes, Ipswich or Maidstone yet, to name just the local ones, so maybe there's something to this idea. » Random Tube Line: I've already scrutinised the entire Jubilee, and most of Betjeman's Metro-land, plus all the middle of the Bakerloo. » Random London Boroughs pre 1965: Most modern boroughs are two or three of these put together, so it's unlikely I'd have much more to add. » Random Borough Reprise: Many of you think I should go back to the beginning and visit each of the 33 boroughs again. The trouble is, although some of the places have changed a lot, most won't have done. There'll be just as few interesting places to visit in Harrow as there were then. It is very tempting to go back to Merton, because I gave that short shrift eight years ago. But no, sorry, job done.
The sites are better visited sequentially, rather than randomly. » Random Street (one street per letter): Hmm, an A-Z of London streets. That could be interesting, but not in a random order. » Random Thames Bridge: Definitely of interest, but would be far better done in order.
Too expensive! » Random British City: Good, good, there are only 50 English cities, so this is doable. But if I'm picking them at random, the cost of travel (and in many cases an unexpected overnight stay) would be astronomical. » Random Arrondissement: The Parisian version of Random Borough. Wouldn't that be great? Just entirely impractical.
Not for me » Random London Society: That's so not me, it's far too sociable. Plus, I suspect, difficult to randomly schedule. » Random Pub: That's so not me either. I'd be able to tell you what the lounge bar looked like, but there'd be no critique of the atmosphere or the real ales. » Random National Cycle routes: No bike. End of. » Random Motorway Services: No car. End of.
There's only a limited amount to write about. » Random Tube Termini: This was a very popular choice. Say I stick 11 tube line names in a jar, pick one, and then go and explore the ends of the line. For the Piccadilly line, for example, that's Heathrow, Uxbridge and Cockfosters. Might work. But if I concentrate on the stations, that's a bit limited. And if I wander around outside, then you've probably heard it all before. » Random Railway Terminus: I go to Victoria or Waterloo or wherever, and I take the next suburban train out to the end of the line. Could be Tattenham Corner, could be Hayes, could be Shepperton. It's not sounding like a rich list of possibilities.
Hmm, might work, but I'm not sure people would be interested. » Random Areas Just Outside The London Boroughs: There are 17 Home Counties districts that share a border with London (Three Rivers, Hertsmere, Welwyn Hatfield, Broxbourne, Epping Forest, Brentwood, Thurrock, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Tandridge, Reigate & Banstead, Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Elmbridge, Spelthorne, Slough & South Bucks). It would be a natural continuation of the Random Borough concept to visit them next. Travelling around might be difficult, without the London transport network to rely on. And you'd probably switch off very quickly, not that this usually stops me. But it's the best idea so far. So far...
Yesterday morning, while you weren't watching, the London 2012 Olympic website updated. It's slipped into Games mode - no longer focusing on preparation, but concentrating on sport. When the eyes of the world alight on London2012.com they won't be interested in building sites and Games Lanes, they'll want to know when the cycling's on and who won medals in the canoeing. But there's plenty of information for spectators if you drill down, including some I've not seen elsewhere before. So here are some snippets I've gleaned, in case you're one of the lucky millions with tickets (or even if you're not).
You cannot enter London 2012 venues with liquids, aerosols and gels in quantities greater than 100ml Yes, it's true, security paranoia at London 2012 will be similar to trying to board a plane. Welcome everyone, to Stratford International Airport. If you wander up to security with a cup of coffee, it's going in the bin. If you bring a can of Coke, let alone a can of Pepsi, it's going in the bin. If you stick a yoghurt in your packed lunch, it's going in the bin. The same goes for bottles of perfume, spray-on deodorants, hair gel, hand sanitisers, cough syrup and toothpaste. As we all know, liquids are the chosen medium through which international terrorists seek to wreak havoc on the world... despite the fact that none of them yet successfully have, but they might, so be very very afraid. The ban's clearly pointless, given that would-be evil masterminds could have bought 20 tickets to the hockey or synchronised swimming, allowing their group a total of two litres, which is more than enough to build a bomb in a toilet cubicle, but don't let that worry you. Some might see this rule as blatant profiteering for Coca Cola, the sponsor with exclusive rights to sale of liquids within Games venues, but rest assured there is an alternative. Empty drinks canisters will be allowed, so long as they're not glass, and so long you emptied them beforehand. Free drinking water will then be available inside all venues, so you can fill them up for nothing and quench your thirst in the grandstand. Phew. Full list of restricted items here.
A spectator map of the Games-time Olympic Park has been revealed Ooh, a proper map at last, complete with venues, entrances, artworks and various other Points of Interest. If you've got a ticket to the Olympic Park during the Games (<grins smugly>) then these are your entertainment choices while you're not watching your event... » Near the stadium there'll be two separate gardens, the Great British Garden and the 2012 Gardens. » The far end of the Park, along the river, will be mostly park. The bit where the Manor Gardens allotments once were will be a Live Site, sponsored by British Airways, where you can watch the events like everyone else at home but on a bigger telly. » A three mile walk, guiding you round all the artworks and pretty landscape features, will be signposted by butterfly icons. » There'll be four London 2012 shops, one of them a Megastore, in case you still haven't bought all the branded teatowels your kitchen needs. » The biggest McDonald's in the UK appears in the key, but somebody's forgotten to position it on the map. It'll be located in World Square... where alternative street food will include Chinese noodles, Mexican burritos, coffee and crepes. British classics such as fish and chips, roast dinners and curry will be available elsewhere in the park. » Tickets for the Orbit observation tower will be available at the London 2012 tickets site only. It'll be open for lift rides to the top, and for walks down the exterior spiral staircase, but only for the four weeks of the Games. And then the Orbit will be closed again, until "late 2013", which is one hell of a mothballing for something that was supposed to be a world class tourist attraction. » Near the foot of the Orbit will be the Official Pin Trading Centre, for all the spectators with a pin badge fixation, sponsored by Coca Cola. Don't all rush, will you. » Further commercial activity will be widespread. At least eight Games sponsors are building visitor attractions, mostly interactive pavilions, where they'll attempt to convince you how wonderful, caring and eco-friendly they are. If it rains, these consumer temples may be the only substantial sources of cover. Here are the eight mentioned on the map (some of which, I have to say, sound ghastly) - BP. Fuelling the Future (interactive experience) - The Acer Journey (interactive experience) - Samsung Mobile Live PIN (interactive experience) - Coca-Cola Beatbox (interactive experience) - The National Lottery: It’s Your Space (interactive experience) - EDF Pavilion – The Magic of Electricity (interactive experience) - The BMW Group Pavilion (interactive experience) - Panasonic 3D Theatre
Other things I've spotted • "Spectators wishing to walk to their venue will be able to book onto free guided walks, available for a number of Games venues. The walks start from various points across the UK and will lead you along audited walking routes to remove the worry of getting lost or arriving late. These must be booked in advance." (you what?) • "Businesses at the North Greenwich Arena will be operating as normal throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and will remain open to the general public. However, all visitors to the O2, including staff, will have to pass through a security screening area before they enter the complex." (I bet the restaurant owners hate that) • "There are still almost four million tickets available for the Games." (really? why?) •Seating plans for all the major venues are now available, so that when your tickets arrive (in June) you can check how near to the action you are (or how far) • "Changing the Guard will still take place at Buckingham Palace, although the time may vary. We are working with the Ministry of Defence to identify a nearby suitable location for the ceremony to take place." (there's power for you) • "The Army is set to station soldiers and high velocity surface-to-air missiles on top of a block of residential flats at BowQuarter to ward off any airborne terror threats during the Olympics." (sorry, that's not on the London 2012 website, that's merely gobsmacking news) (sheesh) • They've killed off the London 2012 blog. It now exists only as a partial archive, tucked away in a dark corner of the site, should any archivists of the future ever be interested in some mis-formatted words with all the pictures missing. (see, blogging's dead)
So there you go, my Random Borough project is complete.
From 33 names in a jamjar to 33 write-ups on the blog, all delivered in just over eight years flat.
What a bloody stupid thing to have done.
I mean, what idiot sets aside four Saturdays a year to visit God-Knows-Where, just for the sake of it? What idiot decides that the best way to visit London is borough-by-borough, putting far-flung Hillingdon on a par with Westminster? What idiot then forces himself to write thousands of words on the subject, to an imminent deadline, across a set range of fixed categories? And all this for no reward, save the satisfaction of a job complete. Surely I should have better things to do with my time?
And yet, what a brilliant thing to have done.
I've been forced to visit the whole of London, even the suburban fringes, in small well-defined chunks. I've got a mental picture of dozens of previously unvisited locations, from Hook to Hainault and from Crews Hill to Crayford. I've developed a much broader understanding of how the capital fits together, both at macro and at micro level. I've been forced to find ordinary places interesting, and been pleased to discover that they are. In short, I've developed an overview of London that I bet you haven't got.
I didn't realise what I was letting myself in for when I started out. I think I thought my trip to Merton might be a one-off, and gave it a fairly brief write-up as a result. But when I returned to my jamjar three months later and thought, hell, why not pick another, then I was hooked.
There were times when I wished I hadn't started - for example waking up at crack of dawn to pick my destination and discovering I was 'only' going to Hackney, or slogging through a third consecutive evening of detailed post-visit documentation. But I never had any doubts I'd visit the lot, because I am at heart a serial completist. Hell, I've been writing a diary for 35 years, without gaps, so forcing myself to visit 33 boroughs was nothing tough.
Having analysed every borough in town, I can categorically state without any shadow of a doubt that the most boring borough in London is Sutton. I'm sure most Londoners don't even know Sutton exists, let alone know where to place it on a map. I'd put Harrow in second place, definitely, but I'm not sure I could easily judge who's third. Neither could I pick a favourite borough, but I was unexpectedly impressed by Hounslow, which punches well above its weight in terms of local interest, and of course by Barking and Dagenham.
There have been several boroughs I realised I hardly knew at all until I picked them, like Bexley and Barnet and Redbridge, so it's been great to make their acquaintance. There are others I thought I knew, like Camden and Lewisham, where picking them forced me to uncover fresh delights. But randomness didn't always deliver. Richmond, for example, would have been marvellous in sunny July, but I picked January and the entire trip was disfigured by freezing wind and rain.
If one of my borough jaunts has inspired you to visit a part of London you'd not normally have considered, then job well done. There's so much more to the capital than the same old places in the centre of town, so it's refreshing sometimes to resist the pull of gravity and head further out. You wouldn't want to do it too often, but why not pick the occasional suburb on the outskirts and see what it has to offer? If nothing else it'll make you a better Londoner... it has me.
So I've been on a clockwise tour of the Circle line to see how good or bad its Next Train Indicators are. They're certainly a mixed bunch. Most look like one of the two designs pictured here, either the sturdy older version above, or the cheap-looking recent version below. Only King's Cross and Westminster boast sleek black indicators, more usually seen on the deep-level lines. Meanwhile Edgware Road struggles on with some vile red LED display, and High Street Kensington functions with the aid of a 50 year-old lightbox. There is no consistency here, no consistency at all.
Olympic update
Ooh, a proper map at last, complete with venues, entrances, artworks and various other Points of Interest. If you've got a ticket to the Olympic Park during the Games (<grins smugly>) then these are your entertainment choices while you're not watching your event...
