OH FOR GOD'S SAKE, LONDON BRIDGE. Not happy with overcrowding misery at the start of the year after timetables changed to cope with massive Thameslink upgrade works — resulting in several attempts to introduce 'new measures' to fix the problems — the lines into the station fell over again this morning.
If we're honest, failures on the Southeastern network are such a matter of course that we wouldn't normally bother to mention it, but if you're playing Train Delay Bingo today's snafu is quite special.
One Londonist staffer was on a train (for an hour longer than usual) where the driver gave three separate reasons for problems: signal failures, overrunning engineering works and congestion. Meanwhile Network Rail issued a statement explaining that there were seven — count 'em — unrelated signal problems between Deptford, New Cross and London Bridge.
Part of the reason for those signal failures was damage to a cable during works over the weekend, according to the BBC's Tom Edwards. Network Rail's statement said:
"We recognise the importance of this station to London and we will do everything we can to find out what went wrong."
Which is probably meant to sound reassuring, but we can hear the gnashing of teeth of thousands of commuters from here. Problems weren't just confined to London Bridge either; knock-on effects caused overcrowding at Victoria and Canada Water.
To add insult to injury, a signal failure at Edgware Road caused severe delays on the Circle, District, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines during the morning rush hour. HAPPY MONDAY.
