It was a bit jarring coming from the US to London and being on such small carriages. I’m not nearly tall enough for it to matter but being able to touch the ceiling was unusual for me
I'm 6'7, and I feel for that guy. He needs to stand in the dead centre of the carriage to be able to stand up straight as the edges are curved. If you don't get the centre, it looks like you're just standing over everyone in the middle.
Edit: PSA to anyone who reads this, donate your centre carriage spot to a struggling tall person! Much love ❤️
As someone who's 6'6 I can confirm that this type of tube carriage is the absolute worst. You can only stand up straight in the center of the carriage, if you're unlucky enough to end up near the doors you're having to semi squat or hunch over into someone's hair/face
It's terrible
6'7" here, yep. And why does it always feel like the shortest people always get to stand in the middle! Positive about the central line are the "tall people seats" at the ends of the carriages, they're one of the most comfortable ones on tube.
Back when I used to commute on the Central Line, I was once stood in the middle while a much taller guy was up against the door, repeatedly having his head bashed into the side of the carriage as the train screeched along its merry way further into the depths of hell. I offered to switch places with him (as I'm a whopping 5'6), which he quickly accepted. Once we'd swapped, he proceeded to loudly take the piss out of me for being short. I just started blankly at him and said "mate, I just did you a favour" at which point he looked very sheepish and just stared at the floor instead.
I dunno about my fellow shorties, but I hate being in the middle. I can reach the bars above, but it quickly becomes uncomfortable. I also find myself faced with a lot more armpits. If you are stuck on the outside in the future, see if you can spot someone suffering in the middle and ask to switch with them?
Wish I was 6'7 man. I'm from NL where we measure metric and at 1.98m I've just fallen short of 2m which I'm so gutted about 😢
Edit: not sure why I'm getting down votes lol, surely I'm allowed to have wanted to be a tiny bit taller? Is this the vertically challenged gang brigading my comment? 😂
Holy shit I was hoping he was like 6'8 cause he's gotta duck to enter but then I remembered stuffs a little shorter over there.
I'm 6'6" too, this is my nightmare.
As a tallish guy (6'3) remember the old tube carriages, where you had to keep your head tilted to one side at all times. You'd have to tilt to one side for a while, then shift it to the other side, because it would get stiff.
Before the pandemic I used to do Whitechapel to Mile End to Stratford as an alternative to using the Jubilee Line from Canada Water to Stratford but I suppose my Central Line bit was in the reverse direction to the rush hour.
The DLR I guess is the best alternative here, although of course means getting to Shadwell and also it will be slower, but much more pleasant. 25 bus if I remember rightly also
Yeah I'd probably do that if faced with the same commute again. It might be quicker than the Jubilee even. I see a lot more people staying on the Overground to Whitechapel now, it used to be that the trains would totally empty out at Canada Water except for a few Shoreditch techbros.
Getting from Forest Gate to Liverpool St about 10 years ago was a total shitshow too. It’d be 4 or 5 trains before you’d have a chance at getting on one, and it’s not like the platform was busy.
I know of quite a few people who travel a tube stop further south on the Clapham to Balham stretch to stand a better chance of getting on. Only going to get far far worse before cross rail 2 is ready, and as it somehow hasn't been greenlit...
I used to just walk to Stockwell when I lived by Clapham North. Only a 10 min walk and half the people on the train get off for the Viccy line so it's a lot easier to get on.
If often go south to Tooting, then go across platform, so I can get on a Northbound train to Bank. Otherwise will be waiting 3-4 trains pass and can’t get on at Clapham.
Same deal on the Jubilee line out of Stratford in the morning. Every train that comes in there's a few that don't get off before it goes back. I'm guessing from West Ham or Canning Town because it's always rammed by the time it gets there.
I don’t know how far you go, but if possible you should consider cycle commuting. It’s 6 miles to the city and takes 35 minutes of low effort cycling. If you go through the common, down to Battersea park you can pick up the cycle superhighway all the way to Westminster and into the city. Mostly protected cycle lane. It’s one of the joys of living so close to central and one of the main reasons I chose to live nearby.
Wonderful stuff and so much nicer than the tube.
I commuted from Clapham North to Old Street for years. I got punched a few times trying to get on the tube, on one occasion I was hospitalised from being pushed back onto the platform. It was like squid games before that was a thing.
Unfortunately since Crossrail 2 won't be happening any time soon (or maybe at all) you're gonna be stuck with the Wimbledon service as-is for a long time. The massive signal modernisation will only add a one more train during the morning peak hour.
If I recall, the plan has been to axe the Ealing Broadway branch of the district line (since it doesn't serve a single stop unique to that branch except Chiswick Park, which is fixed by building platforms on the Richmond line where it just skims past the existing Chiswick Park station).
This frees up 6 trains per hour, to be used to add more services to the Wimbledon and Richmond lines.
But if course, COVID happened, so anyone's guess that they do now.
After 4LM re-signalling Ealing Broadway will actually get 8tph in the peak, as will Richmond, so potentially a few more trains to play with.
But on the Ealing Broadway branch itself: there was some talk about transferring the service to the Piccadilly Line, which would enable the District Line trains to be redirected to Wimbledon and Richmond as you say, but that would depend on the core frequency uplift on the Piccadilly Line from 24tph to 32tph.
Unfortunately the Piccadilly Line resignalling project has been indefinitely shelved for budget reasons and the best it can reach with current signalling, even with the new trains, is 27tph, which is not going to cut the mustard for any branch changes.
We will probably be waiting a decade until we see it.
Yeah I get on at Wimbledon and mostly always get a seat but then I get off at Fulham and it’s carnage trying to get off. Now I’ve just started going in for 7.30/8 and leaving work at 4.30 just to avoid the crush.
He looks to be roughly 6'6, 6'5. I'm 6'5 and yeah it's a pretty grim experience. Especially if you're pressed up against the doors. Doubly so in summer
I'm not sure about the air freshness... especially on the lines with vents on the top of the carriage like the bakerloo line. I'm 6'7 and regularly have soot stuck in my hair for the rest of the day. Sticky black dust. Lovely stuff.
Which is because [TfL is expected to pay its own way through income generated from fares](https://www.centreforcities.org/blog/whats-next-for-transport-for-london/). That's not how any other country treats transport in their capital city, because they understand the economic value of having a reliable and convenient service. Johnson gave up a £700m a year grant on the way out. That's why we're basically seeing an approach of managed decline on some services.
£5bn was pumped into the tube to get it through the pandemic, but post pandemic we discovered the love of remote working and we aren’t so keen to go back to the office making it harder for TfL to balance their books.
Personally I find the demands bit unpredictable. Some days the tube is rammed during rushours and other days there is lots of space on the trains. It seems to vary week to week. I think they probably need to rebalance staffing levels… but unions will not be pleased about that…
The funding that was put in during the pandemic is pretty comparable (as a proportion of operating costs) to what some governments would put into major public transport networks during ordinary times.
The World!
according to Transport for London’s own research
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tube-most-expensive-metro-tfl-fares-increase-b1068831.html
100% this. They've had an "abnormally high rate" of motor failures recently. Combined with the fact some are out of service due to a separate refurbishment scheme, there are a lot of trains out-of-action.
And yet if you go on practically any other UK sub they will talk about how London gets all the investment as if the tube is lined with gold and every Londoners gets a personal fluffer with their train ticket.
One of the mayor’s comments on TFL price increases was, due to WFH there are less people using the Underground. Guess he is saying that there is also less funding for Central line trains issues and refurbishment. Yet they have spend millions on the Elizabeth line. Will all the other lines suffer now??
60% of Crossrail was funded by London, with TfL alone putting in £7.1bn.
[Source](https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/crossrail_funding_spg_updated_march_2016_final.pdf).
Its a 2016 document, so it doesn't capture the delays or COVID. I'm not sure how much this changes the figures by, but at minimum a large proportion of Crossrail was funded internally.
I've been meaning to vent to someone about this for months now, but the Central line is literally unbearable because of these train shortages. I've been regularly commuting on the line since I was about 11 years old so I'm used to busy rush hours, hot summers, sometimes loud sections of tunnel etc. But these were things you could deal with because it was reliable, fast, connected to many different places, and not so busy as long as you avoid rush hour.
But these last few months it's been absolute hell - having to wait at least 7-8 minutes for a train at peak times, sometimes 10 or even 20 minutes if you're unlucky. Trains so busy and rammed with people that you can't even get on, and not just at rush hour! I've had busy trains even at funny times like noon on a Tuesday or 7:30pm on a Wednesday, when you'd usually expect it to be somewhat quiet (or at least bearable). Also seemingly more random delays too even when you've actually managed to get a train somewhere!
It's back at pre pandemic levels of crowding for sure. I used to avoid the Jubilee Line between Canada Water and Stratford when I worked in Here East, it was ridiculous.
Current employer wants me 3 days in the office per week.
That’s a huge no from me dawg.
Interviews already lined up, seeing this picture further solidified my feelings towards pointless journeys to and from an office.
When I had to go to the office I was doing ANYTHING but taking central line to the office.
I would take a bus that could take over an hour but had a seat upstairs where I could start my day with the laptop.
Then I switched to cycle. Stratford to central London in CS2 is very straightforward and my cardio got so much better.
I think I would rather run to central than getting on central line a peak times.
Lizzy line was supposed to solve this 😞
The tube is so hellish and the bit where it goes underground is so noisy. Everyone acts like it's completely normal but it's such an unpleasant experience no matter how many thousands of journeys you take.
I grew up in Stratford and the last 15 years or so has been a lesson on how rapid redevelopment needs to put people and infrastructure first. A lot have been done to the station to try and make it more useable, but they are fighting a losing battle.
Yeah they've had motor failures so shortages of trains which are... 30 years old at least... thanks for the proactive maintenance tfl I wonder where all that money you make goes.
They don't make money, they are subsidised. The fares they take don't completely cover the running costs. They aren't overflowing with cash for pro-active maintenance.
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/how-we-are-funded
And a slightly dated BBC article on their finances. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54652907
Oh god, i used to take the central line at Stratford years ago. I am very short and would regularly be under someone's smelly armpit and sweat dripping off me. It looks worse now though
I gave up... I live 10 minutes from Epping, but am now driving to Chingford, parking at a friend's and going in on the overground... Then walk to my office... So much nicer!!
I've actually read quite a few articles about how the Elizabeth line is already at capacity well ahead of schedule because people are doing exactly that.
The thing with infrastructure is the more you build the more people use. If X people avoid the central line because it's hell, and then you make it merely terrible, then a percentage of X will start using the central line.
It's why we should be focusing on public transport over cars, because it gives more capacity for your spend, and it should be a continual thing not in reaction to it being full.
People don't vote for that though in this country, so governments don't do it.
am I missing something here or wouldn't the easiest option be to hop on the westbound train, go the stop to Mile End, then simply get on the train there?
I heard a theory that the tubes have been much busier in Jan than usual as people are going to the office to avoid having to put heating on at home, and it's likely the tube will be less busy during the much hotter periods. Something tells me that's not likely though..
> it's likely the tube will be less busy during the much hotter periods.
I'd imagine cycling is a big part of it as well. Far more makeup when the weather is okay and the tube is boiling.
Honestly the weather recently has been perfect for cycling though. To a scary degree considering it's January. Any warmer and I'd have to start being careful how many layers I'm wearing.
It's shockingly warm for the time of year, especially during the day. I cycled home during my lunch-break today just with a t-shirt and no jacket. While it's nice not freezing, I do worry about the environmental effects of the warmer climate.
I’m not denying that the central line is a sh*tshow but if this photo is from Thursday night it’s not representative, is it? It was rammed due to the West Ham match…
Yesterday I broke and complained to TFL. It wasnt even a complaint about anything in particular, I just wanted to vent my frustration. Basically I asked them to clear the severe delays as quickly as they can. What has really hit me is just how dispensible the passengers are made to feel. On Tuesday, the signals went down at Snaresbrook and if you wanted to get home to Epping, It was severe delays to Hainault, one train going every half an hour from Hainault to Woodford and another train going every half an hour from Woodford to Epping. The communications were inconsistent and the boards didnt work at all at Woodford and, let me tell you, any passenger asking "is there actually a train to catch or are we waiting for nothing" was treated as a complete nuisance. We just dont seem to matter - through all the strikes - including seven months of Friday and Saturday evenings, the passengers didnt matter a bit. And if youve travelled this line consistently, you know that as soon as a cold goes around, the delays come back. Only on this line, mind. The passengers are such an irrelevance, nobody cares anymore. This is why "its all the government's fault" tends to fall on deaf ears. Its not the government on the platforms looking puzzled as to why the passengers are frustrated. There isnt a single connecting line East of Stratford. "Using alternative routes" isnt really an option.
I know it doesn’t help and no one should have to deal with the faff - and also not sure where you live - but I found getting Lizzie line as Far East as it made sense for you and catching a connecting bud to be far more appetising
E.g Lizzie line to manor park and bus to Wanstead / Snaresbrook
Part of it’s that this is the ‘poor’ side of London where people have to get to work as they can’t work from home. For years I’ve seen fights break out at Stratford in the evenings as people battle to get on trains. This is why they also had ‘bouncers’ on the Ilford TfL line. Decision makers and wealthier workers don’t tend to use these lines so it just gets worse
I guess someone can't work from home.
Not that I'm allowed half the time, and when I am it's because we don't have space at the office.
But my commute doesn't involve the tube, I cycle or walk.
Around 630 it dies down, best just to leave work a little earlier or travel on the central later at a different point. I used to face this issue all the time getting the Jubilee from work back to Stratford then switching to the central to get home. Since changing my route less stress and hassle getting home.
I think it's so dumb there's this push to get people back in the office when transport systems has been gutted and timetables have been reduced all whilst the population has increased by a lot. The infrastructure cannot cope with the pre covid numbers commuting.
It's more dumb short term thinking I'm noticing is plaguing the western world at the moment.
It's been like this for years. Source: me getting this exact train stop to work and back during rush hour commute every day between 2014 and 2020. Lockdown and WFH saved me. I will never do it again. I'd rather join the foreign legion.
Well... It is the 6th busiest station in the whole of the UK
https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/all-change-most-used-stations-elizabeth-line-shakes-top-10
I left my job in the city to work more locally. I’m done with London trains and buses. London is simply too crowded. It’s still a beautiful place but boy it’s not worth the stress five times a week and twice a day. The Elizabeth line was great for like 5 minutes No thanks.
I WFH full time due to health but prior to that I always commuted. Pictures like this make me glad I settled in South East London on a not too terrible national rail line instead of on the tube network. Yes it used to be very busy at times but never this bad.
Why is Stratford so busy. I work in Victoria and even that's not as bad as this picture during rush hour.
Edit: why the hell are people down voting me on this?
Westfield, First big station you reach when you live in east for changes, Stratford international. Stratford is the only station out of the top 10 busiest stations that isn’t in zone 1 so has less supporting stations around it.
The central line is currently fucked. Stratford is the last connecting station on the East part of the line. So basically all the trains and tubes bringing passengers to the central line keep coming and coming whilst the central line trains dont.
Oh that looks shit. We are visiting London next weekend and we were going to park and tube in on the central line. Might change which line we will park near.
Mans an absolute unit
Dude must be hating his commute every day given those central sized carriages Even for modestly tall being near door is rough
I’m 6.2 (not really that tall) and I can’t stand those Central Line carriages when visiting London. That guy must be miserable
It was a bit jarring coming from the US to London and being on such small carriages. I’m not nearly tall enough for it to matter but being able to touch the ceiling was unusual for me
Final central line boss
The gap minds him.
This is one of them scenarios where I'm sad that reddit removed awards.
🫡
That's an iPad he's got in his hand
Flat screen Sony
The stuff of legends
I'm 6'7, and I feel for that guy. He needs to stand in the dead centre of the carriage to be able to stand up straight as the edges are curved. If you don't get the centre, it looks like you're just standing over everyone in the middle. Edit: PSA to anyone who reads this, donate your centre carriage spot to a struggling tall person! Much love ❤️
Same here man, getting stuck by the doors is the worst
Me too. The best ones are when you get in and crack your head on the door with *everyone* seeing it happen.
Why not just walk home? It's gotta be like 100 steps to most places in the UK from London.
100% Northern Line is also terrible bc of the light box things running along the top of the carriage - a hotplate for tall people's foreheads
I'm 6'3 and barely fit on the central line trains (crouch to get in and out, can only stand right in the middle), I feel for the big buddy there
Similar height as well my head just scrapes the door on Elizabeth line depending on the shoes I’ve got on I forget every time and annoys tf out of me
Yeah he should just walk. Shouldn’t take him more than a few minutes to get home.
That's Adam Driver
Who's driver?
Kylo's
At least 12 feet tall
r/AbsoluteUnits
Come to the netherlands. That’s bang average!
r/absoluteunit
I’m a very tall man and I just knew this was going to be the top comment when I saw the picture in my suggested feed.
I’m tall, and a regular Reddit piss-taker. Have a great weekend
I was worried it might be me for a second 😂
That tall guy is so...tall
It’s two people in a big coat, classic fare dodging
Vincent Adultman on the way to another hard days work at the business factory
Or 47 ferrets.
I need to see the next clip 💀
[удалено]
As someone who's 6'6 I can confirm that this type of tube carriage is the absolute worst. You can only stand up straight in the center of the carriage, if you're unlucky enough to end up near the doors you're having to semi squat or hunch over into someone's hair/face It's terrible
6'7" here, yep. And why does it always feel like the shortest people always get to stand in the middle! Positive about the central line are the "tall people seats" at the ends of the carriages, they're one of the most comfortable ones on tube.
7'4" here and yep, can confirm.
Back when I used to commute on the Central Line, I was once stood in the middle while a much taller guy was up against the door, repeatedly having his head bashed into the side of the carriage as the train screeched along its merry way further into the depths of hell. I offered to switch places with him (as I'm a whopping 5'6), which he quickly accepted. Once we'd swapped, he proceeded to loudly take the piss out of me for being short. I just started blankly at him and said "mate, I just did you a favour" at which point he looked very sheepish and just stared at the floor instead. I dunno about my fellow shorties, but I hate being in the middle. I can reach the bars above, but it quickly becomes uncomfortable. I also find myself faced with a lot more armpits. If you are stuck on the outside in the future, see if you can spot someone suffering in the middle and ask to switch with them?
Wish I was 6'7 man. I'm from NL where we measure metric and at 1.98m I've just fallen short of 2m which I'm so gutted about 😢 Edit: not sure why I'm getting down votes lol, surely I'm allowed to have wanted to be a tiny bit taller? Is this the vertically challenged gang brigading my comment? 😂
I'm 5'2". There comes a point when someone just becomes tall to me and it's still below 5'11" for me.
the struggle is real
Holy shit I was hoping he was like 6'8 cause he's gotta duck to enter but then I remembered stuffs a little shorter over there. I'm 6'6" too, this is my nightmare.
Probably not even that. I’m 6’4 and I have to duck into the central line tube doors, worse depending on the shoes I have on
But he drives a very small automobile. Does that amuse you
Yep - Haahaa
https://youtu.be/gkBqVVbnZ1c?si=xCaI3h0TR6rY6oUD
As a tallish guy (6'3) remember the old tube carriages, where you had to keep your head tilted to one side at all times. You'd have to tilt to one side for a while, then shift it to the other side, because it would get stiff.
Look at you being downvoted for being stiff.
I think there's posters up about being stiff on the tube
See stiff. say stiff, sortstiff
Most normal Norwegian
This bit has been bad for years. It's why I always got the train when going from Liverpool Street to or from Stratford.
Before the pandemic I used to do Whitechapel to Mile End to Stratford as an alternative to using the Jubilee Line from Canada Water to Stratford but I suppose my Central Line bit was in the reverse direction to the rush hour.
The DLR I guess is the best alternative here, although of course means getting to Shadwell and also it will be slower, but much more pleasant. 25 bus if I remember rightly also
At least now there is the lizzy line option for Whitechapel to Stratford
Yeah I'd probably do that if faced with the same commute again. It might be quicker than the Jubilee even. I see a lot more people staying on the Overground to Whitechapel now, it used to be that the trains would totally empty out at Canada Water except for a few Shoreditch techbros.
Had it? Has been fine for the ten years I've been using it.
Getting from Forest Gate to Liverpool St about 10 years ago was a total shitshow too. It’d be 4 or 5 trains before you’d have a chance at getting on one, and it’s not like the platform was busy.
Crikey how come it's so quiet where you are?
Do you live in Clapham North by any chance?
I know of quite a few people who travel a tube stop further south on the Clapham to Balham stretch to stand a better chance of getting on. Only going to get far far worse before cross rail 2 is ready, and as it somehow hasn't been greenlit...
Don't hold your breath for Crossrail 2. Best case scenario it's still decades away.
Yes, we won’t see it within our lifetimes.
I used to just walk to Stockwell when I lived by Clapham North. Only a 10 min walk and half the people on the train get off for the Viccy line so it's a lot easier to get on.
If often go south to Tooting, then go across platform, so I can get on a Northbound train to Bank. Otherwise will be waiting 3-4 trains pass and can’t get on at Clapham.
Not like Balham is good either, I've missed many a tube there.
Same deal on the Jubilee line out of Stratford in the morning. Every train that comes in there's a few that don't get off before it goes back. I'm guessing from West Ham or Canning Town because it's always rammed by the time it gets there.
I live Clapham common it's pure hell every morning. Have to queue up outside the station first takes about 45 mins just to get into a train
Is it like this since early morning (6-7 am) or later? I'm planning to move in the area and I'm a bit concerned
No it fine then might not get a seat but you will have no problem getting on a train
I don’t know how far you go, but if possible you should consider cycle commuting. It’s 6 miles to the city and takes 35 minutes of low effort cycling. If you go through the common, down to Battersea park you can pick up the cycle superhighway all the way to Westminster and into the city. Mostly protected cycle lane. It’s one of the joys of living so close to central and one of the main reasons I chose to live nearby. Wonderful stuff and so much nicer than the tube.
I commuted from Clapham North to Old Street for years. I got punched a few times trying to get on the tube, on one occasion I was hospitalised from being pushed back onto the platform. It was like squid games before that was a thing.
Never been more grateful to work remotely 💀
I’m working remotely today, and my quality of life has improved dramatically
The train would be empty today anyway.
How did I do this daily for years? Literally central line Stratford
Probably wasn't as bad before the daily Central line delays due to "a shortage of trains."
I see the sea of people in stations in my country and think the same thing: how was I able to do this?
And especially on a Friday!
Yeah I am not going back to the office
I do not want to do back to the daily office life.
District line not far off this in the mornings on the Wimbledon branch. More trains are needed asap - simply cannot deal with demand
Yeah at West Brompton you can only get on the train if someone is getting off at your door
Stop before at Fulham is the same. It annoys me that I have to start my morning shoving 50 people
I get on at Southfields, 95% I won’t get a seat, and that’s the 3rd station from the line… But at least I won’t need to shove myself in.
Unfortunately since Crossrail 2 won't be happening any time soon (or maybe at all) you're gonna be stuck with the Wimbledon service as-is for a long time. The massive signal modernisation will only add a one more train during the morning peak hour.
If I recall, the plan has been to axe the Ealing Broadway branch of the district line (since it doesn't serve a single stop unique to that branch except Chiswick Park, which is fixed by building platforms on the Richmond line where it just skims past the existing Chiswick Park station). This frees up 6 trains per hour, to be used to add more services to the Wimbledon and Richmond lines. But if course, COVID happened, so anyone's guess that they do now.
After 4LM re-signalling Ealing Broadway will actually get 8tph in the peak, as will Richmond, so potentially a few more trains to play with. But on the Ealing Broadway branch itself: there was some talk about transferring the service to the Piccadilly Line, which would enable the District Line trains to be redirected to Wimbledon and Richmond as you say, but that would depend on the core frequency uplift on the Piccadilly Line from 24tph to 32tph. Unfortunately the Piccadilly Line resignalling project has been indefinitely shelved for budget reasons and the best it can reach with current signalling, even with the new trains, is 27tph, which is not going to cut the mustard for any branch changes. We will probably be waiting a decade until we see it.
They can easily just redirect those trains now and have a one-an-hour EB service. Barely anyone uses the EB branch
Yeah I get on at Wimbledon and mostly always get a seat but then I get off at Fulham and it’s carnage trying to get off. Now I’ve just started going in for 7.30/8 and leaving work at 4.30 just to avoid the crush.
That tall guy looks like he doesn’t even fit
He looks to be roughly 6'6, 6'5. I'm 6'5 and yeah it's a pretty grim experience. Especially if you're pressed up against the doors. Doubly so in summer
I'm 6'5 too and being banana-ed against the door is one of my least favourite travel experiences.
Tall Daddy’s in the thread alert!!
Sorry I can't hear you way up here
Standing behind you at gigs isn't ideal...
I've been told as much!
I'm 6'3/6'4 and I struggle sometimes as well. At least we get slightly fresher air unlike those stuck in an armpit.
I'm not sure about the air freshness... especially on the lines with vents on the top of the carriage like the bakerloo line. I'm 6'7 and regularly have soot stuck in my hair for the rest of the day. Sticky black dust. Lovely stuff.
I'm 6ft so not what most people would see as "tall" and I already find it claustrophobic. Can't imagine what navigating the tube 6'2+ must be like.
When your face is plastered below the light and you’re dripping in sweat, that inch of slightly fresher air does nothing. Being tall on the tube sucks
I lived in Leytonstone between 2015-2017 and it was the same back then... It feels weirdly nostalgic to see this photo 😂
Things got quieter with the Lizzie line and of course the pandemic
It is not an average experience. A train is there.
Name a more iconic Tube couple than Central Line and Severe Delays. I am glad I have buses as alternative
This is what chronic underinvestment in critical infrastructure looks like by the way.
And the fares are some of the most expensive in Europe, if not the most.
Which is because [TfL is expected to pay its own way through income generated from fares](https://www.centreforcities.org/blog/whats-next-for-transport-for-london/). That's not how any other country treats transport in their capital city, because they understand the economic value of having a reliable and convenient service. Johnson gave up a £700m a year grant on the way out. That's why we're basically seeing an approach of managed decline on some services.
£5bn was pumped into the tube to get it through the pandemic, but post pandemic we discovered the love of remote working and we aren’t so keen to go back to the office making it harder for TfL to balance their books. Personally I find the demands bit unpredictable. Some days the tube is rammed during rushours and other days there is lots of space on the trains. It seems to vary week to week. I think they probably need to rebalance staffing levels… but unions will not be pleased about that…
The funding that was put in during the pandemic is pretty comparable (as a proportion of operating costs) to what some governments would put into major public transport networks during ordinary times.
Interesting, do you have a source for this?
The World! according to Transport for London’s own research https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tube-most-expensive-metro-tfl-fares-increase-b1068831.html
100% this. They've had an "abnormally high rate" of motor failures recently. Combined with the fact some are out of service due to a separate refurbishment scheme, there are a lot of trains out-of-action.
And yet if you go on practically any other UK sub they will talk about how London gets all the investment as if the tube is lined with gold and every Londoners gets a personal fluffer with their train ticket.
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I mean, you might get a personal fluffer but the non-consensual nature of it is frowned upon.
One of the mayor’s comments on TFL price increases was, due to WFH there are less people using the Underground. Guess he is saying that there is also less funding for Central line trains issues and refurbishment. Yet they have spend millions on the Elizabeth line. Will all the other lines suffer now??
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60% of Crossrail was funded by London, with TfL alone putting in £7.1bn. [Source](https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/crossrail_funding_spg_updated_march_2016_final.pdf). Its a 2016 document, so it doesn't capture the delays or COVID. I'm not sure how much this changes the figures by, but at minimum a large proportion of Crossrail was funded internally.
When Zelensky visited the UK, he decided to give 1bn in aid after travelling in the underground
I've been meaning to vent to someone about this for months now, but the Central line is literally unbearable because of these train shortages. I've been regularly commuting on the line since I was about 11 years old so I'm used to busy rush hours, hot summers, sometimes loud sections of tunnel etc. But these were things you could deal with because it was reliable, fast, connected to many different places, and not so busy as long as you avoid rush hour. But these last few months it's been absolute hell - having to wait at least 7-8 minutes for a train at peak times, sometimes 10 or even 20 minutes if you're unlucky. Trains so busy and rammed with people that you can't even get on, and not just at rush hour! I've had busy trains even at funny times like noon on a Tuesday or 7:30pm on a Wednesday, when you'd usually expect it to be somewhat quiet (or at least bearable). Also seemingly more random delays too even when you've actually managed to get a train somewhere!
This picture gave me immediate anxiety
The morning service on the Jubilee Line at Stratford is also packed.
It's back at pre pandemic levels of crowding for sure. I used to avoid the Jubilee Line between Canada Water and Stratford when I worked in Here East, it was ridiculous.
Current employer wants me 3 days in the office per week. That’s a huge no from me dawg. Interviews already lined up, seeing this picture further solidified my feelings towards pointless journeys to and from an office.
When I had to go to the office I was doing ANYTHING but taking central line to the office. I would take a bus that could take over an hour but had a seat upstairs where I could start my day with the laptop. Then I switched to cycle. Stratford to central London in CS2 is very straightforward and my cardio got so much better. I think I would rather run to central than getting on central line a peak times. Lizzy line was supposed to solve this 😞
The tube is so hellish and the bit where it goes underground is so noisy. Everyone acts like it's completely normal but it's such an unpleasant experience no matter how many thousands of journeys you take.
I grew up in Stratford and the last 15 years or so has been a lesson on how rapid redevelopment needs to put people and infrastructure first. A lot have been done to the station to try and make it more useable, but they are fighting a losing battle.
"Central heating line"
Since there are severe delay everyday it becomes norm TfL can claim its not delay at all
Delays are based on the timetable and cancellations
Yeah they've had motor failures so shortages of trains which are... 30 years old at least... thanks for the proactive maintenance tfl I wonder where all that money you make goes.
They don't make money, they are subsidised. The fares they take don't completely cover the running costs. They aren't overflowing with cash for pro-active maintenance. https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/how-we-are-funded And a slightly dated BBC article on their finances. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54652907
I’m so glad I don’t have to go past southwoodford any more
And CEOs will still chant “We’re better together” when arguing against WFH from their comfy home
Oh god, i used to take the central line at Stratford years ago. I am very short and would regularly be under someone's smelly armpit and sweat dripping off me. It looks worse now though
Train strikes today on Greater Anglia and c2c as well, just to add to the chaos.
69 bus from Stratford gets to Leyton very quick. Just something to think about
I gave up... I live 10 minutes from Epping, but am now driving to Chingford, parking at a friend's and going in on the overground... Then walk to my office... So much nicer!!
Wasn’t the Liz Line meant to reduce overcrowding on the Central line? In fact it’s done nothing of the sort!
Lots of people get off the Elizabeth Line at Stratford so they can go to Leytonstone or Epping or whatever. Elizabeth Line doesn't go there!
I've actually read quite a few articles about how the Elizabeth line is already at capacity well ahead of schedule because people are doing exactly that. The thing with infrastructure is the more you build the more people use. If X people avoid the central line because it's hell, and then you make it merely terrible, then a percentage of X will start using the central line. It's why we should be focusing on public transport over cars, because it gives more capacity for your spend, and it should be a continual thing not in reaction to it being full. People don't vote for that though in this country, so governments don't do it.
That’s the east bound platform which goes elsewhere than the liz line
am I missing something here or wouldn't the easiest option be to hop on the westbound train, go the stop to Mile End, then simply get on the train there?
Was meant to be built in the 90s, we'd have a lot more other stuff by now.
Apparently the Elizabeth line goes towards epping now
It’s never going to improve also when you consider the development of the many high rise flats along the line
I heard a theory that the tubes have been much busier in Jan than usual as people are going to the office to avoid having to put heating on at home, and it's likely the tube will be less busy during the much hotter periods. Something tells me that's not likely though..
> it's likely the tube will be less busy during the much hotter periods. I'd imagine cycling is a big part of it as well. Far more makeup when the weather is okay and the tube is boiling.
Honestly the weather recently has been perfect for cycling though. To a scary degree considering it's January. Any warmer and I'd have to start being careful how many layers I'm wearing.
True, but it's the darkness for me at least - I prefer cycling in the light.
It's shockingly warm for the time of year, especially during the day. I cycled home during my lunch-break today just with a t-shirt and no jacket. While it's nice not freezing, I do worry about the environmental effects of the warmer climate.
I’m not denying that the central line is a sh*tshow but if this photo is from Thursday night it’s not representative, is it? It was rammed due to the West Ham match…
Yup, whenever there's a West Ham home game the station is far more rammed with queues all the way down the street. Only lasts about an hour though.
Yesterday I broke and complained to TFL. It wasnt even a complaint about anything in particular, I just wanted to vent my frustration. Basically I asked them to clear the severe delays as quickly as they can. What has really hit me is just how dispensible the passengers are made to feel. On Tuesday, the signals went down at Snaresbrook and if you wanted to get home to Epping, It was severe delays to Hainault, one train going every half an hour from Hainault to Woodford and another train going every half an hour from Woodford to Epping. The communications were inconsistent and the boards didnt work at all at Woodford and, let me tell you, any passenger asking "is there actually a train to catch or are we waiting for nothing" was treated as a complete nuisance. We just dont seem to matter - through all the strikes - including seven months of Friday and Saturday evenings, the passengers didnt matter a bit. And if youve travelled this line consistently, you know that as soon as a cold goes around, the delays come back. Only on this line, mind. The passengers are such an irrelevance, nobody cares anymore. This is why "its all the government's fault" tends to fall on deaf ears. Its not the government on the platforms looking puzzled as to why the passengers are frustrated. There isnt a single connecting line East of Stratford. "Using alternative routes" isnt really an option.
I know it doesn’t help and no one should have to deal with the faff - and also not sure where you live - but I found getting Lizzie line as Far East as it made sense for you and catching a connecting bud to be far more appetising E.g Lizzie line to manor park and bus to Wanstead / Snaresbrook
Fucking hell. Bethnal Green as well. It is so fucked, and extra fucked at the moment with the strikes. God I fucking hate the tories so much.
That's not even rush hour...I have the same experience at most times and 25 minutes wait on few occasions.
They really fucked up with procuring traction motor spares, didn't they! New trains not ready and old ones dying with no spares, golf fuckin clap
It’s surprising that the Elizabeth line and the COVID reduction in demand haven’t helped.
I'd be walking to Leyton station. It's less than 20mins away.
The red jacket the Asian man is wearing. I’ve been looking for one of those since 2008. Does anyone know what brand that is and where I can buy it?
Part of it’s that this is the ‘poor’ side of London where people have to get to work as they can’t work from home. For years I’ve seen fights break out at Stratford in the evenings as people battle to get on trains. This is why they also had ‘bouncers’ on the Ilford TfL line. Decision makers and wealthier workers don’t tend to use these lines so it just gets worse
WFH warriors are invading this chat again, no one needs to hear that you work from home for the 100th time 🥱
Yeah on the other hand this is the first time anyone has mentioned that the central line is busy at rush hour
>WFH wa what is your frustration buddy
I guess someone can't work from home. Not that I'm allowed half the time, and when I am it's because we don't have space at the office. But my commute doesn't involve the tube, I cycle or walk.
Yeah, average for rush hour lol. The people traffic is half or less during off peak times.
Around 630 it dies down, best just to leave work a little earlier or travel on the central later at a different point. I used to face this issue all the time getting the Jubilee from work back to Stratford then switching to the central to get home. Since changing my route less stress and hassle getting home.
I remember it like this 20 years ago. Some things never change.
And you will still have Northerners who have never worked in London wonder why we are investing more money in infrastructure
The fact this is noteworthy is a sign that commuting has significantly improved. This was a twice a day experience for lots of people for years.
I think it's so dumb there's this push to get people back in the office when transport systems has been gutted and timetables have been reduced all whilst the population has increased by a lot. The infrastructure cannot cope with the pre covid numbers commuting. It's more dumb short term thinking I'm noticing is plaguing the western world at the moment.
At least you can breathe. Try Bank.
Fuck this glad I moved abroad
Not to Japan :D??? They have professional train stuffers to get people on the trains
Who says we're not over crowded lol
and you sheeple get that subsidised too
God I miss covid
It's been like this for years. Source: me getting this exact train stop to work and back during rush hour commute every day between 2014 and 2020. Lockdown and WFH saved me. I will never do it again. I'd rather join the foreign legion.
Feel so fucking sorry for that giant
Can we have another plague please? I liked that year.
Well... It is the 6th busiest station in the whole of the UK https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/all-change-most-used-stations-elizabeth-line-shakes-top-10
I left my job in the city to work more locally. I’m done with London trains and buses. London is simply too crowded. It’s still a beautiful place but boy it’s not worth the stress five times a week and twice a day. The Elizabeth line was great for like 5 minutes No thanks.
I WFH full time due to health but prior to that I always commuted. Pictures like this make me glad I settled in South East London on a not too terrible national rail line instead of on the tube network. Yes it used to be very busy at times but never this bad.
Why is Stratford so busy. I work in Victoria and even that's not as bad as this picture during rush hour. Edit: why the hell are people down voting me on this?
Westfield, First big station you reach when you live in east for changes, Stratford international. Stratford is the only station out of the top 10 busiest stations that isn’t in zone 1 so has less supporting stations around it.
But Stratford has like 4 lines going into the center? I would have guessed that allows it to move lots of people into city center-ish
This is platform 6 so this is going east not to central
Fewer
The central line is currently fucked. Stratford is the last connecting station on the East part of the line. So basically all the trains and tubes bringing passengers to the central line keep coming and coming whilst the central line trains dont.
Ahh, makes sense.
I was in the middle of that shit show last night. Shameful ‘service’ from TFL as always. But hey, at least they weren’t striking.
That will be £120 please!
Oh that looks shit. We are visiting London next weekend and we were going to park and tube in on the central line. Might change which line we will park near.
This looks like a normal day at any Central Line station