Piccadilly Line Partly Closed Until Month’s End – Here’s the Scoop
The Piccadilly line in London faces partial closures due to leaf fall, impacting service until the end of January
London, UK, Piccadilly Line, Transport for London, Leaf Fall
London: The Piccadilly line has been partially closed for a while now. It’s been a bit of a hassle for folks trying to get around. But good news is on the horizon!
So, what happened? Well, Transport for London (TfL) had to shut down part of the line because of a big leaf fall. It made the tracks super slippery between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.
People in Uxbridge have been without a direct Tube connection for weeks, but they can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The line is set to reopen soon!
This year’s leaf fall was heavier than usual, which caused some damage to the trains. To keep things running, TfL had to cut back services between Acton Town and Rayners Lane while they fixed the trains.
After all this waiting, the Piccadilly line is expected to be fully operational by late January. During the closure, trains have been starting and ending at Rayners Lane, which is also served by the Metropolitan line.
Most of the Piccadilly line trains have been affected by something called ‘wheel flats.’ This happens when the driver hits the brakes, but the wheels slide, causing wear and tear.
Now, here’s the kicker: the current trains are over 50 years old and don’t have the latest anti-slide tech. But don’t worry, a major upgrade is coming in 2025 with new, air-conditioned trains!
Heads up, though! There will be more partial closures in the coming months as they work on the upgrades. So, keep an eye out for those dates!
Right now, only 60 trains are running, which is 15 short of what’s needed for a full service. Richard Jones from TfL mentioned that the new trains will help fix the wheel flat issue.
TfL has apologized to everyone affected by the closures. They have a solid plan in place every year to tackle these leaf fall problems, including clearing vegetation and running special trains to treat the tracks.
If you have any questions or want to share your experience, feel free to reach out to their news team!