'Tube Time' vs 'Real Time'

That right, it turns out that the tube does not run according to 'real time'. Nope, that would obviously be far too easy. Instead it follows it's own special, mysterious 'tube time'.

I read in the trusty London Lite yesterday that the times displayed on tube platforms (i.e. stating that the next train in 2 mins away - even though you've been waiting for 5) are actually - shock horror - INCORRECT. The bastads.



Actually that's not entirely true. When they say a train is 2 minutes away, it is in fact 2 minutes away. BUT that doesn't mean that it will get to you in 2 minutes.

The train might need to stop at station (as trains generally do) adding another few minutes to the time of arrival, it might be delayed, someone might have pulled the passenger alarm, a person might be under the train (who ARE these people???)

So even when you KNOW you've been waiting for 10 minutes, the display will STILL read that it's 2 minutes away. The evil, evil bastads.

TFL, I humph at you.