I’ve bee watching a Driver’s Eye View video of the Metropolitan Line and they mention the Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and a couple of questions come to mind. Firstly, why is ATO only used in tunnel sections and not for the whole line? Secondly, all signals in the tunnels have been removed which begs the question, what happens when ATO has technical problems (as it inevitable will)? Presumably the driver can’t just manually drive the train for safety reasons so does the whole line just come to a standstill? Can anyone throw light on these questions please?
Hi, I don't know the answer to your first question but I believe it might be down to the cost of refitting the whole line with ATO signalling, and cross compatibility with other lines and TOC's with alternate signalling systems. For the second question, yes drivers can just drive the train manually, would be a huge safety concern if they couldn't. Lastly, you'd be better off asking this question here https://districtdavesforum.co.uk/ which is a forum dedicated to the discussion of the London Underground network and other TfL franchises.
Can answer this for you. so the metropolitan line automatic operation will run under the CBTC signalling system. All of the subsurface lines will operate under this same system. The circle and Hammersmith and city lines are now fully using CBTC with the district line basically using it on the whole line except the barts between Barons Court - Richmond/ealing Broadway and Fulham Broadway to Wimbledon. Which remains manual driving. the metropolitan line has ATO at present on the section between Aldgate and Finchley Road only. The system gets installed in sections so the metropolitan line will eventually be fully ATO it just gets installed in sections rather than one go. the signals from manual driving are not removed they just get covered with a black bag type covering and a white X is taped over the signal so the drivers know it is out of use. When a section of the CBTC fails yes drivers can take over the train in a manual driving mode. Procedures are in place to do this which I won’t go into detail on for obvious reasons but trains can still move to get them into a platform which is the best place for a train to be when disruption occurs. I hope this helps clarify your questions.
