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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is a great job worth the Northern Line?

51 replies

Blutopia · 03/10/2019 18:49

I have the potential opportunity of a job in London again - I've worked in the city before, did it for 2 years and didn't especially mind the commute, but I used Waterloo and City to go from Waterloo to Bank. Crowded but doable as the train was always empty when it arrived.

With this job I'd have to go a few stops on the Northern line to Tottenham Court Road. Does anyone know how bad that section is in rush hour, from Waterloo - I'm sure it isn't nicknamed the Misery Line for nothing?

OP posts:

Original poster

Blutopia · 03/10/2019 21:35

Oh I'm not thinking of turning a good job down because of 5 mins on the tube

I was just asking how bad it was - that's only a tiny element of the downsides to the job, e.g long days when I'm used to autonomy and working from home a lot and keeping my own hours, a sick mother, a sick dog, and a DH that thinks work should be strictly 9-5 with no in between.

Not to mention £6000pa for a season ticket and £200pm parking...

OP posts:

Original poster

Blutopia · 03/10/2019 21:36

Thanks Fiddlesticks!

OP posts:

Gracie300 · 03/10/2019 21:40

London Bridge branch of Northern Line is much worse! From Waterloo it’s usually fine.

BlokeNumber9 · 03/10/2019 23:32

Misery Line is from 50 years ago. They have actually refurbished it since then. Maybe more than once.

Totalwasteofpaper · 03/10/2019 23:59

It’s fine....
Canada Water at 8.15 = not fine

ILikeMyCoffee · 04/10/2019 00:50

I’m a tube driver and I’ve worked on the Northern line and the central line. The Northern line is an absolute dream. Really reliable trains and the line has a good layout with the various branches so that they can recover the service quickly following any disruption. The Misery Line name was coined decades ago when they had the 1972 stock trains. They now have 1995 stock so it’s totally different. The Northern Line should be considered a plus point on your commute compared to the horrendous Central line

Original poster

Blutopia · 04/10/2019 08:41

Good to know, thanks all...wonder where I picked Misery Line up from? Probably one of the dinosaurs I worked for in the city years ago.

I have a vague recollection of having to get the Northern Line one morning when Waterloo and City was down, and it was murder - but I guess that was because 100,000 people got diverted from the disrupted line, duh. I visit clients all over London but not always at peak times, so most of the lines seem fine to me until I have to get on in rush hour.

Anyway, as my overground train is an hour and 20 each way, it's still a fairly long commute. Interview is 1pm, wish me luck and that they will give me flexible working hours - I don't particularly mind the mornings or the tube, but I remember loathing the evening scramble to get a seat on the overground for the trip home. I often stood for 30 mins of it, not sure I can face the impatient crowds and the bun fights in the aisles again.

OP posts:

Kitsu · 04/10/2019 10:38

I am actually a northern line driver 😊, that section of the line is actually fine as most trains turn at kennington on the Charing cross branch, so Waterloo becomes the second pick up stop and quite a few people get off there for other lines anyway, you might even get a seat!!! 😲😲😂, it's literally about 5 mins, the bank branch is MUCH worse during rush hour, the line would have to be severely screwed for you to have trouble getting on at Waterloo... Hope that helps

Dongdingdong · 04/10/2019 10:46

I'm sure it isn't nicknamed the Misery Line for nothing?

I’m a Londoner and have never heard anyone refer to the Northern Line as the “Misery Line”.

Simkin · 04/10/2019 10:49

It's not that bad ime but you could also go to Waterloo East and get the train to charing X and walk up from there.

RuffleCrow · 04/10/2019 10:53

Ah, the Northern Line. Nostalgia for me as an ex Londoner.

Op you need a pro-con list:

Pros:
You get to your great new job.
I've seen more famous people on the Northern Line than any other.
It's not quite as crowded as the central line even at peak times ime.
Stations tend to have the best buskers.

Cons:
It's fucking noisy.
Smells really really weird. Makes me feel sick just remembering it.
Not the most reliable or quick line.
The black snot you get afterwards.

Simkin · 04/10/2019 11:27

Is it bad I quite like the smell of the Northern Line? Sweet, burning hair.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 04/10/2019 11:29

I used to commute that exact route, in a job that was fairly senior but bizarrely had no flexibility even if it meant us all being stuck on the tube... it was fine, generally. Definitely no worse than any other tube line. I wouldn't reject the job out of hand.

AutumnRose1 · 04/10/2019 11:32

The Misery Line thing is at least twenty years out of date. I don't know which is officially the worst one now but it's not the Northern..

I fucking hate the tube but the City branch is much more crowded than the West End bit.

eeksville · 04/10/2019 11:55

The misery line was definitely a thing & I have vague memories of the old trains, my dad commuted daily from Clapham. I don't use the tube now for work but Ive commuted from Clapham to town for various jobs for years, it's definitely got busier that end & I hate it, now I walk to work!

TomHagenMakesMyBosomTremble · 04/10/2019 12:53

I had a few months commute on the northern line waterloo-tcr at all sorts of funny hours inc rush hour and that bit of the NL was fine. V modern and I didn't find it smelt bad at all. I hated the job though so once I stopped working there I didn't get on that bit of the northern line for a while as the memories of going to work so miserable made me feel sick! Looking at you, man who writes inspirational quotes on the TCR info board who made me cry on a particularly bad day.

It could be way worse. You could be on the Central Line.

PhonicTheHedgehog · 04/10/2019 12:56

Northern Line is fine. The Central Line is the third circle of hell with “everyone” being cool and moving East. Bastard Olympics.

MRex · 04/10/2019 13:15

As well as being overcrowded, people always seem much angrier and grumpier with each other on the central line. I seem to remember a colleague had a theory about the air quality on it being particularly bad. It's by far the worst of all the lines IMO. Followed by Piccadilly line. Victoria line is nicest to travel on, then apart from being slow the new circle and district line trains are good.

nitgel · 04/10/2019 13:19

I like the northern line alot. I go from edgware to central london (though not for commuting) its v reliable

nitgel · 04/10/2019 13:20

The central line has saggy seating

stucknoue · 04/10/2019 13:20

Northern line was a nightmare but I took the city branch from London Bridge. I now work nearby and drive (5-10 mins) commuting is a mugs game

bbciii · 04/10/2019 13:46

Ah the Misery Line! I used to commute from Clapham Common to Bank. God give me strength! The bad bit was waiting for 3 or 4 trains to whizz by completely full, but once on it and once past Stockwell where loads of people get off to change for Victoria line it wasn't that bad.

From Waterloo you'll be fine as those trains are likely coming from Kennington and not Morden! It's the Bank branch which is a shitter.

I'm currently a SAHM but if I return to the City I only have to deal with Sloane Square --> Monument. When I was working I always got a seat in the mornings on district and circle line too, even in rush hour?!

Original poster

Blutopia · 04/10/2019 17:35

I used to queue up the ramps for Waterloo and City, but it was quite civilised and if you placed yourself just right, you could either be first through the doors for a seat, or be last on and lean on the doors. My main aim was to make it through the journey without having to touch a hand rail! I loathed the rush hour back much more - hurrying because you know you might not get a seat on the overground back home, and ending up standing in a space sweating for 30 mins with nothing to grab on to but other people. Grim.

The journey there today was very easy, but I was doing it off peak. Interview went well I think, but I've got to wait until they've seen another candidate next Friday. Not convinced they'll be open to flexible working so it may not be for me anyway. We'll see...

Thanks for all the contributions, it's been very interesting and so helpful. It's pointless googling subjective things like this, just ask MN.

OP posts:

brassbrass · 04/10/2019 17:51

I never have problems on the Northern line so don't understand this 'reputation'.

MRex · 04/10/2019 20:12

@brassbrass - if you'd stood in the 1980s and 1990s shivering on platforms to get onto a late, dirty, rickety train with smelly seats... Then you would understand. Travelling up from the south needing the Bank branch at impossible stations like the Claphams / Oval / Elephant with the overcrowding can still be an issue depending on your commuting time, as can some of the stations just north of Camden. The trains are much better now, the timeliness is better and the Tottenham Court Road branch isn't bad at all. With all else that's wrong with the world, it can gladden the coldest heart to know that the northern line is one thing that's definitely very much improved.

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