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Three days into a strike by members of the RMT union working for London Underground, a key Tube line through central London has reopened.
Many commuters, leisure passengers and tourists have been experiencing travel misery since a strike of almost a week began on Sunday 7 September.
Different groups of RMT members are walking out across the Tube network each day, with the aim of bringing operations to a halt.
Yet on Tuesday morning, the Transport for London (TfL) website suddenly revealed that trains were running “with minor delays” on the entire Northern Line.
I embarked on a journey beneath the capital to see if I could complete a loop from Kennington north to Euston, and back via the City.
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Departing soon: Passengers on the Northern line at Kennington in south London (Simon Calder)
9.45am, Kennington Underground station
This is where the Northern line converges and divides. Trains from Morden and Battersea Power Station arrive from the southwest, and head respectively around the Bank and Charing Cross branches of the Northern line through central London.
A northbound train to High Barnet via the Bank branch left as soon as I arrived. Within a minute, I boarded a northbound train to Edgware via Charing Cross. It was about half-full.
Ninety per cent of passengers were scrolling through their phones.
9.52am: Charing Cross
At every station with connections, pre-recorded announcements provided “change here” announcements that were not accurate, as other Tube lines are closed.
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Going places: Simon Calder on a Northern line train (Simon Calder)
9.59am: Euston
“It’s always the way, you just miss one,” said Libby, as she and I dashed from the Charing Cross branch to the City branch. She is a civil servant from Portsmouth and heading for Nottingham – arriving at Waterloo and departing from St Pancras.
While we waited eight minutes for the next train, Libby told me she was aware of the Tube strike. “I Googled to see what was available and found the Northern line was available, so I jumped on that. So quite straightforward so far.”
10.07am: Euston
Just before the doors closed I deciphered an announcement from the driver that the train would not be stopping at King’s Cross-St Pancras. I sprinted down the carriage to urge Libby to leave the train and walk to St Pancras. But she was milliseconds too late in leaving.
10.09am: Kings Cross (passing at 20mph)
Libby says: “These things happen, don’t they?”
10.10am: Angel (also passing at 20mph)
We weren’t expecting that.
10.13am: Old Street
The train finally stops, and Libby finally leaves. I get talking to a business traveller from Lancashire who did not realise a strike was on. He travelled to London Euston and boarded the train as normal to London Bridge.
10.19am: London Bridge
With the faster journey due to not stopping at a couple of stations, my temporary friend actually reached his destination in record time.
10.24am: Kennington
During my 39-minute circuit of the capital, word has evidently got around that the Northern line is running. The northbound Charing Cross branch is packed with passengers.
The Independent has asked TfL if Northern line trains will continue to run for the rest of the strike.