It’s not an easy job serving millions of passengers through London but this one particular Overground line has a habit of delays and cancellations that constantly lets people down
As a born and raised Londoner, complaining is in my nature. It’s a part of our being, and I understand it can be annoying sometimes when we do complain about things that would be a privilege in other parts of the country.
Whether it’s our hatred of slow walkers or the despair when the tube board says anything more than one minute until the next train, we are certainly a privileged bunch. But there are some things we’re totally justified to complain about, and I believe this is one of them. If you have the (unfortunate) privilege to be served by London Overground, then you will know where I’m going with this.
In 2024, it was announced that all the Overground Lines would be renamed to pay homage to notable groups and communities throughout London that shaped our city. Yet this renaming didn’t change the quality of service because the Mildmay Line is still my nemesis, and it has been, for as long as I can remember.
The London Overground – and its distinctive orange-and-blue roundel – started running in 2007. Serving 113 stations around the capital is an impressive feat. Yet the Mildmay line’s contribution may be the most frustrating part.
You wake up in the morning, get ready to go to work, and you make your way down to the station, but you have this impending sense of dread. You just know there will be something wrong. In any given week, I am fairly confident the Mildmay line will either be suspended or have severe delays. Will your train run on time? Doubt it but that’s life with the Mildmay line.
In May, I experienced for the first time the announcement that ‘due to there not being enough available drivers’, trains are delayed. I looked on in disbelief as the crowds started to fill the platform at Stratford as a train sat on the platform with no driver in tow. How is that even a situation that can arise?
When I was filled with excitement, ready to watch the final game of the season as Arsenal went to lift the Premier League trophy, I had to force myself onto a train after a 15-minute wait, crammed in with everyone else like a bunch of sardines.
Usually, it’s a signal failure or overhead-damaged wires (which seem to happen every week) that lead to delays, but there comes a point where enough is enough.
Wednesday, July 1, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. 7.30am, Homerton station. Crowds are piling up; people with suitcases look dejected, and office workers look perplexed about what to do. A whiteboard displays the words disruption due to signal failure. The electronic screen shows that all trains to Stratford, Richmond and Clapham Junction have been cancelled. Workers took pictures, and I imagined they were sending them to their managers. I overhear someone asking a staff member, “How do I get to Kensal Rise now?“
The problem for me isn’t only the delays in a busy city like London, of course, things are going to happen; for me, it’s that all the other Overground lines seem to have far fewer problems. If you check TfL’s train status and tube delays, Mildmay seems to always be listed. The Windrush and Weaver lines, both of which pass close to Mildmay, barely ever appear on the status page. The Mildmay, though, I’d be shocked not to see it.
Homerton’s overall performance ranking according to On Time Trains is 2,346 (out of 2,649 stations), whereas other single-line stations on other Overground lines fare better (Upper Holloway / Suffragette – 131st, Clapton / Weaver – 618th, Hoxton / Windrush – 788th).
Thankfully, I am not alone in this thinking. Searching Freedom of Information requests on the TfL website, you will find numerous requests from passengers complaining about the reliability of the service. Look at the train running times on the On Time Trains website, and it’s not a pretty sight.
In a response to an FOI request on March 27 this year, a case officer wrote: “We recognise that performance on the Mildmay line has not been as good as it should be for our customers. There are several reasons driving the performance issues on the Mildmay line in recent times, for example, the infrastructure and tracks, which are the responsibility of Network Rail. We are working hard with Network Rail and the operator to find ways to improve longer-term reliability.”
Sadly, an improvement has not materialised.
Living in Homerton gives me access to Stratford, Highbury and Islington within 10 minutes, making it relatively easy to get to most of London. And, in this heat, the air-con is a lifesaver; but only if the train decides to run, that is. Yet, the constant issues outweigh the positives. It’s not a one-off situation. It’s Groundhog Day. Something needs to be done.
I can only imagine how many people have missed their flights or arrived late to work due to the Mildmay line, but if I were to hazard a guess, it would be a lot. When my time comes, please allow the Mildmay line to be there – it’ll give it one more chance to let me down.
TfL were contacted for comment.
What are your thoughts on the worst line in London? Let us know in the comments
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