Great Western Coffee Shop

Me and a freind was talking about the best and funniest reasons we have encounted  for a train being late today and from our experiences we came up with a flock of sheep on the line near st Germans a few years ago now but from memory I think the guard and driver tried there best to round them up again! And a fallen tree between exter and Barnstable where the driver and the guard had to clear a path for them to proceed.

I'm sure there are people out there that can beat those two examples so it's over to you lot to come up with the best!

Over 100 people boarding / single door because Santa was on the train ?  ;D

A swan had settled down on the main Cross Country line between Birmingham and Derby and the driver was doing his best to wave it away to no avail for 15 minutes.  ::) Train late.

You don't want to get on the wrong side of a swan!! Could turn out nasty!

Especially if the Queen sends you to the Tower!

A speedometer fault on a Class 158 over the Settle & Carlisle. This would normally result in a cancellation or wait for a fitter, but the remote location (we had an extended stop at Dent so the driver/guard could try to fix and liaise with control) made that impractical. Solution was to travel at reduced speed (I think we stuck to around 30-40mph) and have the guard in the rear cab calling out the speed to the driver over the cab to cab, until we rolled into Skipton and terminated.

At one point there must have been a breakdown in communication because the driver came over the PA, "Could my rear gunner tell me how fast we're going!"

How on earth did the crews on steam locos with no speedos manage?

They didn't always - see here (http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/accidents/salisbry.htm) - an accident where a speed slightly in excess of what had become normal practise, and a higher centre of gravity on the locomotive class used on the day were identified as the immediate cause.

We have lost the TransWilts service quite recently on one occasion that I know of due to speedometer failure.

Many moons ago, back in the early '70s, I was on a Sunday excursion train from Exeter to Aberystwyth. We got beyond Shrewsbury with no problems, but somewhere in mid-Wales between Newton and Dovey Junction we came to a stop and didn't move for about 45 minutes.

After about 10 minutes, the guard came through the train to explain that a heiffer had got onto the line and was in the process of calving. Apparently, all went well, a local vet and farmer were able to coax mother and offspring back into the neighbouring field and we were able to proceed. 

Another example I've just remberd was at plymouth last year. It was the last service of the night into cornwall we were sat on a 150 waiting for the connecting hst from padington wich was late (nothing new there!) when it arrived the connecting passengers hurried across got on the train when I heard the sound of glass breaking. Some one had only gone and smashed a light whilest putting there bag on the rack! So a cleaner was summond when he eventually arrived survived the situation he then said the rack is to high for me health and safety and all that he wasn't allowed to stand on the seat. The guard and station staff getting even more peed of grabbed some cleaning tools and did the job themselves! We only left 40 mins late!

Some years ago I was on an HST at Paddington. We set off, only to stop almost immediately - certainly before we'd got out of the platform. A few minutes later, the guard comes on the PA to announce that the speedometer in the front cab isn't working, but that we're going to run on the slow lines at a careful speed to Reading, where we can reverse the train (presumably by going to Reading West and then coming back via the triangle) and drive from the other end.

We speeded up about Ealing. Whereupon there's another announcement - "it's working again".

Are you talking about the crews or the locos?

Announced at Reading a few years back: "We apologise for the delay to the 12.51 service from Great Malvern. This is due to leaves on the line. Unfortunately in this case the leaves were still attached to the tree."

The image of a driver and fireman operating a steam loco with (or without) swimming trunks on is now seared in my brain.

Thanks for that.  :P ;) ;D

I recall an announcement at Waterloo East stating that trains from Charing Cross were being delayed "due to passengers fighting among themselves at Charing Cross"

Followed some minutes later by "they have now joined forces to fight the police" This second announcement was a bit perplexing to those who not heard the first one ! Whom had united with whom and why ?

These days of course it would simply be due to "an incident"

I reckon the announcement would sound something like this now. this train is being delayed due to disruptive passengers. I think there is a list of pre loaded reasons for delays and cancelations and and the best one for the situation is chosen. I rember at plymouth a few years ago on a hot summers day. The dsm was having a laugh and a joke by playing an automated messege something along the lines of please take extra care as platforms maybe icy. And people just looked amused 

not really about being late. but travelling from Waterloo to Exeter about 10+ years on a very crowded six car 159. the guard comes on the PA and announces how sorry she is for the crowding on the service, adding "But it is half four on a Friday, so what do you expect?". It was delivered very tongue in cheek, and she was in good cheer when she did her "tickets and excuses" check

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/10/44217.html (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/10/44217.html)

Many, many years ago, Castle Cary was amongst stations issued with what are now called 'A' boards. Printed at the top was the notation 'Trains are running late due to' and underneath was a blackboard. First time used, Miss Jones (with the neatest writing on the staff) wrote on the blackboard 'delay'.

100% for factual accuracy.

In the late 1970s, I was at a smaller London station, I forget which, waiting for a train to Chiswick. The announcer said "We apologise for the cancellation of the 2032 service to London Waterloo. This is because of a bloody cock-up".

Must have been his last shift before retiring.