Great Western Coffee Shop

Noticed yesterday and again today on Realtime Trains that the up main at Didcot Parkway appears to be closed. All services from Swindon are running via Platform 3, whether stopping or not. Obviously causing some delays to eastbound services, with most losing a few minutes by the time they get to Reading. Also impacting services to and from Oxford.

Anyone know what the problem is?

Not sure if its related in some way or not but on a few late night occasions coming from Oxford back to Swindon Platform 1 and 2 are rarely used at Didcot (not really a problem, makes the connection about 30 seconds shorter  ;D).  Long term ongoing works / subtle issues?  ???

I think it must be serious track defect (or something equivalent).  The Up Main between Stevenson and Foxall Junction is still blocked this evening (02 June 2015). The Railcam map was showing TCF- (Track Circuit Failure) in one of the signal berths.

There has been a track circuit failure which keeps re-occuring in the area.

Same again this morning. Up expresses using platform 3. Problem off and on for a week now according to local sources.

Still no end in sight for this persistent failure. Another week of P-3 up departures with resultant delays to the down relief Oxfords having to wait clearance to cross to P-4. On unusual switch yesterday was the start of 1A05 up fast starting from P-2.

Open Train Times no longer shows this section of line as "shut".  Is this a permanent or temporary fix?

Network Rail gave "normal working" earlier on today :)

At one point on Thursday both platforms 2 and 3 were closed and London bound trains from Bristol and South Wales were using platform 4.