Great Western Coffee Shop

I've noticed every evening this week on journeycheck that the 1803 from Paddington isn't calling at Totnes due to a train fault.


What kind of fault would prevent the train calling at Totnes every evening in a week?

It would suggest one power car shut down but I understood if that was the case the train wouldn't be allowed past Newton Abbot.

Seems strange assumingly the same fault every day. A play with real time trains suggests the golden hind is the same set every day, and doesn't have long in a depot to be fixed if there is a fault with a 5 hour break at most.

The set is doing
0505 Penzance to Paddington (arr 1002) 1 late
1045 Paddington to Swansea (arr 1344) 2 early
1428 Swansea to Paddington (arr 1731) 10 late
1803 Paddington to Penzance (arr 2313) 2 early at Plymouth, last report.

Can't be anything much wrong as it's keeping time ok.

Would it really be that simple?

In the Western Route Sectional Appendix, Module WR1, it has the following (only parts about the GW main line quoted):
1. Lines over which assistance must always be provided
... (none on the main line)
2. Lines over which assistance must be provided under certain conditions
^ Newton Abbot to Plymouth
^ Plymouth to Newton Abbot (train may proceed as far as Tavistock Jn if this would facilitate assistance)
^ Paignton to Newton Abbot
^ Par to St Austell
...
If any of the following circumstances apply in respect of the above sections, assistance must be provided:
13. the train comprises more than 8 trailer vehicles.
14. rail head conditions in the area concerned are reported as poor, for example during falling snow, severe
frost, drizzle or period of leaf fall.
15. other technical problems exist with the train, to which the Driver or the train operator^s Fleet Controller will draw attention.
16. signalling equipment failures or temporary/ emergency speed restrictions exist in the section preventing an unchecked run being made.
3. Authority to proceed unassisted over the lines listed in 2. above.
For trains comprising not more than 8 trailer vehicles, an ^HST Authority to Proceed Unassisted^ form (reproduced at
the end of this Instruction) may be issued provided that none of the circumstances listed in clause 2 exist and that the
following arrangements are made:
a) Operations Control must obtain the permission of the appropriate train operator^s Fleet Controller.
b) Operations Control must ascertain that local weather conditions are suitable, and arrange (as far as is practicable)
with the controlling Signaller for a ^clear run^ to be provided as indicated below:

From	To	Remarks
Signal E90 (West of Newton Abbot)	Signal E94 (West of Dainton)	--
Signal E94 (West of Dainton)	Signal DM227 (Marley Tunnel)	Applicable only to trains formed with 8 trailer vehicles. Train must not stop at Totnes or be routed via the Down Platform Line thereat.
Signal E98/E198 (Totnes)	Signal DM227 (Marley Tunnel)	Applies to trains formed with 7 trailer vehicles or less.
Signal E3/E203 (Totnes)	Signal E7 (East of Dainton)	--
Plymouth Station	Signal UM235 (Ivybridge)	--
Par	St Austell	--

Then there's some stuff about the form and what if it stops in section.

Has it really omitted Totnes everyday this week? Tonight has it on the Down Through on Realtime Trains as JourneyCheck suggested.

Mon-Weds though shows the 1803 made its booked call on P1 at Totnes.

Tuesday and Wednesday were both on journey check as not stopping. Monday I maybe mistaken though. Is journey check accurate? Possible errors on journey check?

Or possible errors on RTT.

Although the timings at Totnes do show the 1803 on P1 and waits of around 2 minutes.

The fact that the service ran on time, or nearly so, suggests that both power cars were running. Perhaps doubts existed about the reliability of one power car, and they did not want to take the risk of it shutting down at or near Tottnes, and the train being unable to make it up the incline.

Or could it have been a wheel slip protection fault ? even with both power cars running, a climb away from the station stop might be problematic with defective WSP.

 I suppose not a wise decision at the time to place a station at the bottom of a hill !

 What provokes my frustration is when the PAD is cancelled, an hour wait for the next one (or longer
 if you change at newton Abbot). Then watch your 'cancelled' service pass on the fast line.
 
 

The people who built the either town or the hill there should have foreseen the problem.