Great Western Coffee Shop

After engineering works over the weekend just north of Oxford over-ran we have have two days of delays around oxford, compounded by train failures, unavailable staff and a passenger falling ill. Delays keep compounding and add into the mix the single line to Worcester and train cancellations and shortworking have become a real issue.

Surprised nobody else has been affected. I have had 95min of delays in three journeys (monday*2 and this morning). Wonder how long to get home tonight.

The 1421 from Pad was cancelled today.....next service 1551....I wonder whether customers for the Cotswolds were taken to Oxford on the next train & provided with taxis from there? They should have been!

Well yesterday the Chairman failed to show up for the monthly committee meeting since he was stuck on the 1722 - I was available to confirm this was not just an excuse assuming he WAS on the train - his wife swore he was.

I WOULD have been affected had I decided I couldnt be bothered to get up yesterday and worked from home again!

The 1551 is a little cosy but we are running into OXF on time - I'll let you know with "live" updates

Special norice on the FGW homepage

Tuesday 23rd February 2010     Time: 16:45

Oxford area

Train services in the Oxford area are currently being disrupted due to signalling problems. Short notice cancellations, alterations and delays can be expected.

All train services between Oxford and Bicester Town have been suspended for the remainder of the day. Replacement road transport is in operation.

All First Great Western train services between Oxford and Banbury are now operating. Short notice alterations and delays can be expected.

We pulled out of oxford at 1659 - 12 minutes late

Proceed at snails pace

now static under some brick bridge with a metal bit in the middle - looks like pedestrian steps on the left of it as I look at it

not the A34 that I do know!

Proceeded past some allotments, past where the lines split and now approaching normal speed at 1709

Not sure how much that will cost us

It's always a little cosy.  Imagine what that one's like when it's a Turbo!

No thanks - I'll hitch a train to PAD and do a bit of shopping and get the 1722

3rd morning of signal failures at Oxford, some trains terminating at Oxford, some cancelled, most running very late.

Today's disruption is caused by signalling problems between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh NOT at Oxford.  The cause of the delays over the past few days (i.e. the over-running engineering work at Oxford North Jct.) were resolved last night.  I agree it is yet another day of delays for passengers though. The FGW website is saying:

Wednesday 24th February 2010     Time: 08:30

North Cotswold Services

Train services between Worcester and Oxford are currently being disrupted due to signalling problems between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh. Short notice cancellations, alterations and delays can be expected.

Service disruption is likely to continue for the remainder of today

Thanks for that, when I checked (before 0830) it was still showing signal failures at Oxford.

By about 09.30 the website had decided that the problems would be solved by 14.00 but when I went down to catch the 10.48 from Moreton on my way to Maidenhead, things seemed to be back on time, though that may just have been because there weren't as many trains trying to get through the single line sections by then.

A naive question, perhaps, but I thought Moreton to Evesham was semaphore signalled. And I read somewhere in a book by Adrian Vaughan that semaphore signalling never goes wrong (and incidentally that steam locos never fail) so what went wrong...? ;)

Problems at Oxford with track circuits following S&C renewals.

But the question was about Moreton to Evesham problems yesterday.

Nothing was wrong with the semaphores at Moreton station, and I presume at Evesham, but all the signals between the two places (distants/signals protecting level crossings) are colour lights, controlled from the two boxes, so if something electrical goes wrong, you have a problem.

I understand it was cable theft between Moreton and Evesham, which knocked out the signalling link between the 'boxes. Pilot working was introduced - bit slow at first, but got slicker later in the day. The plan was to fully restore the signalling last night.

And presumably the thieves will have got home and taken a closer look and realised they taken a load of the fibre-optic cable installed last summer with no copper in it and of no scrap value.

It's often struck me that the railways shoot themselves in the foot PR-wise by describing cable theft as "signal failure" - makes it sound like shoddy equipment or maintenance is to blame when in reality it's nothing of the sort. Would attributing the delay to "theft of signalling cables" or something along those lines be generally understood, or just cause more confusion?

Agree totally. And it'd be generally understood.

BUT ... would descriptions of that sort encourage certain elements to think "oh - there's an idea - let's go out and nick some cable ..."?

At first, it was thought to be signal failure. Some time later, the cut cable was found........

Thanks for all the updates and explanations. As a final word I got on my first 'on time' train for the week this morning, 0835 CBY to OXF, on time and for once managed to find a seat. (no other train has been less than 20min late if it has run).

Maybe fibre optic cable needs to be better labelled as such. 

Would not matter a jot .......... we have cable clearly labeled HIGH VOLTAGE 33,000 Volts and they still get cut when they are alive!!!  These criminals don't care about the cost, inconvenience caused or even the risk to their own lives they just want the few quid they can get from a dodgy scrap dealer

Another cable was cut at Honeybourne over the weekend, I understand.

Good point.
Perhaps it could be reported as "Vandalism" in that case?

'Signal failure' or 'signalling problems' gives the impression that the fault lies with the railway. Therefore pax will maybe see or hear this and quite justifiably put in a claim for delay compensation.

As FGW is not yet using the 'Delay/Repay' scheme, then they do not have to pay out in the event of vandalism, as vandalism is classed as a 'circumstance beyond the control of the railway'.

Tell it like it is at the earliest opportunity. Leave details on the website for a few days after an event with the correct reasons for delays and pax will be better informed as to whether they are able to claim compensation.