Disruption on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 December 2013

[whole diary]

[Super Guard]

Forecast of Severe Weather - Monday 23rd December 2013 - UPDATE at 1245

Owing to the weather forecast indicating that severe weather conditions will affect much of the First Great Western network in England later today certain revisions will take place to our advertised timetable from approximately 15:00 this afternoon.

As a result, customers may experience a reduction in train service frequencies together with extended journey times. Specific details of cancellations and alterations to services will be issued later on today. Extended journey times may be experienced from late morning as a result of where Network Rail impose speed restrictions on those routes affected by high winds but as any such restrictions may evolve to take account of those areas which are affected it would not, at this stage, be possible to precisely quantify delays.

The following alterations to ticket validity will apply for today:

Customers holding tickets for departures today, Monday 23rd December, may travel earlier or delay your journey until tomorrow, Tuesday 24th December, on the understanding that these trains are in many cases likely to be very busy and thus a seat cannot be guaranteed; seat reservations for the original train will NOT be transferred to an earlier one. Customers with tickets dated for travel for Tuesday 24th December may also travel today Monday 23rd December.

Where customers have been delayed getting to the station, or on other train operators services, and have missed their booked First Great Western service, they will be permitted to travel on the next service forward, irrespective of the type of ticket held.

[Umberleigh]

Hearing on twitter that a northbound HST^▸ (High Speed Train) has brake failure outside of Plymouth. Passenger has photographed three passengers jumping out of the window(s) and running up the embankment

Any news anyone?

[insider]

AMENDED TRAIN PLAN FOR THIS AFTERNOON

HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) - Train Specific Alterations
South Wales to Paddington 
1L74 1555 Cardiff Central to London Paddington; this train will run.
1L82 1655 Cardiff Central to London Paddington; service cancelled. 
 1L88 1755 Cardiff Central to London Paddington; service cancelled. 

Paddington to South Wales  All services are planned to operate.   

Bristol to Paddington 
1A24 1600 Bristol TM^‡(resolve) to London Paddington; service cancelled 
1A26 1700 Bristol TM to London Paddington; service cancelled.   
1A28 1800 Bristol TM to London Paddington; service cancelled 

Paddington to Bristol
1C21 1600 London Paddington to Bristol TM; service cancelled
1C23 1700 London Paddington to Bristol TM; service cancelled. 
1C25 1800 London Paddington to Bristol TM; service cancelled.
1C27 1900 London Paddington to Bristol TM; service cancelled.
1C29 2000 London Paddington to Bristol TM; service cancelled. 
   
 
Cheltenham and Gloucester to London 
1L67 1420 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington; service runs throughout. 
1L80 1628 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington; service terminates Swindon.   
1L91 1834 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington; service terminates Swindon 

London to Gloucester and Cheltenham. 
1G47 1536 London Paddington to Cheltenham; service runs throughout.   
1G60 1742 London Paddington to Cheltenham; starts Swindon at 1845
1G70 1847 London Paddington to Cheltenham; starts Swindon at 1955.

London to Oxford, Worcester and Hereford
1D49 1622 London Paddington to Oxford; service cancelled
1D51 1649 London Paddington to Oxford; service cancelled
1W07 1722 London Paddington to Hereford; service will run. 
1W59 1749 London Paddington to Worcester; service cancelled. 
1W08 1822 London Paddington to Hereford; service will run.  Expected to be 30 minutes late by Didcot, run as booked. 
1D67 1850 London Paddington to Oxford; service cancelled
1W09 1922 London Paddington to Hereford; service will run. 

Hereford to Worcester, Oxford and London
1P63 1701 Oxford to London Paddington; service cancelled.
1P69 1801 Oxford to London Paddington; service cancelled. 
1P71 1831 Oxford to London Paddington; service cancelled.
1P87 2059 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington; service cancelled. 
1P81 2101 Oxford to London Paddington; service cancelled. 
1P90 2151 Hereford to London Paddington; service will run.
 
London Paddington to Newbury, Westbury, Taunton and the West of England
1C88 1636 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids; service runs. 
1C90 1706 London Paddington to Bristol TM (via Newbury); service cancelled.
1C91 1733 London Paddington to Paignton; CALLS ADDITIONALLY at Thatcham and Theale in lieu of 1C90.
1J93 1806 London Paddington to Frome; service cancelled
1C94 1835 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids, CALLS ADDITIONALLY at Thatcham and Theale in Lieu of 1J93. 
West of England to Taunton, Westbury, Newbury and London Paddington 
All services will run as advertised. 
 

[insider]

AMENDED TRAINPLAN FOR THIS AFTERNOON

LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) Service Alterations

All Oxford and Reading to Paddington stopping services will run as booked. 

Most fast services between London Paddington to Oxford will be withdrawn from approximately 1600, with the exception of those services which continue towards or have come from the North Cotswolds.  There are certain exceptions, especially later in the evening when fewer other services running provide paths for the Oxford services to be reinstated in order to get rolling stock to Oxford for start of service on Tuesday. 
The following trains between Paddington and Oxford which are currently scheduled to run may be cancelled at short notice should weather conditions prove to be worse than expectations:
1D77 2048 London Paddington to Oxford
1D79 2118 London Paddington to Oxford
1D83 2218 London Paddington to Oxford. 
1D85 2248 London Paddington to Oxford
1D87 2318 London Paddington to Oxford; 

Reading to Basingstoke services will run an hourly service from 1600 with an additional unit at Reading to step up and mitigate any late running.

A full service is anticipated to run on the North Downs with the exception of the evening peak services to Shalford which will not run. Consideration will be given by the LTV Train Service Controller to terminating/starting Gatwick services at Redhill to mitigate late running on this line of route. 

LTV - Train Specific Alterations
Reading to Basingstoke (and vv). 
Services departing Reading for Basingstoke at xx.07 from 1607 until close of service WILL BE CANCELLED.
Services departing Basingstoke for Reading at xx.36 from 1636 until close of service WILL BE CANCELLED. 
 
North Downs Services
2O45 1651 Reading to Shalford; service CANCELLED. 
2V69 1758 Shalford to Reading; service CANCELLED
2O50 1904 Reading to Shalford; service CANCELLED
2V72 2202 Shalford to Reading; service CANCELLED
All other services are scheduled to run, but may be subject to alteration due to late running on the day. 

Class 2 Stopping Services ^ Oxford to Paddington and v.v. 
Contrary to previous advice, all Class 2 stopping services between Oxford and London Paddington will run as booked. 

Thames Valley Branches
All Thames Valley branches will be ^locked in^ for the evening peak.  The following alterations will be made:

Henley Branch
1H48 1712 London Paddington to Henley on Thames; starts Twyford
1H52 1812 London Paddington to Henley on Thames; starts Twyford
1H54 1905 London Paddington to Henley on Thames; starts Twyford

Marlow Branch
1N44 1742 Paddington to Bourne End; cancelled.
2B43 1821 Marlow to Bourne End; runs ^
1N52 1842 Paddington to Bourne End; cancelled.
2B48 1847 Maidenhead to Bourne End;
2B46 1831 Bourne End to Marlow; service cancelled. 
2B47 1852 Marlow to Bourne End; service cancelled. 
2B49 1902 Bourne End to Maidenhead; service cancelled. 
2B51 1924 Marlow to Bourne End;
2B54 1934 Bourne End to Marlow; service cancelled. 
2B55 1953 Marlow to Bourne End; service cancelled. 
2B57 2005 Bourne End to Maidenhead; service cancelled. 
 

London Paddington to Newbury and Bedwyn (and vv). 
1K65 1439 Bedwyn to London Paddington; terminates at Reading.
1K74 1618 Paddington to Bedwyn; starts Reading
1K83 1853 Newbury to London Paddington; terminates at Reading
1K84 1954 Bedwyn to London Paddington; terminates at Reading.. 

London Paddington to Oxford
1D53 1718 London Paddington to Oxford; service cancelled
1D57 1735 London Paddington to Oxford; service will run. 
1D61 1818 London Paddington to Oxford; service cancelled
1D69 1918 London Paddington to Oxford; service cancelled
1M73 1950 London Paddington to Banbury; starts from Oxford at 2055.
1D77 2048 London Paddington to Oxford; service will run*. 
1D79 2118 London Paddington to Oxford; service will run*..
1D83 2218 London Paddington to Oxford; service will run*.  . 
1D85 2248 London Paddington to Oxford; service will run*. 
1D87 2318 London Paddington to Oxford; service will run*.
Note that all services marked * may be cancelled if conditions prove to be more severe than expected

Oxford to London Paddington
1P61 1553 Moreton-in-Marsh to London Paddington; service terminates Reading
1P63 1701 Oxford to London Paddington (HSS^▸ (High Speed Services)); service cancelled. 
1P69 1801 Oxford to London Paddington (HSS) service cancelled.
1P71 1831 Oxford to London Paddington; (HSS) service cancelled.
1P75 1931 Oxford to London Paddington; service cancelled.
1P77 2002 Oxford to London Paddington; service cancelled
1P81 2101 Oxford to London Paddington (HSS), service cancelled. 
1P89 2311 Oxford to London Paddington, service will run*

[Umberleigh]

10.00 departure from Penzance to Paddington stuck near Devonport with brake failure, and causing inevitable delays to all trains.

[grahame]

Thank you to .. and thoughts with all those FGW^▸ (First Great Western) members of staff out there helping in appalling conditions, especially those who didn't sign up for the foul weather outside work.

From my email:

AUTO: I'm am providing customer assist due to poor weather conditions today and will be checking emails when I can. If your query is urgent ...

"All hands to the pumps" - perhaps literally in some places!

[Super Guard]

10.00 departure from Penzance to Paddington stuck near Devonport with brake failure, and causing inevitable delays to all trains.

Rescue engine sent out, terminated at Plymouth 112 Late 

[Umberleigh]

Just had a very quick twitter response to my questions about services tomorrow morning, so well done the media folks, too.

[JayMac]

I ended up taking the (slightly delayed) 1344 from Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - Taunton. Apart from having to stand all the way, not to bad.

Later journey was more interesting though. Taking the bus from Taunton to Curry Rivel in Somerset was fun. The A378 was barely passable to normal cars in places. We witnessed one car in front of us get stuck after he went for speed through a deep flood rather than slow and steady. Bus driver inched up behind him and pushed him out. Water was deep enough to come into the bus, so we all moved to the back, up the step, above the rear axle. After getting through this flood driver told us to hold tight as he did a firm bit of braking to force all the water back out the door at the front.

All good fun. 

[Umberleigh]

Good service from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) telesales team.

Have a 1st Advance on the 06.18 Truro - Paddington tomorrow, but will be travelling on the 09.26 as weather forecast to improve, so less chance of cancellation etc than the early train.

They were happy to book me a seat in coach H for this service at no extra cost despite said Advance ticket. Well done, a happy customer!

[trainbuff]

I ended up taking the (slightly delayed) 1344 from Bristol TM^‡(resolve) - Taunton. Apart from having to stand all the way, not to bad.

Later journey was more interesting though. Taking the bus from Taunton to Curry Rivel in Somerset was fun. The A378 was barely passable to normal cars in places. We witnessed one car in front of us get stuck after he went for speed through a deep flood rather than slow and steady. Bus driver inched up behind him and pushed him out. Water was deep enough to come into the bus, so we all moved to the back, up the step, above the rear axle. After getting through this flood driver told us to hold tight as he did a firm bit of braking to force all the water back out the door at the front.

All good fun. 

Glad you were able to make the journey earlier than the 16.44. I know it was packed but at least you got there. Interesting bus journey as well!

[Umberleigh]

Ouch! High Speed services heading down to Penzance suffering extreme delays of up to 140 mins. Safe journey to all passengers and crews, especially as the wind is really picking up again down here in Truro

[Timmer]

Problems with flooding at Royal Wotton Bassett junction causing major delays. 16.30 Paddington to Taunton currently running 140 minutes late.

Update: 16.15 and 16.45 Paddington to Swansea trains both over 150 minutes late.

[johoare]

Info at Paddington was a bit lacking (no surprise really). I got there about 7.10pm... No local trains on the board as all the intercities were so delayed there was no room for our trains..

I asked one of the lovely information ladies... But to be fair all they do when asked is all I do.. Look at the departure board.. So nothing useful there other than telling us the 19.27 would be running but no idea which platform.. After a while I went for wander, couldn't find my train, came back to the info point. Someone else was also asking at this point. The original lady spotted me and said platform 13.. I did say "it won't be there by the time we get there" and she said it would.. I was one of the last people on the train yet it still hadn't made the main departure boards.. We left people behind who were slightly less fast than me.. ooops

[Timmer]

16.45 Paddington to Swansea now running 185 minutes late with the Carmarthen train behind 166 minutes late. These are East Coast type delays.

And still the rain comes down. Thoughts with everyone down in Devon and Cornwall where the rain has hardly ceased since the early hours. Must be a concern now.