Person hit by a train at Twyford - 04 Feb 14

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Likely to be significant disruption this evening on services to and from Paddington.

The 17:22 to Hereford is reported to have hit someone in the Twyford area.

[BBM]

Metal fencing is currently being installed along the length of platforms 2 & 3 at TWY^▸ (Twyford station) (including several large gates which presumably will be opened for peaktime trains calling on p2). Hopefully this sort of event will be less frequent in future.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From First Great Western JourneyCheck:

Cancellations to services between Slough and Reading

Owing to a person hit by a train between Slough and Reading all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed at short notice. An estimate for the resumption of normal services will be provided as soon as the problem has been fully assessed.
CrossCountry Trains will accept FGW^▸ (First Great Western) tickets from Reading to Banbury both directions. Chiltern Railways will accept FGW tickets from Banbury to Marylebone in both directions. South West trains will accept FGW tickets from Reading to Waterloo and via Windsor Riverside in both directions. Heathrow Connect Services will accept FGW tickets.
For the latest rail travel news, why not follow us on Twitter @FGW.
Last Updated: 04/02/2014 18:14

[bobm]

Metal fencing is currently being installed along the length of platforms 2 & 3 at TWY^▸ (Twyford station) (including several large gates which presumably will be opened for peaktime trains calling on p2). Hopefully this sort of event will be less frequent in future.

Anything which can reduce these incidents is to be welcomed.  Sadly in this particular case it seems likely to have involved Platform 1 and with several rush hour trains due to call there I am not sure what can be done.

[Jason]

It is the 1W07 17:22
Incident happened at Twyford just prior to 17:45, train immediately brought to a controlled abrupt stop.
A replacement driver has arrived.
Fitters examining front brakes which were damaged.
All rather grim but handled very well by staff.

[JayMac]

Relief lines were reopened at 1843 so things are moving again.

It'll no doubt take some time to clear the rush hour backlog.

[Brucey]

Paddington Underground station was also closed for some period of time.  I'm not sure whether this was to prevent overcrowding or another reason.

[NickB]

The underground was closed due to overcrowding. Whilst staff on scene at Twyford may have done a good job it was different at Paddington...

I have now been stood for 50mins, wedged into a turbo like absolute sardines. We have sat in platform with no news for 50 bloody minutes.

I'll be throwing myself under strain at this rate.

Absolutely stinking useless.

[grahame]

Paddington Underground station was also closed for some period of time.  I'm not sure whether this was to prevent overcrowding or another reason.

They told us overcrowding.  Also that facility was non-suspicious and happened around ("20 mins ago" which was about 6 / line to be cleared in 90 minutes.   I left on a sardined 18:15 to Swansea at around 19:20 ... now just past Reading.

Staff were on concourse and doing their best to help, including those not normally direct passenger facing ...

Edit to correct typo

[grahame]

... There WAS a gap in info once we were loaded onto trains, I will agree ... standing there for perhaps 20 minutes wondering when we were leaving ...

[grahame]

And home at 21:30 - about half an hour late;  surprisingly good in the circa.  Good to see both a well known member of the online team and a senior manager helping to provide customer support / information in Paddington; I would agree with NickB that more (some?) updates on-train would have been welcome, as it seems like we got on the train some 25 to 30 minutes before it left and heard nothing about when we would be setting off.

[johoare]

I have now been stood for 50mins, wedged into a turbo like absolute sardines. We have sat in platform with no news for 50 bloody minutes.

This is the real trouble.. However many times FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/Network Rail/Anyone else involved in our train line say that they will improve communications.. It's never happened.. I've been travelling from Maidenhead since 1992 and whilst train companies change.. lack of communication hasn't..however much we ask for it to be so... I just don't know how we/they can make it better 

[NickB]

And home at 21:30 - about half an hour late;  surprisingly good in the circa.  Good to see both a well known member of the online team and a senior manager helping to provide customer support / information in Paddington; I would agree with NickB that more (some?) updates on-train would have been welcome, as it seems like we got on the train some 25 to 30 minutes before it left and heard nothing about when we would be setting off.

I too finally made it home. 2.5 hrs from paddington to maidenhead.
I realise that things were evolving quickly and that it was a difficult night, but it really was ridiculous for the literally hundreds of people wedged onto a 3 car turbo.  
To provide some more detail, we were called to the first departing train to maidenhead at 18.50 which was the delayed 18.40 to Bourne end. It was beyond crowded, with people wedged in everywhere.
And there we sat. We were told we were cleared to proceed, then that was withdrawn.
We eventually left at 19.50 so a whole hour of standing in the platform.  Then 40mins to maidenhead.

Totally ridiculous. And I can't claim a penny in compensation because I paid ^4000 for an annual season ticket rather than having a daily ticket. Total joke.

[johoare]

And home at 21:30 - about half an hour late;  surprisingly good in the circa.  Good to see both a well known member of the online team and a senior manager helping to provide customer support / information in Paddington; I would agree with NickB that more (some?) updates on-train would have been welcome, as it seems like we got on the train some 25 to 30 minutes before it left and heard nothing about when we would be setting off.

I too finally made it home. 2.5 hrs from paddington to maidenhead.
I realise that things were evolving quickly and that it was a difficult night, but it really was ridiculous for the literally hundreds of people wedged onto a 3 car turbo.  
To provide some more detail, we were called to the first departing train to maidenhead at 18.50 which was the delayed 18.40 to Bourne end. It was beyond crowded, with people wedged in everywhere.
And there we sat. We were told we were cleared to proceed, then that was withdrawn.
We eventually left at 19.50 so a whole hour of standing in the platform.  Then 40mins to maidenhead.

Totally ridiculous. And I can't claim a penny in compensation because I paid ^4000 for an annual season ticket rather than having a daily ticket. Total joke.

I am pretty sure/hope you'll complain at least from what you've posted before.. I do it all the time.. But as per my previous post on this thread.. Information is one of the best things we need in these situations and it is still sadly lacking.. Information usually gives you more options.. Even if that option is to go to the coffee shop/bar and wait it out...

[Network SouthEast]

I don't think compensation can be claimed for the disrupted journeys due to a fatality, can it?

Part of the problem with on train announcements will be someone actually being around to make them on the train, which is difficult if there is no driver or guard in the first place.