Failed freight train, Reading West - 20 August 2014

[whole diary]

[bobm]

..not a bad idea - although I suspect you'd only want to show FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s outgoing messages not the sometimes frustrated hyperbole from those tweeting in....   

[BBM]

Sticking a screen up at main stations showing the @FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Twitter feed would get the latest information out there as soon as it's known rather than dozens off staff having to answer the same questions over and over and re-relay any new information each time there is an update.

On my arrival at TWY^▸ (Twyford station) at about 0643, the 0653 to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) (the 0620 from DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains)) was shown as 8 minutes late on the screen so I checked RealTime Trains which showed a late departure from DID. I kept checking RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) and I became concerned when the train arrived at Tilehurst at 0647 but by 0653 it had shown no sign of departure. The TWY screen was still showing 0701 as the expected time and and there were then two recorded announcements that the next train would be the 0653.

Shortly after that I saw an FGW tweet about a broken down train at Tilehurst. There was no mention of which train so I assumed it was the 0653 and I duly informed the others waiting with me. We moved up the platform for the shorter 0705. At about 0702 the 0653 vanished from the screen with the next train becoming the 0705.

So in this case a screen with FGW's Twitter feed might have been better than the station platform system which with its disappearing trains makes me wonder if Paul Daniels is operating it...

[JayMac]

..not a bad idea - although I suspect you'd only want to show FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s outgoing messages not the sometimes frustrated hyperbole from those tweeting in....   

There's often much worse than 'frustrated hyperbole'. Although @FGW do do a good job in deleting the worst. Sometimes though, not before it's been up for a while.

[a-driver]

This morning was a nightmare having got stuck in the problems between Didcot and Reading.

The situation this morning highlights just how incompetent Network Rail are.  Getting towards the height of passenger traffic you have TWO freight trains virtually following each other.  One failed on the West Curve and because the freight train was too long to fit on the curve it blocked the main lines between Reading and Didcot.  This begs the question as to why Network Rail allow freight trains that are too long to run on the network, perhaps they don't even know the length of these freight trains that operate.
At the moment, these are the biggest causes of delays around Reading Station.  If your train has to queue to get in Reading Station, or stops between Reading and Tilehurst its is generally because either a freight train has been given priority or the freight train that is on the curve is too long and the rear of the train is blocking the mainlines. 
No amount of investment is going to stop this happening.  It is purely down to poor planning and management by Network Rail for which they need to sort urgently. 

Just to prove my point.  I can pretty much guarantee you that 2M50 1557 from Paddington to Banbury will be late as it is everyday because Network Rail insist on running a freight train conveying Ford cars right in front of it. 
Realtime information for 2M50 is here http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C42491/2014/08/20/advanced......... and the freight train, 6X44 is the one that will delay it http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H37025/2014/08/20/advanced.  Watch!!! 

At the moment, in the evenings we go down to a two track railway between Didcot and Paddington.  Despite these engineering works being planned well in advanced our 90 to 125mph passenger trains are having to share the one line towards London with 50mph freight trains.  You can guarantee services between 21:00 and 01:00 will be heavily delayed.  The schedules and the times for these don't exist and in some cases, clash with our passenger trains.

If you were to remove freight services or even significantly reduce the number of freight services running through the area you would massively increase punctuality and reliability.  Reliability would increase because freight services cause significant damage to the track for which the freight operators DO NOT fully cover the cost of.
A report out by the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) suggests that freight traffic costs ^280-^400 million each year through increased wear and tare on the track.  The freight companies only pay around 21% of this cost with the rest being paid by.... yes, you've got it.  Passengers and the taxpayer!   
(the report by the ORR is here http://orr.gov.uk/news-and-media/press-releases/2013/rail-freight-charges-to-better-reflect-costs-and-give-industry-clarity-to-plan-for-the-future-orr)

Having said that, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) could have helped themselves this morning if they had local managers at each depot working 24 hours a day.  As it was, most local managers were only just starting work when this kicked off and as a result walked straight into chaos.  You need to have managers with good local knowledge of their particular area who can make proper informed decisions and be able to liaise directly, face to face, with members of traincrew not someone sitting in HQ^▸ (Headquarters) somewhere trying to contact all parties.  When you have local traincrew managers you get an interaction with traincrew which often results in traincrew suggesting better ways of doing things. 

[JayMac]

No amount of investment is going to stop this happening. 

Won't the flyover stop this happening?

[lordgoata]

Just to prove my point.  I can pretty much guarantee you that 2M50 1557 from Paddington to Banbury will be late as it is everyday because Network Rail insist on running a freight train conveying Ford cars right in front of it. 
Realtime information for 2M50 is here http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C42491/2014/08/20/advanced......... and the freight train, 6X44 is the one that will delay it http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H37025/2014/08/20/advanced.  Watch!!!

I catch this twice a week and it winds me up no end that the train gets delayed to get this ruddy freight train through - so I agree with you 100%!

[a-driver]

No amount of investment is going to stop this happening. 

Won't the flyover stop this happening?

It'll help, but freight services between Southampton and Manchester will still be crossing over the relief lines near Tilehurst and crossing over again at Reading West and at Southcote.  The flyover is primarily there to benefit freight more than it is to benefit passengers, I wouldn't be surprised if they are able to increase the number of freight services through the area especially once the redevelopment of Oxford is completed.

[TaplowGreen]

What (if any?) penalty would the Freight Operator be liable for as a result of their asset causing today's chaos?

[a-driver]

What (if any?) penalty would the Freight Operator be liable for as a result of their asset causing today's chaos?

At a guess, considering its peak time you're probably looking at ^100-^150 per minute, could even be more than that, for every delay caused (including the knock on delays)...... if they accept the delay.

[SDS]

What (if any?) penalty would the Freight Operator be liable for as a result of their asset causing today's chaos?

At a guess, considering its peak time you're probably looking at ^100-^150 per minute, could even be more than that, for every delay caused (including the knock on delays)...... if they accept the delay.

Freightliner will also have to cover the compo that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) pays out to the passengers, the ones that can be bothered anyway.

[ChrisB]

I thought that was covered in the fine? I do know that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will be remunerated by the freight company based on a set formula around number of trains delayed and the total delay minutes caused by the incident (all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) delayed get this)

Out of that, the compo claimed is covered....

[lbraine]

When I got into Reading eventually FGW^▸ (First Great Western) was running announcements for customers travelling to stations to Basingstoke and Newbury to come to the gate line - where taxis were being dispatched.

So, FGW were at least trying to get people to their destinations dispite the massive disruptions

Have to say, the stations announcements and electronic signs were next to useless. Information was being gleaned from fellow passengers using the Internet and their preferred social media site to find out what was going on.

[bobm]

There was at least one train manager at Reading getting information from passengers because his source of information wasn't working.

[ellendune]

What (if any?) penalty would the Freight Operator be liable for as a result of their asset causing today's chaos?

I thought I had read somewhere that freight operators were exempt from this for some reason.

[IndustryInsider]

I thought that was covered in the fine? I do know that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will be remunerated by the freight company based on a set formula around number of trains delayed and the total delay minutes caused by the incident (all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) delayed get this)

And that explains the difference had it been a FGW caused event, when the emphasis shifts from running most trains late, to cancelling everything to reduce the delay minutes.