Rail disruption

[whole diary]

[simonw]

Following yesterdays minor issues (chaos at BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains), cancelled BPW-PNZ@0623, and single carriage GLO-TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)@0657 rather than the usual two/three carriages) and todays serious points failure at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), is it reasonable for me to expect GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to do better.

The fact that trains fail, as do points, is a given; but surely there should be resilience in the network and schedules to provide options.

The points into key stations should be monitored 24/7 and replaced before failure!

[Timmer]

More on today's disruption due to points failure at Bristol Temple Meads:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-40467213

[Electric train]

Following yesterdays minor issues (chaos at BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains), cancelled BPW-PNZ@0623, and single carriage GLO-TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)@0657 rather than the usual two/three carriages) and todays serious points failure at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), is it reasonable for me to expect GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to do better.

The fact that trains fail, as do points, is a given; but surely there should be resilience in the network and schedules to provide options.

The points into key stations should be monitored 24/7 and replaced before failure!

Points do have RCM (Remote Condition Monitoring) which is monitored 24/7 by "Flight Engineers" and I know S & T staff are mobilised to sets of points that alarm as being out of tolerance, there are other key bits of kit that has RCM as well.

Each NR Route has to have a resilience plan with golden assets / locations identified, these golden assets / locations  which has the focus of investment.

There is possible more to this than just a set of points failing.

[DaveHarries]

In regards the disruption this morning (Saturday) I heard from a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) employee that it was not just one set of points but around half a dozen sets of points that failed: this would explain why, when I got to the station at 0815, the 0800 to Manchester Pic had not yet departed from Platform 3 and neither had the 0800 to London Paddington from Platform 15. I had got to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) for the 0830 to Birmingham New St but the signal cleared for the 0800 to Manchester to leave so I got on that instead: we left at 0825.

There were some pretty hefty delays though such as the 0930 from Cardiff to Portsmouth which left Cardiff 3 minutes late and then ended up leaving Newport 1hr 58mins late having sat there for close to 2 hours!
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C23660/2017/07/01

Dave

[simonw]

Not a good weekend so far.

On Friday at 0610, I got to BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) to be told 0623 was cancelled, so get bus or wait for 0657. I waited for the 0657, and as mentioned at the top, the usual 2/3 carriages was 1. Fun for the 100+ passages waiting and the half full carriage.

Today I got the BPW again, got on a train that had already waited 80minutes at BPW (Cross Country to Plymouth). Luckily for me, a few minutes later the train started slowly to head to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)). The explanation of RCM was interesting.

[froome]

In regards the disruption this morning (Saturday) I heard from a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) employee that it was not just one set of points but around half a dozen sets of points that failed: this would explain why, when I got to the station at 0815, the 0800 to Manchester Pic had not yet departed from Platform 3 and neither had the 0800 to London Paddington from Platform 15. I had got to Bristol TM^‡(resolve) for the 0830 to Birmingham New St but the signal cleared for the 0800 to Manchester to leave so I got on that instead: we left at 0825.

There were some pretty hefty delays though such as the 0930 from Cardiff to Portsmouth which left Cardiff 3 minutes late and then ended up leaving Newport 1hr 58mins late having sat there for close to 2 hours!
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C23660/2017/07/01

Dave

I'm glad I wasn't travelling today! I did hear from friends who were travelling from Bath to Weymouth this morning who said it took them four and a half hours.

Dave's reference to managing to leave earlier than his train was due has happened to me in similar circumstances. It is the silver lining in the black cloud of disruption that trains running very late can sometimes mean you get somewhere earlier than you expected. 

[bobm]

The fact that trains fail, as do points, is a given; but surely there should be resilience in the network and schedules to provide options.

I was told on Thursday that in the Bristol area GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were short of five units.  This is partly due to the delay in the cascading of units from the Thames Valley.  Units which GWR thought were leaving are now staying longer and as a result now need heavy maintenance which had previously been postponed.  There has been a lot of mixing and matching to get the most out of the stock available.

Hopefully with the first Turbos taking over the Severn Beach line next week it will be the start of an improvement.

[grahame]

The fact that trains fail, as do points, is a given; but surely there should be resilience in the network and schedules to provide options.

I was told on Thursday that in the Bristol area GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were short of five units.  ....

Short of available crew too ... seeing regular cancellations "This service was cancelled throughout due to an issue with the train crew (TG)." reported to me again yesterday, with customers for the 15:48 at Melksham Station being advised to wait for the 18:02.  "Flippin Joke".  Report also suggests cancellation was not advised well ahead.

[ChrisB]

I think that needs taking up with GwR? Thats more than a 2 hour wait? Shouldn't they be supplying taxis to a sensible onward railhead?

[grahame]

I think that needs taking up with GwR? Thats more than a 2 hour wait? Shouldn't they be supplying taxis to a sensible onward railhead?

I'm not just "posting to vent" here ... it forms part of systemic evidence starting with the decision not to crew a train such that a gap of 135 minutes is left, then the help point not offering an alternative.  If people ask "when is the next train" they tend to have that question answered, and not be offered any alternative. A follow up question along the lines of "what - nothing sooner" is answered with "no, I'm sorry - that's the next train".

I suspect that part of the issue may be that some of the help point staff speak English (all be it good English) as a second language, so answer literally the questions asked.  They don't pick up the colloquialisms and the question that the caller really wants answered.

'This bloke walked up to me and asked "could you tell me the way to the Town Hall?". I answered "Yes, I could" and walked on. ...'

[TaplowGreen]

I think that needs taking up with GwR? Thats more than a 2 hour wait? Shouldn't they be supplying taxis to a sensible onward railhead?

I'm not just "posting to vent" here ... it forms part of systemic evidence starting with the decision not to crew a train such that a gap of 135 minutes is left, then the help point not offering an alternative.  If people ask "when is the next train" they tend to have that question answered, and not be offered any alternative. A follow up question along the lines of "what - nothing sooner" is answered with "no, I'm sorry - that's the next train".

I suspect that part of the issue may be that some of the help point staff speak English (all be it good English) as a second language, so answer literally the questions asked.  They don't pick up the colloquialisms and the question that the caller really wants answered.

'This bloke walked up to me and asked "could you tell me the way to the Town Hall?". I answered "Yes, I could" and walked on. ...'

It goes to the heart of the problem of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s attitude to its customers, especially in times of severe delays, which is at best indifferent.

The help point agent's script should include something along the lines of "if the delay is likely to be more than xxx minutes? If so offer taxi" or similar.............in reality, I suspect the approach taken is more likely to be "don't offer it or everyone will want one"

I think there have been 3 occasions where I have been stuck in really serious disruption at Reading and had no alternative to get to Taplow other than by cab. On each of those occasions, without being advised by rail staff I have taken the initiative and jumped in a cab (twice with fellow Taplow passengers) paid the fare (£40-ish) and then submitted receipts/an explanation to FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/GWR...........on each occasion I received a refund with no questions asked - I would encourage anyone else to do similar

(...............I can already hear a faint cry of "oooooooooos gunna pay for it?" forming in the throat of a fellow forum member not so far away!!!) 

[ChrisB]

Not me this time...but I do think your suggestion ought to come with a strong "I'm not personally recommending this as there is NO GUARANTEE of a refund" warning