Cotswold Line services autumn 2017

[whole diary]

[charles_uk]

In my post about the Cotswold Line service on 3 October, I said "last autumn's Cotswold Line service was dire and early signs are it could be the same again this year". As has just been posted in a separate thread, today we have the first slippery rails of the season. There's a thread for Thames Valley disruption in the Across the West sub-forum which is a very useful record of problems that occur on a seemingly regular basis. I'm wondering whether there is a case for a similar thread for the Cotswold Line (not that I'm suggesting the line is unique in having more than its fair share of disruption).

Anyway, at the risk of duplicating the previous thread, today's slippery rails took out a big chunk of the morning service:

05:11 Worcester Shrub Hill to Paddington cancelled;
04:50 Hereford to Paddington left Evesham 71 late and 82 late by Oxford;
05:28 Hereford to Paddington diverted via Swindon;
07:10 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington started on time but 15 late at Oxford having been held by late running 05:47 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street;
06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot arrived at Oxford 39 late.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Campden Bank, unsurprisingly: "Trains travelling towards London Paddington / Oxford from Hereford / Worcester (in this direction only) will not call at Honeybourne until approximately midday", according to JourneyCheck.

[Chris from Nailsea]

In my post about the Cotswold Line service on 3 October, I said "last autumn's Cotswold Line service was dire and early signs are it could be the same again this year". As has just been posted in a separate thread, today we have the first slippery rails of the season. There's a thread for Thames Valley disruption in the Across the West sub-forum which is a very useful record of problems that occur on a seemingly regular basis. I'm wondering whether there is a case for a similar thread for the Cotswold Line (not that I'm suggesting the line is unique in having more than its fair share of disruption).

With thanks for your comments, charles_uk, we on the moderator team will be happy to keep an eye on those various topics and do a bit of 'moving and merging' - if it becomes appropriate / necessary.

CfN. 

[ChrisB]

Similar problems happening this morning with delays of around 15mins /pr diverting

[charles_uk]

Similar problems happening this morning with delays of around 15mins /pr diverting

"Due to slippery rails at Honeybourne fewer trains are able to run on the line towards Oxford.

Train services running through this station may be revised. Honeybourne will not be served. Disruption is expected until 11:00 06/10."

and the 05:28 Hereford to Paddington diverted via Swindon again

[charles_uk]

I am aware there's a danger this could turn into my own personal GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) rant thread. And I accept failing trains are to be expected from time to time. In isolation these would just be an irritation but in the context of the autumn service on the Cotswold Line, they do begin to form a pattern. Anyway, this afternoon:

13:22 Paddington to Worcester Foregate was terminated at Moreton-in-Marsh due to slippery rails (and return run cancelled in its entirety);

and

14:22 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 16:44 will no longer call at Slough.
It has been previously delayed but is now 19 minutes late from Oxford.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 5.
This is due to a fault on this train.

and

15:49 London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh due 17:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
(resulting in return run also being cancelled)

[IanL]

Cancellations due to slippery rail head conditions during the day and into the evening peak as well, 1646 OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) to CBY cancelled.

[ChrisB]

1749 reported elsewhere to be a turbo

[martyjon]

Whist waiting for my local bus just after lunch today I noted a leaf buster unit being hauled by a Freightliner 66 heading in the Worcester direction and wondered !

Never used to have so many adhesion problems in the days of steam because the engines carried their own supplies of sand which could be deployed from the footplate whilst in motion. Additionally manual signal boxes had supplies of sand usually kept in the signal box fire buckets and signalmen would hand sand known troublespots in the vicinity of their boxes whilst more distant spots were hand sanded by the local linemen.

Perhaps it's time to consider bringing back the sandite trains in some form or other.

[IndustryInsider]

HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) have jerry cans full of sand stored in the power car.  Last resort stuff, and didn't work in the case of the first up train on Wednesday morning.

[charles_uk]

Two scheduled services didn't run on the Cotswold Line today:

06:52 Paddington to Great Malvern terminated at Oxford due to shortage of drivers, and return 09:58 Great Malvern to Paddington started from Oxford

[ChrisB]

1649 only a 3car turbo vice an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) again

[charles_uk]

A number of morning services 15 minutes or so late into Oxford this morning due to slippery rails, and for second time in four days 15:49 Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh (and the 17:32 return from Moreton-in-Marsh) cancelled due to a train fault.

[jmc85]

And no notice from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) of the cancellation - my usual 1500 status update email from them didn’t mention the cancellation - and still no news. Could have had an extra 30 minutes at work

[Adelante_CCT]

15:49 London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh due 17:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:11/10/2017 13:10

Maybe no email but journey check had it well in advance