Cotswold Line services autumn 2017

[whole diary]

[jmc85]

It was because of a level crossing problem (I was on the train - but no notice at Charlbury as the Information displays aren’t working)

[charles_uk]

It was because of a level crossing problem (I was on the train - but no notice at Charlbury as the Information displays aren’t working)

That's now showing on National Rail Enquiries Live Departure Board (quoted below) but nothing on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) JourneyCheck.

"Delays of up to 15 minutes can be expected to trains through Moreton-in-Marsh due to a fault with barriers at a level crossing."

[brcw2]

It was because of a level crossing problem

According to the Train Manager, there was a signal not working at the Bruern Crossing, so trains were being talked across on caution.

[charles_uk]

Service has been reasonably reliable over last week. However:

15:22 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 17:58 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

and presumably return run will also be cancelled.

[charles_uk]

This November does seem to be much better than last year. There's been a number of mornings when the 05:28 Hereford to Paddington has been running late which has delayed the following 07:10 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington and 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street - Didcot Parkway services. And the 04:50 Hereford to Paddington was started from Didcot this morning, missing out the Cotswold Line in its entirety.

The main problem recently has been the 13:22 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street. It was terminated at Oxford, arriving an hour late, after developing a fault on 9 November. And for the last three days, it has been late onto the single track beyond Evesham causing knock on delays to a number of afternoon services through Oxford, culminating today in the 15:49 Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh being terminated at Oxford with the return 17:32 service from Moreton-in-Marsh being started at Oxford.

[jmc85]

This evening I was on the 1549, got kicked off at Oxford. I think the train sat briefly in a siding before travelling empty to charlbury to start what would have been the 1732 from Moreton. Frustrating after being crammed on the all stops class 180 (1622 from Paddington)

[charles_uk]

Second day running 04:50 Hereford to Paddington was started from Didcot due to a "problem with the traction equipment (MD)" according to Realtime Trains.

[charles_uk]

And just the thing for a Friday afternoon:

14:22 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 16:44 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train drivers. (and the return 17:28 from WOF).

Will be snug on following 15:22 Paddington - Great Malvern service (which looks likes it'll be late out of Oxford again due to usual congestion from late running 13:22 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains):WOF!)

[brcw2]

Will be snug on following 15:22 Paddington - Great Malvern service (which looks likes it'll be late out of Oxford again due to usual congestion from late running 13:22 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains):WOF!)

Snug was not quite the word that sprang to mind (and, yes, it was delayed at Wolvercote Jn).  In carriage A, there were at least a couple of people who were on the phone to arrange to be picked up from Charlbury as there was little chance of them getting through to carriage C to get off at Hanborough.

[Worcester_Passenger]

And today (Saturday November 18) JourneyCheck is reporting

11:15 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 14:04
11:15 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 14:04 will call additionally at Oxford.
This is due to a problem currently under investigation.

This seems a bit weird - can anybody explain what happened here?

[bobm]

Looks to be a timetable planning error.  Oxford was not included as a passenger stop.

[stuving]

Looks to be a timetable planning error.  Oxford was not included as a passenger stop.

Here's a theory:

It's in the timetable as an HST^▸ (High Speed Train), stopping at Oxford. It's showing in RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) as some Turbos, splitting at Oxford. So I guess it's got changed in internal systems to show as an operational, not a passenger, stop by mistake.

If that means some public information, such as journey planners, shows it not stopping then Jurneycheck may want to show the correction. They not know the reason, or may see no point in trying to explain it to passengers. So it goes down as "under investigation".

[charles_uk]

For third day running, a morning peak London bound service cancelled:

06:42 Hereford to London Paddington due 09:45 will be cancelled.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

[grahame]

For third day running, a morning peak London bound service cancelled:

06:42 Hereford to London Paddington due 09:45 will be cancelled.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

It's so sad when I read that and think "is this really news?".   Yes - it is news, or it certainly should be - but yet we have become so softened to a lack of trains when we need them (even if they are in the timetable) that we sometimes just shrug our shoulders.

From my inbox this morning, due to lack of a (different) train:

I think in future i'll be driving ...

[Worcester_Passenger]

I'd intended to catch that one. Fortunately (?) my insomnia meant that I picked that up in the middle of the night. Ended up catching the one in front - though that's more expensive.