Cotswold Line - 2018 cancellation and amendments log

[whole diary]

[charles_uk]

07:10 Moreton-in-Marsh to London Paddington due 08:51 has been cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

A nice last minute one this so I hadn't time to try and catch the 05:28 Hereford to Paddington service. Instead it was 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot Parkway which was running 20 minutes late due to a broken down train.

My cumulative GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) delays for January are running at over six hours now.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Something odd happened to the 05:28 from Hereford this morning - it was started from Great Malvern. RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) says

due to the signalbox not being open (OL).

The empty stock set off from St Philip's Marsh at 01:52, routed via Swindon and Cheltenham. It was 10 late at Norton Junction, but 58 late at Shrub Hill, and arrived at Malvern Wells at 05:25. By which time it made more sense to start it from Great Malvern (at 05:59).

Starting at 01:52 sounds like it's going to be a peculiar shift for the driver.

[Worcester_Passenger]

JourneyCheck is reporting

05:28 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:27 will be started from Great Malvern.
This is due to train crew being delayed.
Last Updated:31/01/2018 04:56

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)'s version is

This service was cancelled between Hereford and Great Malvern due to a planning error (TI).

[jmc85]

Yes, I saw that too and it made me smile - never seen them admitting to a planning error before!

I'm off to the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) customer panel next Tuesday - will be interesting to see what they say about our line

[charles_uk]

Welcome to February.

The 05:47 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street was cancelled due to shortage of train crew but some slightly better news for the return running, albeit not for Cotswold Line passengers

08:25 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 10:57 will be reinstated.
It will be started from Oxford.
It will no longer call at Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-in-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury and Hanborough.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[Worcester_Passenger]

And the rest of Thursday February 1 (all explanations are from RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)).

04:47 Hereford - Paddington : 33 late into Paddington.

05:14 Oxford - Foregate St : departed 30 late; cancelled WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains)-WOF "due to a problem with the train".

05:28 Hereford - Paddington : departed 13 late after ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) arrived late; 17 late into Paddington.

06:42 Hereford - Paddington : 13 late into Paddington.

06:52 Paddington - Great Malvern : canc'd WOS-GMV "due to an unknown reason". 14 late at WOS.

06:53 Foregate Dt - Didcot : canc'd WOF-WOS and OXF^» (Oxford - next trains)-DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) "due to a problem with the train". 16 late at Oxford.

07:10 Moreton - Paddington : 13 late into Paddington.

08:25 Foregate St - Paddington : canc'd WOF - Reading "due to an issue with the train crew".

09:21 Paddington - Foregate St : canc'd WOS-WOF "due to a problem with the train".

09:54 Great Malvern - Paddington : canc'd GMV-WOS due to "late arrival of inbound service". 32 late at WOS.

12:05 Foregate St - Paddington : canc'd WOF-WOS due to "late arrival of inbound service".

15:22 Shrub Hill - Paddington : 14 late into Paddington.

17:52 Paddington - Shrub Hill : departed 12 late; 28 late at Shrub Hill.

18:22 Paddington - Hereford : 32 late at Hereford after losing path west of Malvern.

20:22 Paddington - Great Malvern : 14 late at Great Malvern.

[charles_uk]

Friday 2 February:

05:28 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:27 will be diverted between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading.
It will no longer call at Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-in-Marsh, Charlbury, Hanborough and Oxford but will call additionally at Didcot Parkway.
It has been previously delayed, is being further delayed between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading and is now expected to be 66 minutes late.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

Leaving the short-formed 07:10 Moreton-in-Marsh to Paddington service and two coach 06:53 Worcester Foregate Street to Didcot Parkway halts train (which started from WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains)) to pick up those the 05:28 missed.

And I've just noticed that the 08:25 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington service "will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill. This is due to a problem currently under investigation." (edit to change "delayed" to "terminated"!)

[jmc85]

Bloody pain - I couldn't be bothered so caught the Cathedrals Express (0835 from Charlbury) - missed a meeting but preferred that to sardine conditions

[Worcester_Passenger]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website): 06:52 Paddington - Great Malvern

was cancelled between Worcester Shrub Hill and Great Malvern due to unknown cause (R8).

JourneyCheck:

09:54 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:28 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a broken down train earlier today.
Last Updated:02/02/2018 08:31

[Witham Bobby]

The divergence between the public timetable service and reality on the route has become a disgrace.  I can't understand why the press haven't picked-up on the way  passengers are being treated by "GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)"; it should surely be headline news.  You'd think those at the top responsible for this omnishambles would, if they had any honour and self-respect, resign.

[jmc85]

Or at least offer to resign - Lord Bates style

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42897401

[ellendune]

The divergence between the public timetable service and reality on the route has become a disgrace.  I can't understand why the press haven't picked-up on the way  passengers are being treated by "GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)"; it should surely be headline news.  You'd think those at the top responsible for this omnishambles would, if they had any honour and self-respect, resign.

I am not entirely sure who's fault it all is.  GWR obviously have their part of the blame but it could include any or all of the following points that I have heard mentioned:

• delays in electrification that meant that rolling stock changeover including staff training was compressed into too short a timescale
• delays in new trains meaning that rolling stock changeover including staff training was compressed into too short a timescale
• repeated failure of infrastructure due to either lack of maintenance poor procurement decisions in the past or disturbance by crossrail works
• new trains not working out of the box like they were supposed to
• just trying to do too much on the line at once.
• too short a franchise (extension) to allow GWR invest in staff.
• DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) negotiating the price down so much that GWR had to cut costs.
• insufficient human resources available to train enough new staff.
• alienation between staff and management leading to excessive staff turnover.

I am not sure that senior managers falling on their swords always achieves very much unless it was that individual that autocratically controlled the organisation (or failed to when it needed it). 

There is a good reason why DfT have been extending the franchise, because the experience of WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) upgrade was that the such franchises are toxic to the franchise company. 

[TaplowGreen]

The divergence between the public timetable service and reality on the route has become a disgrace.  I can't understand why the press haven't picked-up on the way  passengers are being treated by "GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)"; it should surely be headline news.  You'd think those at the top responsible for this omnishambles would, if they had any honour and self-respect, resign.

I am not entirely sure who's fault it all is.  GWR obviously have their part of the blame but it could include any or all of the following points that I have heard mentioned:

• delays in electrification that meant that rolling stock changeover including staff training was compressed into too short a timescale
• delays in new trains meaning that rolling stock changeover including staff training was compressed into too short a timescale
• repeated failure of infrastructure due to either lack of maintenance poor procurement decisions in the past or disturbance by crossrail works
• new trains not working out of the box like they were supposed to
• just trying to do too much on the line at once.
• too short a franchise (extension) to allow GWR invest in staff.
• DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) negotiating the price down so much that GWR had to cut costs.
• insufficient human resources available to train enough new staff.
• alienation between staff and management leading to excessive staff turnover.

I am not sure that senior managers falling on their swords always achieves very much unless it was that individual that autocratically controlled the organisation (or failed to when it needed it). 

There is a good reason why DfT have been extending the franchise, because the experience of WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) upgrade was that the such franchises are toxic to the franchise company. 

The enormous point that you are missing, is that Hopwood is 100% on point and accountable for explaining the situation openly and honestly to his customers and outlining the steps that he is taking to recover the situation with whichever stakeholders are necessary.

The very fact that you are having to speculate via the list above, demonstrates that he and his organisation are totally failing in this most basic of leadership functions - effective communication.

[ellendune]

The enormous point that you are missing, is that Hopwood is 100% on point and accountable for explaining the situation openly and honestly to his customers and outlining the steps that he is taking to recover the situation with whichever stakeholders are necessary.

The very fact that you are having to speculate via the list above, demonstrates that he and his organisation are totally failing in this most basic of leadership functions - effective communication.

I am not even sure I can blame that on him or even GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) as there seems to be an agreement in the railway industry not to pass blame about. Presumably this is because the various parties have to work together somehow.  However, the lack of transparency seems to be the result. It is not personal it is systemic in the railway industry. 

I don't think the resignation of an MD will change that. 

[Richard Fairhurst]

The problem on the Cotswold Line at the moment is that there is no sign of "working together" or even "working solo". The service has been terrible since the end of December and remains terrible. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have shown no sign of acknowledging this, let alone doing something, anything, to make it better. This thread is therapeutic but it feels like howling into a void.