Major disruption Bristol Newport 22/9/2018

[whole diary]

[tramway]

Only posted here as I'm trying to get back to Trowbridge with most of the line between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and NWP closed due to safety inspection all afternoon.

Both lines out I think, but no idea what might have caused it.

Normally a damaged freight wrecking the track before they found out it was done over a considerable length.. Not sure what happened today.

Hence all the blue lines I think as I type this.

[grahame]

Only posted here as I'm trying to get back to Trowbridge with most of the line between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and NWP closed due to safety inspection all afternoon.

Where are you starting from?    Newport to Swindon (diverted and double diverted Swansea service) then Swindon to Trowbrige.   Trains all the way and just one change!

[JayMac]

Track defect between Filton Abbey Wood and Patchway affecting both lines. That would suggest 'wet beds'. Freight driver reported a dip and kink.

An emergency repair was carried out and the lines reopened around 1500.

Knock on delays and cancellations.

[chuffed]

It would appear that the 'wet beds' need the help of PIDD^▸ (Passenger Information During Disruption) Passenger Information During Disruption. I am not making this up, honestly. I cannot help thinking a little bit of information might be called a PIDDLE Passenger Information During Disruption Laughing Evilly

[Western Pathfinder]

As if things weren't bad enough I'm getting reports of the afternoon train at Pilning going straight through the Station without stopping, with a driver under instruction ☹️

[grahame]

As if things weren't bad enough I'm getting reports of the afternoon train at Pilning going straight through the Station without stopping, with a driver under instruction ☹️

Never mind - there'll be another one along next week.

[Lee]

In all seriousness, i'd go straight to the top with that if I were you. You cant allow them to think this is in any way acceptable.

[TonyK]

In all seriousness, i'd go straight to the top with that if I were you. You cant allow them to think this is in any way acceptable.

"May it please the Queen's most excellent Majesty..."

But seriously, yes, it may be a parliamentary service but there is no excuse for not stopping.

[tramway]

Thanks for the comments. I was in the Queens Hotel posting that watching live departures, fortunately I was in no hurry yesterday.

Also sadly I didn't do a screen grab showing even PADDs cancelled/delayed at the time. Red across the board.

Boarded a Pompey thinking it was the 14.xx only to find it was the 13.xx with everyone having sat there for an hour. The next Pompey joined up on platform 4 to make 6 car at which point I decided the Queens was a better place to wait for the next hour. Did think of via Swindon but at that pointnt was going to be swings and roundabouts on arrival time.

The next Pompey was old faithful 150001. Only a couple down at Trowbridge especially with Bath rugby crowd boarding on the way.

[Western Pathfinder]

In all seriousness, i'd go straight to the top with that if I were you. You cant allow them to think this is in any way acceptable.

And at least one young person left on the platform with no hope of a train contacted GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). Which then took 50 mins to source a taxi person in question left cold,wet ,and more than a bit disgruntled.

[SandTEngineer]

In all seriousness, i'd go straight to the top with that if I were you. You cant allow them to think this is in any way acceptable.

And at least one young person left on the platform with no hope of a train contacted GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). Which then took 50 mins to source a taxi person in question left cold,wet ,and more than a bit disgruntled.

I agree that should go right to the top, but not in GWR, much higher.

[grahame]

In all seriousness, i'd go straight to the top with that if I were you. You cant allow them to think this is in any way acceptable.

And at least one young person left on the platform with no hope of a train contacted GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). Which then took 50 mins to source a taxi person in question left cold,wet ,and more than a bit disgruntled.

Why not simply put a "stop" order on the next Taunton or Portsmouth train which would have passed through in half an hour?

[JayMac]

On this occasion, the next GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train through Pilning toward Bristol was at 1702, nearly 90 minutes after the fail to call. A taxi turning up after 50 minutes wasn't ideal, but was, in the circumstances, the least worst option.

Had there not been disruption due a to rail defect would it even have been possible to reliably get a Special Stop Order message to the next GWR train? It would have already left its departure station, even if the help point call was made immediately after the scheduled service sailed through. Once the call had been taken, logged, liaised with control and a resolution sought, the next train could well have been in the Severn Tunnel.

[grahame]

A reply from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to the Pilning person who took this up, and is happy for me to share it here.

I have investigated the details of the cancellation, and had given and overview previously, the root cause was indeed the track issue, and I am happy to now provide a little more detail.

As a result of the disruption, and the ensuing staff and stock displacement, the crew and unit scheduled to work the earlier 2C79 14:00 Cardiff to Taunton service was stepped back to work the later service (2C81), as a result the earlier schedule was worked which of course does not include Pilning. A post incident review has taken place, and internal investigation instigated with the crew involved but this will remain internal so I cannot share the details as you request. I can however assure you this has been treated with the utmost seriousness, and we will ensure a general rebrief is given to all staff reminding of the importance of schedule checking.

[JayMac]

As I expected. A meeting without biscuits, but some mitigation for the crew concerned.

The crew that stepped back was, according to other forums, a driver under instruction along with a Driver Instructor. I hope the driver under instruction doesn't have the 'fail to call' on his card for any great length of time. I'd also hope the Driver Instructor put his hands up and took the lions share of the blame. Coping with disruption is an ideal real world training scenario.