Problems with IET trains from April 2021

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

Confirmation from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) in an email that the problem continues into tomorrow, with the same ‘do not travel’ message continuing

Another example of a carefully worded message that IMPLIES a short term problem but without actually promising anything.
As we are now well into Monday, which was "tomorrow" at the time of the message, does anyone really expect a normal service on Tuesday ?

I expect an announcement, statement or press release warning that "disruption could continue into Tuesday"

[PhilWakely]

Confirmation from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) in an email that the problem continues into tomorrow, with the same ‘do not travel’ message continuing

Another example of a carefully worded message that IMPLIES a short term problem but without actually promising anything.
As we are now well into Monday, which was "tomorrow" at the time of the message, does anyone really expect a normal service on Tuesday ?

I expect an announcement, statement or press release warning that "disruption could continue into Tuesday"

Part of the email sent to grahame above states.....

We are working on options that will help us to operate a limited long distance timetable.  It will be much reduced, but we are looking at every option to see what can be done to keep customers moving.
 
This includes looking at trains that might be available and can be moved from other parts of the country, including Charter trains, using buses for some journeys, agreeing ticket acceptance on other train services and making the best use of our other fleets including extending the use of our Thames Valley electric fleet to Swindon.

I think this would imply that GWR are looking at least into the medium-term future.

[a-driver]

There’s an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move in the system operating from Crewe to Laira.

It’s operated by LSL^‡(resolve). No idea what the consist is but this could be hired in charter stock??

[broadgage]

There’s an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move in the system operating from Crewe to Laira.

It’s operated by LSL^‡(resolve). No idea what the consist is but this could be hired in charter stock??

One might hope. A single charter set would be of limited help, but something is better than nothing.

[stuving]

What happens if the relevant Hitachi subsidiary (Agility trains ?) decide that the cost of repairs and of compensation is so great that bankruptcy is he only option ?

Presumably HMG would have to bail them out with some form of emergency grant/bung/loan/subsidy ?
Or let them go bust and be stuck with a load of secondhand and not much good trains ?

The answer may lie in the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) MARA^▸ (Master Availability and Reliability Agreement) - most likely somewhere in Schedule 6 "EXPIRY, EVENTS OF DEFAULT, TERMINATION AND FORCE MAJEURE" pp 475-543. Then again, that may just cite other agreements. But Agility Trains West is I think just a bit of legal-cum-financial machinery, and the real relationship is with Hitachi (rather than their purely financial partners).

Before delivery was completed, there were some significant guarantees provided by Hitachi and partners. How much of that continues during operation is not clear (and likely wouldn't be even after a thorough reading of the MARA). I would note, though, that so far Hitachi and their partners collectively have built the trains at their own expense and received little in return. And given the extra costs of set-up, training, sorting some of the initial problems (not to mention building the Newton Aycliffe factory)Ii suspect they are still net negative in cash flow terms.

GWR MARA: Great Western IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) Network Master Availability and Reliability Agreement (between the Secretary of State for Transport and Agility Trains West Limited)

[Jamsdad]

With such difficulties I find it strange that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is not giving any advice on the use of the Waterloo Exeter route, nor much encouragement to people to use the sleeper. The Sunday night service from Paddington was nearly empty because the GWR website had removed any mention of it running!

[PhilWakely]

There’s an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move in the system operating from Crewe to Laira.

It’s operated by LSL^‡(resolve). No idea what the consist is but this could be hired in charter stock??

One might hope. A single charter set would be of limited help, but something is better than nothing.

37688 + barrier + 5 ex-EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about) MkIIIs

[grahame]

A number of Bristol to Swindon shuttles from XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) have now appeared on Real Time Trains for tomorrow (Monday 10th).  Also includes a couple running from Plymouth and Paignton.

Sensible.

Will they accept GroupSave  ...

GWRHelp (Michaela) via Twitter have confirmed that the Cross Country trains between Swindon and Bristol WILL accept Groupsave tickets.

[Electric train]

There’s an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move in the system operating from Crewe to Laira.

It’s operated by LSL^‡(resolve). No idea what the consist is but this could be hired in charter stock??

One might hope. A single charter set would be of limited help, but something is better than nothing.

37688 + barrier + 5 ex-EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about) MkIIIs

They will be High Speed Train (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) Mk III, not suitable for loco hauled passenger use; more likely this is a planned move for conversion work at Laira to 'Castle' type High Speed Train (HST) use

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[TaplowGreen]

With such difficulties I find it strange that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is not giving any advice on the use of the Waterloo Exeter route, nor much encouragement to people to use the sleeper. The Sunday night service from Paddington was nearly empty because the GWR website had removed any mention of it running!

Would it not make sense to suspend the Sleeper and use the seated stock + locos for daytime services whilst all this is going on?

If it's running virtually empty, surely that makes more sense?

[broadgage]

The sleeper only conveys very limited seated coaches.
And whilst every little helps, it might make make more sense to run the sleeper as normal but encourage use of the seated portion.
Of course during the day, the sleepers are stabled, one at each end of the line, and it MIGHT be worth detaching the seated vehicles and the loco for a short local service.
AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know), this used to be done at the Cornish end, possibly summer only.

[alexross42]

The sleeper only conveys very limited seated coaches.
And whilst every little helps, it might make make more sense to run the sleeper as normal but encourage use of the seated portion.
Of course during the day, the sleepers are stabled, one at each end of the line, and it MIGHT be worth detaching the seated vehicles and the loco for a short local service.
AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know), this used to be done at the Cornish end, possibly summer only.

That's right, up until a couple of years ago they were used for a Class 57 hauled Summer Saturday service from St. Erth - Exeter and back, consisting of 3 or 4 coaches.

[BBM]

There’s an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move in the system operating from Crewe to Laira.

It’s operated by LSL^‡(resolve). No idea what the consist is but this could be hired in charter stock??

One might hope. A single charter set would be of limited help, but something is better than nothing.

37688 + barrier + 5 ex-EMR^» (East Midlands Railway, also known as EMT^» (East Midlands Trains - about) (East Midlands Trains) - about) MkIIIs

They will be HST^▸ (High Speed Train) Mk III, not suitable for loco hauled passenger use; more likely this is a planned move for conversion work at Laira to 'Castle' type HST use

Photo here: https://twitter.com/25kV/status/1391785302050619393

[broadgage]

Confirmation from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) in an email that the problem continues into tomorrow, with the same ‘do not travel’ message continuing

Another example of a carefully worded message that IMPLIES a short term problem but without actually promising anything.
As we are now well into Monday, which was "tomorrow" at the time of the message, does anyone really expect a normal service on Tuesday ?

I expect an announcement, statement or press release warning that "disruption could continue into Tuesday"

Now on the GWR website that "disruption is expected to continue into Tuesday" Which does sort of imply "but not beyond Tuesday" without actually claiming this.
Does anyone expect a normal service on Wednesday ?

Unconfirmed reports suggest that two AC EMUS (class 387 ?) are en-route from another operator, but that another IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) is stopped with cracks, so that is a net gain of one unit, better than a net loss of one unit but hardly impressive.

[TaplowGreen]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) news reporting that LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) have stated that the issue will continue for "some weeks". No reason to assume that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will do any better. In fact more likely worse?