North Cotswold Line delays and cancellations - 2024

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

And a bit later:

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Hereford via Oxford
Following a road vehicle colliding with a bridge earlier today between Worcestershire Parkway Hl and Worcester Shrub Hill all lines are now open. Disruption is expected until 19:00 29/01.
Train services between London Paddington and Hereford via Oxford and Worcester Shrub Hill are returning to normal but some services have been cancelled, delayed or diverted via Cheltenham Spa.
...
Last Updated:29/01/2024 17:56

16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:29 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill and diverted between Worcester Shrub Hill and Didcot Parkway.
It is being delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge.
Last Updated:29/01/2024 17:31

[Worcester_Passenger]

Final score from yesterday, Monday January 29:

1W02 1152 London Paddington to Hereford : 6 late away from Paddington, held at Shrub Hill, arrived Hereford 17 late.
1W25 1251 London Paddington to Foregate St : 25 late by Reading, held at Wolvercote, terminated at Shrub Hill 24 late.
1W27 1350 London Paddington to Great Malvern : held at Evesham then stopped between Pershore and Parkway, arrived Shrub Hill 86 late and cancelled thereafter.
1W29 1453 London Paddington to Foregate St : cancelled after Moreton.
1W30 1523 London Paddington to Foregate St : cancelled after Oxford.
1W31 1552 London Paddington to Great Malvern : cancelled after Oxford.
2E14 1704 Didcot Parkway to Moreton-in-Marsh : OK.
1W33 1658 London Paddington to Great Malvern : OK.

1P34 1517 Worcester Foregate St to London Paddington : started from Shrub Hill, 21 late by Evesham, arrived Paddington 19 late.
1P05 1518 Hereford to London Paddington : cancelled after Worcester Shrub Hill.
1P38 1632 Great Malvern to London Paddington : started from Worcester Shrub Hill 48 late, diverted via Stroud, 28 late by Didcot, arrived Paddington 39 late.
1P39 1726 Worcester Foregate St to London Paddington : started from Moreton-in-Marsh, arrived Paddington 12 late.
1P40 1802 Worcester Foregate St to London Paddington : started from Shrub Hill 16 late, arrived Paddington 8 late.
1P42 1905 Great Malvern to London Paddington : started from Oxford.

At Evesham, up trains at 14:35, 15:59 and 18:42. Down arrivals from London at 13:44, 15:02, 15:36 and 18:47.

[charles_uk]

A few items so far for today:

08:15 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to industrial action.

16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 19:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 22:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

16.28 edit - the 16:58 & 19:45 cancellations no longer showing on JourneyCheck.

[Worcester_Passenger]

And today it's

Due to animals on the railway between Evesham and Worcester Shrub Hill:
Train services running through these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 31/01.
Last Updated:31/01/2024 10:59

According to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)
Train 1P22 0856 Great Malvern to London Paddington lost an hour between Pershore and Evesham, and is currently 62 late after Kingham.
1W15 0750 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street had to wait at Evesham, arrived at Foregate Street 60 late and was cancelled thereafter.
1P24 0954 Great Malvern to London Paddington waited at Shrub Hill (very sensible) and is currently 33 late after Pershore.

[IndustryInsider]

100 or so sheep apparently!

[charles_uk]

Linked to the sheep or totally separate?

Alterations to services between Evesham and Oxford

Following a points failure between Evesham and Oxford all lines have now reopened.

Train services running through these stations are returning to normal but some services may still be delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until 13:30 31/01.

[Worcester_Passenger]

13:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 16:25 will be starting late from Hereford.
This is due to train crew being delayed by service disruption.
Last Updated:31/01/2024 11:28

15:17 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 17:29 has been delayed at Worcestershire Parkway Hl and is now 36 minutes late.
This is due to the police dealing with an incident.
Last Updated:31/01/2024 16:05

16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:29 will be started from Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:31/01/2024 16:08

22:00 Hereford to London Paddington due 01:15 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to industrial action.
Last Updated:31/01/2024 02:00

13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 16:16 will be terminated at Worcester Foregate Street.
It is being delayed at Evesham.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:31/01/2024 16:07

21:53 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill due 00:02 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to industrial action.
Additional Information
Passengers for stations beyond Oxford should await the 23:59 GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) departure for Worcestershire Parkway.
Passengers for Worcester Shrub Hill, should travel to Worcestershire Parkway and then change there for rail replacement taxis to Worcester Shrub Hill station.
Last Updated:31/01/2024 15:30

Is this a record for different causes of delay? Perhaps JourneyCheck is on a 'random' setting today?

[Worcester_Passenger]

100 or so sheep apparently!

And for once, the Worcester News has a real photo, at https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/24087967.herd-120-sheep-railway-tracks-wyre-piddle/.

[Witham Bobby]

100 or so sheep apparently!

And for once, the Worcester News has a real photo, at https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/24087967.herd-120-sheep-railway-tracks-wyre-piddle/.

I'm glad that the problem was resolved and that passengers were got on their way eventually.  But it's a surprise that West Mercia Police became involved.  I'd have expected any police involvement would have been from BTP^▸ (British Transport Police).  I guess the police and some local workmen who happened to be nearby was a quicker solution than having to wait for staff from however the permanent way department is run these days.   Where was the farmer and/or owner of the sheep in all this?

[grahame]

Is this a record for different causes of delay? Perhaps JourneyCheck is on a 'random' setting today?

No - it was all the one cause, wasn't it?

There was congestion on the line caused by industrial action by sheep on the line not sticking to the field they are constrained to. This incident was being dealt with by the police and in the resulting disruption some train crew were being delayed in getting to their next train.

[Witham Bobby]

18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 20:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to industrial action.
Last Updated:01/02/2024 02:00

[ChrisB]

I'm glad that the problem was resolved and that passengers were got on their way eventually.  But it's a surprise that West Mercia Police became involved.  I'd have expected any police involvement would have been from BTP^▸ (British Transport Police).  I guess the police and some local workmen who happened to be nearby was a quicker solution than having to wait for staff from however the permanent way department is run these days.   Where was the farmer and/or owner of the sheep in all this?

Where were the nearest BTP? Birmingham /  Reading / Cardiff most likely.

[charles_uk]

As at 16.34 JourneyCheck is reporting

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
It will no longer call at Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to industrial action.

when actually it has "been cancelled due to action short of a strike."

[Richard Fairhurst]

And then the next three services:

1612 from Paddington (1645 Oxford) running 22 late and will apparently be omitting Hanborough, Charlbury, Kingham, Pershore, Honeybourne.

Halts train (1723 Oxford) is cancelled.

1658 from Paddington (1746 Oxford) is running... and is a 5-car.

[charles_uk]

And then the next three services:

1612 from Paddington (1645 Oxford) running 22 late and will apparently be omitting Hanborough, Charlbury, Kingham, Pershore, Honeybourne.

Halts train (1723 Oxford) is cancelled.

1658 from Paddington (1746 Oxford) is running... and is a 5-car.

Seriously??? A service is cancelled, the next one misses out two of the busiest stops between Oxford and Worcester, and the one after is cancelled! So passengers for these stations who were hoping to catch the 16:18 from Oxford will have to wait until 17:46!