Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2016

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services at Maidenhead
Due to a fault with the signalling system at Maidenhead some lines are disrupted.
Impact
Train services running through this station are returning to normal but some services may still be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 09:00 20/01.

Good to see things are returning to normal but a pretty miserable experience for a lot of people this morning, delays, cancellations and some dreadful overcrowding. I was 15 minutes late leaving Taplow and by the time we got past West Drayton the train was absolutely rammed.

Worse for those heading West I believe.

As I understand it there were 2 explanations/reasons being offered - signal problems caused by overnight engineering work and just good old fashioned signal problems!

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

You were lucky you only had 15 minutes delay.  At Pangbourne the busy 0836 to Reading and Paddington (which Mrs GTBE was going for to-day) was cancelled, and the next train (the 0849) didn't turned up until 0905.  It then managed to drop another 2 minutes to Reading, so 31 minutes late on a 9 minute journey.

[BerkshireBugsy]

You were lucky you only had 15 minutes delay.  At Pangbourne the busy 0836 to Reading and Paddington (which Mrs GTBE was going for to-day) was cancelled, and the next train (the 0849) didn't turned up until 0905.  It then managed to drop another 2 minutes to Reading, so 31 minutes late on a 9 minute journey.

Your fault per chance GTBE?

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Er.. yes. She^s on the train 3 days this week, so far played 2 lost 2.  Just hope tomorrow goes Ok. 

I think many of us who work or worked on the railway get the same treatment from our wives/husbands, friends etc.  At least us retired ones can say ^it wouldn^t have happened in my day^.  And maybe sometimes we^re right.

[lordgoata]

Yeah been a bit of a mess for me as well the past two mornings. Yesterdays 0738 from Goring was 2 car instead of 5. Arrived at Reading and were told it was running to Slough and Paddington only due to short form to avoid excessive overcrowding, which I thought was actually very well planned out as it would have been horrendous by Maidenhead.

Then this morning it was 5 cars as usual, then on arrival at Reading we were all turfed off due to a train fault (no idea what). The 0811 was then delayed, and just before we left around 0815, the 0758 from Goring arrived at Reading.

On a slightly different note, I thought 1st class was being removed from the turbos ? Since Christmas we have had 1st class on the 0738 almost every day (and I was just getting used to sitting in a comfy seat  )

[ChrisB]

I thought that was only on the 165s? One section on the longer-distance 166s was being kept?

[lordgoata]

Ah, that may explain it then, they have been 166's almost every day as well... Sorry guess I got confused, I thought they were only being kept on one particular line (very hazy memory so sorry for the vagueness!).

[a-driver]

Then this morning it was 5 cars as usual, then on arrival at Reading we were all turfed off due to a train fault (no idea what). The 0811 was then delayed, and just before we left around 0815, the 0758 from Goring arrived at Reading.

No train fault on the 0738 from Goring, it was terminated early at Reading due to issues with the points at Ruscombe (between Twyford and Maidenhead).

[lordgoata]

No train fault on the 0738 from Goring, it was terminated early at Reading due to issues with the points at Ruscombe (between Twyford and Maidenhead).

Oh, shame no one explained that then!

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Slough
Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident between London Paddington and Slough all lines are blocked.
Impact
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 mins. Disruption is expected until 17:00 20/01.

A fun evening to match the morning by the looks of it - I'm hearing someone on a bridge threatening to jump?

[BerkshireBugsy]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Slough
Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident between London Paddington and Slough all lines are blocked.
Impact
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 mins. Disruption is expected until 17:00 20/01.

A fun evening to match the morning by the looks of it - I'm hearing someone on a bridge threatening to jump?

I appreciate the frustration this may be causing (on the top of all the other delays) but it may be worth exercising discretion on the forum and avoiding speculation. Nothing personal TG

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Slough
Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident between London Paddington and Slough all lines are blocked.
Impact
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 mins. Disruption is expected until 17:00 20/01.

A fun evening to match the morning by the looks of it - I'm hearing someone on a bridge threatening to jump?

I appreciate the frustration this may be causing (on the top of all the other delays) but it may be worth exercising discretion on the forum and avoiding speculation. Nothing personal TG

Understood BB - things seem to be on the move again - happy ending thankfully.

[JayMac]

Yes, thankfully it appears that the suicidal male at Royal Oak (I'm assuming on an over bridge), was talked down by skilled negotiators.

Top marks to all those involved in what appears to have been a satisfactory result. Yes, there were delays and disruptions (my and bobm's plan to visit the London Transport Museum being one such curtailed plan). However, one less railway fatality. For that, praise is due to all the staff, both rail and emergency services, who dealt with this incident this afternoon.

[TonyK]

At least everyone got home in one piece.

[TaplowGreen]

I do find myself pondering how much this type of incidents cost to all concerned.....dozens of cancelled/hugely delayed trains, thousands of disrupted journeys........must run into ^hundreds of thousands?