Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2019

[whole diary]

[Sixty3Closure]

Not sure I understand the 10,000 extra services per day - that's around 400 extra services per hour (ignoring its not really a 24 hour service and Sundays).

That seems a lot of extra trains that I've not really noticed on my route. Has somewhere else had a huge number of extra trains?

[stuving]

^^
Odd that they haven’t altered it to “each year” now, which is probably far more logical and sensible...

Paul

Maybe, but is that what they meant? I read the wording to refer to 2019 up to a little before the statement date (14 March). If 90% of trains are on time, and that's 108,000 there would be 120,000 trains in that period. That's about right, but sounds a bit high to me: I can find a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) document from last year that talks about 9,000 trains per week, which is only 90,000 (ten weeks). And adding only 10,000 since 2012 doesn't look such a lot either.

But then the definition of a "service" (aka a train) has a certain fuzziness to it.

[paul7575]

^^
Odd that they haven’t altered it to “each year” now, which is probably far more logical and sensible...

Paul

Maybe, but is that what they meant? I read the wording to refer to 2019 up to a little before the statement date (14 March). If 90% of trains are on time, and that's 108,000 there would be 120,000 trains in that period. That's about right, but sounds a bit high to me: I can find a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) document from last year that talks about 9,000 trains per week, which is only 90,000 (ten weeks). And adding only 10,000 since 2012 doesn't look such a lot either.

But then the definition of a "service" (aka a train) has a certain fuzziness to it.

You may be right, I must admit I didn’t think much further than day, week, month, etc.  But in 10 weeks or so, let’s say a 1000 extra services a week - it still seems very high, even taken incrementally since 2012. I can’t remember many new regular all day services. But then again perhaps they’ll count a service each way separately.

Paul

[grahame]

^^
Odd that they haven’t altered it to “each year” now, which is probably far more logical and sensible...

Paul

Maybe, but is that what they meant? I read the wording to refer to 2019 up to a little before the statement date (14 March). If 90% of trains are on time, and that's 108,000 there would be 120,000 trains in that period. That's about right, but sounds a bit high to me: I can find a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) document from last year that talks about 9,000 trains per week, which is only 90,000 (ten weeks). And adding only 10,000 since 2012 doesn't look such a lot either.

But then the definition of a "service" (aka a train) has a certain fuzziness to it.

You may be right, I must admit I didn’t think much further than day, week, month, etc.  But in 10 weeks or so, let’s say a 1000 extra services a week - it still seems very high, even taken incrementally since 2012. I can’t remember many new regular all day services. But then again perhaps they’ll count a service each way separately.

Paul

I have been having a "play" with numbers too - and I am inclined to think we're looking at the 10 weeks since the star t of the year.   And I can find you some extra trains since 2012.   Starting (as I usually do  ) with the TransWilts,  services up from 27 to 117 per week - there's 900 extra of your 10,000.  Then the extra services from Exeter to Paignton introduced at the same time; I don't have the number of new runs there but that's another chunk.  Paddington to Oxford local services now terminating at Didcot and extra trains every half hour on to Oxford - that's going to be several thousand more services running.  Aren't there inner extra locals running from Paddington to the bay at Hayes and Harlington (no loss of train numbers Paddington to Greenford as the number remain the same on the branch - just don't go as far)...

Counting the number of trains running by the number of head codes in the system for GWR passenger trains in ten weeks (in some cases (Didcot split, West Ealing changes)  that measures the operational change and not really the passenger benefit) and to me the numbers look like they fit the story.

[paul7575]

Splitting the Greenfords and Running 2 tph to Hayes instead can perhaps reasonably be counted as introducing a “new service” because between West Ealing and Hayes it is new, but splitting Paddington to Oxford stoppers at Didcot is a fudge to deal with electrification issues, and AFAICT^▸ (as far as I can tell) doesn’t actually give anyone an extra service. 

As a comparison with the Hayes/Greenford changes, SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) are about to split their Guildford to Ascot service at Aldershot, with an extension of the Guildford portion to Farnham. (May 19.) Analysis elsewhere suggests that service split isn’t included in their publicised total number of 300 additional services per week, because on its own their new 2 tph Guildford <> Farnham via Aldershot service would be about 300 per week anyway...

Paul

[Jason]

Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident near the railway between Swindon and Didcot Parkway all lines are closed.
Impact: Train services running through these stations may be delayed or diverted. Disruption is expected until 08:30 19/03.

[bobm]

Lines reopened just before 8am.

[TaplowGreen]

Lines reopened just before 8am.

Not according to Journeycheck

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Didcot Parkway


Following the emergency services dealing with an incident near the railway between Swindon and Didcot Parkway all lines will be reopened shortly.
Train services running through these stations are returning to normal but some services may still be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or diverted. Disruption is expected until 09:30 19/03.

Last Updated:19/03/2019 08:25

[bobm]

The 07:30 from Paddington to Penzance, which was going to be diverted via the Berks & Hants, was briefly held at Reading before being sent booked route and called at Swindon around 4 minutes later than scheduled at 08:28.

[IndustryInsider]

Sadly, the emergency services were dealing with a body which was found lineside near Uffington.

[bobm]

Not Thames Valley - but now another incident at Hele & Bradninch crossing between Taunton and Exeter St Davids.

[ray951]

Lines reopened just before 8am.

I was at Didcot Parkway at 8:40 and all the screens were saying that the lines were still blocked but would reopen shortly. And all the trains going west were still shown as Cancelled.

[bobm]

Noted - but the 07:30 from Paddington doesn't usually call at Didcot anyway.  It passed Tilehurst at 08:04.

[Adelante_CCT]

Alterations to services between Reading and Slough

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Reading and Slough some lines are blocked.

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed by up to 30 minutes or running non stop between Maidenhead and Slough. Taplow and Burnham will not be served. Disruption is expected until 22:30 23/03.

[TaplowGreen]

Carrying on today....all day.....and further West too....any idea what's going on?

Alterations to services between Reading and Slough
Due to a fault with the signalling system between Reading and Slough some lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed by up to 30 minutes or running non stop between Maidenhead and Slough. Burnham will not be served. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.