Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2023

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

Following a safety inspection of the track earlier today between Slough and London Paddington all lines have now reopened.
Train services running to and from these stations are returning to normal but some services may still be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 15:00 10/12.

Customer Advice
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All lines have since reopened with normal working resumed. The residual delays and disruption will continue into the early afternoon whilst we recover the service as there are displaced trains and members of crew across the network.
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We're looking at reintroducing a service on all routes affected by this incident as we're aware there have been large gaps in service on several of our routes in and out of London Paddington this morning.
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The alternatives outlined below will remain in place until further notice.
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As an alternative please be advised customers may use their GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) rail tickets on the following:
- Chiltern Railway services between London Marylebone and Oxford.
- South Western Railway services between Guildford and London Waterloo.
- London Underground services via any reasonable route.
- First Berkshire Thames Valley buses accepting GWR customers on routes 3,4,7,8,13 & X74.
All of these alternatives are in place until further notice.
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Withdrawn agreements:
- GTR Southern Thameslink between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
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If you require further assistance planning your journey you may contact one of our social media team via Twitter (X) handle @GWRhelp, or alterntively you may contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950..
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We apologise for any inconvenience caused to your journey with us today.
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Last Updated:10/12/2023 14:26

[rogerw]

I was caught up in this. i arrived at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) to catch the 1005 to BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) to find the concourse heaving. nothing happened until a late running 1130 to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) was announced which caused a stampede towards platform 3. A large number were refused access to the platform as the train was already full. Other trains were announced, but nothing for south Wales. I eventually left on the 1330 to BRI, for a connection to BPW, as there was no indication as to when a south Wales service would depart. That train was full and standing to Bath. I eventually arrived 4¼ hours late.

[NickB]

Points failure at Slough. Delays. Again.

[1st fan]

The whole incident last night demonstrates why the railway needs to be properly staffed, and the need for a guard to be on every train. You’re putting one staff member in charge of potentially 1000 passengers welfare and safety whilst also looking after the train itself.
One lone driver will not be able to safely evacuate a train on their own and considering there were around 10 stranded trains it takes a lot of resource to evacuate them, and it’s not a swift process.. You also have the added complication of 25kV of overhead cables on the ground, that’s enough to give more than a tickle if you were to come into contact with it.
At the end of the day, with limited resources, you have to make a choice. Focus on freeing the damaged train so you can get things moving which enables train to train evacuations or simply go straight to evacuating everyone to ballast which is a very long and resource intensive process with substantially more risk.

Obviously there is a simpler alternative. Maintain the infrastructure!

As per usual there is a politician trying to use the incident for their own ends without having a clue:

  Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall called on Sadiq Khan, who is the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) chair, to “make a full apology to those affected”.

She said: “What happened on the Elizabeth line was undoubtedly distressing for thousands of passengers. I hope TfL gets to the bottom of how this happened, so it can ensure this never happens again.”

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/travel-chaos-hits-rush-hour-202032481.html

Clearly she has a full grasp of the situation, what infrastructure was affected, who owns/maintains it and what caused the infrastructure to fail before making that statement. Obviously she should be the main witness at any investigation with that amazing knowledge.

Quite how TFL^▸ (Transport for London) are going to ensure that an incident involving Network Rail infrastructure and potentially trains from another TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) is beyond me.

Maybe she is subtly suggesting TFL should run all the trains out of Paddington and that will be a manifesto promise.

[Bob_Blakey]

I assume that the running of the 1857 HEx service from Terminal 5 on the Relief Line after Southall, resulting in a 30 minute journey time, and the 40 minute late departure of the 1903 GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) to Plymouth were in some way associated with yesterday's complete chaos. Or was this entirely down to the ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) spanner in the works?

[stuving]

I assume that the running of the 1857 HEx service from Terminal 5 on the Relief Line after Southall, resulting in a 30 minute journey time, and the 40 minute late departure of the 1903 GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) to Plymouth were in some way associated with yesterday's complete chaos. Or was this entirely down to the ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) spanner in the works?

Assuming you mean yesterday, both mains were still closed out to about Ealing. Presumably that was to do with repairing the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE"), and possibly much investigating of what happened to it. Running a Sunday service with two lines out of use ought to be possible, but the OLE issue was being blamed for cancellations all day.

From the afternoon, cancellations were also blamed on problems with staff, trains, and just having a bad train day. That Plymouth train (1C94) had come in from Plymouth at 19:24, so leaving within 20 minutes was about the best it was going to do.

[TaplowGreen]

Another day.......

Delays to services between Reading and Slough

Due to an object being caught on the overhead electric wires at Twyford some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 12:00 12/12.
Train services between Reading and Slough may be delayed.

Additional Information
Thames Valley Fire Service has advised that there is a fire near the railway at Twyford, as well as reports of a fallen tree which may have caused damage to the wires. The relief lines (served by local stopping trains) are closed. The highspeed mainline (served by fast non-stop trains) remains open. We're sorry for any disruption this brings to your travel plans today.

[TaplowGreen]

......and tonight, it's the tracks again! 

Delays to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to a speed restriction over defective track between London Paddington and Reading trains have to run at reduced speed on all lines.

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

[NickB]

A genuine question.  When will the line from Maidenhead to Paddington be (properly) fixed and issues relegated to at least a fortnightly if not monthly occurence?

[GBM]

A genuine question.  When will the line from Maidenhead to Paddington be (properly) fixed and issues relegated to at least a fortnightly if not monthly occurence?

Best ask Network Rail on that one.
Or perhaps ask your local M.P to put pressure on Network Rail to close the line for a while to upgrade everything.
Don't think many passengers would notice a full line closure!

[TaplowGreen]

A genuine question.  When will the line from Maidenhead to Paddington be (properly) fixed and issues relegated to at least a fortnightly if not monthly occurence?

Best ask Network Rail on that one.
Or perhaps ask your local M.P to put pressure on Network Rail to close the line for a while to upgrade everything.
Don't think many passengers would notice a full line closure!

I'd rather have a full line closure, or evening/overnight closures to resolve these issues permanently and create a robust system, instead of what has become a daily lottery, potentially
ending in a much more serious incident with loss of life.

Currently it's shambolic, so it may have to be short term pain for long term gain.

Now's the time for those at the top of Network Rail to stand up and be counted and similarly GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should be applying pressure on them to do so.

Tape & bits of string will only hold it together for so long.

[grahame]

Or perhaps ask your local M.P to put pressure on Network Rail to close the line for a while to upgrade everything.

Is there an attraction in the idea of running a two track railway for a month during the quieter winter period?  10 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) trains in "cascades" every half hour which (example) divide at Reading for Hereford / Exeter and Cheltenham / Penzance  alternately, with 9 car services to Swansea and Bristol. Followed in each cascade by a 387 to Newbury or Didcot (and Cardiff?), a Heathrow Express and an Elizabeth Line service?     Oops - I am starting to suggest to the professionals what they might do.

Worry, mind, that during the first phase with two lines still unfixed, even the two track reduced service would be liable to break.

[TaplowGreen]

Or perhaps ask your local M.P to put pressure on Network Rail to close the line for a while to upgrade everything.

Is there an attraction in the idea of running a two track railway for a month during the quieter winter period?  10 car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) trains in "cascades" every half hour which (example) divide at Reading for Hereford / Exeter and Cheltenham / Penzance  alternately, with 9 car services to Swansea and Bristol. Followed in each cascade by a 387 to Newbury or Didcot (and Cardiff?), a Heathrow Express and an Elizabeth Line service?     Oops - I am starting to suggest to the professionals what they might do.

Worry, mind, that during the first phase with two lines still unfixed, even the two track reduced service would be liable to break.

Turn everything around at Reading, perhaps a skeleton peak only Elizabeth Line service Reading- Paddington, otherwise Reading-Waterloo, Windsor- Waterloo.

[BBM]

Groundhog day 

A broken rail between London Paddington and Reading / Heathrow Airport means trains have to run at reduced speeds on some lines. As a result, trains may be cancelled or delayed by up to 15 minutes.

This is expected until the end of the day.

Looking at Open Train Times Maps there seems to be a queue of trains at a standstill currently on the UM from Ealing Broadway back to Hanwell.

And now they're on the move but being switched to the UR at Acton West.

[TaplowGreen]

Delays to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to congestion between London Paddington and Reading trains have to run at reduced speed on some lines.

Train services running to and from these stations will be delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.