Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2025

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) have publicly stated how un8mpressed they are with Network Rail previously. 

Their public statement of unhappiness clearly achieved a lot!

It achieved a fair bit in securing additional resource, acknowledgement of shortcomings and undertakings that there would be improvements, but unfortunately this has yet to be delivered.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/27/140m-rail-plan-to-tackle-elizabeth-line-and-great-western-problems

[grahame]

Alterations to services between Reading and Slough

Due to a points failure between Reading and Slough some lines are blocked.

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Twyford and Maidenhead will not be served. Disruption is expected until 21:00 09/03.

Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.


Can you tell me more about the incident?

Due to a points failure at Twyford, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services cannot call at Twyford and Maidenhead. Elizabeth line services can still call at these stations.

[grahame]

Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.

Is it just me - or is that really NOT customer advice?

I would expect "Customer advice" to be something like "People who normally use GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) trains to Maidenhead or Telford should allow an extra  half hour and will need to change at Reading if coming from further west" . It actually advises the customers what to do!

[ChrisB]

How would you describe that piece of hard-coded text then?

[grahame]

How would you describe that piece of hard-coded text then?

* An apology. 
* An expression of care in acknowledging it is not as it should be.

I'm not sure it even needs a title though 

[BBM]

I’m on the 19:04 EL^▸ (Elizabeth Line - Transport for London line from Reading and Heathrow in the west through central tunnels across to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.) train from TWY^▸ (Twyford station) (I’m going to Hayes) which left from P2 (which I was fortunate to aim for as according to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) the previous one ran 13 minutes late and didn’t call there). This particular train is non-stopping Taplow and Burnham as indeed all EL trains are doing this evening with no advice that I’ve seen or heard so I don’t know what passengers to and from those stations are meant to do.

Also all the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) trains on the PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-DID^▸ (Didcot Parkway) route are shown on the screens at TWY as cancelled - from RTT it looks like they’re running but not stopping at TWY or MAI^▸ (Maidenhead station) as in the message posted above.

[Ollie]

I’m on the 19:04 EL^▸ (Elizabeth Line - Transport for London line from Reading and Heathrow in the west through central tunnels across to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.) train from TWY^▸ (Twyford station) (I’m going to Hayes) which left from P2 (which I was fortunate to aim for as according to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) the previous one ran 13 minutes late and didn’t call there). This particular train is non-stopping Taplow and Burnham as indeed all EL trains are doing this evening with no advice that I’ve seen or heard so I don’t know what passengers to and from those stations are meant to do.

Burnham and Taplow was still able to be served by the Elizabeth line services that start/terminate at Maidenhead. It was only those to/from Reading that were unable to call.

[a-driver]

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) have publicly stated how un8mpressed they are with Network Rail previously. 

Their public statement of unhappiness clearly achieved a lot!

It achieved a fair bit in securing additional resource, acknowledgement of shortcomings and undertakings that there would be improvements, but unfortunately this has yet to be delivered.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/27/140m-rail-plan-to-tackle-elizabeth-line-and-great-western-problems

And 12 months on from that article there’s been no improvement.  It was all predictably bluff and bluster from Network Rail.

[TaplowGreen]

......and again.....

Alterations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Following a points failure at Twyford the line will be reopened shortly. Disruption is expected until 21:30 11/03.

Train services between London Paddington and Reading may be delayed by up to 40 minutes or terminated at Reading.

Customer Advice
Problems caused by a points failure near Twyford have now been resolved, and trains can run normally again. However this has caused significant delays and will take a while for the train service to recover.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington

Due to a broken rail between Reading and London Paddington some lines are blocked.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or terminated at and started back from Reading. Disruption is expected until the end of the day

[GBM]

Alterations to services between Reading and Maidenhead
Due to a points failure between Reading and Maidenhead some lines are closed.
Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 11:30 17/03.
Customer Advice
A problem with some points (the means by which trains move from one track to another) in the Twyford area means that we have to reduce the number of train services operating over that section of line.

As a result, train services between London Paddington, Reading and Oxford will operate to a reduced frequency in both directions. Any customers travelling between London Paddington and Oxford (and vice versa) may utilise Chiltern Railways services between London Marylebone and Oxford (in both directions) as an alternative. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) tickets will be accepted on those services and also on London Underground services between Paddington and Marylebone in order to facilitate this.

Train services between London Paddington and Newbury will not operate between London Paddington and Reading. Customers to / from these services will be required to change trains at Reading.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

[grahame]

Alterations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to urgent repairs to the track between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on the line towards Reading bound high speed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 19/03.

Customer Advice

Owing to urgent repair work required on a small section of track in the Ealing Broadway area fewer train services are able to operate between London Paddington and Reading in both directions

[charles_uk]

Alterations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to urgent repairs to the track between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on the line towards Reading bound high speed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 19/03.

The "disruption is expected until..." time has been gradually extended throughout the day - currently expected until 16:00 at present.

[grahame]

The "disruption is expected until..." time has been gradually extended throughout the day - currently expected until 16:00 at present.

Sadly, these messages make no reference to what to expect after 12:00 as was, or 16:00 as is. 

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 19/03.

would be better as

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected at least until 12:00 19/03.

[ChrisB]

And then it completes at 1130.....