North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

Tuesday January 28

An odd one this morning - the 'halts' train is running, but not stopping at the halts. The halts stops are on the train behind.

07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway due 08:46 will no longer call at Shipton, Ascott-Under-Wychwood, Finstock and Combe.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:28/01/2025 05:02

07:31 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 09:42 will call additionally at Shipton, Ascott-Under-Wychwood, Finstock and Combe.
This is due to the train making extra stops because a train was cancelled.
Last Updated:28/01/2025 05:04

Looking at RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), there's a three-car Turbo allocated to the 07:00 - does that make it too big for the halts?

[Worcester_Passenger]

Problems between Paddington and Reading this morning.

1W13 06:50 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (09:04) was +25 at Reading, +17 at Oxford, held at Wolvercote  and Evesham (+52), arrived +58.
Fortunately this one goes out of service at Shrub Hill. It returns to Paddington at 16:53.

1W15 07:50 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (09:58) was +6 at Oxford but arrived +17.
This one returns to Paddington at 10:16.

[ChrisB]

Looking at RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), there's a three-car Turbo allocated to the 07:00 - does that make it too big for the halts?

Certainly does, without selective door opening.

[IndustryInsider]

Looking at RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), there's a three-car Turbo allocated to the 07:00 - does that make it too big for the halts?

Yes, though I think Ascott is OK for a 3-car in that direction.  Shipton, Combe and Finstock definitely aren't.

With local door controls fitted, there's no reason why the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) couldn't do it from a local door if the method of working is altered in a similar fashion to Avoncliffe and others, but it happens so rarely that I don't suppose it's deemed worth it.

[Worcester_Passenger]

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:28/01/2025 14:47

17:04 Didcot Parkway to Evesham due 18:23 will no longer call at Combe, Finstock and Ascott-Under-Wychwood.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:28/01/2025 16:39

16:58 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill due 19:04 will call additionally at Combe, Finstock and Ascott-Under-Wychwood.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:28/01/2025 16:41

18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 20:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:28/01/2025 14:47

[charles_uk]

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:28/01/2025 14:47

And the following service, the 1552 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill train departed Paddington 28 minutes late and left Oxford 38 late.

[Worcester_Passenger]

And the following service, the 1552 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill train departed Paddington 28 minutes late and left Oxford 38 late.

Given that the 15:52 left Oxford at 17:23, the scheduled departure time of the 'halts' train, did the 15:52 get given the job of doing the halts calls (instead of the 16:58)? Can't really tell from the RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) reports.

[Later] Looking in more detail at RTT, the 15:52 took 28 minutes from Hanborough to Moreton (scheduled for 24). The 16:58 took 37 (scheduled for 27).  So I think the 16:58 did the halts calls.

Meanwhile, we have the right size of train doing the 'halts' today.

[Worcester_Passenger]

And after some good days, when I've been hesitant to post anything, for fear of something going wrong...

Though yesterday the afternoon 'halts' train was cancelled.

11:52 London Paddington to Hereford due 14:44 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:04/02/2025 11:05

15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:04/02/2025 11:05

[Worcester_Passenger]

Wednesday February 6

Late running in the evening, caused by faulty doors, by delays in the Thames Valley and (round 23:00) problems with a WMR^» (West Midlands Railway - website) train at Foregate St:

1W29 14:53 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (17:04) : OK until Norton but arrived Shrub Hill +16 and cancelled thereafter "due to a problem with the doors (M7)" [RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)].
1W30 15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (17:47) : held Parkway, arrived Shrub Hill and Foregate St +19.
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) : held Evesham (+15), arrived +22.
1W33 16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:25) : delayed before Reading (+18), held Shrub Hill (+19), arrived +17.
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford (20:25) : delayed before Reading (+20), held Wolvercote (+25), arrived +27.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) : delayed before Reading (+11), arrived +21.

1P39 17:30 Worcester Foregate St to London Paddington (19:52) : started from Shrub Hill +16 but 10-minute stand at  Moreton meant on-time from Oxford.

1W41 20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (23:13) : arrived Shrub Hill +7, but departed +28, arrived Malvern +31.
1P06 22:00 Hereford to London Paddington (01:15) : held Henwick (+36), arrived +26.

Thursday February 6

05:10 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill due 06:15 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.
Last Updated:06/02/2025 02:00

07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway due 08:46 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a broken down train.
Last Updated:06/02/2025 02:00

07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:42 will call additionally at Shipton, Ascott-Under-Wychwood, Finstock and Combe.
This is due to the train making extra stops because of service disruption.
Last Updated:06/02/2025 02:00

Later:

1W11 05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern (08:38) was +4 at Charlbury but arrived Moreton-in-Marsh +25 and was cancelled thereafter "due to a problem with the train (M8)" [RTT].

08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:06/02/2025 07:24

[Witham Bobby]

So, no 0534 first down train from Evesham this morning, with the next one being three hours later at 0839.  Followed by another gap, of 80+ minutes, until the next one, which departed at 0951.

I'm not sure how much help the X50 "express" bus can be for commuters who need to be in Worcester to start work or school/college, when the trans go missing.  That bus journey takes almost an hour

[Worcester_Passenger]

And this afternoon, we have

15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 18:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:06/02/2025 14:36

19:04 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 21:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:06/02/2025 14:36

[Witham Bobby]

11:52 London Paddington to Hereford due 14:44 will be terminated at Great Malvern.
It will no longer call at Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford.
It has been delayed at London Paddington and is now 35 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on a train in front of this one.
Last Updated:07/02/2025 12:42

A cancellation for some of the Malverns part of what BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) InterCity used to call The Cotswolds and Malverns line

[Witham Bobby]

11:52 London Paddington to Hereford due 14:44 will be terminated at Great Malvern.
It will no longer call at Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford.
It has been delayed at London Paddington and is now 35 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on a train in front of this one.
Last Updated:07/02/2025 12:42

A cancellation for some of the Malverns part of what BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) InterCity used to call The Cotswolds and Malverns line

and, inevitably

15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29
15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29 will be started from Great Malvern.
It will no longer call at Hereford, Ledbury and Colwall.
This is due to a fault on a train in front of this one.
Last Updated:07/02/2025 12:42

The train with the fault was in front of a down service.  So the reason/excuse for this cancellation is not really a proper explanation

[ChrisB]

A cancellation for some of the Malverns part of what BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) InterCity used to call The Cotswolds and Malverns line

It still is......

The train with the fault was in front of a down service.  So the reason/excuse for this cancellation is not really a proper explanation

I think it is - the train only reached GMV^▸ (Great Malvern station) on the down service owing to the train in front having a fault. Therefore it bas to start back from the same place for the same reason - it got stopped on the down....

[Worcester_Passenger]

Saturday February 8

14:50 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 17:25 was terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.
Last Updated:08/02/2025 15:21

17:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 20:10 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:08/02/2025 17:25

In the evening, there were problems with the track between Ealing Broadway and Paddington.

1W03 16:50 London Paddington to Hereford was cancelled after Worcester Shrub Hill "due to a problem with the train (M8)" - RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website).
1W35 17:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 20:10 was cancelled as above.
1W37 18:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (21:13), departed +41, was held at Evesham (+61), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +59 and was cancelled thereafter.
1W39 19:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (22:23) departed +44, arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +40 and was cancelled thereafter.

1P33 17:00 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:24) arrived +54.
1P35 17:48 Great Malvern to London Paddington (20:23) arrived +37.
1P37 19:00 Great Malvern to London Paddington (21:24) arrived +36.
1P39 20:03 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (22:23) arrived +25.
1P41 20:20 Hereford to London Paddington (23:38) was started from Worcester Shrub Hill and arrived +22.