North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

Thursday February 20

05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 08:38 was started from Reading and will be terminated at Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:20/02/2025 07:01

Originally posted at 06:05 as starting from Reading "due to train crew being delayed". Stock ran empty from Paddington to Reading. Departed Reading +33, Oxford +20, held Wolvercote.

08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:24 will be started from Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:20/02/2025 07:01

[Worcester_Passenger]

13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 16:15 will be terminated at Worcester Foregate Street.
It has been delayed between Reading and Oxford and is now 14 minutes late.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Last Updated:20/02/2025 15:28

16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:29 will be started from Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Last Updated:20/02/2025 15:28

[Witham Bobby]

08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:24 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
It will no longer call at Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-In-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Hanborough, Oxford, Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington.
It is being delayed at Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:21/02/2025 09:31

A cancellation in all but name for most who would have wished to join this train

[Worcester_Passenger]

Later:

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train earlier today.
Last Updated:21/02/2025 14:35

18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 20:29 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a broken down train earlier today.
Last Updated:21/02/2025 14:39

The 18:02 is formed of the stock of this morning's failed 08:56.

[Witham Bobby]

It would be very interesting to know what suggested availability of these IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) units was, at the time of acquisition, compared to what is achieved.  It looks as if there is an extremely thin amount of cover for failed units.  In a lot of cases, it seems to me, no cover at all.  A breakdown means a cancelled diagram, and that's that.  And to hell with the passengers' plans

[ChrisB]

That answer is public - held within the contract for IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). There is a specified number of units on standby to cover failed units, and I can't remember the number  but I recall that they are in low single digit numbers per day,

[grahame]

It would be very interesting to know what suggested availability of these IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) units was, at the time of acquisition, compared to what is achieved.  It looks as if there is an extremely thin amount of cover for failed units.  In a lot of cases, it seems to me, no cover at all.  A breakdown means a cancelled diagram, and that's that.  And to hell with the passengers' plans

There are other hints at the tightness - such as the suspension of the Bristol - Oxford Saturday trial in the summer while an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) is going to Newquay.  As the new^(*) 175 units enter service, it will be very interesting^(*) to see whether / how much they are used to relieve the tension on the IET fleet, how much they are used to relieve the tension on other fleets such as the 158s, and how much they are used to displace the other very oldest trans on the fleet rather than adding any extra robustness into the fleet.

[JayMac]

Seems GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were making up for earlier cancellations.



I'm imagining what the Journey Check message would have said?

"Facilities on the 1518 Worcester Foregate to London Paddington due 1729. This train will be formed of 18 coaches instead of 9. We apologise for any inconvenience."

[Worcester_Passenger]

Saturday February 22

07:43 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 10:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:22/02/2025 02:20

Later:

20:03 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 22:23 will be started from Reading.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:22/02/2025 11:53

[Worcester_Passenger]

Sunday February 24

08:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:23/02/2025 08:06

Later:
1W02 11:45 London Paddington to Hereford (15:03) : departed +21, benefits from a 15-minute stand at Great Malvern, arrived +6.
1W03 12:45 London Paddington to Hereford (16:04) : delayed at Didcot, Shrub Hill +15, benefits from a 16-minute stand at Ledbury.
1W49 15:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:15) : departed +12, arrived +26.
1W51 16:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:15) : departed +20, arrived Shrub Hill +37 and cancelled therafter "due to an issue with the train crew" (RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)).
1W59 17:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (20:14) : delayed before Reading (+27), delayed at Shrub Hill (+34), arrived +36.
1W73 19:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (22:16) : departed +25, held Wolvercote (+42), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +44 and cancelled thereafter "due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS)" (RTT).
1W79 21:45 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (23:59) : departed +24, arrived +14

1P59 13:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (16:30) : held Norton (?), arrived +21. Forms 1W51.
1P73 16:59 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:30) : held Henwick (+11) and Charlbury (+24), arrived +34.
1P81 18:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (21:30) : held Shrub Hill (+29), arrived +34.
1P85 19:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:29) : started from Worcester Shrub Hill (+14), arrived +20.