What may look like a "relatively modest delay" soon spirals and spreads to other trains because of the way the timetable is structured in terms of where trains meet.
If you actually read what I wrote, you would have noted that that was my point - only 6 late at Oxford but as soon as the single line section gets involved the job goes to b*gg*ry.
I did read it. You wrote the following
So a relatively modest delay as far as Oxford, then it all comes tumbling down in a big way when the single line section gets involved
And my point was that in this case and others, it is that delay from Oxford - incurred
before the single line gets involved - that causes the problem, not the single line. It shouldn't be late in the first place - or the timetable should have been drawn up in such a way as to avoid the potential for trouble - see below.
If it wasn't late on to the single line, then there would not be a problem. End of story. And that is the case for all too many delays on the route. They actually originate off it, often between London and Oxford, but are then imported on to the single line, where, aided and abetted by the structure of the timetable (eg precious few trains actually meet in the middle of the double-track section) stuff up everything else on the route.
So you tell me, is that the fault of the single line - as you seem to be suggesting, or the fault of something somewhere else, miles away? The 17.50 got me home 10 minutes late tonight but every minute of that delay, plus five or so more clawed back out of the sitting around at Oxford station time and some fast running, was incurred south of Oxford. But seeing it limp into Worcester after two hours and 40 minutes, I'm sure someone will just assume 'blooming single line again'. Not true.
The 06.48 leaves Oxford when it does in order to form the 09.5X back from Malvern, so it simply couldn't wait for the ecs to Moreton, which is the 08.42 arrival at Oxford. I might add that the forerunner of the 06.48 actually used to head west later, but
FGW▸ decided to pull it forward to give 08.5X and 09.5X departures from Malvern, despite the
CLPG» and others pointing out that the last time someone tried to run a train westbound at that time, it often got in the way of the Cathedrals Express. It did just that again, so the Hanborough and Charlbury stops were removed from the 06.48 but it still gets in the way. At least the double track will allow the meet to happen at Charlbury. Just as well, given that the Hanborough and Charlbury stops by the Turbo are due to be reinstated next year.
the 0929 left Moreton right time this morning
As it does most days, just so long as it can get here in the first place...
And I can assure bigdaz that the working into Oxford that forms the ecs out to Moreton-in-Marsh is a pretty solid performer. Cancellations of the 09.29 almost invariably follow a contretemps between the 06.48 and the Cathedrals Express.
Some tree-felling at Hanborough would undoubtedly help there, but after making a start two winters ago, they just seemed to give up, which seems bizarre given it is a known problem area. Maybe someone though that with the disappearance of the Adelantes, which really struggled going west, they didn't need to bother finishing the job. Time to get out the chainsaws again, methinks.
