Major Disruption Thursday 16 December

[whole diary]

[Steve Bray]

Very quiet on here tonight - presumably all the regular posters are stuck on trains/stations following the problems at Didcot. My Mum was due to arrive Gt Malvern just before 8pm on the 1721 from Paddington, but by the looks of things she'll not be back till 10.30ish. Not good.

[Electric train]

I got to Padd about 16:15 trains were canceled then, things started to get moving about 17:00 but then seemed to grind to a halt again, I got on the 17:42 Bourne End was a bit snug as the first stop was Slough then Maidenhead this was the first fast to Slough / Maidenhead.

[SDS]

Major power failure at Didcot around 15:20 Or as the Technical boffins at Notwork Rail called it a "power blip".

It repeated itself most of the evening.

Were told that only the xx:45, xx:00 and xx:06 past the hour would run. PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) control decided it would be clever to start loading trains which they knew would be cancelled. Sometimes I wish we could just run PAD ourselves.
The Local stoppers were hit and miss, some drivers were being poached.

[willc]

Steve, I hope your mother got back eventually. After 90 minutes waiting at Oxford I was stuck in a coach for another 90 minutes wandering the lanes of West Oxfordshire to reach Moreton-in-Marsh via Hanborough, Charlbury, Shipton and Kingham. Home two hours late.

Can only assume that a train couldn't be run starting from Oxford due to a lack of conductors, as they weren't short of Turbos in the sidings, and as we were heading for the coach, they were preparing to run an extra to Banbury to get stranded XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) passengers on the move but doing that only requires a driver, as it's a DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) route.

Dread to think what today will bring after the past two days... and then there's the snow forecast for Saturday.

[Ollie]

SDS Pad Network Rail will only board a train when they are told to by FGW^▸ (First Great Western) (usually by the AOM who should be getting info back from Swindon)

Today was a mess, and I personally don't think it is fair to blame Network Rail completely. FGW must take some of the blame for how it got handled, communication was yet again not so good.

One of the issues I've seen today from my observations at Reading are to do with other stations just passing the buck; basically saying "go there and they will help you" or "go here and a bus has been put on"

Network Rail and FGW should be working together, not just doing the blame game (like before)

Things have got pretty bad, so bad that season ticket holders for the LTV^▸ (London [and] Thames Valley) (turbo) region are due to be getting the 5% discount again..

[adc82140]

I got on the 17:42 to Maidenhead as well. That meant I wasn't too late back (should have been on the 17:18), but as ever the communication at Paddington was terrible. Trains on the board were showing as "on time" or "preparing" right up until their departure time, when it would change to "cancelled". I didn't hear a single announcement or heaven forbid an apology the whole time I was there. The poor guy on the customer services desk didn't have any information- fortunately the commuters were sympathising with him and not giving him too hard a time, but really there should have been a bigger presence of staff who knew what was going on.

The driver on the 17:42 was excellent though- he told us exactly what the problem was, and how this meant that all trains were being delayed or cancelled, and offering apologies. Can they put him in charge at Paddington? 

I just don't know when FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will ever learn to give out information. What is the basic problem with this? They have been told by the media so many times that if problems occur, the passengers just want information. Why do they stubbornly refuse to do this? Something has to be done, as this has happened twice in two weeks. I accept that last week's fatality was not the railway's fault, but again the lack of information was.

I've given up writing to customer services- I just get a cut n paste reply back. I think representations to Passenger Focus will be next.

 

[IndustryInsider]

Can only assume that a train couldn't be run starting from Oxford due to a lack of conductors

Yup, a shortage of conductors (that's why the halts train was cancelled) - and also the need to get the right stock in the right place before the overnight possession was taken.  The early peak service down wasn't too bad, the 16:47 started at Oxford about 20 minutes late using a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) that had arrived earlier.  The 18:16 again started at Oxford using the HST set off of the 17:36 arrival from Hereford (again about 15 minutes late I think) with stops for everywhere except Combe - I don't know why poor old Combe is always made to suffer! 

I just don't know when FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will ever learn to give out information. What is the basic problem with this? They have been told by the media so many times that if problems occur, the passengers just want information. Why do they stubbornly refuse to do this?

The basic problem is that nobody has the information.  The FGW AOM's at places like Oxford, Reading and Paddington still have to OK everything except the most trivial of alterations through the central control at Swindon, the small number of controllers there get swamped with calls within seconds of a big incident happening, and there simply aren't enough staff on the ground to do any real degree of forward planning in order to stand a chance of giving accurate information out.

Better/new technology is part of the answer.  More staff in control centres and local managers with more freedom to make decisions is part of the answer.  Both cost more money, and both are unnecessary for the majority of the time when things are running well, so don't make sense in a purely financial sense!

[eightf48544]

Better/new technology is part of the answer.  More staff in control centres and local managers with more freedom to make decisions is part of the answer.  Both cost more money, and both are unnecessary for the majority of the time when things are running well, so don't make sense in a purely financial sense!

author=IndustryInsider

There is a very interesting article in the Railway Study Association 100 years hanbook on the future skills required of railwaymen. As industry insider says many of these skills aren't required when the railway is running ok. The solution put forward was for staff to be muliti skilled normally being customer facing but with the operational skills and authority to take charge and make decisions when necessary. These skills would have to be suitably rewarded but hopefully because of their customer skills the railway would become a much better environment to travel on and when things go wrong, which will happen at some time, things will be sorted out quicker.   

[matth1j]

Got on the 1843 for London Paddington at Bath, left about 10 minutes late, got into Reading at 2210. Nearly 3.5 hours for what should be a 1 hour trip

We got to Swindon and were told that it was heading back to Chippenham before going direct to Reading (presumably via the Westbury/Newbury 'scenic' route). However while waiting to set off, another train rolled up that was going direct through Didcot. I thought going forwards rather than backwards had to be the best bet. Doh

The one bit of 'luck' was that we didn't get into Reading 2 minutes later, which would have meant me missing the 2212 down the Waterloo line to Earley and having to hang around for another 30 minutes.

[johoare]

I was travelling a little later and it hadn't improved.. I arrived at Paddington for the 21.57 to Maidenhead.. It was cancelled.. I decided to head up to platform 13 for the 22.15 departure.. I couldn't get on (although the despatcher did say sorry when I said "yay" in comedy fashion to my friend"  ).. My next try was the 22.21 to Slough (and then a cab) which had been on the board as delayed but then changed to cancelled..
Paddington was quite full at this point..
Next trains were the 22.45 and then the 22.59.. Some friends were in a pub just outside Paddington so I went and joined them for a drink and headed back for the 22.59..
When I got back it was still bedlam.. As other people have commented, there was only really one poor customer service guy there.. When I arrived he was being shouted at by one man which wasn't good.. The man's wife did make him stop eventually..
So then I (and a few others) asked about the 22.59 as it didn't have a platform yet  on the board and we were told it would go from platform 12.. This was a spot of luck as it meant that we got on the train before it was put up on the board so got a seat..
The train ended up being full to overflowing.. Quite a few people didn't get on.. It took us till 00.07 to get back to Maidenhead (it's scheduled to arrive about 23.40 I think).. Just to add to fun we arrived on platform 4 which is the london bound platform.. This confused the people waiting there for their advertised train (which was due at 00.01).. I hope no one got on and went to Reading by mistake..

[Electric train]

Was the "power blip" in the new Center at Didcot or out on the existing equipment.   

As an electrical engineer I do laugh when "power blip" or "surge" is used usually means that someone who is not technical is fobbing everyone off

[onthecushions]

Was the "power blip" in the new Center at Didcot or out on the existing equipment.   

As an electrical engineer I do laugh when "power blip" or "surge" is used usually means that someone who is not technical is fobbing everyone off

The computer centres I've visited all have UPS systems. Also, sitting next to Didcot PS with its 4x500MW turbo alternators plus gas turbines, ought to keep the fairy lights twinkling through anything.

Safety critical control systems have triple processing so that one (rare) failure doesn't stop everything.

Anyone know what's in the Didcot signalling/IECC^▸ (Integrated Electronic Control Centre)/control Centre?


OTC

[readytostart]

Was the "power blip" in the new Center at Didcot or out on the existing equipment.   

As an electrical engineer I do laugh when "power blip" or "surge" is used usually means that someone who is not technical is fobbing everyone off

I heard that something went 'bang' at Swindon B panel but stand to be corrected.

[Oxman]

There was a a huge thunderstorm in the area just before the power blip, and a suggestion of as lightning strike. The power definitely blipped and came straight back on again, but it temporarily put signals to black and then red, and lots of track circuits blipped. This affected both Didcot, controlled by Swindon B and the section around Goring which has been transferred from Reading to the new Thames Valley Signalling Centre at Didcot.

Didcot was sorted out fairly quickly, but the section from Moreton cutting through to Basildon did not come back - multiple track circuit failures on all lines and lots of red signals. Trains in the section experienced a change of aspect and were eventually talked out of the affected section. After a long time (two hours?), temporary block working was put in on the up relief and the down main. This requires an operations manager to stand at the red signal at the start of the affected section and to issue a "ticket" which is the authority for the driver of the train to proceed at reduced speed through the affected section, which I understand was about 5 signals long. Not entirely sure what happens at the other end of the affected section, but I guess that the driver has to report to the signaller that he and all of his train has cleared the section, and the signaller will then give permission to the operations manager to let the next train through.

This obviously means limited capacity - it was taking about 25 mins for a train to clear the affected section, so 2 to 3 trains each hour in each direction could get through. And not just FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services of course - Cross Country also had to get through and some freight had to be allowed through because it was in the way!

At about 6pm, block working was also introduced on the down relief, so more trains began to get through from Reading to Didcot. For some reason, the up main could not be used, and the crossover at Moreton was not usable.

The lines reopened at about 10.30 and were fully usable after 11.00, after final testing.

The big question of course was why did it take so long to fix the fault. I was told that the techs decided it was a cable fault fairly quickly and knew which cable it was. But the cable was a mile long, and finding the fault in the dark was challenging, particulary so because it turned out to be a tiny nick in the cable that had allow some water to seep through. I guess the power blip might have triggered the fault in the cable, but I will leave the techies on the forum to dicuss this!

[IndustryInsider]

The solution put forward was for staff to be muliti skilled normally being customer facing but with the operational skills and authority to take charge and make decisions when necessary. These skills would have to be suitably rewarded but hopefully because of their customer skills the railway would become a much better environment to travel on and when things go wrong, which will happen at some time, things will be sorted out quicker.   

In the 'old days' i.e. Thames Trains days, the Train Crew Supervisor at each drivers depot (now superseded by an awkward mix of a Traincrew Delivery Manager at Swindon and local Area Operations Managers at the depots) had a small team of about half-a-dozen drivers who were trained in the basics of the TCS role.  They were able to cover any shortages due to sickness and also help out in times of service disruption.  Chances are there would be one of these drivers about should the shit hit the fan, and they would be taken off driving to assist.

Generally speaking, at times of disruption, there's actually a surplus of drivers - there would certainly have been last night with all the cancellations - and I'm sure the AOM's and Duty Manager's would have benefited greatly from that bit of help.  The 'reward' used to be 12 hours pay for the individual concerned for that days duty (so an extra ^50 or so quid in the back pocket).  That reward was first stopped, which led to a couple of the 'panel men' (as they were known) to decline to continue in the role.  A few soldiered on until all the TCS's were removed and the current structure put in place under the visionary days of Alison Foster. 

That situation has improved slightly since then as the AOM's role has been created, but whenever things go wrong - despite advances in technology like Genius and Tyrell - the service seems to collapse even worse than before!  And then there's the occasions when the AOM role can't be covered so the office just closes!