West Coast weather warning to and from Scotland for Friday 30/12/2022

[zero]

I am currently on 1E10 https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C11849/2022-12-30/detailed

At Edinburgh I heard an announcement about Avanti passengers being allowed to use LNER, but I didn't pay attention to it as my ticket is an advance for this train.

At Newcastle at 1135, the new TM said that we were full due to carrying additional passengers from Avanti and XC. He then suggested that anyone without a seat reservation and not sitting in the unreserved coaches, should get off and wait for a relief train 1Z11 leaving Newcastle at 1200, which would be empty and would arrive in London only 10 minutes later. It looks like anyone who followed this advice would have been waiting at Newcastle until 1435 unless their ticket allowed use of Lumo, or XC / TP and they had the idea to get as far south as possible.

At Darlington the TM announced that all standing passengers must get off, and also that every seat was reserved and anyone sitting (except in the unreserved coaches) without a seat reservation must get off. At that time 1Z11 was still planned to arrive 10 minutes later. He then repeated this and stated he would not let the train depart with any standing pasengers. A number of people sitting in my coach but not with their own reserved seat (because the reservation holder did not sit there) got off the train. It looks like they may still be waiting for the next southbound service 2.5 hours later.

 

[Walter Whigham]

Lots of flooding issues on Scottish routes. Main E & G route via Falkirk has been blocked for some time. 1E13 left Inverness late and progressively lost time on route south. It has been stuck at Newbridge for over an hour and is nearly 4 hours late. It is due to be terminated at Waverley according to LNER website.

 

[Bertie the bus]

At Darlington the TM announced that all standing passengers must get off, and also that every seat was reserved and anyone sitting (except in the unreserved coaches) without a seat reservation must get off. At that time 1Z11 was still planned to arrive 10 minutes later. He then repeated this and stated he would not let the train depart with any standing pasengers. A number of people sitting in my coach but not with their own reserved seat (because the reservation holder did not sit there) got off the train. It looks like they may still be waiting for the next southbound service 2.5 hours later.

What possible justification could he have for saying he wouldn't allow the train to depart with any standing passengers? Standing on long distance services is common at this time of year and when there is disruption it is inevitable. Unable to move might be considered a safety risk but no standees at all?

 

[AndrewE]

What possible justification could he have for saying he wouldn't allow the train to depart with any standing passengers? Standing on long distance services is common at this time of year and when there is disruption it is inevitable. Unable to move might be considered a safety risk but no standees at all?

and back on the West coast, how about this? There is not even any extreme cold, let alone heat!

 

[dk1]

At Darlington the TM announced that all standing passengers must get off, and also that every seat was reserved and anyone sitting (except in the unreserved coaches) without a seat reservation must get off. At that time 1Z11 was still planned to arrive 10 minutes later. He then repeated this and stated he would not let the train depart with any standing pasengers. A number of people sitting in my coach but not with their own reserved seat (because the reservation holder did not sit there) got off the train. It looks like they may still be waiting for the next southbound service 2.5 hours later.

Had he lost the plot? What on earth is wrong with having standing passengers?

 

[Skiddaw]

It's a bit animal at Carlisle today to say the least. Interestingly in view of the ticket acceptance issues mentioned above, they were advising people heading to Scotland to travel to Newcastle and then go north from there this morning. Not sure what would have happened if you'd followed the advice. Thankfully I was only popping to Carlisle from Penrith & back (and unusually not to say ironically, I had no difficulty in either direction).

 

[D1537]

It's a bit animal at Carlisle today to say the least. Interestingly in view of the ticket acceptance issues mentioned above, they were advising people heading to Scotland to travel to Newcastle and then go north from there this morning. Not sure what would have happened if you'd followed the advice. Thankfully I was only popping to Carlisle from Penrith & back (and unusually not to say ironically, I had no difficulty in either direction).

In which case it's spectacularly useful that Northern have cancelled two of the last three trains to Newcastle ... and run them ECS instead.

 

[Strathclyder]

Clyde has burst its banks here, plenty of local line flooding and ScotRail disruption. Bowling station just one example.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1608778880642605058

Honestly don't think I've ever seen Bowling station flooded before. That said, given the amount of rain that fell here last night and into this morning (to the point it actually woke me up through the night, it was coming down that hard), am not surprised either. I had a medical appointment in Glasgow this morning and it's just as well I avoided the trains and stuck to the local bus! It appears the worst of it has passed, but there'll be a quite a bit of cleaning up/repair work to do.

 

[Falcon1200]

Anyone on the ground know how bad it really is?

Very bad - A section of road in my village 10 miles from Glasgow was flooded this morning, in a place I have never seen flooding before in 30 years living here.

 

[glasgowniteowl]

Looks like WCML closed at least today and tomorrow now, reports of landslide between Carstairs and Lamington near the line

 

[30907]

Avanti completely abandoning North Lancashire and Cumbria for crewing convenience.

The fact that services aren’t reaching Carlisle is bad enough; the fact they can’t even make it up to Carnforth reversing sidings (and keeping a Lancaster service) is just a joke.

As per the opening post, a 2-hourly service is operating to Carlisle (plus a similar number of TP services.

 

[Agent_Squash]

As per the opening post, a 2-hourly service is operating to Carlisle (plus a similar number of TP services.

A drop from 3tp2h to 1tp2h by Avanti should still not be acceptable when the line is open.

I was quite impressed to see TPE at least operating some double sets.

 

[Huntergreed]

A drop from 3tp2h to 1tp2h by Avanti should still not be acceptable when the line is open.

I was quite impressed to see TPE at least operating some double sets.

Double 397 sets? All showing as single on RTT.

Didn’t even know they were allowed to work in multiple!

 

[Agent_Squash]

Double 397 sets? All showing as single on RTT.

Didn’t even know they were allowed to work in multiple!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Dec 2022 ==


Double 397 sets? All showing as single on RTT

Should’ve known it was too good to be true! Saw one at 1500ish on RTT but looks to be running as 5 car. Oh well.

 

[30907]

A drop from 3tp2h to 1tp2h by Avanti should still not be acceptable when the line is open.

What was the overcrowding like?

 

[driver9000]

I was quite impressed to see TPE at least operating some double sets.

No double sets on the WCML today. The 397s haven't operated in passenger service as 10 car formations yet.

 

[Ex-controller]

Main Glasgow to Edinburgh route via Falkirk closed until it is inspected in daylight tomorrow.

ScotRail only running limited service over those routes that are opened to ensure it is reliable. The volume of flooding incidents and the rate at which information changed regarding routes today meant that ScotRail really can’t be blamed for their limited service today.

 

[Pemberton]

An update on my Lancaster trip. As Avanti were only taking me as far as Preston even though we had timed advance tickets we went on an Avanti train an hour earlier to allow more time and once through the station barriers the tickets weren't checked. We even sat in Standard Premium ready to pay the upgrade and no staff member walked through the carriage at any point. The problems started at Preston where we had arrived on time. Although my Avanti destination was Lancaster, my journey destination was Barrow-In-Furness. I think 3 or 4 of the around hourly services in a row were cancelled from Preston / Lancaster to Barrow-In-Furness. Eventually we were told to get a train to Lancaster, which wasn't easy, where rail replacement transport would be provided. So at Lancaster my wife and myself were provided with a shared taxi with another couple for the approximate 50 mile journey, the other couple getting out at Dalton and a few minutes later we arrived at Barrow-In -Furness. Although it was of course Northern Rail who had cancelled the services to Barrow--In-Furness I would just include the comment from an Avanti team member at Lancaster who was stressing that Avanti were providing the taxis as Northern had "left you stranded". What a day.

 

[Huntergreed]

No double sets on the WCML today. The 397s haven't operated in passenger service as 10 car formations yet.

Will they ever? Didn’t realise this was planned!

 

[londonmidland]

Everything seems to be up in the air at the moment. Looking at messages on Twitter, passengers are asking if they can get to x, y & z and if they can travel with LNER but Avanti have no clue at the moment. They're advising passengers to check back in the morning for an update.

Seeing as its New Years Eve tomorrow, I don't think this could have happened at a worse time!

 

[Frankton Junct]

There was a lot of surface water in Glasgow this morning after the steady heavy rain overnight.

When I left home this morning, I had to change my route to avoid the flooded Haggs Road underbridge. The police were present and there was one white car that didn't make it through the flood water. When I returned after lunch, there were road signs telling motorists that the road was closed and by then there were three drowned cars underneath the bridge.

 

[Trainfan344]

Northbound Sleeper is being used as a static hotel, passengers advised to use 05:45 Lumo or 06:15 LNER.

 

[BJames]

Had he lost the plot? What on earth is wrong with having standing passengers?

Agreed this is unacceptable - @zero did you see if any standing passengers remained at all? Did the TM walk down the train and tell anyone to get off? I hope any passengers left waiting for that amount of time put in a complaint as that's ridiculous.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Had he lost the plot? What on earth is wrong with having standing passengers?

When the ECML went into meltdown a few weeks back, I overheard some passengers on a previous train saying that the First Class aisles had to be kept completely clear so they could do the service (on a very overcrowded train).

If the aisles, they would stop at Peterborough and not move any further.

Remaining on topic, the River Almond also burst its banks at Edinburgh Airport, and the Gogar Burn reached its highest ever level.

Edinburgh Airport runway covered with water after River Almond bursts its banks

Edinburgh Airport said that they had recorded record rainfall in Gogarburn and that the River Almond breaking its banks had led to water covering areas of the runway.

www.edinburghlive.co.uk

Edinburgh Airport said that they had recorded record rainfall in Gogarburn and that the River Almond breaking its banks had led to water covering areas of the runway.

The rain actually woke me this morning; never heard anything so torrential.

 

[Bertie the bus]

What was the overcrowding like?

What does it matter what the loadings were like? People had to wait up to 2 hours for a train on a route that should have 3 trains per hour and was open. Why are you trying to make out it was acceptable?

 

[The Prisoner]

No ticket acceptance with LNER, no alternative road transport. Lots of people who were told to wait til today being told not to travel, having booked hotels yesterday.

I’m trying to get from Penrith to Chester today with children and a dog. Currently no direct train to Warrington or Crewe showing between 1303 and 1703 (we were booked on the 1423). Despite cancelling 2/3 services through Cumbria a potential 1503 is sailing through Penrith without stopping.

I am done with Avanti. This is an abdication of responsibility. You can’t just say “Do not travel” and wash your hands of it all.

Update - apparently the M74 is open and has been passable since around midnight, so the “can’t provide road transport” thing is just looking sarcastic

 

[driver9000]

Will they ever? Didn’t realise this was planned!

No immediate plans that I'm aware of but you never know what the future will bring. They've run in pairs on test.

 

[uww11x]

No ticket acceptance with LNER, no alternative road transport. Lots of people who were told to wait til today being told not to travel, having booked hotels yesterday.

I’m trying to get from Penrith to Chester today with children and a dog. Currently no direct train to Warrington or Crewe showing between 1303 and 1703 (we were booked on the 1423). Despite cancelling 2/3 services through Cumbria a potential 1503 is sailing through Penrith without stopping.

I am done with Avanti. This is an abdication of responsibility. You can’t just say “Do not travel” and wash your hands of it all.

Update - apparently the M74 is open and has been passable since around midnight, so the “can’t provide road transport” thing is just looking sarcastic

No reason why they can't do Carlisle turn backs. Pure laziness on the part of Avanti! Bet they would just do Preston-Euston all the time if they could!

 

[Huntergreed]

How much does it cost to arrange ticket acceptance?

The fact they haven’t and are just saying “do not travel” to try and get away with the fact they are stranding people (look at twitter!) is disgraceful.

LNER also looks very poor today with cancellations, however this seems to be down to staff shortages (this seems to be the main problem across the network now).

 

[londonmidland]

LNER are overwhelmed due to having their own train crew shortages, as well as engineering works taking place at York.

Though providing no rail replacement buses and leaving passengers stranded is abysmal customer service. The motorway has, apparently, been cleared since last night now.