Siemens Staines
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- Joined
- 30 Jul 2015
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- 794
I think that this weeks Reading - Guildford block means that there are 5 North Downs 3-car 165 diagrams, instead of the usual 8.
Try telling that to people travelling to and from Bristol...You don't need any more people to run a 9 car vs a 5 car though. I can't remember if you do for a 10 car, and if so that's more understandable. But Bristol etc could very easily have had a 9 car swapped for the day into a 5 car, certainly I think it would cause less overcrowding than 5 cars on Oxford with a reduced frequency already have.
There were 9 STP IET schedules yesterday overall, which pretty much filled in all the two hour gaps where trains were normally extended. I cannot find any reference to 1Z03.
At no point did I suggest extra turbos should be found, I am well aware of their scarcity at the moment. It was more a comment that these trains, which are already full and standing at rush hour, will be even more busy.
Which probably means that Reading depot is using the opportunity to try to deal with faults on as many of its 3-car sets as possible.I think that this weeks Reading - Guildford block means that there are 5 North Downs 3-car 165 diagrams, instead of the usual 8.
Subsidence is definitely a bigger issue last year and this year. Insurance companies are getting what they call a surge year for claims. The hot and dry summer didn't help.A lot of the road overbridges in Oxfordshire have developed 'sag' - presumably ground settlement - accentuated after last summer's heatwave. One wonders how many more are at risk of something similar happening, perhaps exacerbated by vegetation roots. The most recent ground frost in Oxfordshire was the morning of this incident.
I can understand it might not be possible to reinstate the services, but they could definitely have found some extra 5 cars to couple together, or 9 cars. If they are going to drop frequency they need to increase capacity.
But I thought there were lots of spare IETs, as we were told that’s what is enabling the withdrawal of the HSTs and replacement with IET diagrams.They were 8 short for IET units this morning plus others were displaced. They are also on the edge for crews with the block not helping that position at all.
I think we all know in practice this is most definitely not the case. On paper perhaps, but not in practice. The state of the 9 car 802 fleet at present is pretty appalling in terms of GUs out which doesn't help matters either.But I thought there were lots of spare IETs, as we were told that’s what is enabling the withdrawal of the HSTs and replacement with IET diagrams.
But I thought there were lots of spare IETs, as we were told that’s what is enabling the withdrawal of the HSTs and replacement with IET diagrams.
What does GUs stand for?I think we all know in practice this is most definitely not the case. On paper perhaps, but not in practice. The state of the 9 car 802 fleet at present is pretty appalling in terms of GUs out which doesn't help matters either.
Generator Unit. Essentially the engine diesel wise.What does GUs stand for?
You don't need any more people to run a 9 car vs a 5 car though. I can't remember if you do for a 10 car, and if so that's more understandable. But Bristol etc could very easily have had a 9 car swapped for the day into a 5 car, certainly I think it would cause less overcrowding than 5 cars on Oxford with a reduced frequency already have.
There were 9 STP IET schedules yesterday overall, which pretty much filled in all the two hour gaps where trains were normally extended. I cannot find any reference to 1Z03.
At no point did I suggest extra turbos should be found, I am well aware of their scarcity at the moment. It was more a comment that these trains, which are already full and standing at rush hour, will be even more busy.
Following our update on Monday, we’re writing to provide you the latest about the landslip at Cassington Road bridge in Oxfordshire last Friday (10 February) which closed the railway between Oxford and Moreton-in-Marsh.
Network Rail engineers have been on site investigating options to secure the embankment so that the road bridge and railway underneath it can be safely reopened. The land is extremely unstable and currently poses a significant risk to the stability of the bridge.
Detailed design work on fixing the embankment and bridge is being completed and materials have been ordered. From Friday (17 February), sheet piling will start to be installed to reinforce the embankment and the bridge; with the aim of reopening the railway to passengers on Wednesday 22 February, at a cautionary speed.
We are working to safely reopen the road and railway as soon as possible. Until the railway reopens, there is an amended train service operating:
- During peak times, London <–> Worcester train services will continue to divert via Swindon
- A replacement bus service is operating between Oxford and Kingham, calling at Hanborough, Charlbury and Kingham. Kingham is currently being used as the interchange between train and the replacement bus services as it is more suitable for bus traffic.
- A shuttle train service is operating between Worcester/Great Malvern and Charlbury – passengers for onward travel should change at Kingham.
Journey planners are being updated and the replacement bus services are in online journey planners. There also continues to be ticket acceptance in place with Chiltern, CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast, and West Midlands Trains.
For the latest travel information, please visit https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/check-your-journey. We will update you further as we work to reopen the road and railway.
Network Rail’s team of engineers has been onsite investigating options to stabilise the embankment so that the road bridge and railway underneath it can be safely reopened to traffic. The ground is currently extremely unstable and poses a significant risk to the stability of the road and utilities in the road. The landslide has also exposed a gas main, and works are required to protect the pipeline as well as the ground around it.
Network Rail engineers are now working with specialist civil engineering contractors Balfour Beatty to design and install sheet piling to act as a retaining wall to support the embankment and road and make it safe to undertake long term repairs.
Replacement road transport is in operation between Oxford and Hanborough in both directions until further notice.
Rail replacement coaches do not serve Charlbury station, as there is a load restriction on a local bridge. The rail replacement coach service calls at Nine Acres Lane, Charlbury Village, which is a 10/15 minute walk from the station.
Someone forgot (or didn't know) to update that section when the service pattern altered.Surely if the road transport is between Oxford and Hanborough then the buses wouldn't call at Charlbury anyway - as Charlbury is not between Oxford and Hanborough?!
They haven't? They've always been about hourly through the day, and still are. The services from the North Cotswold Line, and therefore beyond Hanborough, have been cut short and are terminating at Hanborough, therefore not travelling between Oxford and Paddington.Why have most of the Pad to Oxford services vanished, Is Hanborough not to the north of Oxford it was last time I went there.
What about the Oxford to Paddington terminators should be hourly adding to the through Cotswold services Difficult to find anything to Oxford other than via Bicester on the previous few days.They haven't? They've always been about hourly through the day, and still are. The services from the North Cotswold Line, and therefore beyond Hanborough, have been cut short and are terminating at Hanborough, therefore not travelling between Oxford and Paddington.
Where are you looking? RTT shows them running hourly, as they have been all week.What about the Oxford to Paddington terminators should be hourly adding to the through Cotswold services Difficult to find anything to Oxford other than via Bicester on the previous few days.
I am looking on real time trains a few Cotswold services are running via Swindon not Oxford Service to Oxford should be half hourly, not happening.Where are you looking? RTT shows them running hourly, as they have been all week.
Yes, that was what I said. The hourly Oxford terminators are running, however services which reach destination beyond Hanbourough are running between Hanbourough and those destinations, and therefore the service has dropped to hourly at Oxford. A few Worcester trains in the peak have been diverted via Swindon.I am looking on real time trains a few Cotswold services are running via Swindon not Oxford Service to Oxford should be half hourly, not happening.
So where are they then if the trains. are not runningYes, that was what I said. The hourly Oxford terminators are running, however services which reach destination beyond Hanbourough are running between Hanbourough and those destinations, and therefore the service has dropped to hourly at Oxford. A few Worcester trains in the peak have been diverted via Swindon.
It was mentioned upthread, it’s very disappointing and has caused chaos in Oxford at rush hour, but there aren’t the drivers or units to do anything about it.
I’m very confused what you’re asking? Oxford gets a half hourly service normally, of those trains:So where are they then if the trains. are not running
I think the point cygnus44 is trying to make is, why are there no additional hourly London-Oxford trains running in the paths of those that would normally run through? There must be crew and stock available to do this, albeit not running end to end.I’m very confused what you’re asking? Oxford gets a half hourly service normally, of those trains:
- Half terminate at Oxford, running London to Oxford. These are running as normal, giving Oxford an hourly service at the moment.
- Half run further West past Oxford on the North Cotswolds Line, giving Oxford another hourly service and running from London to Worcester, Great Malvern etc. these trains are currently only running between Worcester, Great Malvern etc, which obviously therefore means Oxford only has a hourly service when they aren’t running through it, but they are still using trains a train crew.
Must there?There must be crew and stock available to do this
Definitely isn’t the stock, if you crack JourneyCgeck today at least 2 IET diagrams are short formed down to 5 cars from 9, if they had spare trains they would use them on this.I think the point cygnus44 is trying to make is, why are there no additional hourly London-Oxford trains running in the paths of those that would normally run through? There must be crew and stock available to do this, albeit not running end to end.
I think.
Don’t think a line being blocked for weeks is necessarily somethig the railways should be expected to deal with. In fact to have the drivers and stock available at any time to run the services would arguably be an extraordinary waste of money.So just down to the woefully poor state of the railways today, Keep pushing customers away with poor excuses for bad service and we will have Beeching Mark 2 to deal with.