More Problems on Brighton Main Line

ushawk said:

Since the West Coastway was running a service with delays, where possible due to a lack of stock stuck at Lovers Walk, a chord at Arundel could have been used.

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Perhaps it's a signalling issue. Other than that, there seems no physical reason why an incident at Lovers Walk would affect East Coastway but not West Coastway.

RichJF said:

It's all proof that the DofT needs to seriously consider the can of worms that is the BML2.

I was very happy as the late running 07:40 from Redhill to London Bridge was turned into an express & only stopped at East Croydon!!!!

It's not just Eastbourne services; as one service to Tonbridge was cancelled in order to provide more coaches.

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Lucky You - I was supposed to be on the 7:23 to Victoria which didn't turn up (why didn't they hold the 7:15 to London Bridge for 8 minutes so we could have got on it to East Croydon when they know every train behind is severely delayed) I assume the stock was stuck in Brighton even if it only carries passengers from Three Bridges

I too then caught the very late 7:40 fast train - but why didn't they connect the 7:51 London Bridge from Reigate to it rather than wait 20 minutes with both trains in the platform waiting for their other half's lost at Three bridges and let it call all stations to East Croydon - the several hundred poor guys at Merstham/Coulsdon watching their train go through non-stop 20/30 minutes late with no idea of next stopping train must have been really pleased!!

Then this evening cancelling every service from London Victoria to Redhill was a nightmare! If they cancel the trains which they had known for several hours why not divert other trains via Redhill (come on its not that hard) to save the nightmare journey home most of us had! It took me 2 and half hours from Victoria to Redhill, after 1 hour 45 to Clapham Junction this morning - normally 28/25 minute journeys - really bad organisation

Very bad management - makes me wonder if there is enough staff in the big signal boxes at times of trouble to create a coherent service in times of major disruption. Too many cost savings

I'd rather see some money for proper management in Signal boxes and operational departments that can cope with major failures than waste money on a silly BML2 scheme

OH and Southern has been saying good service on the Redhill lines all day on their web site - huh joke is on us

Silly silly silly.

I'd like to see the Brighton mainline better managed, particularly in times of disruption. But that doesn't mean that better links to Kent and the Weald aren't worthwhile.

Arun Valley now suspended due to flooding at Arundel. Not going to be a good day!

yorksrob said:

Silly silly silly.

I'd like to see the Brighton mainline better managed, particularly in times of disruption. But that doesn't mean that better links to Kent and the Weald aren't worthwhile.

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Lets not start ANOTHER debate on BML2 and Uckfield/Lewes - there's been enough !!

BML2 would have been useless yesterday anyway as barely anything could run between Lewes and Brighton. A service is also now running between Brighton and Gatwick connecting with the GatEx so journeys aren't that badly delayed.

yorksrob said:

Perhaps it's a signalling issue. Other than that, there seems no physical reason why an incident at Lovers Walk would affect East Coastway but not West Coastway.

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It IS a signalling issue as one of the boxes was on fire after the whole lot shorted. Stock for the West does also come from Lovers Walk, but also stables at Bognor and Littlehampton - the East of course only has the sidings at Eastbourne, which have trains in for a service to run.

ushawk said:

It IS a signalling issue as one of the boxes was on fire after the whole lot shorted. Stock for the West does also come from Lovers Walk, but also stables at Bognor and Littlehampton - the East of course only has the sidings at Eastbourne, which have trains in for a service to run.

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East Coastway stock is also kept at St Leonards depot.

JamesRowden said:

East Coastway stock is also kept at St Leonards depot.

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I knew that !!! 171s stable there.

A friend of mine missed his wife's birth because there where no trains to Redhill yesterday.

Myself I wont bother going to see family for Xmas as it looks like its too much hassle on the trains

Here is an extract from the current National Rail Enquiries departure board for Haywards Heath:

15:27 Brighton (East Sussex) Cancelled Details for the 15:27
15:28 Brighton (East Sussex) Delayed Details for the 15:28
15:28 Brighton (East Sussex) On time Details for the 15:28
15:29 Brighton (East Sussex) Delayed Details

The first one is a FCC train, the last 3 are Southern Services all starting from Gatwick Airport and all going to Brighton and all having the same stopping pattern but for some of them at least, different stopping times.

It seems that the system is struggling to cope with these changes. Not sure what it's like at the station itself.

GodAtum said:

A friend of mine missed his wife's birth because there where no trains to Redhill yesterday.

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Should've used his Tardis!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

infobleep said:

Here is an extract from the current National Rail Enquiries departure board for Haywards Heath:

15:27 Brighton (East Sussex) Cancelled Details for the 15:27
15:28 Brighton (East Sussex) Delayed Details for the 15:28
15:28 Brighton (East Sussex) On time Details for the 15:28
15:29 Brighton (East Sussex) Delayed Details

The first one is a FCC train, the last 3 are Southern Services all starting from Gatwick Airport and all going to Brighton and all having the same stopping pattern but for some of them at least, different stopping times.

It seems that the system is struggling to cope with these changes. Not sure what it's like at the station itself.

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All the special Southern trains that are running seem to have duplicate entry's showing 'Delayed'. I suspect that Southern have 'streamlined' and cut staff in their control so that there are simply not enough to cope and clear info isn't being issued, also many senior staff will now be on holiday - it's probably even more chaotic in the offices than it is at the stations! The possibly quite junior Staff on the ground could be forgiven for just doing the bare minimum by this stage, a pretty hopeless situation with little coherent info reaching them and hordes of angry passengers giving them abuse, must be looking forward to Christmas Day.

Media reporting 200 cables burnt out, probably mean 200 circuits and not all of them signalling but a major incident nonetheless - no estimate for normal service, certainly not by Sunday. All signalling circuits will have to be fully restored and tested to the exisiting documentation, it would take longer to design and check a simplified operational layout unless some replacement equipment is unavailable.

The Simplified Bi-Directional Signalling, SIMBIDS, on the 2 track BML south of Balcombe Jct adds to the problems, it ends at Preston Park as trains are diverted via Hove (reverse) if there's a problem between PPK and BTN. The running lines are effectively 2 Single Lines and vital circuits have to run between controlling Interlockings, Haywards Heath and Brighton in this case, for Direction Locking. These have probably been destroyed so the Interlockings can't prove Direction and light the Direction Arrows on the Panel preventing Down Signals at Keymer Jct clearing towards Brighton, without an Arrow Pilotman working is necessary between Wivelsfield and Preston Park or more likely Brighton hence the very restricted service.

Apparently the first few trains in/out of Brighton to Gatwick this morning had to go via Lewes because the hand-signaller at Preston Park didn't show up to work!

djh1986 said:

Apparently the first few trains in/out of Brighton to Gatwick this morning had to go via Lewes because the hand-signaller at Preston Park didn't show up to work!

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I think that was planned to happen overnight, few direct London - Brighton services ran via Lewes.

Network Rail saying that all cabling and equipment has been restored, testing now underway and normal service will resume sometime on Monday, hopefully early. Conrgats to all concerned for such quick work.

Edit: Normal service resumed early this morning.