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South Western Railway disruption [11 December 2017]

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fairysdad

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London, Surrey... bit of a blur round here...
Apologies if already a thread on this one, couldn't see one.

Just took me over an hour to get between Ewell and Waterloo this lunchtime - first a signal failure in Clapham Junction meant that trains weren't going on from Platform 10, so we were told to change to a service from Platform 3 or 4; then the train I caught from Platform 3 was held at Vauxhall for a while due to a lineside fire at Waterloo. (We ended up going into Platform 20 at Waterloo while another service ran alongside us into Platform 21)

(My train from Ewell was this one; I think my train from Clapham was this one.)

These were the reasons given by the guards on the two services - as the fire apparently blocked platforms 1-3, was the fire the signal problems?
 
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SpacePhoenix

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From National Rail Enquiries:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/178563.aspx

A lineside fire at London Waterloo is causing major disruption to journeys to and from the station.

What's Going On:
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of service.

What South Western Railway Are Doing About It:
The control centre has received reports of a line side fire outside London Waterloo, this has affected the track circuits on three of the lines (a track circuit is the method that our signallers use in order to detect the presence of trains on the track) that have come into contact with a 650 volt cable. South Western Railway strongly advise that you check before you travel on the network at the present time.

At present we are unable to use platforms 1 - 3 at London Waterloo. Trains which usually use these platforms are having to be diverted onto other lines to access different platforms, this is causing a large build up of trains in the area.

In addition to this a train developed a fault on the Guildford - Ascot line in the Aldershot area. This train was unable to gain power from the electrified rail and therefore blocked the line until another train was able to go and assist.

Services will therefore be delayed, and some may be subject to short notice alterations.

The following service plan will now be implemented:

  • Trains between London Waterloo and Dorking will be cancelled
  • Trains between London Waterloo and Hampton Court will be cancelled
  • Circular trains to / from London Waterloo via Teddington and Strawberry Hill will be cancelled
  • Trains between London Waterloo and Guildford will call additionally at New Malden and Raynes Park
  • All West of England services will start and terminate at Basingstoke
There may be short notice alterations and cancellations on all other routes.
 

infobleep

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The disruption is major. Must be a code black, don't travel unless you have to, situation.

Incidentally they have stated all Hampton Court stoppers are cancelled.

Does anyone know why the 14.36 Waterloo to Hampton Court is running? Is it for school children to get home or just a positional move? The Guildford stoppers are calling additionally at Raynes Park and New Malden but not Berrylands. The previous train to Hampton Court was at 10.36. The next one currently listed is at 18.06.
 

AndyPJG

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Usually when there are problems at Waterloo, the Hampton Court service drops to a shuttle from Hampton Court to Surbiton Plt 4, the down Hampton line being bi-di signalled for this very purpose, and change at Surbiton.
Could simply be positioning move to relieve the stock and/or crew as no crew would be rostered to change at Surbiton.
 

SpacePhoenix

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SWR's site is mentions this (don't know when it was added):

Network Rail engineering staff will also need to take control of platforms 1-9 at London Waterloo in order to carry out checks on equipment.

No mention of when but my guess is once the afternoon/evening peak is over
 

GW43125

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All 2Sxx services are not running. They're not updating them as cancelled. The last train off Weybridge was at 13:33. There are lots of schoolchildren on that route. No efforts are being made to get them back. It's absolutely dire.
 

infobleep

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I see they have ticket acceptance on local buses from Guildford and Woking
Local buses in the following areas: Portsmouth, Guildford, Salisbury, Southampton, Woking, Basingstoke
.
https://www.journeycheck.com/swr/?

Is that the first time ticket acceptance has been in place for buses between Woking and Guildford?
 

infobleep

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All 2Sxx services are not running. They're not updating them as cancelled. The last train off Weybridge was at 13:33. There are lots of schoolchildren on that route. No efforts are being made to get them back. It's absolutely dire.

Is there not acceptance with local buses?
 

infobleep

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Usually when there are problems at Waterloo, the Hampton Court service drops to a shuttle from Hampton Court to Surbiton Plt 4, the down Hampton line being bi-di signalled for this very purpose, and change at Surbiton.
Could simply be positioning move to relieve the stock and/or crew as no crew would be rostered to change at Surbiton.
There is now a 16.06 running to Hampton Court. It left 24 minutes late.
 

SpacePhoenix

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There is now a 16.06 running to Hampton Court. It left 24 minutes late.

3 trains in front of 2G50, line a stern. 2J46 in the platform at Clapham atm showing on RTT as being 60L. Don't know if 2J46 is being terminated at Clapham
 

Wombat

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They are (or were) directing people to Victoria instead, and on following that advice I arrived at Victoria to find that they're also struggling. Managed to get a train (on time) but I expect the peak is going to be carnage.
 

bigfoote

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BBC listing disruption (via National Rail and SWR) thus:
  • Trains between London Waterloo and Dorking will be cancelled.
  • Trains between London Waterloo and Hampton Court will be cancelled.
  • Trains between London Waterloo and Chessington South will be cancelled.
  • Circular trains to/from London Waterloo via Teddington and Strawberry Hill will be cancelled.
  • Trains between London Waterloo and Guildford will call additionally at New Malden and Raynes Park.
  • All West of England services will start and terminate at Basingstoke.
  • All mainline trains towards London Waterloo will terminate at Clapham Junction.
EDIT to add, SWR stating the above will be in force until at least 2000.
 

infobleep

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nope. And there's only one which is only of use if you're going to Staines.
Maybe when the franchise new comes up for renewal and is won, local bus acceptance will be extended to that area.

I thought South West Trains only put up trains that are known to be running during the disruption but it seems at Surbiton at least they are putting up only those shown to be on time. Those shown to be on time aren't necessarily going to be on time however after they have departed Waterloo yet, assuming they start there.

It also seems there is one train an hour from Waterloo to Hampton Court at 06 mins past the hour but nothing in the return. As they can't keep all the trains at Hampton Court, are the trains running ECS north? If running ECS, why don't they put them in passenger service - at least to Surbtion if nothing else. The train I was on was formed of 10 coaches. That is unusual but helpful in the circumstances.

There are lots of automated announcements at Surbiton on platforms 1 and 2 and even a manual anmoncement.

No automated announcements on platforms 3 and 4 though and the first manual announcement was 6 minute after I arrived. Perhaps they felt they had nothing useful to say.

The person make the anmoncemenee was struggling. I assume everyone he paused was to check information or hey new instructions. It can't be easy at times like this and I'm sure they are doing the best they can.

There is an 18.09 to Basingstoke that appeared on the board after I arrived and is empty, so must have come from Wimbledon depot or some siding near there. There is also a train on platform 1, to Woking I believe. Definitely a stopping service. That must have come up south. Maybe that will leave at 18.14. Both trains are 450s and the 18.09 is formed of 12 coaches or son thought by the on screen display is saying 4 and the other just 8 I believe but definitely not 12. We definitely don't need 12 coaches right now. Lol.
 

infobleep

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I've noticed some stations are showing cancelled on National Rail Enquiries App and others no report. Does that mean they too were cancelled on the services in question but only one station was entered as cancelled?
 

Matt Taylor

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The 1809 is a 12 car but the rear 8 usually come off at Eastleigh, that has been the case for at least a couple of years but it may have changed in the new timetable.
 

infobleep

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A train to Alton turned up at Woking and left but wasn't on the board. That might have been a route to Guildford but it wasn't one being advertised. It soon left.

There are various other trains going via Basingstoke but nothing towards Portsmouth via Haslemere. I did ask whether I was worth getting a local bus to Guildford. The person kindly went away to investigate.

Platforms 4 to 9 have now reopened.
 

paul_l

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Chaos at Waterloo about 30 min ago . Station entrances were closed with large crowds outside. No announcements to the people outside. When I eventually got to the front we were told by btp that there were either no trains or only 1 in 5 trains running, that the station was full and noone else could go in until the station got quieter. Advised to go to Clapham via Victoria as apparently all trains starting there.
 

infobleep

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So I decided, along with others to get a local bus. It would be a unique experience. This was after they finally located 18.58 to Portsmouth Harbour and that was still on diversion to Waterloo.

I got to bus stop and not long before a bus turns up. How lucky as this route is only every 30 minutes or there abouts. Driver not accepting rail ticket as bus manager didn't tell him about it. Oh well there goes that unusual route acceptance. Another time.

Some decided qto pay but I decided it might be worth going back to the station, as I'd rather not have to spend time claiming back the bus fare and I've still got time in hand. As I got to the station I saw an 18.25 on the board to Portsmouth.

I ran round and managed to board it. It was packed in the vestibule and I wondered if I'd even get on.

Turns out there were spare seats and whilst not loads at least 5 or more. It seems some people didn't want to leave the vestibule. One person using the loo pointed out he spare seats but they were unmoved.

It also turned out this train was a no report from Waterloo so either everyone on this busy train had got off a train going via or to Basingstoke, or to Alton, or the train had actually started from Waterloo.

It was of course under normal circumstances the 18.00 from Waterloo doesn't usually stop at Woking.
 

infobleep

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There seems to be trains running tonight that, aren't even showing online. For example their were two 18.09 listed for Surbtion. One is on time and the other departed in time.

The one showing as on time departed, West Byfleet 19 minutes late. I assume that was the stopping service that departed Surbtion after my train.
 

infobleep

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Chaos at Waterloo about 30 min ago . Station entrances were closed with large crowds outside. No announcements to the people outside. When I eventually got to the front we were told by btp that there were either no trains or only 1 in 5 trains running, that the station was full and noone else could go in until the station got quieter. Advised to go to Clapham via Victoria as apparently all trains starting there.
All the trains are definitely not starting there. They seem to be starting in different places. Some at Waterloo. Some at Surbtion. Some at Woking. Some at Guildford and some at Basingstoke.

For example one train to Alton come along in the down at Woking but I don't know where it started from. It wasn't on the board at Woking. It looked empty too. Would they run it fast from somewhere north of Woking?

The Cobham line seems to have had a two hour gap in services but it wasn't always hourly even before that.

The online systems are clearly getting confused. The 17.23 was cancelled from Wateeloo. It had a no report from Surbtion. It left Woking 18 minutes late and every other stop towards Basingstoke just shows delayed.

Thats not the only service to do this either. The 17.02 Waterloo to Guildford was cancelled at Waterloo. No report from Surbtion to West Byfleet. Departed Woking 23 minutes late and has still not reached Guildford yet.

Is this caused by headcodes in the system reporting for services they are no longer running as or perhaps still being down for a service that actually have been cancelled, although not from the system and is now running as a different service.
 

paul_l

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All the trains are definitely not starting there. They seem to be starting in different places. Some at Waterloo. Some at Surbtion. Some at Woking. Some at Guildford and some at Basingstoke.

.
Indeed. After half an hour at Clapham with no information and just one train through platform 9 that was already fully loaded I gave up
 
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