Chiltern - why no Aylesbury to Marylebone (via Amersham) service on Friday?

[JustPassingBy]

On the day after previous strike days, there has been a late start to Aylesbury - Marylebone (via Amersham) services - understandable. This Friday, there is no service during the entire day. Why is this?

 

[TitanMike]

On the day after previous strike days, there has been a late start to Aylesbury - Marylebone (via Amersham) services - understandable. This Friday, there is no service during the entire day. Why is this?

It maybe something to do with the London Underground strike happening this Friday.

 

[JustPassingBy]

That might make sense given the shared running from Amersham to Harrow. If LU signallers and/or station staff are involved, I suppose that would prevent even Aylesbury - Amersham running, since Amersham station is LU.

 

[Andy Pacer]

I have just taken a photo of this notice on the information board at Northolt Park Station which should give information for service changes this month on the route in question.

Seems to be a special timetable this coming Friday due to the Coldplay event although one would assume there would be some service provision

 

[JustPassingBy]

Last Friday/Saturday there was a similar reduced service from the evening onwards due to Coldplay, though the service before that was normal.
I assume the big difference this Friday is the Tube strike.

 

[warwickshire]

That might make sense given the shared running from Amersham to Harrow. If LU signallers and/or station staff are involved, I suppose that would prevent even Aylesbury - Amersham running, since Amersham station is LU.

Yes that is correct. Due to LUL and the LUL strikes.

 

[sammyg901]

I'm surprised they aren't running a Great Missenden shuttle, luckily not such a big issue as it's school holidays but there is a fair amount of local traffic at peak times usually

Extra Wembley services have caused a reduced service or even replacement buses via Amersham at weekends recently which didn't happen pre COVID but on a weekday there is a set "Wembley" plan that sees some minor peak adjustments to accommodate extra stops and shuttles

 

[LordFlashheart]

Extra Wembley services have caused a reduced service or even replacement buses via Amersham at weekends recently which didn't happen pre COVID but on a weekday there is a set "Wembley" plan that sees some minor peak adjustments to accommodate extra stops and shuttles

'minor' in yesterdays case being a 40% drop in capacity in the evening peak due to short forming. This new Wembley plan has only started relatively recently, perhaps as Chiltern are so short of stock?

Chiltern are really in a dire place now, whenever there is a Wembley event the Aylesbury service over the Met is reduced, or removed completely all day at weekends if football is concerned. Completely ignores that it is far far easier to get to Wembley via the Met, changing at Harrow. How Chiltern think they can ever provide a satisfactory service to Wembley Stadium on a two track railway is beyond me.

 

[D6130]

I'm surprised they aren't running a Great Missenden shuttle, luckily not such a big issue as it's school holidays but there is a fair amount of local traffic at peak times usually

Does the signalling at Great Missenden allow for turnbacks? It didn't when I worked at Aylesbury 1988-1991.

 

[JN114]

Does the signalling at Great Missenden allow for turnbacks? It didn't when I worked at Aylesbury 1988-1991.

Yes there’s a trailing crossover immediately south of the station - trains can arrive from Aylesbury, terminate, shunt across to the Down Platform to return to Aylesbury

 

[D6130]

Yes there’s a trailing crossover immediately south of the station - trains can arrive from Aylesbury, terminate, shunt across to the Down Platform to return to Aylesbury

Ah yes....I remember that crossover, but I didn't realise that it was a signalled move. I thought you had to get P. Way staff out to work it.

 

[LordFlashheart]

The crossover is passed for passenger trains. Recent engineering work meant a Marylebone to Great Missenden service arriving in to the Northbound platform. They returned to Marylebone from the same platform in passenger service

 

[sammyg901]

Yes, in fact there is a weekday service that comes in ECS and goes back to Aylesbury at 1509 which I would guess is to fill a gap in the London services to cater for school traffic

Otherwise not uncommon for a planned or unplanned shuttle to operate during engineering work or a problem getting to Amersham. There have even been some peak Princes Risborough to Great Missenden via Aylesbury services for connections to/from London during recent LUL strikes

 

[Watershed]

Ah yes....I remember that crossover, but I didn't realise that it was a signalled move. I thought you had to get P. Way staff out to work it.

I imagine it was made a signalled move when Marylebone IECC took over.

 

[Townsend Hook]

That might make sense given the shared running from Amersham to Harrow. If LU signallers and/or station staff are involved, I suppose that would prevent even Aylesbury - Amersham running, since Amersham station is LU.

Chiltern services pass through areas controlled by Amersham, Rickmansworth and Harrow-on-the-Hill signal cabins, so that’s at least three service operators LUL need to have in place even for a non-stop Chiltern service over the Met.

 

[bluegoblin7]

And even if signallers are at work (unlikely given how short staffed the Met is as it is) it's irrelevant if there isn't someone (competent) sat in the Controller's seat at Hammersmith.