Crossrail - Through Running confirmed for November

[ijmad]

The service wasn't looking very healthy this evening as I was travelling home after my dinner with friends!

 

[Sunil_P]

The service wasn't looking very healthy this evening as I was travelling home after my dinner with friends!

What happened to 9Y64? 4 hours stuck at Whitechapel!

Realtime Trains | 9Y64 1319 Abbey Wood to London Paddington | 12/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 9Y64 1319 departure from Abbey Wood to London Paddington on 12/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[JonathanH]

What happened to 9Y64? 4 hours stuck at Whitechapel!

Realtime Trains | 9Y64 1319 Abbey Wood to London Paddington | 12/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 9Y64 1319 departure from Abbey Wood to London Paddington on 12/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

No, something has gone wrong there.

The original 9Y64 completed its journey to Paddington. The reporting code was then reused later in the day.

- - TrackIT!

trackit.uppyjc.co.uk

 

[Sunil_P]

No, something has gone wrong there.

The original 9Y64 completed its journey to Paddington. The reporting code was then reused later in the day.

- - TrackIT!

trackit.uppyjc.co.uk

Thanks, but starting at Whitechapel? 1729?

 

[JonathanH]

Thanks, but starting at Whitechapel? 1729?

9N38 1624 Abbey Wood to Maidenhead failed at Canary Wharf at 1634 - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L72020/2022-11-12/detailed. 5N38 didn't pass Whitechapel until 1732, so there was no westbound service for about an hour.

Looks to me that 9U33 1554 Reading to Abbey Wood terminated at Whitechapel https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L72560/2022-11-12/detailed to form 9Y64, which ran ahead of 5N38. This should have been entered as 9T64, but was put in as 9Y64 so reported incorrectly.

This followed 9U32 1646 London Paddington to Abbey Wood https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:F45023/2022-11-12/detailed being held at Whitechapel for 37 minutes.

The disruption has continued for most of the rest of the evening. I got to Ealing Broadway at about 2120 to see 9U45 2052 Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 to Abbey Wood https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L72613/2022-11-12/detailed passing through on the fast line having run from Heathrow fast. At Paddington at 2140, the displays on the westbound platform were showing that they were unable to show up to date information.

By way of indication of the gap, I reckon that 9Y36 1619 Abbey Wood to London Paddington https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:F45092/2022-11-12/detailed left Tottenham Court Road at 1643 and the next westbound train was 9Y64 at 1736, followed by a 9Y00 at 1739, that had run over the crossover at Tottenham Court Road, so just under a 55 minute gap.

For a while services from the West were also being diverted into Paddington mainline Station.

 

[LLivery]

Then when the screens have problems, just take the train out of service!

Does anywhere really have this as a major issue? We might as well stick to flipper departure boards in stations too (I do miss the sound).

Or something like they use on the New York Subway with a line map and LED indicators to show current/next station. Might be cheaper than full-on screens (though less flexible).
Example 1 (see top left of image)
Example 2
Example 3

For this style I often think of the Parisian ones, they'd be welcome.

I'd rather two-digit LEDs (or similar) for each station to say how many minutes until you reach the station in question.

I think they have something like that on Paris 14

 

[ijmad]

By way of indication of the gap, I reckon that 9Y36 1619 Abbey Wood to London Paddington https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:F45092/2022-11-12/detailed left Tottenham Court Road at 1643 and the next westbound train was 9Y64 at 1736, followed by a 9Y00 at 1739, that had run over the crossover at Tottenham Court Road, so just under a 55 minute gap.

In addition to the breakdown, the platform information screens seemed to be down at both Liverpool Street and Whitechapel which added a lot to customer frustrations.

 

[JonathanH]

In addition to the breakdown, the platform information screens seemed to be down at both Liverpool Street and Whitechapel which added a lot to customer frustrations.

Yes, I am not sure that the screens showing the next three trains are particularly well suited to a disruption situation. Certainly seemed to be the position at Paddington some hours later.

 

[345 050]

There seem to have an increase in failures over the last week. Are the any trends yet or is it a bit random? Would it have been worse yesterday if Shenfield-Paddington was running?

 

[Acton1991]

The train I’m currently sat on still has all of the old diagrams that detail no through running as well as Bond Street being shut. Not sure why they haven’t all been changed over yet

 

[cambsy]

I was fairly lucky when tried the through running, on Tuesday, that only had about 15 min or so disruption at Paddington, in morning, then ok for rest of the day.

I was surprised when caught train from Abbey wood, towards Heathrow, just after 5pm, that it was pretty much crush loaded, from Woolwich onwards, as didn’t realise so many many workers heading into core at that time.

The train, stayed crush loaded right through core and out to beyond Ealing, I think, the reliability with systems problems, is usual teething problems, bought up by intensive, real world running.

I think the reliability problems, are stemming from the signalling systems, and interface between in cab and multi aspect signalling, not with the 345’s themselves, and intensive real world running, is showing up problems, which testing just can’t show up.

 

[DC1989]

Isn't there a major software upgrade happening at Christmas? Hopefully this helps

 

[BahrainLad]

I was not impressed with the Elizabeth line yesterday. Got down to the platforms at Paddington around 1730 to find it a bit chaotic, people were crowding at the bottom of the escalators despite being told not to. The next train to Abbey Wood was shown as 5 minutes away but the announcer kept referencing a problem with a broken down train. The minutes counted down until Due was displayed, then reset to 4 minutes. Meanwhile at least one train (apparently including the broken one) went through the westbound platform without stopping. The AW service arrived, and we got as far as TCR before we had a long wait on the platform “due to an earlier broken down train at CW.” We eventually left and got as far as Farringdon before another long wait on the platform. Lots of people gave up waiting and got off. Eventually got to Liverpool St and changed to the Central (because of course the Shenfield branch was closed for works all day, 6 days after opening). All in all it took just over an hour to get from Paddington to Stratford.

And there is *still* no 4G/5G in the tunnels or stations, almost 6 months after opening.

 

[Horizon22]

It's a bit rushed, but this took me less than an hour: as others have said, something like this would look much better above the doors than the current offering.

The zone areas are good, but the map itself might be too long for a CLD.

Eventually got to Liverpool St and changed to the Central (because of course the Shenfield branch was closed for works all day, 6 days after opening). All in all it took just over an hour to get from Paddington to Stratford.

And there is *still* no 4G/5G in the tunnels or stations, almost 6 months after opening.

Hardly the Elizabeth lines fault there’s an opening coinciding with a possession planned 12+ months ago! Unless you want to talk about how it’s 4 years delayed.

 

[danielcanning]

The zone areas are good, but the map itself might be too long for a CLD.



Hardly the Elizabeth lines fault there’s an opening coinciding with a possession planned 12+ months ago! Unless you want to talk about how it’s 4 years delayed.

Network Rail could have delayed the engineering works, having a ‘new’ line closed for engineering works just one week in looks poor…

 

[theking]

Network Rail could have delayed the engineering works, having a ‘new’ line closed for engineering works just one week in looks poor…

It's an absolute joke that people on the east have endured years and years of weekend closures and now it's opened the first TWO weekends it's closed.

 

[JonathanH]

It's an absolute joke that people on the east have endured years and years of weekend closures and now it's opened the first TWO weekends it's closed.

I'd imagine the date for through running was confirmed after the engineering works were planned. There is an ongoing need for engineering works on intensively used railway lines unconnected with the trains now going into a tunnel west of Stratford.

 

[DC1989]

It's an absolute joke that people on the east have endured years and years of weekend closures and now it's opened the first TWO weekends it's closed.

And that it will be closed for almost every single FULL weekend in February and March!

 

[danielcanning]

I'd imagine the date for through running was confirmed after the engineering works were planned. There is an ongoing need for engineering works on intensively used railway lines unconnected with the trains now going into a tunnel west of Stratford.

Then why extend to Shenfield if you’re not even going to bother running a weekend service? Londoners were promised a high frequency, reliable service, the Elizabeth line being affected by engineering works every weekend is not this!

 

[Thirteen]

Then why extend to Shenfield if you’re not even going to bother running a weekend service? Londoners were promised a high frequency, reliable service, the Elizabeth line being affected by engineering works every weekend is not this!

You do realise that engineering works are essential to keeping the railways functioning, it's not due to laziness it's closed.

It's still a reliable service and I think the hyperbole is somewhat tiresome.

 

[JonathanH]

Then why extend to Shenfield if you’re not even going to bother running a weekend service? Londoners were promised a high frequency, reliable service, the Elizabeth line being affected by engineering works every weekend is not this!

Huh? Engineering work with weekend line closures happens on the underground as well. In order for the railway to be reliable some level of engineering attention is required.

 

[danielcanning]

Huh? Engineering work with weekend line closures happens on the underground as well.

Which is to be expected, but on a line that’s only been open in full for a week? Did the Jubilee line close a week after the extension opened due to engineering works? What were these engineering works, were they so essential that they couldn’t be postponed? Rail enthusiasts may put up with constant engineering works, but what about the normal fare paying passenger?

 

[matthewmacleod]

Which is to be expected, but on a line that’s only been open in full for a week? Did the Jubilee line close a week after the extension opened due to engineering works? What were these engineering works, were they so essential that they couldn’t be postponed? Rail enthusiasts may put up with constant engineering works, but what about the normal fare paying passenger?

This is a really silly complaint dude. Engineering works are organised miles in advance and are essential to safe and reliable functioning of the railway. Postponing work of that kind is complex and merely shifts the inconvenience a little bit.

As someone who is on the Shenfield branch myself yeah it kinda sucks, but it doesn’t really make much difference to me whether it’s closed now, or some other weekend in the future.

I will definitely say the attitude of some people on this forum in particular is pretty poor - a disproportionate level of outrage at the idea a railway line may be closed for engineering works, or that it may take a while to sync up timetables with the rest of the network, or that it may take a while for services to bed in. It sounds exhausting to be so upset all the time!

 

[Bald Rick]

Which is to be expected, but on a line that’s only been open in full for a week?

these works were planned two years ago. Back then the Elizabeth Line through running was due to have happened in May.…

 

[Falcon1200]

Did the Jubilee line close a week after the extension opened due to engineering works?

A completely invalid comparison, a brand new section of railway was not closed a week after opening (although it did not operate 7 days a week at first?). In contrast Stratford/Shenfield is an extensively used (by far more than just Elizabeth Line trains) section of railway which requires constant maintenance and renewal, this being scheduled with due regard to all operators.

 

[43066]

Then why extend to Shenfield if you’re not even going to bother running a weekend service? Londoners were promised a high frequency, reliable service, the Elizabeth line being affected by engineering works every weekend is not this!

Unfortunately this is yet another post of yours which demonstrates an extremely poor understanding of the subject you’re opining on.

You do realise this bit of the Elizabeth Line is the GEML which has been there since the mid 19th century and requires engineering work the same as any other mainline railway?

 

[grandgarrande]

Well after a week of through-running I am rather impressed with the service apart from the odd train breakdown services are running at 94% punctuality. Trains can bounce back after an hour to the proper timetable (would be imperceivable if the western leg had fewer terminating points)

I guess that blurb four years ago was correct "Crossrail will be full by day 1". I wonder if there is scope for 18 tph from Gidea Park to Central London or else that leg will reach max capacity in the next 10 years.

 

[Thirteen]

Well after a week of through-running I am rather impressed with the service apart from the odd train breakdown services are running at 94% punctuality. Trains can bounce back after an hour to the proper timetable (would be imperceivable if the western leg had fewer terminating points)

I guess that blurb four years ago was correct "Crossrail will be full by day 1". I wonder if there is scope for 18 tph from Gidea Park to Central London or else that leg will reach max capacity in the next 10 years.

The Elizabeth Line has picked up speed in terms of capacity within six months, just shows how much commuters have embraced it and I think it will smash both passenger and revenue forecasts in the coming years.

 

[Sunil_P]

Reprised Furze Platt via Maidenhead after last Sunday's drenching! Also, tried out the Heathrow branch today as far as Heathrow Central, no probs. However, tried getting to Terminal 2 departures (um, as a dry run for my flight later this week) and it was a bit of a long walk, 13 minutes including travelators and escalators. Seems Central station is closer to Terminal 3. Anyway, decent view of the South Runway from the top of Terminal 2!

 

[leytongabriel]

It's an absolute joke that people on the east have endured years and years of weekend closures and now it's opened the first TWO weekends it's closed.

YES! And if railway industry people on here are saying that we are grumbling too much then there's a need for some customer orientated managemnt coming in. Closing down a few days after opening makes the line a laughing stock.