East Coast Scuppered

[BigVince76]

So did you make it googolplex? I hope so, sounds like a terrible journey. At least you got to stay on one train all the way!

 

[Aictos]

There's usually a 67 at Newcastle for thunderbird duties.

Just a guess but frozen points may have prevented it getting to the train quickly if it was unable to cross over to run wrong line to the failure.

According to the log, the 67 was run Down line all the way to Beale but was unable to cross over to attach to the failure to provide power which is why the HST was coupled up to the failure to provide air to the failure in order to raise the pantograph to supply heat to the failure.

This wasn't helped by frozen points.

 

[RochdalePioneers]

Googolplex - mammoth journey! Hope you are recovering OK!

 

[MadCommuter]

Googolplex - mammoth journey! Hope you are recovering OK!

Hope your Dad was ok about it all and that you can both sleep all morning today. What a nightmare that one of your train's units failed too. At least with an HST there's another to rely on, albeit half power for the train.

I guess this will result in more EC cancellations.

 

[Aictos]

Well I'm on 1D20 and it's been stop start stop start, held for emergency engineering works to repair the overheads and no sooner have NWR fixed the overheads, a FCC brings them down again but in the Huntingdon area!

Currently sat at Stilton Fen with no power and no idea when I'm getting home, I've doing my best to help out though.

 

[Max]

I'm on the 0700 HUL-KGX, currently running pretty much to time but the guard has just warned us about the overhead wire problem. Do you know if southbound trains are still getting through ajax103?

I'll point out as well that this train is pretty empty. Clearly people are choosing not to travel.

 

[Aictos]

Nothing is moving at the moment, I've just seen the driver about 10 mins ago walking by the Up Main towards where the guard is so at a guess and from what the guard explained the wires had come down and there now being no power, strongly recommending all to wrap up as warm as possible, I reckon you're likely to get delayed.

Haven't seen a Southbound train in ages which is not surprising as everything's stopped, 1D20 it currently running 103 minutes late and there's no timescale to when we will get into Peterborough, Live Departures already says it's terminating short at Wakefield Westgate rather then Leeds.

 

[yorkie]

0413 into Stevenage, 0440 King's Cross! (Had you gone to London to go to Bedford you'd have had a good connection with the 0452 leaving on time).

More delays today, the 0525 from Newcastle to London appears to have failed north of Darlington and is over 2 hours late, causing other trains to be delayed too. The 0600 & 0615 from London are both heavily delayed and have not reported for ages, so who knows what has happened to them!

 

[Max]

According to the announcer at Grantham, all southbound trains are suspended. We are being held at Grantham. He advised passengers not to travel. Surely Cambridge diversions have to be possible? Since most southbound Newcastle trains haven't made it this far, I can't see there being many trains stacked up ahead of us.

 

[jopsuk]

I guess there's little chance of Cambridge diversions, if they happen, stopping at Cambridge? It would FANTASTIC if Thursdays Chieftain could call!

 

[Aictos]

I guess your train could go via Cambridge but you would need a conductor driver, FCC can't supply any drivers that way as they need to sign 91s/HSTs before they can conduct any diversions via Cambridge and I can't think of any who are trained up on 91s/HSTs.

Granted you might be lucky if a freight driver can be found but that would be very lucky.

 

[jopsuk]

Oh, I realise it is highly, highly unlikely- and hopefully the trains will be running OK Thursday anyway

 

[Aictos]

This is why the ECML suffers due to lack of alternative electric routes, NWR really ought to be looking at wiring up Ely to Peterborough and Peterborough to Doncaster via Lincoln (as part of the joint line upgrade) especially when you consider the only diversionary route which is electrified is the Hertford Loop.

Once that's done, it leaves so much more capability when the muck hits the fan.

 

[yorkie]

According to the announcer at Grantham, all southbound trains are suspended. We are being held at Grantham. He advised passengers not to travel. Surely Cambridge diversions have to be possible? Since most southbound Newcastle trains haven't made it this far, I can't see there being many trains stacked up ahead of us.

I guess there's little chance of Cambridge diversions, if they happen, stopping at Cambridge? It would FANTASTIC if Thursdays Chieftain could call!

If you want a chance of going via Cambridge, get Grand Central. Anything else and you will definitely not be going via Cambridge.

 

[Max]

We have now left Grantham but who knows what's going to happen when we get to Peterborough. We have also gone on the slow lines south of Stoke Jct.

 

[E&W Lucas]

FCC can't supply any drivers that way as they need to sign 91s/HSTs before they can conduct

Not the case. The conductor just needs to sign the route. The booked driver drives to his direction. However, if the conductor signs the traction, he must drive it as well.

 

[DarloRich]

Chaos this morning. Trying again to get from Northallerton to York. Was supposed to be on the 0713 which turned up at 0829, traction provided by a failing 91101. Seems to have been a result of a failure north of Darlington

Coach B was locked out of use with the connecting doors closed. The heating wasn’t working and the buffet was broken. The guard announced that the wires were down south of Peterborough and that we would not get to KX. He then advised passengers to get off at York and get on the next service as he could not guarantee the 91 would last south of York!

KNEW I should have bought a Grand Central ticket!

 

[Aictos]

Not the case. The conductor just needs to sign the route. The booked driver drives to his direction. However, if the conductor signs the traction, he must drive it as well.

That's news to me, I'm sure FCC has told East Coast before they cannot supply any drivers as they don't sign the traction.

I would have thought a conductor wouldn't have to sign the traction but certainly the route pretty much like you've explained above.

Would be nice though if the 67 at Peterborough got dispatched least then the train can be detrained at Peterborough.

 

[philjo]

I heard a few diesels going through Letchworth yesterday evening so assume these were on diversion while they repaired the OHLE at St Neots. Didn't get outside quick enough to see what they were (the line is just across the road from home)
2 of them sounded like they would be 180s so either GC or HT services.
There other may have been an HST - sounded like both power cars were MTUs.


Regarding current Huntingdon blockage, FCC website currently says tickets are valid on all services Peterborough-Cambridge & passengers can also travel into Liverpool Street.

 

[PTF62]

Regarding current Huntingdon blockage, FCC website currently says tickets are valid on all services Peterborough-Cambridge & passengers can also travel into Liverpool Street.

Yes, the lines are now down between St Neots and Huntingdon, at the Offords, but the power is off from Huntingdon to Great Barford, south of St Neots.

Nothing has been running in either direction for the last hour and a half, but FCC have been kindly updating their information boards every couple of minutes to say that the trains are now an extra two minutes late. How long does it take to admit it is all broken, and that nothing is going anywhere.

 

[E&W Lucas]

That's news to me, I'm sure FCC has told East Coast before they cannot supply any drivers as they don't sign the traction.

What I've described is how it is! More likely, is that FCC couldn't supply drivers full stop. It's all very well everyone suggesting diverting stuff here, there and everywhere, but there simply aren't the drivers sitting about to conduct. Or the sheer cost of route learning, covering drivers' work whilst the do so, and retaining the competence, would be prohibitive.

 

[t0ffeeman]

E&W Lucas is correct. FCC haven't got enough drivers to cover their own services and I doubt any sign Peterborough to Ely.

When a Hull trains got stuck south of Peterborough once and there was an isolation. They used the Hull train to do a shuttle between Hitchin and Peterborough stopping at all stations...

 

[Failed Unit]

That was BRs big win they did have more spare drivers or the ability to cancel services for the greater good. For example BR would withdraw the Joint line trains do the drivers could be used to guide HSTs. In this case I suspect St pancras would be used.

Now each operator was it own priorities and less spare drivers. You can also bet the the trains at peterborough at the moment are all 91s on the sods law.

 

[MadCommuter]

East Coast website says they will not be providing buses.

 

[Failed Unit]

East Coast website says they will not be providing buses.

It gets too unreliable.

They will just try and get as many people onto other routes. Even peterborough - Ely or leicester the into London will be quicker than by bus. I suspect people north of Doncaster will head to the mml to be squashed on a 222. Grantham and Newark can head to Nottingham

 

[t0ffeeman]

FCC website currently has all northbound trains terminating at Biggleswade and all southbound trains terminating at Biggleswade. thus everything is cancelled. Surely a northbound is going to turn at Biggleswade to form a southbound?

 

[DarloRich]

It gets too unreliable.

They will just try and get as many people onto other routes. Even peterborough - Ely or leicester the into London will be quicker than by bus. I suspect people north of Doncaster will head to the mml to be squashed on a 222. Grantham and Newark can head to Nottingham

that was the advice this morning. Either, get off at York and go to Manchester for a Virgin to Euston, Doncaster for a local to Sheffield and the MML south or Peterborough for Ely or Leicester then south.

Guard this morning indicated his control had suggested a 9 hour job to rewire the damaged section!

God knows what it would be like this evening.

 

[PTF62]

FCC website currently has all northbound trains terminating at Biggleswade and all southbound trains terminating at Biggleswade. thus everything is cancelled. Surely a northbound is going to turn at Biggleswade to form a southbound?

Yes, the FCC website is spewing garbage again.

For example if you look at the Biggleswade to Kings Cross page it says all trains cancelled, and then under the Live Updates it says -

09:23 Peterborough to London Kings Cross due 10:45

More info

This train will be started from Huntingdon.
It will no longer call at: Peterborough.
This is due to overhead wire problems.

Due to overhead wire problems in the Huntingdon area, services will be starting and terminating at Biggleswade. Replacement buses are available, calling at all stations to Peterborough.


09:23 Peterborough to London Kings Cross due 10:45

More info

This train will be terminated at Biggleswade.
It will no longer call at: Arlesey, Hitchin, Stevenage and London Kings Cross.
This is due to overhead wire problems.

Due to overhead wire problems in the Huntingdon area, services will be starting and terminating at Biggleswade. Replacement buses are available, calling at all stations to Peterborough.


09:23 Peterborough to London Kings Cross due 10:45

More info

This train has been cancelled.
This is due to overhead wire problems.

Due to overhead wire problems in the Huntingdon area, services will be starting and terminating at Biggleswade. Replacement buses are available, calling at all stations to Peterborough.


So is it cancelled, running from Huntingdon, or terminating at Biggleswade.

And they haven't bothered updating the website in the last hour and a half.

Fixing overhead lines, problematic. Putting sensible information on the website, utterly impossible for FCC.

 

[DarloRich]

ALL TRAINS SOUTH OF YORK BY EC SUSSPENDED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY - word form my control room @ 1028

 

[MadCommuter]

Personally I hate all this 'starting' and 'terminating' jargon. I would prefer to be told that 'trains will run between x and y'.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

ALL TRAINS SOUTH OF YORK BY EC SUSSPENDED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY - word form my control room @ 1028

That is a mammoth section of line to close!