ECML Disruption - 01/09

[GordonT]

A quick look at Railcam track diagrams at 1445 currently shows only 1 train in Kings Cross and inbound trains progressing nose to tail all utilising the Hertford loop.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Appears to be a track defect near a set of points on the Up Fast. A noticeable dip has been reported.

 

[paulmch]

Am I just really unlucky at the moment or has performance on the ECML deteriorated lately? Of the last 5 long journeys I've done recently, I've only had 1 where I didn't end up claiming delay repay.

 

[GordonT]

Track diagrams showing trains are now able to use the up slow with speed restriction at location of up fast track problem.

 

[philjo]

National Rail reports issues at Hatfield and also on the Hertford Loop. There was also a tree down this morning blocking the Cambridge branch near Ashwell & Morden.

Can you tell me more about the incident?

A fault with the signalling control system was causing delays via Hatfield. The system is failsafe, so this means that trains were being stopped at red signals. It has now been established that the fault has been caused by a broken rail, which was leading to the signalling equipment detecting a fault. Network Rail are dealing with this as quickly as possible, but work to fix the defective rail will take a considerable amount of time.

There has also been disruption to services due to a fire alarm activation on a train just north of Watton-at-Stone. The affected train has now been moved from the area, but this has caused additional major congestion via Hertford North.

A further problem with the track has been reported between Bayford and Cuffley. Staff will be deployed to deal with this as quickly as possible.

 

[Hadders]

I’m caught up in this.

The train I’m on has been diverted via the Hertford Loop which normally adds about 15 minutes to the journey. We’re already 30 minutes down and only at Hertford.

 

[GordonT]

I’m caught up in this.

The train I’m on has been diverted via the Hertford Loop which normally adds about 15 minutes to the journey. We’re already 30 minutes down and only at Hertford.

And track diagrams currently showing five trains at reds on the Up Slow from Marshmoor area just south of Hatfield back to Digswell area just north of Welwyn Garden City.

 

[Hadders]

We’re on the move again now, about to join the main line.

Terminating at Finsbury Park as Kings Cross is ‘full’.

 

[petegunstone]

On the 1405 Leeds to Kings Cross. It has been announced that the issue is a “broken rail”.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Also there was a fire alarm on (I think) a 180 near Watton-on-Stone

 

[gm671]

There was a large tree branch stuck on the return wire at Ashwell & Morden this morning but service recovery has been hampered by numerous further incidents.

Up fast blocked from Digswell due to defect at Marshmoor.

Emergency Special Working in place on the Up Slow between Hatfield and Welham Green for three signal sections.

Once services started diverting via Hertford Loop a broken rail was found on the Up Hertford near Watton at Stone.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

There was a large tree branch stuck on the return wire at Ashwell & Morden this morning but service recovery has been hampered by numerous further incidents.

Up fast blocked from Digswell due to defect at Marshmoor.

Emergency Special Working in place on the Up Slow between Hatfield and Welham Green for three signal sections.

Once services started diverting via Hertford Loop a broken rail was found on the Up Hertford near Watton at Stone.

Signalling now fixed

 

[Saint66]

National Rail warning that disruption is expected until mid-afternoon Monday.

 

[uglymonkey]

I thought they got rid if broken rails after Hatfield. Tighter maintainence? Why is it still happening?

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

I thought they got rid if broken rails after Hatfield. Tighter maintainence? Why is it still happening?

They don't happen that often. They'll always happen sometimes

 

[Brooke]

Just seen John Healey (I think it was, otherwise Pat McFadden) leaving Kings Cross and getting in his official vehicle.

So at least government ministers get to experience the ECML joys with the rest of us.

 

[800001]

I thought they got rid if broken rails after Hatfield. Tighter maintainence? Why is it still happening?

Because things can still break!
Would be brilliant if we lived in a world where things didn’t break or need fixing!

 

[Hadders]

A disgraceful service from Kings Cross tonight. GTR has issued a Do Not Travel after 21:00.

Most trains cancelled this evening, disruption now till 14:00 tomorrow with nothing via WGC tomorrow morning.

Kings Cross are now taking a leaf out of Euston’s book. The 22:02 is in platform 10 but is delayed to 22:17. It’s shown on the board and announcements are saying platform 10. Staff have kept the barriers closed, meaning a very large crowd has built up. Once the staff opened the barriers (to be fair they just let everyone through - no need for tickets), the inevitable sprit along the platform took place.

If only they’d left the barriers open, allowing passengers to board as they arrived it would’ve been much safer.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I thought they got rid if broken rails after Hatfield. Tighter maintainence? Why is it still happening?

They don't happen that often. They'll always happen sometimes

Because things can still break!
Would be brilliant if we lived in a world where things didn’t break or need fixing!

Are the correct answers even if people don’t like hearing it.

 

[NorthLondoner]

I was a victim of this sadly, attempting to board the 13:03 service from Grange Park to find out the service was initially 'delayed' until giving up instead reaching to Wood Green for the Piccadilly Line.

I'm happy to be corrected here, though when a service is delayed, why is that they don't display the expected arrival times instead of showing just 'delayed' on the PIS. Would be more ideal personally if more open communication was in place rather than continually announcing 'delayed' without a specific timing.

 

[800001]

I was a victim of this sadly, attempting to board the 13:03 service from Grange Park to find out the service was initially 'delayed' until giving up instead reaching to Wood Green for the Piccadilly Line.

I'm happy to be corrected here, though when a service is delayed, why is that they don't display the expected arrival times instead of showing just 'delayed' on the PIS. Would be more ideal personally if more open communication was in place rather than continually announcing 'delayed' without a specific timing.

Normally delayed means the service is stood and has not moved for a certain amount of minutes. Once it moves then the updated times will display.

 

[Horizon22]

I thought they got rid if broken rails after Hatfield. Tighter maintainence? Why is it still happening?

You don't just "get rid of them". They still happen occasionally, just tends to be rarer and of lower severity and much less likely to lead to an incident

Normally delayed means the service is stood and has not moved for a certain amount of minutes. Once it moves then the updated times will display.

That or it will not depart from origin and needs to be cancelled off the CIS by an operator to allow Darwin to show "cancelled" or it is removed off the CIS.

 

[bramling]

I was a victim of this sadly, attempting to board the 13:03 service from Grange Park to find out the service was initially 'delayed' until giving up instead reaching to Wood Green for the Piccadilly Line.

I'm happy to be corrected here, though when a service is delayed, why is that they don't display the expected arrival times instead of showing just 'delayed' on the PIS. Would be more ideal personally if more open communication was in place rather than continually announcing 'delayed' without a specific timing.

In the case of delayed, it will be because the train isn’t updating its location for whatever reason. So there effectively isn’t an expected time to display. I think I’m right in saying that the boards at terminal stations can have an expected time manually inputted, but this simply wouldn’t be viable across the board - and of course in a lot of cases even if it were practicable would only be guesswork.

 

[Horizon22]

In the case of delayed, it will be because the train isn’t updating its location for whatever reason. So there effectively isn’t an expected time to display. I think I’m right in saying that the boards at terminal stations can have an expected time manually inputted, but this simply wouldn’t be viable across the board - and of course in a lot of cases even if it were practicable would only be guesswork.

It can be done anywhere you want, for any service it is just most often and most practically applied from origins.

If a train was delayed at an intermediate station for 20 minutes due to a fault / ill passenger / issue, it could be delayed from there.

 

[uglymonkey]

How long does it rake to fix a broken rail? It's still all mucked up this morning.

 

[dk1]

I thought they got rid if broken rails after Hatfield. Tighter maintainence? Why is it still happening?

That was GCC.

Broken rails can and will always occur.

 

[Failed Unit]

A disgraceful service from Kings Cross tonight. GTR has issued a Do Not Travel after 21:00.

Most trains cancelled this evening, disruption now till 14:00 tomorrow with nothing via WGC tomorrow morning.

Kings Cross are now taking a leaf out of Euston’s book. The 22:02 is in platform 10 but is delayed to 22:17. It’s shown on the board and announcements are saying platform 10. Staff have kept the barriers closed, meaning a very large crowd has built up. Once the staff opened the barriers (to be fair they just let everyone through - no need for tickets), the inevitable sprit along the platform took place.

If only they’d left the barriers open, allowing passengers to board as they arrived it would’ve been much safer.

Probably one for a different thread but i don’t know if they have changed the rules and passengers must not be on a train unsupervised for more than x minutes?

Once after a fatality we were asked to leave the train and go back to the platform. 2 hours later got on the same train with the same driver but all the passengers were a little more grumpy. Never saw the point of the exercise.

How long does it rake to fix a broken rail? It's still all mucked up this morning.

It also opens up the debate about which trains house have priority over the limtied capacity available. GN didn’t run anything before 0630 when they started the Moorgate service up. I saw some LNER services got through.

At the moment it appears the service is as follows.
LNER / Lumo and GC - Normal services (with delays at Hatfield)
Welwyn Garden City - Moorgate. Running but not stopping Hatfield - New Barnet to make room for fast trains.
Cambridge - London - Not operating
Peterborough - London - Not Operating
Welwyn Garden City - Sevenoaks - Not operating North of Blackfriars
Kings Lynn - London - Operating with cancellations
Peterborough - Horsham - Operating
Hertford Loop - Cancellations to allow fast trains do divert (although not sure if they are all going via Welwyn)
Cambridge - Brighton - Operating with cancellations

No service for Knebworth, Welwyn North, Welham Green, Brookmans Park and Hadley wood on the Welwyn Side

The Hertford North route seems to very little operating.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

How long does it rake to fix a broken rail? It's still all mucked up this morning.

They paused the repair work this morning to open the other lines and are going to resume tonight

 

[uglymonkey]

OK thanks.

 

[Failed Unit]

They paused the repair work this morning to open the other lines and are going to resume tonight

Is Sunday the worse time for this kind of thing to happen because all the experts / machines are tied up on engineering work elsewhere?