Euston Disruption From Signalling Faults (2/3 April)

[LNW-GW Joint]

The media are picking up on the substantial disruption on the WCML caused by a signalling problem at Euston.
The incident appears to have been ongoing since late morning, with many trains cancelled and just a few running, maybe 5tph.
LNR seems more badly affected than Avanti.

Incident: LondonEuston | National Rail

Lines reopened: Major disruption at London Euston . Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

A fault with the signalling system at London Euston means some lines to / from this station are blocked. Trains will be cancelled, severely delayed by up to 100 minutes or revised.
Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.

It hasn't gone unnoticed that the line into Euston (apart from the Watford local) was out of action for 4 days over the weekend for engineering works, although trains did seem to be running normally up to about 1115 today.

 

[AndrewE]

Nothing that I can find on the Beeb, but SWMBO tells me the Manchester Evening News website has it - upset that their trains are cancelled!
Looks to be pretty serious from RTT / Traksy.

 

[voyagerdude220]

There also seems to have been a problem around the Lichfield area earlier this afternoon. The delayed 1H18 11:53 London to Manchester Piccadilly left Euston 12:19, but didn't pass Nuneaton until 13:31 (36 late) and Colwich at 15:27 (135 late).

 

[alex17595]

My train sat at Stafford for 40 mins, then a number of other stations. Then nearly 90 late they skipped Atherstone and Nuneaton which achieved nothing before getting terminated at Milton Keynes.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The BBC has it on its London pages:

Euston station: Signal failure causes major disruption

Passengers due to travel from London's Euston station on the West Coast Main Line are facing delays.

www.bbc.co.uk

Some of those affected have reported being stranded on stationary trains for at least two hours.
Network Rail apologised for the incident and said its engineers were "working to fix the problem as soon as possible".

An NR spokesperson said (you have to wince):

Our signalling system is designed to put signals to red if it detects a problem, a kind of safety 'fail-safe', and has done so on some of the tracks approaching the station this afternoon.
"We're working with operators to run trains on the lines and platforms that are working as normal, but there are delays and cancellations as a result."

 

[SCDR_WMR]

There also seems to have been a problem around the Lichfield area earlier this afternoon. The delayed 1H18 11:53 London to Manchester Piccadilly left Euston 12:19, but didn't pass Nuneaton until 13:31 (36 late) and Colwich at 15:27 (135 late).

There was a code amber at Nuneaton, unsure the reason other than 'Safety Alert' which is what I received.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Lines apparently reopened by 1730 according to National Rail, but disruption expected until the end of the day.

 

[londonmidland]

Lines have reopened although major disruption and alterations is still expected until the end of service, today. A few platforms still need ‘talking’ in and out of Euston.

 

[43066]

EMR accepting tickets via reasonable routes…

 

[Scotrail12]

It was an utter, utter sh*tshow for me. I was travelling on the 0936 from Glasgow to Euston, all was fine until Preston where we were held for 30 mins. No biggie, not the worst delay ever and continued through to Wigan & Warrington. We were supposed to go straight to Euston, but then the train sat in Stafford for what was at least 45 mins. Very little info seemed to be given, but eventually they opened the doors. I opted to leave as we should have arrived in Euston by this point and I knew that much longer in a packed train with no real food and the potential for further delays was too much. I followed the train's progress on RTT after I left and it ended up arriving in London 2h15 late. In hindsight, I made the right decision leaving, but wish I had opted out at Preston and went to Manchester for the day instead.

 

[Trackman]

One to avoid was Euston this evening.
Red side lights on departure boards and advertising cut on the main screen.
What's promising about this (if anything), NR have the power to take over the main screen.

 

[800001]

One to avoid was Euston this evening.
Red side lights on departure boards and advertising cut on the main screen.
What's promising about this (if anything), NR have the power to take over the main screen.

What was then displayed on the main screen?

 

[ste238]

Looking at Twitter there is an image of big red signs advising of serious delays.

https://twitter.com/AlastairHackney/status/1775151626539421770/photo/1

 

[boiledbeans2]

Looking at Twitter there is an image of big red signs advising of serious delays.

https://twitter.com/AlastairHackney/status/1775151626539421770/photo/1

RSOD - Red screen of death

 

[Puffing Devil]

Still ongoing today!

Incident: Watford Junction | National Rail

Disruption between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction until the end of the day. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

A fault with the signalling system between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction means that trains have to run at reduced speed on all lines.

As a result, trains running between these stations may cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected to continue until the end of the day.

 

[zwk500]

Looking on Signal Maps there was all sorts of goings on at Euston - with indications flicking back and forth unusually. Wasn't sure if that was just a data interpretation error as there were also routes being displayed incorrectly but clearly trains using the tracks safely but certainly wasn't usual.

 

[Horizon22]

Disruption expected until the end of day again according to NRES.

I prssume it isn’t clear yet what exactly the fault is, or it is so complex it’s going to impact 36h of journeys. Multiple module failures and large sections of cable faults can do that, but that is just speculation.

 

[DarloRich]

Still ongoing today!

Is it not a separate issue between Leighton Buzzard and MKC?

 

[Horizon22]

Is it not a separate issue between Leighton Buzzard and MKC?

If it is, then it’s an unfortunate coincidence and also expected until end of service.

 

[Mag_seven]

Is it not a separate issue between Leighton Buzzard and MKC?

Pedantically yes but as its affecting the bulk of services into and out of Euston that's all the media will no doubt latch on to.

 

[DarloRich]

Pedantically yes but as its affecting the bulk of services into and out of Euston that's all the media will no doubt latch on to.

thanks! I was worried there were 2 failures!

It is total chaos out there. There were Avantis parked in P2 and 4 at Blethcley, trains at every signal in the area, the sleeper stopped outside Bletchley ( on the slow lines) and trains in platforms 1-4 at MKC.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There's probably no answer to this, but is the Easter weekend engineering work south of Milton Keynes linked in any way to the signalling failures since?

 

[sh24]

Euston is surprisingly calm but the railway really doesn’t help itself. Beyond generic messages there is very little real information to help you, and lots that misleads - trains showing as on time when it’s clear a cancellation is coming.

 

[Nippy]

There is still a fault at Euston, the fault that’s been ongoing there the last few days has been narrowed down and is affecting platforms 10-12 only now.

 

[sh24]

I realise it’s a controversial view but the new departure boards really work much better at times like this. Passenger flows much improved

 

[londonmidland]

After some attempts to restore the signalling this morning, it has now failed again due to issues with the power supply.

 

[The Planner]

There's probably no answer to this, but is the Easter weekend engineering work south of Milton Keynes linked in any way to the signalling failures since?

Shouldn't be, the big works were up at Bletchley and Northchurch, and a load of tamping around Willesden and Wembley.

 

[M&NEJ]

Beyond generic messages there is very little real information to help you, and lots that misleads - trains showing as on time when it’s clear a cancellation is coming.

I quite agree, automated information is good up to a point, but it seems to me it's crying out for a bit of "joined up thinking". Often a station's outgoing service can be shown as on time when the incoming working of the same unit is late, delayed or cancelled. Is it so big a challenge to link units or diagrams between different services within the information system?

 

[sdrennan]

How long does it take to activate bidirectional running.

Currently heading south. (Somewhere near Lichfield)

I saw lots of Northbound trains when sitting at stafford, but they have stopped now

 

[The Planner]

How long does it take to activate bidirectional running.

Currently heading south. (Somewhere near Lichfield)

I saw lots of Northbound trains when sitting at stafford, but they have stopped now

From where to where? only the Trent Valley has bi-di signalling, and even then not all of it.