GEML Blocked (08/05)

[Alfie1014]

Due to overhead lne problems in the Shenfield area the GEML is currently blocked. Two lines were due to be closed for planned engineering work between here and London but OLE problems on the other two have resulted in the service being suspended. It happened about 14:00 and AGA are advising passengers to delaying travelling until at least 20:00. Limited replacement buses have been sourced including some from Stansted Airport to Witham. Not surprisingly a lot of very unhappy travellers on social media. As a result TfL Rail only running between Liv St and Ilford.
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Update at 18:15 AGA now saying that due to an incident at Southend Airport (station I assume) that services on the Southend Victoria branch have also now been suspnded as well, not a turning out to be a good day!

 

[christopher]

Apparently it was fixed but after a test train was run through whatever the problem is occurred again.

 

[Alfie1014]

Yep, service suspended again, passengers asked to delay their journeys until after 23:00, which considering there's been few trains out of Liverpool Street on the main line since mid-afternoon sounds pretty horrendous and on a Sunday night is when the service starts winding down quite early! At least one report on social media of a passenger booking themselves into a hotel because they have given up getting home tonight. Need to be some serious questions asked of AGA and NR in particular on why after nearly nine hours of disruption no practical contingency has been implemented.

There's bound to be some knock on in the morning too with this level dislocation of trains and crews. Thoughts to those on the ground dealing with the aftermath.

 

[dk1]

Engineering block Cambridge-Brandon ain't helping with diversions either. Never rains...

 

[Alfie1014]

Things seem to be moving through Shenfield now though plat 3 looks blocked, (possibly with the eariler errant train?), with down trains using plat 2 and a queue of 4 trains standing on the DM back to Brentwood waiting to gain access into Shenfield.

 

[christopher]

"The line was reopened with a 20 mph ESR on the Down line" from the Network Rail Twitter account.

 

[TheEdge]

Need to be some serious questions asked of AGA and NR in particular on why after nearly nine hours of disruption no practical contingency has been implemented.

You say a practical contingency. There just isn't one, especially today.

OHL down and damaged and impassable so nothing is getting through. Line blocked between Shenfield and Romford. So nothing can get out heading north out of London to anywhere useful and nothing can practically get beyond Chelmsford/Shenfield heading south. Various Anglia and GE services were getting turned at Colchester. Some traffic could go via West Anglia but I believe they had some problems too. The normal diversion for people heading to Norfolk and Suffolk had a spanner as that was closed all day for works between Cambridge and Ely. The normal issue of there being no such thing as an instant Rail Replacement Bus Tree plays a part. And its on a Sunday when generally there are just less trains and staff available for use.

This is the perennial GEML problem, once it goes badly its gone. There are just no diversionary routes. Maybe NR could rebuilt the rest of the Stour Valley route and connect Sudbury with Shelford giving a proper diversion route but until such a day this sort of thing will happen.