LNER Football Additional Trains Cancelled (Not actually cancelled) (24/05)

[123*]

Sunderland due to be playing in the play off final at Wembley today.

Extra trains announced running NCL - KGX but then cancelled at the last minute. Trains crush loaded and some people paying £300 for the privilege. Even if customers get 50% or 100% refund it really doesn’t make up for their day being significantly impacted.

It’s no surprise many of these people next time won’t take the train as what should be one of the best days of their year has been spoiled.

 

[EuxtonNeutral]

Sunderland due to be playing in the play off final at Wembley today.

Extra trains announced running NCL - KGX but then cancelled at the last minute. Trains crush loaded and some people paying £300 for the privilege. Even if customers get 50% or 100% refund it really doesn’t make up for their day being significantly impacted.

It’s no surprise many of these people next time won’t take the train as what should be one of the best days of their year has been spoiled.

What would be the alternative though? You can’t really drive to Wembley on match day can you?

 

[123*]

I think people are frustrated given that extra trains were announced and then on the day they can’t run due to train faults. Surely the likelihood of five trains suffering faults right before they depart on exactly the same route is pretty slim. Much more likely to be a crewing issue?

A lot of people will drive to Wembley and park around north London e.g. Barnet, Watford, Stanmore etc and then tube the last part of the journey in.

The other thing that will no doubt annoy Sunderland fans will be that the trains worked seamlessly when Newcastle visited Wembley earlier in the season. I am sure there is no conspiracy here but will no doubt some Sunderland supporters will point to this.

 

[800Travel]

Sunderland due to be playing in the play off final at Wembley today.

Extra trains announced running NCL - KGX but then cancelled at the last minute. Trains crush loaded and some people paying £300 for the privilege. Even if customers get 50% or 100% refund it really doesn’t make up for their day being significantly impacted.

It’s no surprise many of these people next time won’t take the train as what should be one of the best days of their year has been spoiled.

This is due to more trains needing repairs across the east coast mainline hitachi fleet - affecting both Lumo and LNER:

More trains than usual are needing repairs on the East Coast Main Line today. As a result, LNER and Lumo services operating to / from London Kings Cross may be cancelled or revised.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/london-kings-cross-20250524/

Anyone know if there is a similar fault and what it is, or if it’s just many trains needing repairs for different things?

 

[The Planner]

What would be the alternative though? You can’t really drive to Wembley on match day can you?

Some will. Most use coaches.

 

[43094]

Most of them are (unexpected) similar faults.

It's an unfortunate coincidence that it's affected the additional services (note: without downplaying the impact!)

 

[43066]

Some will. Most use coaches.

Out of interest (I know very little about football generally, other than having had the misfortune to witness the fans) are coaches less of anything than they used to be? They seem a far better solution than overwhelming the railway - or at least a good way of taking the pressure off.

 

[Snow1964]

Most of them are (unexpected) similar faults.

It's an unfortunate coincidence that it's affected the additional services (note: without downplaying the impact!)

There is an concept that all all faults are unexpected, simply because if parts are known to degrade over time, sensible planned maintenance would replace it before it reached the unreliable condition.

Of course damage, crashes etc are not faults but outside influences that might result in more than expected at same time.

More needing repairs, is a polite way of saying we miscalculated the number of trains and spares and didn't allow for any excess repairs that happen every few weeks/months

 

[43066]

More needing repairs, is a polite way of saying we miscalculated the number of spares and didn't allow for any excess repairs that happen every few weeks/months

I don’t see how you can possibly conclude that. It could also be that a wheel lathe has been out of action, or similar.

 

[DanNCL]

TPE haven’t been immune from train related issues on their 802 services this morning either.

 

[800001]

What can suddenly of happened to affect 3 operators trains coming off the same depot (Heaton)?
Did they not like the heavy rain last night?

 

[43094]

The quote above is accurate today, there are literally more than usual needing repairs at the same time.

The fault was unexpected as I put above, I'm in a position to specifically know that. There will no doubt be subsequent discussions as to whether this should have been foreseeable or not...

Also, it's not just Heaton: units at several different depots have been affected (though not by any means every unit at any one depot).

 

[DanNCL]

Is perhaps interesting to note that the GWR units don’t appear to have had the same issues today. Just those on the ECML.

 

[DarloRich]

Not a good luck. PR own goal

Sunderland due to be playing in the play off final at Wembley today.

Extra trains announced running NCL - KGX but then cancelled at the last minute. Trains crush loaded and some people paying £300 for the privilege. Even if customers get 50% or 100% refund it really doesn’t make up for their day being significantly impacted.

It’s no surprise many of these people next time won’t take the train as what should be one of the best days of their year has been spoiled.

If Sunderland win no one will care about the train problem s.......

Some will. Most use coaches.

Not if you want a drink! Club coaches are dry
If you go on a party bus you can drink all day!

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

I understand that Hitachi ordered checks on the fleet overnight. Some units were found to require repairs as a result whilst others were late coming into traffic this morning due to waiting to be checked over.
I don't know any further details, but I'm sure someone better informed will fill the gaps if they feel able to do so.

 

[123*]

The quote above is accurate today, there are literally more than usual needing repairs at the same time.

The fault was unexpected as I put above, I'm in a position to specifically know that. There will no doubt be subsequent discussions as to whether this should have been foreseeable or not...

Also, it's not just Heaton: units at several different depots have been affected (though not by any means every unit at any one depot).

Seems a significant coincidence it has impacted trains on the same route on the same day.

No way trains could have ran with these faults?

 

[43094]

Not for the ones with an issue found: as the poster above rightly states, the nature of the fault means unit availability has been limited this morning until checks (and any work arising) has been completed on the units in question.

I'm sure if anyone units are 'given ok' during the day, and plan will be formed to get them in to traffic ASAP

 

[123*]

Must be a serious issue. Be interesting to know what it is if we ever find out.

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

Seems a significant coincidence it has impacted trains on the same route on the same day.

No way trains could have ran with these faults?

You can't allow a train to carry hundreds of people at 125mph if you know it is or could be defective.

Or even one person at 5mph!

 

[123*]

You can't allow a train to carry hundreds of people at 125mph if you know it is or could be defective.

Or even one person at 5mph!

Depends on the issue. Numerous trains operate in service every day with faults/issues. Just depends on whether it is safety critical etc.

 

[AlterEgo]

What would be the alternative though? You can’t really drive to Wembley on match day can you?

You can, just not right up to it. Canons Park is where I leave the car on match days, and get the tube in.

 

[Snex]

If Sunderland win no one will care about the train problem s.......

The Sheffield fans might have something else to say though. Have to remember the Midland Mainline is closed aswell, so it's not just the Sunderland fans using the ECML.

Haven't heard but it'll be interesting to see what happened with the LUMO passengers who followed their 'fantastic' advice today by getting a train to York and using Grand Central or you could go via Carlisle and get in at 15:01, which is useful.

 

[GordonT]

Will there be significant inescapable costs arising from crews who were detailed to work journeys (additional specials or "normal" cancellations) who will have been stood down with late notification?

 

[43066]

Will there be significant inescapable costs arising from crews who were detailed to work journeys (additional specials or "normal" cancellations) who will have been stood down with late notification?

Of course there will be. No full time employees should expect to be docked pay because their employer suddenly doesn’t need them. If train crew are “stood down” they’d likely sit spare or simply go home!

 

[123*]

The Sheffield fans might have something else to say though. Have to remember the Midland Mainline is closed aswell, so it's not just the Sunderland fans using the ECML.

Haven't heard but it'll be interesting to see what happened with the LUMO passengers who followed their 'fantastic' advice today by getting a train to York and using Grand Central or you could go via Carlisle and get in at 15:01, which is useful.

From what I read a lot of the supporters gambled and got on the next LNER service despite no ticket acceptance.

You’d really like to think some common sense was applied in this situation…

 

[crablab]

Most of them are (unexpected) similar faults.

It's an unfortunate coincidence that it's affected the additional services

That will be an unfortunate bill for Hitachi, being unable to supply the contractually agreed trains for service.

 

[Snex]

From what I read a lot of the supporters gambled and got on the next LNER service despite no ticket acceptance.

You’d really like to think some common sense was applied in this situation…

Yeah I heard that aswell, haven't seen anyone moaning about fines so guess they were allowed on. The Lumo advice was horrid though, comes across as a very much get them out of our sight and let someone else deal with it issue since they're not based at York.

 

[800001]

Yeah I heard that aswell, haven't seen anyone moaning about fines so guess they were allowed on. The Lumo advice was horrid though, comes across as a very much get them out of our sight and let someone else deal with it issue since they're not based at York.

Or that’s the only acceptance they could get?
LNER will of refused ticket acceptance due to issues they were having.
So the advice/options were probably all that was available to Lumo.

 

[Snex]

Or that’s the only acceptance they could get?
LNER will of refused ticket acceptance due to issues they were having.
So the advice/options were probably all that was available to Lumo.

I'm not sure Grand Central would accept that today. The trains were all full and standing from Sunderland and there's a Do Not Travel warning all morning. If they did, then they can join the criticism tbf. I'd assume it's some of acceptance they just have generally.

 

[800001]

I'm not sure Grand Central would accept that today. The trains were all full and standing from Sunderland and there's a Do Not Travel warning all morning. If they did, then they can join the criticism tbf. I'd assume it's some of acceptance they just have generally.

Lumo would only say to board GC if they had been given Authority by their control team (operated by XC).
Lumo would formally request this, not just go ahead and publish.