Severe Weather Edinburgh - Inverness, WCML and elsewhere (22nd, 23rd May)

[fraser158]

Yesterday (22nd) LNER cancelled the 1200 London to Inverness at Edinburgh. As a result of that there is no set at Inverness to run today’s departure so it will be similarly curtailed.

Today (23rd) the 1200 London to Edinburgh is also listed as being cancelled at Edinburgh.

The service from Inverness tomorrow (24th) has not yet been listed, but if it doesn’t run to Inverness the previous day then it obviously can’t run back.

The only weather delays ScotRail are advising of for today are on the Glasgow South Western line.

How is it that ScotRail were able to operate between Perth and Inverness yesterday with only some delays but LNER could not operate them at all?

This isn’t intended to be any sort of bashing post, more to try and understand the difference in approach.

 

[hexagon789]

Yesterday (22nd) LNER cancelled the 1200 London to Inverness at Edinburgh. As a result of that there is no set at Inverness to run today’s departure so it will be similarly curtailed.

Today (23rd) the 1200 London to Edinburgh is also listed as being cancelled at Edinburgh.

The service from Inverness tomorrow (24th) has not yet been listed, but if it doesn’t run to Inverness the previous day then it obviously can’t run back.

The only weather delays ScotRail are advising of for today are on the Glasgow South Western line.

How is it that ScotRail were able to operate between Perth and Inverness yesterday with only some delays but LNER could not operate them at all?

This isn’t intended to be any sort of bashing post, more to try and understand the difference in approach.

I suspect it's because of the crewing arrangements for the Chieftain now, which don't really allow for significant delays.

 

[Carlisle]

Services severely disrupted north of Lancaster on the WCML too .

 

[WF4HA5HE]

Yesterday (22nd) LNER cancelled the 1200 London to Inverness at Edinburgh. As a result of that there is no set at Inverness to run today’s departure so it will be similarly curtailed.

Today (23rd) the 1200 London to Edinburgh is also listed as being cancelled at Edinburgh.

The service from Inverness tomorrow (24th) has not yet been listed, but if it doesn’t run to Inverness the previous day then it obviously can’t run back.

The only weather delays ScotRail are advising of for today are on the Glasgow South Western line.

How is it that ScotRail were able to operate between Perth and Inverness yesterday with only some delays but LNER could not operate them at all?

This isn’t intended to be any sort of bashing post, more to try and understand the difference in approach.

I would guess its due to crew hours which I think are pretty tight on the cheiften as crew Lodge in Inverness and the impact on pathing along the single line sections of the highland mainline.

 

[QueensCurve]

Services severely disrupted north of Lancaster on the WCML too .

A complaint on Twiter that Avanti have given up north of Preston again: https://twitter.com/pacer142/status/1793563135644958976.

 

[DannyMich2018]

The weather is quite strange at the minute, the last few weeks have seen (in Leicestershire) some days up to 23C, it rained most of yesterday and down to only 14C today!

 

[Deafdoggie]

The weather is quite strange at the minute, the last few weeks have seen (in Leicestershire) some days up to 23C, it rained most of yesterday and down to only 14C today!

"British railways can't cope with British weather" doesn't make Britain's railways look good. 14° and 23° are hardly abnormal temperatures.

 

[Moonshot]

A complaint on Twiter that Avanti have given up north of Preston again: https://twitter.com/pacer142/status/1793563135644958976.

Having just seen a photo of the flooding, it's safe to say no trains will be going through that section of track.

 

[800001]

Having just seen a photo of the flooding, it's safe to say no trains will be going through that section of track.

But that is north of Carlisle station.
The customers question/point is valid, as commented on here many times Avanti always give in and terminate at Preston.

Always arguments/discussion about capacity at Carlisle station, Scottish crews who work south to Preston etc.

 

[Moonshot]

But that is north of Carlisle station.
The customers question/point is valid, as commented on here many times Avanti always give in and terminate at Preston.

Always arguments/discussion about capacity at Carlisle station, Scottish crews who work south to Preston etc.

Clearly some good reasons for that.

 

[Kite159]

But that is north of Carlisle station.
The customers question/point is valid, as commented on here many times Avanti always give in and terminate at Preston.

Always arguments/discussion about capacity at Carlisle station, Scottish crews who work south to Preston etc.

File under the "too much like putting the passenger first" pile into why they can't run even a hourly shuttle between Preston & Carlisle.
Assuming there are no issues between Oxenholme & Carlisle

 

[800001]

Yesterday (22nd) LNER cancelled the 1200 London to Inverness at Edinburgh. As a result of that there is no set at Inverness to run today’s departure so it will be similarly curtailed.

Today (23rd) the 1200 London to Edinburgh is also listed as being cancelled at Edinburgh.

The service from Inverness tomorrow (24th) has not yet been listed, but if it doesn’t run to Inverness the previous day then it obviously can’t run back.

The only weather delays ScotRail are advising of for today are on the Glasgow South Western line.

How is it that ScotRail were able to operate between Perth and Inverness yesterday with only some delays but LNER could not operate them at all?

This isn’t intended to be any sort of bashing post, more to try and understand the difference in approach.

The service has been reinstated from Edinburgh to Inverness, running as 1Z16 Edinburgh to Inverness formed off 1W16.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Assuming there are no issues between Oxenholme & Carlisle

Be right in saying that TPE are now running a limited service between Preston and Carlisle (but not beyond)?

 

[Stathern Jc]

The service has been reinstated from Edinburgh to Inverness, running as 1Z16 Edinburgh to Inverness formed off 1W16.

That's made my day!
I've a ticket booked for the Chieftain tomorrow morning. And on the way back tomorrow evening with a trip to Berwick and back with TPE inbetween.
Had seen the 1W16 was cancelled this evening, and looking at the LNER Website assumed that tickets showing for tomorrow morning were because an update would happen overnight. Just seen 1Z16 appear on RTT, must've happened in the last half hour.

Just didn't fancy the bus to Edinburgh, not much of a day out compared with the train and having breakfast while enjoying the scenery.
If I wanted to do the A9 I'd drive it myself, awful road that it is.

P.S.
Just noticed a comment on the LNER App that "Catering is not available" in the Additional 1633 Edinburgh-Inverness.
Made me wonder whether the catering supplies for the morning Chieftain are loaded up at Edinburgh on the previous afternoon; probably likely? So might be sensible to take some emergency rations??

 

[800001]

That's made my day!
I've a ticket booked for the Chieftain tomorrow morning. And on the way back tomorrow evening with a trip to Berwick and back with TPE inbetween.
Had seen the 1W16 was cancelled this evening, and looking at the LNER Website assumed that tickets showing for tomorrow morning were because an update would happen overnight. Just seen 1Z16 appear on RTT, must've happened in the last half hour.

Just didn't fancy the bus to Edinburgh, not much of a day out compared with the train and having breakfast while enjoying the scenery.
If I wanted to do the A9 I'd drive it myself, awful road that it is.

Yeah nothing beats a relaxing run down the highland mainline, I can imagine there will be some very interfaith water levels in rivers on route.

 

[bleeder4]

The Saphos steam charter 1Z44, from what I can see, was the first train to have gone from Preston to Carlisle today. It arrived ran early for most of the trip, due to the WCML being so empty.

 

[Kite159]

The Saphos steam charter 1Z44, from what I can see, was the first train to have gone from Preston to Carlisle today. It arrived ran early for most of the trip, due to the WCML being so empty.

Seems 1S46 1021 Manchester Piccadilly to Carlisle made it to Carlisle with another TPE an hour later looking at RTT. So at least the rail industry is attempting to run a service to reduce the need for replacement buses from Preston.

 

[williamn]

In my experience LNER seem to cancel anything north of Edinburgh at the merest whiff of any unusual weather.

 

[londonmidland]

Network Rail Scotland from Twitter/X:

The River Caldew has burst its banks and flooded the West Coast Main Line in Carlisle, meaning services between Glasgow Central / Edinburgh Waverley and Carlisle cannot run.

Some pictures showing the flooding just north of Carlisle station:

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Presume that was the view, a little earlier today, from up on Bridge Street, Carlisle, looking down on the Castle car park, the flooded WCML and the River Caldew.

 

[Deafdoggie]

So no trains, but the RRBs ran?

 

[fraser158]

That's made my day!
I've a ticket booked for the Chieftain tomorrow morning. And on the way back tomorrow evening with a trip to Berwick and back with TPE inbetween.
Had seen the 1W16 was cancelled this evening, and looking at the LNER Website assumed that tickets showing for tomorrow morning were because an update would happen overnight. Just seen 1Z16 appear on RTT, must've happened in the last half hour.

Just didn't fancy the bus to Edinburgh, not much of a day out compared with the train and having breakfast while enjoying the scenery.
If I wanted to do the A9 I'd drive it myself, awful road that it is.

P.S.
Just noticed a comment on the LNER App that "Catering is not available" in the Additional 1633 Edinburgh-Inverness.
Made me wonder whether the catering supplies for the morning Chieftain are loaded up at Edinburgh on the previous afternoon; probably likely? So might be sensible to take some emergency rations??

I have to admit this was my ulterior reason for starting the thread!

 

[cambsy]

Looking at the extent of flooding just outside Carlisle station, is there much chance services running to Glasgow Central tomorrow?.National Rail enquiries saying disruption just for today at moment.

 

[TrainsToday]

I’ve just been at Inverness, still around the area right now. And the biggest delay that I saw was ~15-20 minutes.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

But that is north of Carlisle station.

The customers question/point is valid, as commented on here many times Avanti always give in and terminate at Preston.

Always arguments/discussion about capacity at Carlisle station, Scottish crews who work south to Preston etc.

Clearly some good reasons for that.

Presume Avanti must have some drivers and train crew based at Preston who work the Northern half of the WCML. So, no possibility of even a very limited Preston - Lancaster - Oxenholme - Penrith - Carlisle shuttle?

Obviously their staff based in Scotland won't have been going anywhere today.

 

[cambsy]

WCML re opened, first southbound service through is 15.38 Glasgow Central-Euston with 390156.

 

[The exile]

"British railways can't cope with British weather" doesn't make Britain's railways look good. 14° and 23° are hardly abnormal temperatures.

Don’t think the temperature is the problem!

 

[Kaydee]

Interesting to see that according to Real Time Trains today's Saphos steam special ran as scheduled up to Carlisle via Shap in the morning and back via the S&C this afternoon. But TPE and Avanti can't get there!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Interesting to see that according to Real Time Trains today's Saphos steam special ran as scheduled up to Carlisle via Shap in the morning and back via the S&C this afternoon. But TPE and Avanti can't get there!

TPE have actually managed to run several services between Carlisle and Preston this afternoon, haven't they?

 

[Stathern Jc]

I have to admit this was my ulterior reason for starting the thread!

Appreciate your effort
Maybe bump into you in the morning.