OHLE Damage at Alexandra Palace (01/05)

[class387]

Anyone know the extent of the damage? Lines have been blocked for over one hour now.

 

[robbeech]

“Lines wrapped around pantograph of a GN Service” by all accounts.

 

[LewisT]

The only service I can see on OpenTrainTimes in the Alexandra Palace area is 2V84, a 313 from King's Cross to Welwyn GC, https://www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/G79820/2018-05-01. Not definitely this train but could well be, as it'd still be running on AC at Ally Pally.

Edit: Seems like I'm wrong, the train above is a 387 and is nothing to do with the disruption, and it's 3T22 which brought the wires down.

 

[jon0844]

The only service I can see on OpenTrainTimes in the Alexandra Palace area is 2V84, a 313 from King's Cross to Welwyn GC, https://www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/G79820/2018-05-01. Not definitely this train but could well be, as it'd still be running on AC at Ally Pally.

It's 3T22.

Buses ordered for Bedford to Sandy, Luton to Hitchin and St Albans to Hatfield. Also local buses at Potters Bar, presumably to get to the tube and acceptance on other local buses (e.g. Uno buses at Hatfield to Queensbury, St Albans, Borehamwood etc).

In other words, it's bad and Thameslink is the way to go this evening.

Update: fast lines opened but nothing to or from Hertford or Moorgate and what does run is likely to be very busy.

 

[gavin]

Power is back on boarding will commence soon at Kings X

 

[wipers]

Looks like everything is moving again.

 

[class387]

The only service I can see on OpenTrainTimes in the Alexandra Palace area is 2V84, a 313 from King's Cross to Welwyn GC, https://www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/G79820/2018-05-01. Not definitely this train but could well be, as it'd still be running on AC at Ally Pally.

2V84 is a 8 car 387.

 

[wipers]

387118/387124 is currently standing at Platform 3. Moorgate trains running on platform 2.

 

[Silver Cobra]

Looks like it was a 700 that brought the wires down, according to this pic posted on the VTEC website:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s1GuSab3NbHbzkWiXV8FRKeo-QU5Jzhz/view?pli=1

 

[Domh245]

Interesting, there had supposedly been issues between the 700s and the OLE in the Alexandra Palace area - I wonder if this is related or a different unfortunate coincidence.

 

[wipers]

I’m not sure where this actually happened as you can’t see anything from AP itself...

 

[SPADTrap]

The windscreen of the 700 looks to have struck something because it looked as if the wiper was melted to the screen!

 

[Domh245]

Looking at Traksy 3T22 is stopped just short of Finsbury Park (which is what I meant to say in my previous post!)

 

[bramling]

Looks like it was a 700 that brought the wires down, according to this pic posted on the VTEC website:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s1GuSab3NbHbzkWiXV8FRKeo-QU5Jzhz/view?pli=1

3T22 is indeed booked for a 700/0.

So more trouble with these wretched trains. I've experienced three delays/cancellations in the last two weeks associated with these trains, that's more than in two decades of 365s.

So the timetable isn't ready, the trains haven't bedded in yet, the drivers aren't trained yet, and only 3 out of 8 initially promised services per hour are going to running through to/from Thameslink. What a shambolic failure to deliver.

 

[tsr]

3T22 is indeed booked for a 700/0.

So more trouble with these wretched trains. I've experienced three delays/cancellations in the last two weeks associated with these trains, that's more than in two decades of 365s.

Punishment was inflicted swiftly. Another 700 ended up stranded in the Canal Tunnels due to the power being turned off in the area, and almost had to be evacuated via one of the new escape shafts...

 

[700007]

I am sorry, what are these wires made of?? How is this happening every week or so?

 

[Helvellyn]

700026 is the offending unit.

 

[Failed Unit]

700026 is the offending unit.

The 700s have a reputuation of wire damage in that area, but I wonder why, are the pantographs not the same as other EMUs that run on the route?

 

[bramling]

The 700s have a reputuation of wire damage in that area, but I wonder why, are the pantographs not the same as other EMUs that run on the route?

To be fair it’s quite possible the cause may be something unrelated to the unit. It just seems to be the case at present that every GN problem seems to have a Thameslink component somewhere in it.

Needless to say if this has happened in three weeks time the effect would have likely been utterly catastrophic.

 

[Failed Unit]

To be fair it’s quite possible the cause may be something unrelated to the unit. It just seems to be the case at present that every GN problem seems to have a Thameslink component somewhere in it.

Needless to say if this has happened in three weeks time the effect would have likely been utterly catastrophic.

I wouldn't say they are covering themselves with glory now, I guess Hornsey is blocked but 1918 Kings Cross - Ely and 2004 Kings Cross - Ely are both only 4 coaches, hardly getting people away from London. That is the one thing I am looking forward to the 700s - no more 4 coach trains!!!

 

[bramling]

I wouldn't say they are covering themselves with glory now, I guess Hornsey is blocked but 1918 Kings Cross - Ely and 2004 Kings Cross - Ely are both only 4 coaches, hardly getting people away from London. That is the one thing I am looking forward to the 700s - no more 4 coach trains!!!

GN looks like total carnage tonight. Barely any trains on the railway, yet like you say plenty of 4 cars running by the looks of it. Only one train GN between Hitchin and Peterborough!

Saving an absolutely massive recovery effort this evening it looks likely there may well be some follow-on disruption in the morning.

 

[robbeech]

I am sorry, what are these wires made of?? How is this happening every week or so?

Steel.
What are the tracks made of? Trains break down on them every day.

 

[class387]

Saving an absolutely massive recovery effort this evening it looks likely there may well be some follow-on disruption in the morning.

Will there need to be overnight emergency engineering work to repair the OHLE? Tomorrow morning would be a lot worse if there is.

 

[Bald Rick]

Needless to say if this has happened in three weeks time the effect would have likely been utterly catastrophic.

GN looks like total carnage tonight. Barely any trains on the railway, yet like you say plenty of 4 cars running by the looks of it. Only one train GN between Hitchin and Peterborough!

Well fancy that!

 

[philjo]

Kings Cross concourse looked complete chaos around 5pm. As soon as the website said ticket acceptance was in place I got thameslink fast service to Luton -managed to get a seat on a 12 coach service. I was expecting it to be much busier.
At Luton the Arriva bus driver accepted rail tickets to travel on the bus to Hitchin or Stevenage.

I see that some northbound services started at Potters Bar, Welwyn Gc and Letchworth.

 

[SPADTrap]

The service recovery is non existent on GN. I don't want to consider what happens when the answer to the problem no one ever had is in full swing.

 

[westv]

Needless to say if this has happened in three weeks time the effect would have likely been utterly catastrophic.

What happens in three weeks?

 

[Failed Unit]

The service recovery is non existent on GN. I don't want to consider what happens when the answer to the problem no one ever had is in full swing.

It was typical GTR to be honest. They set standards low. Although to be fair. I suspect they can’t get much out of Hornsey and it happened at the very beginning of the rush hour positioning times.

 

[swt_passenger]

What happens in three weeks?

the increase to 18 tph through the core tunnels, with what are presently “GN delays” affecting and being affected by a much wider area...

 

[Expression357]

It was typical GTR to be honest. They set standards low. Although to be fair. I suspect they can’t get much out of Hornsey and it happened at the very beginning of the rush hour positioning times.

Couldn’t get *anything* out of Hornsey due to the isolation limits.

As such GTR GN were having to manage with only whatever was on network at the time the incident started.

The initial isolation was extensive and then gradually reduced.