Severe weather Saturday 7th October, some ScotRail services suspended.

[Taunton]

In the usual Avanti way when there is disruption in Scotland, there were even cancellations on the Birmingham to London service, from the trains through routed via there. I have put up with this more than once before, and stood the whole journey. The service level is based of course on the normal demand between these two places, but it is seen as an easy option to just expect people to get the next, already well-filled, one. Quite what was being done with all the trains terminated at Preston is not apparent. Is there no Game Plan for how to handle the regular disruptions at the north end impacting things in the south (and presumably vice-versa).

 

[swt_passenger]

I thought that was the case.

Ah, found the first mention in the 2022 timetable thread, there are a number of later posts as well:

May 2022 Timetable Changes

The withdrawal of the Glenrothes - Kirkcaldy section and the ScotRail fast services between Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy is now showing. A permanent journey time penalty for Cupar, Ladybank, Markinch and Kirkcaldy to Inverkeithing, Haymarket and Edinburgh of 6 or so minutes. Particularly poor for...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Wivenswold]

I can see a time when a Scottish Parliament demands half of the revenue for cross-border tickets and maybe that already happens behind the scenes.
Purely from a rail enthusiast and passenger perspective I'd love it if you had a choice of an English or Scottish operator to get me from London to Scotland.

Back to the weather and it's looking a little drier this week in Scotland. Wales and the NW of England could be under a deluge by the end of this coming week though.

 

[dk1]

Ah, found the first mention in the 2022 timetable thread, there are a number of later posts as well:

May 2022 Timetable Changes

The withdrawal of the Glenrothes - Kirkcaldy section and the ScotRail fast services between Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy is now showing. A permanent journey time penalty for Cupar, Ladybank, Markinch and Kirkcaldy to Inverkeithing, Haymarket and Edinburgh of 6 or so minutes. Particularly poor for...

www.railforums.co.uk

Thank you. Once did Stranraer to Newcastle. Now that was tedious beyond belief.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Not since May 2022, I think it was discussed here at the time.

Shows what working from home does lol.

 

[JamieL]

I'd love it if you had a choice of an English or Scottish operator to get me from London to Scotland.

There is already this choice with the Caledonian Sleeper! I do agree through, an hourly Scotrail express service from London to Glasgow/Edinburgh would be great.

 

[D6130]

Within the past hour, the Met Office have issued a severe flood warning for the Dalfaber area of Aviemore. This could impact the Strathspey Railway and their depot and yard - as if they don't have enough problems already - and possibly the Highland Main Line to the North of the station....although that is less vunerable as it is on a rising gradient at that point. (Source: BBC News website).

 

[Morayshire]

Within the past hour, the Met Office have issued a severe flood warning for the Dalfaber area of Aviemore. This could impact the Strathspey Railway and their depot and yard - as if they don't have enough problems already - and possibly the Highland Main Line to the North of the station....although that is less vunerable as it is on a rising gradient at that point. (Source: BBC News website).

Nothing seems to be moving on the rails between Dundee and Aberdeen either although given the list of local road closures this morning that is no surprise either. Going to be "interesting" getting to work tomorrow!

 

[30907]

No - but when they realised they were able to run services the advice should’ve been changed to reflect this.

Agreed

There’s nothing saying no trains south of Kilmarnock, just that trains from Carlisle will terminate at Kilmarnock, where local services will take us to Glasgow. Luckily, I only needed as far as Dumfries

Apologies, I obviously misread the summary. That makes better sense, with a 40 limit (rightly or wrongly) to the south.

 

[QueensCurve]

Disagree.

The WCML from Carlisle to Carstairs runs though territory prone to flooding, if not the occasional bridge being swept away. The weather forecast for tomorrow is horrible, hence train operators being realistic. “Passengers stuck on a train” is worse than “Passengers told not to travel”.

The decision to terminate the service at Preston reflects the crew change does it not|?

 

[marks87]

The line between Dunblane and Perth is closed after flooding washed away the track bed just south of the River Earn viaduct. It will remain closed tomorrow.

https://x.com/networkrailscot/status/1711004304729878821?s=46&t=ok__OkqZ7gTBweIuhUaACA

Link is to a post on X/Twitter from Network Rail with a video showing the damage to the track bed.

 

[john349uk]

I'm booked on the down Chieftain tomorrow, York to Inverness. Been hoping by some miracle everything would be OK. Acceptance of a long drive is slowly dawning on me!

 

[ItsGrimUpNorth]

I travelled from Carlisle to Preston (and back) yesterday, as part of a trip to Horwich Parkway for the Football.

A lot of the confusion yesterday, came down to the fact Avanti have woefully inaccurate communications.

We were booked on the 10:50 south. This was cancelled ‘officially’ but a VSTP ran Glasgow to Preston in it’s place, that left Glasgow early and upon it’s arrival into Carlisle was announced as ‘Not stopping here’. It promptly stopped, the platform monitors showing it as a delayed 10:09 service and not a 10:50. Nearing Preston, the guard announced that nothing would travel north after 16:25 and people should abandon journeys/return home.

The way back was even more fun! Whilst travelling from Horwich Parkway to Preston, received three separate emails saying the 18:41 was first reinstated, then cancelled, then reinstated again. When we arrived into Preston, a northbound TPE was on the adjacent platform. Cue a dash for about 300 passengers on to it. The guard did say a later service (Assume he meant the 18:41) was due to run but nobody was chancing getting off in case it didn’t run!

A friend messaged me to say they caught the 18:41 which did run in the end, indeed RTT showed it went all the way to Glasgow!

Appreciate days like yesterday are fluid, an ever changing landscape, but as echoed already, Avanti really need to look at prioritising travel to Carlisle when Scotland suffers more in times of disruption. The onward connections alone warrant this?

 

[dk1]

I'm booked on the down Chieftain tomorrow, York to Inverness. Been hoping by some miracle everything would be OK. Acceptance of a long drive is slowly dawning on me!

Why don’t you just go with whatever LNER provides? The thought of driving would fill me with far more dread.

 

[D1537]

Why don’t you just go with whatever LNER provides? The thought of driving would fill me with far more dread.

That's not exactly useful if you get to Edinburgh and find there are no northbound services. Unless the morning timetable is showing them running through, I would be driving as well.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If the line between Dunblane and Perth is closed for a few days, couldn't affected through services to/from Edinburgh and Inverness just be re-routed via Kirkcaldy?

 

[800001]

That's not exactly useful if you get to Edinburgh and find there are no northbound services. Unless the morning timetable is showing them running through, I would be driving as well.

If they terminate at Edinburgh then replacement transport will be provided.

Update 1845
09/10/23 - 1W16 12:00 Kings Cross to Inverness will run through to destination, however, Due to service flooding between Stirling and Perth, this service will be diverted via Ladybank and will no longer call at Falkirk Grahamston, Stirling and Gleneagles.

 

[john349uk]

Ah, I was thinking the line was going to be totally blocked north of Newcastle so I didn't fancy two diversions (Carlisle and the Scottish one) but seemingly a limited amount of LNER's can get through. Am now thinking to give the train a go and see what happens.

 

[dk1]

That's not exactly useful if you get to Edinburgh and find there are no northbound services. Unless the morning timetable is showing them running through, I would be driving as well.

You’ll be offered an alternative to complete your journey. Go with the flow.

 

[Deepgreen]

The railway call travellers customers and a customer is a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business.

The railway didn't call passengers 'customers' until privatisation brought in its own raft of misnomers in a pathetic attempt to make transport seem just like a supermarket, when it blindingly obviously isn't. Buying services such as public transport is not the same as buying goods.

The fact is that there are so many factors involved in pushing the railway (and some other spheres of activity) towards ever-greater caution and willingness to abandon their functions in the face of adversity - weather extremes are becoming more frequent, forecasting is improving, risk-aversion is increasing and infrastructure/vehicles are, while becoming more technically advanced, actually seemingly far more delicate and unable to cope with those adverse conditions.

 

[muz379]

The point being, Avanti shouldn't have the contract if they can't be relied on to run the full route, you may as well split it in 2.

On a day like yesterday that wouldn't have been the silver bullet you seem to think it would have been though .

If scotrail run the carlisle to glasgow/edinburgh express services then theyd either need to establish a depot at preston or face the same issues .

Doesnt matter what badge is on the side of the train they still have to comply with ESR's and any crew based in Edinburgh or Glasgow would have still faced serious challenges in getting to work in the weather yesterday .

 

[800001]

If they terminate at Edinburgh then replacement transport will be provided.

Update 1845
09/10/23 - 1W16 12:00 Kings Cross to Inverness will run through to destination, however, Due to service flooding between Stirling and Perth, this service will be diverted via Ladybank and will no longer call at Falkirk Grahamston, Stirling and Gleneagles.

Now terminating at Perth tomorrow, with onward road transport provided.

 

[Gonzoiku]

Appreciate days like yesterday are fluid....

Go with the flow.

Care to rephrase?

GZ

 

[43096]

The railway didn't call passengers 'customers' until privatisation brought in its own raft of misnomers in a pathetic attempt to make transport seem just like a supermarket, when it blindingly obviously isn't. Buying services such as public transport is not the same as buying goods.

It's not that different from buying a meal in a restaurant, or a car wash, or any other service that you buy. You are a customer. It would be a whole lot better if the railway actually treated us as paying customers and not an inconvenience/"self loading cargo" or however it is those paying for the service are referred to by those paid to provide the service.

 

[dk1]

Care to rephrase?

GZ

Not really haha.

 

[12LDA28C]

Ah, I was thinking the line was going to be totally blocked north of Newcastle so I didn't fancy two diversions (Carlisle and the Scottish one) but seemingly a limited amount of LNER's can get through. Am now thinking to give the train a go and see what happens.

Assuming the viaduct at Cramlington doesn't collapse in the mean time...

 

[QueensCurve]

Trudy Harrison isn't standing for the next election

Good news for Copeland.

The railway didn't call passengers 'customers' until privatisation brought in its own raft of misnomers in a pathetic attempt to make transport seem just like a supermarket, when it blindingly obviously isn't. Buying services such as public transport is not the same as buying goods.

Actually British Rail started calling passengers "cutomers" in the 1980s.