Signalling Problems between Watford Junction and London Euston 17th March 2024

[parkender102]

Yet another day of Chaos. Daughter just been turfed out at Milton Keynes and service cancelled along with many others. No information as to when things will start moving again - National Rail say 17:45 and then 16:00 Watford Junction to London Euston so not sure which is correct. I'm assuming she can just get on any train when things start moving as she's on a West Midlands Trains only Ticket.

Seems like it's the norm to have your journey delayed or cancelled nowadays. Twice in the 2 recent Return Journeys to Leeds made by my son and my wife and I we had our Leeds to Chester Journey cancelled at Manchester giving us an Hour to wait for the next service with no acceptance of tickets by Trans Pennine Express. Same excuse each time - no staff available. Usually a different excuse depending on whether you look at National Rail, Twitter or some other social media - useless.

 

[andythebrave]

Agreed. At Leighton Buzzard watching all the fasts go by with no information apart from what's been gleaned from Traksy which seems to show that LNW have effectively given up southbound even though the problem is cleared.

And this was already a divert to avoid the line closure between Luton and Bedford.

 

[21C101]

The scene at Milton Keynes is one of total Steaming incompetence.

They kettled everyone on the concourse and refused to let people on the platforms due to the disruption with the result that trains are now leaving without passengers (services are running again) including near empty trains that started north of Euston after being turned back

Now they have announced that they have closed the station because the concourse is "dangerously overcrowded"

 

[parkender102]

Daughter says no idea what is going on and neither do the MK Staff

But they are being let through

 

[21C101]

Daughter says no idea what is going on and neither do the MK Staff

But they are being let through

Latest witness report I have is that people are starting to lose it and shouting (which is what happens when people miss their trains north because they are not allowed through the barriers and have to wait potentially hours.

Suggest you tell your daughter to look at realtime trains or national rail depsrtures. Station management seem to not even be capable of looking at their train describer repeaters and making platform announcements before the train has departed

My contact (family member) likewise is going to gave to use an Avanti train on a west midlands advance ticket. I will take them through every court in the land if they don't accept it.

 

[parkender102]

I believe they've said Ticket Acceptance by any reasonable route so OK with WM Ticket to get on Avanti

It's unbelievable - I can't settle and get the Sunday Night Tea on until daughter is safely back in London.............

To think we took the Trans Siberian Railway in 1989 from Moscow to Beijing - a 6 day journey across god knows how many time zones and arrived in Beijing 3 minutes early

 

[21C101]

I

I believe they've said Ticket Acceptance by any reasonable route so OK with WM Ticket to get on Avanti

It's unbelievable - I can't settle and get the Sunday Night Tea on until daughter is safely back in London.............

To think we took the Trans Siberian Railway in 1989 from Moscow to Beijing - a 6 day journey across god knows how many time zones and arrived in Beijing 3 minutes early

same here.my son isnhesding north so much less train choice.

An hour ago a WM train runing 80mins late with all stations except stafford and crewe cancelled called which woupd have been ideal but everyone was kettled on the concourse.

Train going north now hit a boulder

 

[andythebrave]

I had to laugh.
Pic of display stating no train service next to train in service at platform.

 

[Amos]

Seems like I should change my name to lucky.Got to Euston at 18.20,on a train at 18.40 and back in MK at 19.10.

 

[Dave W]

Cna anyone elaborate on the issues? It seems unusual to me that Overground was also suspended north of Willesden. Did the entire system fall over?

 

[Amos]

Cna anyone elaborate on the issues? It seems unusual to me that Overground was also suspended north of Willesden. Did the entire system fall over?

Allegedly a signal problem at Kings Langley.

 

[The Planner]

Allegedly a signal problem at Kings Langley.

Further south than that, Hatch End.

 

[778]

Do express trains have priority over local trains in situations like this?

 

[parkender102]

Seems like I should change my name to lucky.Got to Euston at 18.20,on a train at 18.40 and back in MK at 19.10.

Things started moving at MK around 18:00 and Daughter got to Euston around 18:30 - 3 Hours late. Coincidentally she bumped into 2 friends off to Heathrow which was probably a bit worry for them with a flight to catch.

 

[12LDA28C]

This was ongoing since the morning, station PA announcements at MKC were alluding to signalling problems at 0930.

I was heading south in the evening on 9M56 which was on time until we got to Rugby then sat there for half an hour. No information given on the train until a PA announcement after 20 minutes stationary which isn't really acceptable. It's not like the guard could have been checking tickets as the train was so wedged with people standing in the aisles and sitting on the floor in the vestibules he couldn't have even attempted to get through.