Stafford - trains stopped (evening of 09/10)

[brick60000]

Hello all,

Just sat outside Stafford station at the moment on 1M70. There appears to be trains stopped in p4,5&6 with train stopped at signals at the north end. All appears to be resuming now, but does anyone know what the reason for this hold up (unsure on length) was?

Regards,

Brick60000

 

[casualobserver]

deleted

 

[AndrewE]

Was that just a consequence of the problem, or the cause? If the latter I hope it has cost LM dear (unless it's because the unit hit something heavy.)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Was that just a consequence of the problem, or the cause? If the latter I hope it has cost LM dear (unless it's because the unit hit something heavy.)

I don't know but I doubt they did it for a laugh!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Which is why it infuriates me when passengers give staff a hard time

 

[AndrewE]

Well if it was "just to change a unit" (causing a 20 minute delay and maybe wrecking people's onward connections) then I hope the company pay a high price. I agree it's a shame that front-line staff get given a hard time, which is why a proper regulator of H&S should look at the underlying causes of passenger fury and go after the management. Disruption of journeys shouldn't be done simply for operating convenience. If the unit hit something and had to be taken out of service (or failed for another reason) then it's surprising that no explanation has emerged here yet, let alone that passengers affected didn't get any kind of update.

I was once on a grossly-overcrowded Holyhead to Cardiff via Crewe dmu which had no reservations showing (so everyone was repeatedly asked to move when the seat-holders got on...) On arrival at Chester we were all instructed to get off and get back on another set to go forward. No major delay but unnecessary aggro suffered by passengers all the way when the guard could have announced that the reservations would be available forward from Chester (instead of hiding and keeping stumm).

 

[The Planner]

1L92 hit a pheasant and sustained windscreen damage.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Traditionally when reservations were not placed it was the rule, and announced, that they did not apply.

Really, trains could do with having permanent signs stating what happens (a bit like the signs on French buses saying that if there is a dispute over whether the window is open or not, the default is that it is closed). It almost doesn't matter either way, what is important is that everyone is following the same rule and expectation.

 

[CC 72100]

1L92 hit a pheasant and sustained windscreen damage.

I'm pleased that some analysis has been made to the size of the bird in line with the Delay Attribution Guide there then!

 

[tsr]

I can quite understand unit swaps for causes of bird strikes etc., but it does strike me that LM and indeed a couple of other TOCs do a huge amount of set swaps at major stations compared with the rest. Indeed it seems that LM just send out random units and then pick up the pieces half way through the day. My main snapshot of this comes from Control messages and observations at Euston, but I believe passengers elsewhere do end up getting frustrated. So I could understand it if people think "oh no, here LM go again" when actually this situation is very much a necessity.

 

[brick60000]

Thanks all for the replies and information