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Thameslink Chaos (07/11/11)

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Furrball

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Signalling problems at City causing massive disruption through the morning peak.

Trains delayed by 2 hours +

Related to weekend works?
 
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philjo

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ON FCC website:
Line problem: at City Thameslink.
Owing to signalling problems at City Thameslink trains have to run at reduced speed on southbound lines.
Impact:
Train services running through this station may be cancelled or delayed at short notice. An estimate for the resumption of normal services will be provided as soon as the problem has been fully assessed.
Customer Advice:
FCC tickets will be accepted on bus routes 620,621,330 from St Albans to Hatfield.
A shuttle train service will operate between Hayward's Heath and Brighton until further notice.
East Midlands Trains and Southern services are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Capital Connect (TL) rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.
Additional Information:
Due signalling problem at City Thameslink southbound trains are having to run at reduced speed, some delays of up to 90 minutes are occurring. FCC tickets will be accepted on the London Underground, and FCC Great Northern route, until further notice.
Message Received :07/11/2011 12:12
 

Aictos

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Signalling problems at City causing massive disruption through the morning peak.

Trains delayed by 2 hours +

Related to weekend works?

Not at all, it's signalling problems affecting Southbound services only with these services running at reduced speed.
 

rmt-driver

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Not at all, it's signalling problems affecting Southbound services only with these services running at reduced speed.

That is some reduced speed to be two hours late... 10 mph all the way from Bedford to Brighton ????
 

ChiefPlanner

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Tell me about it - baled out at Mill Hill and caught bus to Northern line - 3 hours door to door in reaction. Almost a record for a delay in my 20+ years of commuting. Slow lines were a lineear parking spot for 319's.
 

ushawk

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The 08.40 Bedford to Brighton was due into Brighton at 10.55 - due in at 13.43 - 2 hours and 49 minutes late. All FCC trains from Bedford arriving into Brighton are all well over an hour late so this must be a pretty bad problem.
 

ChiefPlanner

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2 signals stuck at red at C TLK , - 14 trains in a line at 0840 back to St Albans - some Sutton services over 2 hrs late .........
 

Furrball

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Heavy knock on delays into the evening rush hour - lack of stopping trains now seems to be an issue looking at tweets from waiting passengers.
 

asylumxl

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Been caught up in this all day. Way into London was advised to use Hitchin (bit of a trek when I've just come from that direction) but drove in with a relative.

There are a few trains running from St Pancras International low level and this is what I have caught on my return. It's a start. South of St Pancras International there is no service till further notice posters.
 

Aictos

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That is some reduced speed to be two hours late... 10 mph all the way from Bedford to Brighton ????

Nah, 5mph with wheelskates :lol:

To be honest, I'm not surprised at the delays - just think this will be a regular thing when GN services run though to Thameslink destinations in 2015+.......
 

TheJRB

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According to NRE, 1E95 16:36 Bedford to Ashford International appears to be calling at all stations on the Catford loop line and will be diverted after Otford via the Bat & Ball line and will call additionally at Paddock Wood before running fast to Ashford.

Has the signalling problem been resolved?
 

RJ

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Oh dear, I had hoped to catch the 10:54 from Denmark Hill to St Pancras this morning which was cancelled. Ended up missing my EMT train and being delayed by an hour!
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Nah, 5mph with wheelskates :lol:

when GN services run though to Thameslink destinations in 2015+.......

When GN do also run south, will there be 2 more platforms bought into use at ST. P. low level?, I know in the orig plans there were supposed to be 4 platforms when thinking ahead for the future, not sure if they finally got the go ahead though. If not it will be a squeeze. I also heard that Wimbledon/Sutton trains won't go further north than Blackfriars or City T/L, which is daft as that will mean they won't even go to ST.P with all the interchange facilities there. They could at least go a little further north.
 

asylumxl

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When GN do also run south, will there be 2 more platforms bought into use at ST. P. low level?, I know in the orig plans there were supposed to be 4 platforms when thinking ahead for the future, not sure if they finally got the go ahead though. If not it will be a squeeze. I also heard that Wimbledon/Sutton trains won't go further north than Blackfriars or City T/L, which is daft as that will mean they won't even go to ST.P with all the interchange facilities there. They could at least go a little further north.

AFAIK it will remain 2 platforms. And I'll be honest, I think it's ridiculous. Even with the current level of service one delay has a big knock on effect.
 

williamn

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I dont understand why on earth this was causing such huge problems 7 hours on. I wanted to take a picture of the messages on the (useless) departure board at St Pancras which said something like 'This train is probably running but it's not been confirmed' Helpful.
 

Firestarter

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AFAIK it will remain 2 platforms. And I'll be honest, I think it's ridiculous. Even with the current level of service one delay has a big knock on effect.

Is it even physical possible to to build a further two platforms?
 

Firestarter

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When GN do also run south, will there be 2 more platforms bought into use at ST. P. low level?, I know in the orig plans there were supposed to be 4 platforms when thinking ahead for the future, not sure if they finally got the go ahead though. If not it will be a squeeze. I also heard that Wimbledon/Sutton trains won't go further north than Blackfriars or City T/L, which is daft as that will mean they won't even go to ST.P with all the interchange facilities there. They could at least go a little further north.

Is there anywhere online to see the original plans?
 

Bald Rick

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Comfortably the worst service management and recovery I've seen in nearly a decade of commuting on the route. Trains were still leaving Bedford (on time) after 0900 when trains were stood at almost every signal between Harpenden and Kentish Town.

All for a relatively simple track circuit failure caused by a (probable) installation error on the weekend's work.
 

DaveNewcastle

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I wanted to take a picture of the messages on the (useless) departure board at St Pancras which said something like 'This train is probably running but it's not been confirmed' Helpful.
around midday the dispays above the barriers at St.P simply reported everything as 'delayed', though staff were advising sensible alternatives, though also claiming that services were expected to be runing in 20 or 30 minutes. 3 hours later at a ghostly and desolate Blackfriars, the Announcer was enthusing about services in 20 or 30 minutes.
But there was no one left to listen.
 

ChiefPlanner

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Some horrendous delays - was on 2E19 this morning - 0816 off SAC (late start reaction due wife being called out overnight for a home birth !) - stood over 60 mins at Elstree (not in platform) thank God the train was not overcrowded - some of the preceding fasts were rammed solid so those folk would have had a terrible stand. Eventually limped forward signal by painful signal - and knowing there were 11 in front (thanks to call made to friend with TRUST access) - baled out at Mill Hill and took a bus to Edgware then the Northern Line. A 3 hour journey.

Trains were running up to 125 late - some worse - this evening was carnage with the much delayed fasts often 4 cars as they were basically very late off peak trains coming up from Brighton. Horrendous crowding - I got the 1654 running nearly 60 late - a very slow 8 car with a massive crowd on board virtually all the way to St Albans. Worst seen for a very long time - though the TT was slowly being restored southbound at least.

All down to a failure at 0631 on VS1059 and VS1061 signals on the down Snow Hill lines.
 

Mutant Lemming

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So glad I drove in to work today. Which is something I seem to be doing more and more often. So the question is should I renew next month ?
 

Lee_Again

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I've got loads of stuff downloaded from the Thameslink 2000 enquiries, there's no mention anywhere of a four platform layout at St Pancras LL.

There never was a plan to use 4 platforms. A major ommission IMHO. Just look at today. And all that backing up on to GN just north of Kings Cross all too soon.

That section between Kentish Town and Blackfriars, while excellent in theory, has no fall back plan for when things go wrong.

St Pancras wouldn't have to be much bigger to fit a third and fourth track down the sides. 2 extra faces and more importantly, somewhere to put failed trains.

Those sidings in Snow Hill, what would it take to make them passing loops?

Track Circuits....with the hugh costs involved and the potential knock-on effects when it goes wrong (all too often) surely it would be cheaper and more reliable to use human signals. Surely 20 guys with walkie talkies or even shouting at each other would be more reliable and cheaper.
 
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