Thameslink problems 27-Dec-23

[Freightmaster]

I understand that over the coming Christmas holiday, 4 workstations will be introduced at West Hampstead in the former Maintainers’ Mess & Locker Room as a temporary measure. These will replace the present "eNtrance-eXit" (N-X) panel that was installed in the late 1970s when West Hampstead was built. This will free up the current room with the N-X panel to allow said panel to be removed. (Regrettably we don't have the room at St Albans South to preserve it!) The control of the 4 MML platforms will be moved back to West Hampstead from Three Bridges ROC.
The present N-X panel room will be refurbished and the workstations eventually moved there from their temporary location.
There are no alterations to the signals themselves.

Not a good start for the supposedly 'upgraded' signalling system so far - multiple signalling failures causing
significant delays to Thameslink services and nothing able to run in/out of platforms 1-4* at St Pancras:

Incident: St Albans | National Rail

Disruption to Thameslink services between St Albans and London St Pancras International. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

* luckily only a Wellingborough shuttle is operating today.




MARK

 

[John Webb]

Not a good start for the supposedly 'upgraded' signalling system so far - multiple signalling failures causing
significant delays to Thameslink services and nothing able to run in/out of platforms 1-4* at St Pancras:


* luckily only a Wellingborough shuttle is operating today.

MARK

Oh dear!

 

[baz962]

Not a good start for the supposedly 'upgraded' signalling system so far - multiple signalling failures causing
significant delays to Thameslink services and nothing able to run in/out of platforms 1-4* at St Pancras:

Incident: St Albans | National Rail

Disruption to Thameslink services between St Albans and London St Pancras International. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

* luckily only a Wellingborough shuttle is operating today.




MARK

Erm nope. Wellingborough canned too.

 

[Somewhere]

There would appear to be another pantograph strike this morning

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

There would appear to be another pantograph strike this morning

Its the new (more reliable) signalling system thats fallen over already from St Pancras Northwards i believe

 

[Somewhere]

Its the new (more reliable) signalling system thats fallen over already from St Pancras Northwards i believe

Plus overrunning engineering work on the Catford Loop and a Pantograph not lowered again at Blackfriars. More than one incident
SouthEastern are supposed to be using Blackfriars today but have been banished because of this incident

https://twitter.com/Se_Railway/status/1739950209432437091?t=itznLsvDn1p_BjTs9ZrOZQ&s=19

⚠️NEW: The lines are blocked at #LondonBlackfriars while engineers work to repair a broken down train and need the power switched off while they repair the train.

Trains between Blackfriars and Orpington will start and finish their journey at Elephant & Castle.

 

[Trainguy34]

I know that it's messed up Swanley, Medway and Dartford a bit as nothing could go through Swanley, causing congestion near Dartford and all of this has messed up Thameslink and therefore Medway, also messing up the whole Chatham Mainline. Would be even worse if it wasn't for extended turnarounds at Dover and Ramsgate - but that's for another thread.

 

[WizCastro197]

Messed up services in the Redhill area too. No Victoria services (anyone know why, nothing shown on their engineering page), now no Bedfords, which leaves juts 2tph to Peterborough.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Plus overrunning engineering work on the Catford Loop and a Pantograph not lowered again at Blackfriars. More than one incident
SouthEastern are supposed to be using Blackfriars today but have been banished because of this incident

which train had the panto incident then?

Messed up services in the Redhill area too. No Victoria services (anyone know why, nothing shown on their engineering page), now no Bedfords, which leaves juts 2tph to Peterborough.

Theres no Thameslinks at all currently and no idea why the 1Rxx's VICs arent running this week as nothing on Southern page about it as you say. Last train London Bound was nearly 3hrs ago although they've now put calls on the Arun valleys by the looks of it.

 

[Somewhere]

which train had the panto incident then?

Not sure. Possibly that 9T02 dumped in the bay

 

[MrJeeves]

Not sure. Possibly that 9T02 dumped in the bay

+36 at BFR, but also seems to have made it into CTK before reversing out, so who knows?

Realtime Trains | 9T02 0558 Brighton to City Thameslink | 27/12/2023

Real-time train running information for 9T02 0558 departure from Brighton to City Thameslink on 27/12/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Peregrine 4903]

which train had the panto incident then?


Theres no Thameslinks at all currently and no idea why the 1Rxx's VICs arent running this week as nothing on Southern page about it as you say. Last train London Bound was nearly 3hrs ago although they've now put calls on the Arun valleys by the looks of it.

Selhurst Depot is blocked all day today and tommorow. That's why there are no Southern Victoria to Reigate services as the units are trapped in Selhurst Depot.

Also the Up Slow is blocked between Glooucester Road Junction/Windmill Bridge Junction and Norwood Junction until Friday. They are doing a renewal of the points to access Selhurst Depot from the Up Slow. So a few service groups have been taken out.

 

[jon0844]

Not sure. Possibly that 9T02 dumped in the bay

Apparently a fault with the pantograph, but not necessarily hitting anything?

 

[Minstral25]

Messed up services in the Redhill area too. No Victoria services (anyone know why, nothing shown on their engineering page), now no Bedfords, which leaves juts 2tph to Peterborough.

Not sure why 1R Victoria services have been cancelled but they are withdrawn on Wednesday and Thursday this week (Edit: Ah Selhurst depot closed - thanks Peregrine). It was announced in advance but not on their engineering page.

Apparently no train has gone north from Redhill for over 3 hours now. Not even a shuttle to London Bridge, absolute failure of service. They have not yet acknowledged this problem from Redhill at all.

 

[Somewhere]

Selhurst Depot is blocked all day today and tommorow. That's why there are no Southern Victoria to Reigate services as the units are trapped in Selhurst Depot.

Also the Up Slow is blocked between Glooucester Road Junction/Windmill Bridge Junction and Norwood Junction until Friday. They are doing a renewal of the points to access Selhurst Depot from the Up Slow. So a few service groups have been taken out.

It seems the Caterham and Tattenham trains are also shuttles. No information about that on Souhern's website either
Purley Oaks appears to have zero service and zero information about the lack of a service

 

[Peregrine 4903]

It seems the Caterham and Tattenham trains are also shuttles. No information about that on Souhern's website either

That's because of Selhurst Depot being blocked and the Up Slow being blocked between Cottage Junction and Norwood Junction. No capacity for the London Bridge to Caterham/Tattenham services to cross to the Up Fast at East Croydon, and some of the units will be in Selhurst Depot.

 

[Somewhere]

That's because of Selhurst Depot being blocked and the Up Slow being blocked between Cottage Junction and Norwood Junction. No capacity for the London Bridge to Caterham/Tattenham services to cross to the Up Fast at East Croydon, and some of the units will be in Selhurst Depot.

Yeah, I understand that from your previous post. What I don't understand is why Southern haven't got any information about it on their website

 

[MrJeeves]

Apparently a fault with the pantograph, but not necessarily hitting anything?

That would explain the movement up to CTK, then going back to Blackfriars.

 

[Minstral25]

Yeah, I understand that from your previous post. What I don't understand is why Southern haven't got any information about it on their website

They have no details about the Reigate Cancellations either

 

[Somewhere]

Apparently a fault with the pantograph, but not necessarily hitting anything?

That information is where? Maybe its being a bit vague with the full picture

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Not sure why 1R Victoria services have been cancelled but they are withdrawn on Wednesday and Thursday this week (Edit: Ah Selhurst depot closed - thanks Peregrine). It was announced in advance but not on their engineering page.

Apparently no train has gone north from Redhill for over 3 hours now. Not even a shuttle to London Bridge, absolute failure of service. They have not yet acknowledged this problem from Redhill at all.

Come on @Minstral25 you know we aren't worthy at Redhill as we are only the sixth busiest station on the Southern network

 

[Minstral25]

Come on @Minstral25 you know we aren't worthy at Redhill as we are only the sixth busiest station on the Southern network

Was 6th - people are giving up in their droves. One of the poorest recoveries of any route since Covid, due mostly to lack of reliable services since 2021. Too many failures and cancellations.

 

[flitwickbeds]

What's actually happening on Thameslink today? GTR reporting multiple reoccurring signal failures with the headline "major disruption between St Albans and St Pancras", and a limited service between Bedford and London due to problems between Cricklewood and West Hampstead.

Meanwhile EMT are saying that a signal fault between Bedford and Luton is causing disruption, with no trains able to be run through that area.

So how would Thameslink be able to offer any limited service at all assuming there are 3 faults, one north of Luton and one south of Cricklewood?

Traksy showing zero moving trains at all, with some stationary trains around Bedford marked as earlier Sutton to St Albans services which have obviously been sent onto Bedford after their journey.

 

[jon0844]

Trains do appear to be moving, but you can't see them via the data feed from NR to various apps. It appears that's still stuck showing T3s in place over Christmas.

 

[flitwickbeds]

The National Rail app suggests that the last train from Flitwick to reach London was the 0629 departure, which got to Pancras 1h25 late at 0825.

The 0645 was cancelled (unrelated), the 0659 got as far as St Albans, 0715 to Harpenden, 0729 to Luton, and the 0745 onwards have been cancelled.

EDIT - Just spotted the 1029 departed on time and arrived only 4 minutes late, and later trains have also reached London.

 

[Bald Rick]

which train had the panto incident then?

Not sure. Possibly that 9T02 dumped in the bay

Yes 9T02

 

[Minstral25]

Trying to contact Thameslink for help with services from Redhill. They don't seem to know that Redhill exists, just got a response saying that East Midlands trains are not calling. No acknowledgement of issues meaning no trains at Redhill.

Then their website says if I am at Earlswood I can use the bus to Redhill and then I must use a Southern train to East Croydon. Now I think Southern and Thameslink are operated by roughly the same people, so not knowing that all Southern trains from Redhill to East Croydon are withdrawn today (1R Reigate services) seems a bit incompetent but also they have not agreed ticket acceptance on 405 bus!

 

[Ambient Sheep]

The Beeb have got a story up saying that a new Thameslink signalling system has failed; perhaps this and some earlier posts should be split into a new thread?

Faults cause major disruption on London to Luton trains

National Rail warns problems between London and Luton are likely to persist throughout Wednesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

Faults cause major disruption on London to Luton trains

By Stuart Bailey
BBC News

Multiple signal failures were causing "major disruption" on trains between London and Luton, National Rail said.

Operator East Midlands Railway said the issue was preventing it from running services in and out of St Pancras.

A Thameslink train calling at London Luton Airport was delayed by nearly two hours, putting air passengers' journeys at risk.

National Rail warned cancellations and severe delays were expected until the end of Wednesday.

It said the fault was related to work over Christmas to install a new system to control signals on the line.

Route director Gary Walsh said: "I am very sorry that our engineering work is affecting passengers today.

"There is a fault with part of the signalling control system which means we need to reduce the number of trains which are able to run."

Thameslink said: "Please do not attempt travel between Bedford and London Bridge until further notice.

"The earlier disruption caused by multiple signal failures has now reoccurred.

"Due to the level of disruption, passengers are advised to delay travelling until later."

National Rail posted advice to passengers and alternative travel options on its website.

It said: "A fault with the signalling system between St Albans and London St Pancras International means that trains may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes.

"Major disruption is expected until the end of the day."

EDIT: Thanks for the thread move.

 

[londonmidland]

Network Rail are carrying out fault finding work and testing are the signalling equipment to see which lines are affected. This will carry on over night.

This will enable them to feed information back to the TOCs so they can arrange contingency plans, should there be any disruption risk to the start of the morning service tomorrow.

So far it’s looking good in terms of recovery, so hopefully normal service will be ready for start of service tomorrow. Of course this could be subject to change since the time of this post.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Network Rail are carrying out fault finding work and testing are the signalling equipment to see which lines are affected. This will carry on over night.

This will enable them to feed information back to the TOCs so they can arrange contingency plans, should there be any disruption risk to the start of the morning service tomorrow.

So far it’s looking good in terms of recovery, so hopefully normal service will be ready for start of service tomorrow. Of course this could be subject to change since the time of this post.

NR have done dozens of recontrols without issue wonder whats gone awry here?