WCML South Problems

[londonbridge]

Took advantage of London Midlands Great Escape to get a cheap deal to Old Trafford for yesterdays match. Got the 8.46 LM from Euston-Crewe and a return from Crewe-Manchester. First bit of luck was when we got to Crewe on time (11.35) and were waiting for the 11.50 Northern to Piccadilly when the 11.31 Arriva Wales came in running ten minutes late so we got to Piccadilly around 12.20. In the pub having our meal they had the BBC News Channel on the tv screens with the sound down and we saw 'No Virgin trains in our out of Euston until 17.30'. Went and watched the match-why do we (Sunderland) seem to have a habit of conceding own goals at Old Trafford????

Anyway,the itinerary I'd worked out for the return journey began with the 17.55 Virgin from Piccadilly. By now we'd heard more about the line problems so I approached the train manager and asked if he'd accept our LM tickets back to Euston.....he refused. At Crewe we wanted the 18.49 to Stafford which came in ten minutes late,but made up a few minutes and got in at 19.18. Luckily our connection (the 19.21 to Rugby) was running five minutes late and came in at 19.26. The 20.32 at Rugby was the only one of the three LM trains we got on the way back that departed on time,only to get to Northampton at 21.00 where we sat for half an hour waiting for a relief train crew to arrive! Set off again and got back into Euston at 22.33,22 down.

 

[phil35]

I was caught up in this yesterday. Me and a friend were wanting to board the 12.02 Virgin Milton Keynes to Euston service. Ended up getting on a packed LM train to Watford junction at about 14.20. After being told on the train that the Overground would take us into London, we found out when we got there (after spending 45 minutes on a packed stationary Overground train - no information at all given to passengers about this - I ended up checking on the TFL website) that the Overground had also been suspended. We ended up just spending a few hours around Watford in a couple of pubs, before finally departing on the Overground at 19.20. Arrived into Central London at 20.15 - about 7 and a half hours after we had initially intended.

Luckily I had my mate with me so the delays didn't affect me us in that at least we had something to do. Had I been by myself with something important to attend to in the afternoon I'd have been furious.

I'm wanting to apply for a bit of compensation for this, but I'm unsure whether I should apply via London Midland or Virgin? Would anyone be able to advise? We had a Route Any Permitted Milton Keynes to London zones 1-6 travel card, were wanting to travel to London on Virgin, but ended up doing all out National Rail travel on London Midland trains.

Should I still apply through Virgin seeing as that was our initial intended train? And also, would someone be able to point me in the direction of the delay repay form? I can't appear to find it.

Thanks!

 

[466.networkers]

I was caught up in this ...

I was meant to be travelling on the 1240 Euston - Manc Picc, but when I arrived at Euston at 1140 to a huge crowd and annoucements of nothing coming in or leaving expect LOROL, I quickly asked a member of Virgin staff if my AP ticket would be accepted on EMT or Chiltern. It was valid on EMT, a quick check of St Pancras LDB and there was a train to Sheffield at 1225, from there a TPE 185 to Manchester arriving at 1602, an hour and 20 minutes later than planned.

Oh well, these things can't be helped.

In a way, it was a good thing. I went on my first Meridian and went a new route!

Today coming back it was all ok except the xx15 Manchester to Euston trains were cancelled so my 1335 was cosy to say the least!

 

[33056]

The incident cost 200 cancellations , 200+ part cancellations and over 13,500 delay mins.

Delay minutes now standing at over 15,000.......

Bumped into to one of my colleagues earlier who was involved on the ground with this and we came to the conclusion that unless you can go back to the "rose-tinted spectacles days", when a small team of ops people more-or-less on site (signaller, power box supervisor, local movements supervisor etc) liased with others (such as control and TCS) and made the decisions, then you will continue to have various parties with their own needs / agendas all trying to dictate what goes on.

It is very much a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth or too many fingers in the pie these days I'm afraid.

 

[DarloRich]

More problems tonight - due to OHLE problems between rugby and northampton trains are deayed by upto 30 mins!

 

[Crossover]

A light-hearted question to save me starting a new thread:

How many pendos coupled together could one 57 haul at one time?

Highly theoretical of course, but worth it just for the amusing mental images...

My guess would be one Pendo per 57 - I believe they have a job as it is in hauling and providing hotel power to the Pendos and that the addition of the extra 2 carriages will make matters worse.

Would love to see some coupled up Pendos though, I have to say :P

 

[EM2]

More problems tonight - due to OHLE problems between rugby and northampton trains are deayed by upto 30 mins!

And a trespasser between Wolverhampton and Sandwell, and an obstruction in Kilsby tunnel, and an LM unit with faulty doors at Harrow...

 

[sprinterguy]

My guess would be one Pendo per 57 - I believe they have a job as it is in hauling and providing hotel power to the Pendos and that the addition of the extra 2 carriages will make matters worse.

Would love to see some coupled up Pendos though, I have to say :P

In the very early days of the Pendolinos, when the production sets were still being delivered, there were some trials undertaken under the cover of darkness on the northern section of the WCML involving the coupling of a pair of Pendolinos, just to ensure that in an emergency situation one Pendolino could couple to another in order to shift the dead one out of the way.

I reckon that the train supply limitations of a class 57 would mean that it would only be able to haul and provide power to a single Pendolino set.

 

[Pumbaa]

The whole thing has been a farce start to finish, LM have been crap as per usual, LOROL did a decent job of moving punters up to Watford. One day there may be a problem and the TOCs may do a decent enough job of sorting it out. One day...

 

[Crossover]

In the very early days of the Pendolinos, when the production sets were still being delivered, there were some trials undertaken under the cover of darkness on the northern section of the WCML involving the coupling of a pair of Pendolinos, just to ensure that in an emergency situation one Pendolino could couple to another in order to shift the dead one out of the way.

I reckon that the train supply limitations of a class 57 would mean that it would only be able to haul and provide power to a single Pendolino set.

I saw that in Virgins Decade of Progress book - took a fair bit of lighting the picture I believe.
Still, would be nice to see it not done under the cover of darkness :P

 

[dvboy]

The whole thing has been a farce start to finish, LM have been crap as per usual, LOROL did a decent job of moving punters up to Watford. One day there may be a problem and the TOCs may do a decent enough job of sorting it out. One day...

At least LM tried. VT did their usual PANIC: CANCEL EVERYTHING routine.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

LM did more than try - and their Twitter feeds on Saturday were excellent , courteous and very professional. A very humane and personal touch evident - and I suspect they did more than their alloted hours too.

 

[Lrd]

LM did more than try - and their Twitter feeds on Saturday were excellent , courteous and very professional. A very humane and personal touch evident - and I suspect they did more than their alloted hours too.

According to one tweet, he (the guy behind @LondonMidland) saw the first train arrive and the last train leave, tweeting for 15 hours!

 

[Green Lane]

I really don't know if this was related to yesterday's problems (perhaps not), but the LM 08:04 from LIV to BHM was cancelled this morning, causing me a slight but not too terrible inconveniece.

EDIT: I'd like to add, just out of pure personal curiosity, does anyone on here happen to know the reason for the cancellation?

EDIT: I've just tweeted London Midland and they tell me there was a problem getting the train to Liverpool this morning, so it started at Crewe.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

At least LM tried. VT did their usual PANIC: CANCEL EVERYTHING routine.

I was on 19h01 Birmingham - Crewe, delayed for 30 mins between Coseley and Wolverhampton due to trespasses on line. LM crew kept passengers updated throughout period of delay - excellent and guard went along train checking whether anyone might be in danger of missing connections at Stafford & Crewe - couldn't be faulted so well done.
I was lucky, as all WCML trains seemed to be an hour late I was able to catch 19h50 (ex Euston) to Bangor at 20h52. The Wrexham portion of this train was cancelled at Chester. It was reported that a train had hit an 'object' in Kilsby tunnel and OHL down on diversionary route.

 

[bengolding]

Well, I was on the 17:10 Euston to Holyhead service. We only left Milton Keynes a few minutes down but we arrived into Nuneaton just over an hour late, being one of the first northbound trains affected by the problem. Apparently, the 16:57 Euston to Glasgow called additionally at Nuneaton due to the cancellation of the previous LM Crewe service. Nice to see Virgin and LM working together for a change!