Weather disruption caused in 2014, and how to prevent it happening again - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

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Major disruption between London Paddington and Reading
Tuesday 11th February 2014

Following inspections of the track between Paddington and Maidenhead, Network Rail has confirmed that floodwater is likely to affect trackside signalling and safety equipment on the morning of Tuesday 11 February.

While they work to fix the problem we will only be able to run four trains an hour between Paddington and Reading in each direction. This is around a fifth of the services that would normally be scheduled.

 This will continue until Network Rail lets us know it is safe to run a full service again.

We strongly advise customers not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary, and to consider alternative routes.

 In recognition of the disruption expected, and to allow customers to postpone their journeys until later in the week, ticket restrictions have been lifted across the First Great Western network until Friday

More info here  http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/contents/urgent-travel-advice-for-customer-on-FGW/Major-distruption-between-London-Paddington-and-Reading-until-further-notice

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pics from a friend who knows a friend...

Waltham area flooding

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another pic

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and another pic...location cabinets that contain all the signalling equipment / power supply trackside!!

[Ollie]

Thanks Ollie

Although this is an interesting point from the article

In recognition of the disruption expected, and to allow customers to postpone their journeys until later in the week, ticket restrictions have been lifted across the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) network until Friday.

With my emphasis in bold. From a layman passenger point of view; what does that actually mean? For example:

• I have a Super Off-Peak Ticket from Frome to London Paddington valid via NEWBURY - Can I use this on the 06:45 via Bath Spa?
• I have a First Advance booked on the 15:13 from Bath Spa - Southend Victoria - Can I use this on the 13:43 if I wanted to?
• I have an First Anytime Single from Bedminster - Brighton dated for the 10th February 2014. Can I use this for travel on the 13th February 2014 (After the 2 Day Grace)?
• I have a Standard Anytime Single from Reading to London Paddington - Can I sit in First Class free of excess?

I think the correct answers are:

• Yes - But an excess to the ANY PERMITTED Super Off-Peak Single may be charged

This is actually fine and no excess should be charged.

• Yes - Although taking a service at 06:43 when your booked train is 15:13 might be frowned upon

This is fine as far as we're concerned. Would need to take into account if journey included other operators though as the easement is only on our services.

• Yes - That's an expensive ticket at the best of times and FGW have advised changing plans if it can be helped; maybe change the date TODAY as the ^10 Admin Fees are currently being waived

We would suggest changing the date as part of the route is shared with another operator.

• No - You're welcome to pay the excess before boarding however

Correct.
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Now I would be particularly interested in the answers to all of those from the horses mouth. Because with such vague wording, I'm rather embarrassed to say that my brain cannot come to terms with what that actually means either. Although my guesswork above may be in the right direction.

I'm not trying to be awkward as I know that FGW has provided all that information in good faith. But providing information is one thing. Making sure the audience it's aimed at understands that information is quite another!

[johoare]

I've taken their advice but I am lucky and can work from home...

[Electric train]

Went to Maidenhead this morning at 06:20. 
Maidenhead to Reading a shuttle buses
Maidenhead - Paddington a half hourly shuttle train service all stations all day today.
Maidenhead - Marlow is an hourly train service.

When I abandoned Maidenhead station at 07:00 the first shuttle to Padd had not arrived and was expected to be a 3 car unit.

The Network Rail and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff are working very hard in these adverse conditions to get even this running thanks guys   

[BBM]

I've just got back home after a fruitless hour's wait at Twyford. The information screens were useless, they might as well have been switched off. Norman thought that a London-bound train might call at about 0715 but it sailed through. I know that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are doing their best to keep things moving but yet again information supply is sorely lacking.

One other moan - at about 0720 a DBS^» (Deutsch Bahn Schenker - UK^▸ (United Kingdom) website) Class 66 went past on the UR hauling just TWO wagons. I realise that the freight operators are still entitled to paths - but come on, are 2 wagons that important?

[TaplowGreen]

Thankfully I'm able to work from home today............I too am reluctant to moan in these circumstances but it's a bit disappointing that at 0800 the most up to date announcement on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website hasn't been updated since 0100, especially since they were imploring people to check before travelling..............poor communications again guys! 

[johoare]

Maidenhead now has quite an unusual westbound timetable. It's possible to get direct from here to Exeter St Davids and Bristol Temple meads without changing at Reading which is unheard of usually.. 

[BBM]

Probably more appropriate for the 'Other Ways to Travel' board, but it seems that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) ran an additional service non-stop from Reading to Waterloo at 0754 this morning. (Real Time Trains shows actual departure time of 0803 with arrival at WAT at 0915, still a 72-minute journey though.)

[IndustryInsider]

When I abandoned Maidenhead station at 07:00 the first shuttle to Padd had not arrived and was expected to be a 3 car unit.

It would be extremely disappointing if all of these shuttles were not allocated to 6-car Turbos all day.  You can never be sure of Genius allocations when it gets too disrupted, but it looks like a 2-car unit was allocated to the 09:12 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-MAI^▸ (Maidenhead station) shuttle! 

The Oxford-Didcot shuttle used a 3-car unit yesterday (and again today).  With calls at Culham and Appleford suspended, I find it pretty pathetic that a 5 or 6-car service couldn't have been found.  A couple of the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) from the Cotswolds and some freight was all that was allowed to pass through the Hinksey flooding when the signals were working OK and there was just a 5mph restriction.  A much more comprehensive service could have been provided, such as a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) path per hour, or a second shuttle, or both, without it causing problems.

Fair enough, if the track circuits start playing up you might need to restrict it to the one train an hour, but NR^» (Network Rail - home page) were overly cautious in my opinion yesterday, which resulted in a frustratingly poor service.  There appears to be a distinct lack of the old 'roll your sleeves up and get on with it' mentality.

[Tim]

talking of ticket restrictions, I have a 10 am meeting in London on Friday.  I had planned to catch the 7:43 from Bath Spa and already have anytime tickets (splitting at Didcot) purchased.

If things are still looking dodgy closer to Friday, I think I might travel to London the night before and spend the night there.  Do you think "ticket restrictions lifted" mean that an early morning Friday ticket is valid on the evening before?

[Henry]

  Overheard the following conversation at Totnes yesterday,  ''Is their something wrong with the Trains''.

[bobm]

  Overheard the following conversation at Totnes yesterday,  ''Is their something wrong with the Trains''.

Trains are fine, in the main, it is the tracks which are the problem....