Cable fire cancels all trains at Marylebone (15/06/2014)

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

From the Chiltern website:

Marylebone station is closed due to a cable fire. Around 2 metres of signalling cable in the tunnel into the station has burned away meaning the signalling system is not working. Without signals we cannot safely run trains, so are not running to or from Marylebone until new cables are installed and tested. We are not sure how long this will take, but we may not be able to run until Monday morning.

TRAINS TO LONDON:

Trains from Aylesbury via Amersham are finishing at Harrow-on-the-Hill. From there, Chiltern tickets will be valid on the normal Metropolitan line tube trains to Baker Street, which is a few minutes' walk from Marylebone.

Trains to/from Birmingham and Aylesbury via High Wycombe are finishing at West Ruislip. From there, Chiltern tickets will be valid on the normal Central line tube trains to/from Central London. To reach Marylebone, change at Oxford Circus onto the Bakerloo line northbound.

We will aim to run trains at the times they would normally run, but this will not always be possible. Please check chilternrailways.co.uk before travel but there may be some delays during your journey. Trains are especially likely to be delayed or cancelled between 0730 and 0930.

From Birmingham and the West Midlands, it is likely to be easier to use Virgin Trains services via the West Coast Mainline, and your Chiltern ticket will be valid.

TRAINS FROM LONDON:

Trains to Aylesbury via Amersham will start at Harrow-on-the-Hill. Do not travel to Marylebone. Please travel directly to Harrow-on-the-Hill, which is on the Metropolitan line. If you already have a Chiltern ticket, you can use it to travel to Harrow-on-the-Hill.

Trains to/from Birmingham and Aylesbury via High Wycombe are starting at West Ruislip. Do not travel to Marylebone. Please travel directly to West Ruislip, which is on the Central line. If you already have a Chiltern ticket, you can use it to travel to West Ruislip.

Our aim is that trains will leave Harrow or West Ruislip around 15 minutes after they would have left Marylebone. However, these are much smaller stations to turn trains round in, so there may be further delays and cancellations. These are especially likely between 0730 and 0930

If travelling to Birmingham or the West Midlands, it is likely to be easier to use Virgin Trains services from Euston. Your Chiltern ticket will be valid.

[ChrisB]

Carrying on into Monday now...lack of siignal tester availability?

[JayMac]

Disruption likely until Monday afternoon. Chiltern have ticket acceptance arrangements with other operators on alternative routes:

From Chiltern Railways:

Service disruption - 15&16 June 2014

Date:15 Jun 2014 06:44
Last updated:  15 June 2014, 22:07
 
Marylebone station is closed due to a cable fire. Around two metres of signalling cable in the tunnel into the station has burned away meaning the signalling system is not working. Without signals we cannot safely run trains, so are not running to or from Marylebone until new cables are installed and tested.
 
Engineers are on site however, disruption is expected into Monday afternoon and Marylebone station will remain closed until further notice.
 
Passengers are advised to avoid travelling unless essential.
 
Chiltern Railways services on Monday 16 June
 
We are only able to run a limited service tomorrow on both our lines and as a result the trains we are running will be incredibly busy. This is because we will be able to run far fewer trains as we will be turning round at stations which have two platforms instead of at Marylebone which has six.  If you can avoid travelling we advise that you make alternative arrangements.
 
Harrow on the Hill ^ Amersham ^ Aylesbury ^Aylesbury Vale Parkway
We are running two trains an hour to/from Harrow on the Hill and Aylesbury (with one per hour going to Aylesbury Vale Parkway) Select here for the timetable.  From there, Chiltern tickets will be valid on the normal Metropolitan line tube trains to Baker Street, which is a few minutes' walk from Marylebone.
 
West Ruislip ^High Wycombe ^ Banbury ^ Birmingham ^ Kidderminster
We are aiming to run two trains per hour Birmingham and West Ruislip. If travelling north from London, please take the central line to West Ruislip for a Chiltern train northbound. Chiltern tickets will be valid on the normal Central line tube trains to/from Central London. To reach Marylebone, change at Oxford Circus onto the Bakerloo line northbound.  A timetable for the morning peak will be uploaded as soon as possible. 
 
Using Chiltern tickets on other train operators^ services
Your Chiltern ticket is valid on Virgin Trains, London Midland, First Great Western, CrossCountry and London Underground services for the rest of Sunday evening and on Monday until further notice. If travelling to/from Birmingham, we recommend using Virgin Trains or London Midland if at all possible between Birmingham New Street at London Euston. Your Chiltern ticket will be valid.  If travelling from Banbury to London, we advise travelling to Reading with CrossCountry and then boarding First Great Western services to Paddington.

Click here to see a map of alternative routes.

Ticket restrictions

On Monday, advance tickets can be used within an hour of when they are booked. Peak ticket restrictions still apply.

I suspect it is going to be a very cosy rush hour later this morning with many Chiltern's passengers taking those alternative routes. I'd particularly not want to be on CrossCountry services between Leamington Spa and Reading.

[ChrisB]

Now on a train to Wembley Stadium. Looking likely to get tube from South Ruislip. Plenty of Central Line pax that usually get seats won't today!

[Brucey]

The Central Line is often rather full by South Ruislip anyway, since the increasedecrease in services outside the Central area earlier in 2013.  By Northolt, passengers are normally being left behind.  I wouldn't want to be a Central Line commuter today.

[ChrisB]

There were some surprised pax that got on at Greenford & had to stand!

Interestingly, I reached Liverpool Street only 10 minutes later than by travelling all the way into Marylebone & using the Bakerloo/Central via Oxford Circus - and that included being detrained from a faulty set at White City....

[ChrisB]

Now closed until at least close of play tonight & sounding likely to go into tomorrow too.

Chitern are playing with fire...advising *everyone* to travel via West Ruislip or other operators for stations on their mainline. Even if all Birmingham & some Banbury-Leamingtonians go via XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))/Virgin, that is still going to completely overwhelm poor West Ruislip. No PA^▸ (Public Address), little or no CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) - and trains can depart from either up or down platforms I believe. Mayhem will prevail. Even if they stuff the station with staff & loudhailers....

[IndustryInsider]

A shame that some shuttles to/from Didcot and perhaps the odd peak train through to/from Paddington via Park Royal couldn't be organised - though I know how difficult it is to organise such a service at such short notice.

[ChrisB]

Might be longer notice....if this enhanced photo is anything to go on.

[SandTEngineer]

Cripes    I think they meant to say 2m of cable route not cable.  Looks like alot of smoke damage to the tunnel location cases as well 

[bobm]

BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) were investigating at one point - but I don't know if that was just routine.

[SDS]

BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) were investigating at one point - but I don't know if that was just routine.

Prob sticking their nose into something to see if they could find a 'detection' to add to their figures.

[Red Squirrel]

Might be longer notice....if [link removed] is anything to go on.

Hmm - interestingly, that link attempted to install malware on my PC...

[ChrisB]

Not that link, its as clean as a whistle, sorry.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Not that link, its as clean as a whistle, sorry.

Purely in the interests of ease of viewing, here is the picture from that linked page in ChrisB's post: