Failed freight train, Reading West - 20 August 2014

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

........another one this morning apparently as well as signal failures and safety checks?

Along with late night chaos last night due to overhead wire problems.........guess that's a taste of things to come?

Pal of mine was still trying to get home at 0330 this morning 

[IndustryInsider]

Along with late night chaos last night due to overhead wire problems.........guess that's a taste of things to come?

Fortunately that only affected four very late evening services between Reading and Didcot (the last Cardiff, the last two Oxford's and the late evening Banbury to Paddington stopper) and wasn't overhead wire problems in the traditional sense of the wires that supply power to the trains failing (as there aren't any installed there yet), but a staff error on the electrification train raising a jib and bringing down a overhead cable that runs over the line at that point.  Unfortunate, but with the complexity of doing the electrification overnight, when trains are running on adjacent lines, this sort of thing will happen occasionally.

[TaplowGreen]

Along with late night chaos last night due to overhead wire problems.........guess that's a taste of things to come?

a staff error on the electrification train raising a jib and bringing down a overhead cable that runs over the line at that point.  Unfortunate, but with the complexity of doing the electrification overnight, when trains are running on adjacent lines, this sort of thing will happen occasionally.

..........must have come as quite a shock to all concerned? (.....I've already got my coat and am leaving the building) 

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, the cable was arcing as it came down, though fortunately nobody was injured or electrocuted!  All staff were given a drug screening and work was stopped for the night which gives an indication of how seriously such errors are taken.

[TaplowGreen]

Ouch.......sounds nasty.

Some v unhappy customers last night stranded for hours looking at FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Twitter this morning, especially on the last service towards Cardiff that you mention.......suspect the taxi/coach/compensation bill will be pretty hefty for last night, and there will be some cabbies ordering Aston Martins this morning as a result!!!

It's a shame things went (partially) pear shaped this morning too with the freight, signals etc.

[bobm]

Also 40 nearby houses left without electricity.  A generator is being brought in until the power line can be repaired at the weekend.

[TaplowGreen]

...........suspect there are a few "interviews without coffee" going on this morning as a result?

[JayMac]

I received my compensation for the delays I experienced at Reading on 20th August. Waiting for me on the doormat today after a fortnight away. The letter was dated 11th September, but the postmark was 16th. I imagine I received it on 17th or 18th.

Been a fair while since I've had compensation from FGW^▸ (First Great Western), is 4+ weeks about right for them? Last time I made a Customer Charter/Delay Repay claim was with CrossCountry. In that case I received the Rail Travel Vouchers within 10 days.

Not really complaining, just curious about response times. Any other forum members able to comment on response times from any TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) when due compensation?

The letter accompanying my RTVs was well written and didn't appear to be a cut and paste job, which was nice. As was the amount paid. I had an excess fare added to my original ticket and was concerned this might lead to confusion. I was also only 59 minutes late at my destination, according to the official timing point (my reckoning was just over the hour when I stepped onto the platform) but had been assured, after conversation on social media, that a claim would be honoured.

All told, a good customer service experience from FGW.

The letter I received with my RTVs, quoted in full:

Dear Mr bignosemac

Thank you for your recent claim form regarding the delay to your journey on 20th August, I'm very sorry for the delay and inconvenience experienced.

At 0635 that morning we received reports of a freight train with a mechanical problem just west of Reading. The driver of the freight service quickly fixed the problem and the service was able to continue its journey. However at 0715 and in the same area the freight service failed again and this time the driver was unable to get it moving again. Very regrettably the location of the freight service resulted in significant disruption to many of our services and passenger journeys, particularly as the incident occurred at the start of the morning peak time services.

We immediately contacted other Train Operating Companies to ensure that, wherever possible, our passengers were able to continue their journey. We also arranged for road replacement services between Reading and Basingstoke and reading and Newbury.

The failed freight service was moving again by 0910 but due to the displacement of trains and crew our services were either delayed or cancelled throughout the morning and in total we had to cancel 63 services with many more services effected by delays.

Such delays are very disappointing and I am very sorry for the delay to your journey and the disruption to your onward plans.

As you were delayed by 60 minutes compensation is due under the terms of our Passenger's Charter and I'm happy to enclose ^42.25 in Rail Travel Vouchers... (continues with T&Cs about voucher use)

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about your experience and I trust the next time you travel with us your journey will be more enjoyable.

Yours sincerely

****************
Customer Relations Adviser

[TaplowGreen]

Timescale seems about right at the moment - the claim I put in which is detailed under another thread "Consequential loss" took about the same, in all honesty I'd pretty much forgotten about it when it turned up.

I see quite a few comments on the Twitter feed complaining about correspondence delays, I think there is a backlog at the moment.

[81F]

I travelled from Swindon to Torquay on 23 July. I bought an advance ticket online from FGW^▸ (First Great Western). Swindon to Bristol Parkway on a FGW train, then Cross-country BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains)-NTA^» (Newton Abbott - next trains), FGW NTA-TQY. The XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) was delayed by signalling problems in the Birmingham area and was approx 90 mins late leaving Bristol. "They" cut out most intermediate stops so it only stopped at Exeter, where I had to change. End result an arrival at Torquay nearly 2 hours late.
I downloaded claim form from FGW site and posted it next day to the FGW address at Plymouth. On 11 September I received a letter from FGW apologising for not replying within 5 days and telling me they had forwarded my claim to XC in Birmingham. This week I received a letter from XC dated 19 September, and attached is a voucher for the full price I paid for the journey:  ^12.35.
All comes to those who wait . . .