Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere - ongoing, since Oct 2014

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Seems to be Readings & Maidenheads that are being cancelled currently

.......and plenty of them! 

[charles_uk]

No idea how it'll pan out but...

Cancellations to services between Ealing Broadway and London Paddington

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Ealing Broadway and London Paddington trains have to run at reduced speed on some lines towards London Paddington.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 15 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected until 17:00 10/08.

Last Updated:10/08/2017 15:48

[TaplowGreen]

Disruption now till 2000

[charles_uk]

Disruption now till 2000

Make that 23:59!

[bobm]

For ease of reference the discussion following the derailment of High Speed Train (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) power car 43188 at Paddington today has been moved to a topic of its own and merged with a duplicate thread.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=18609.0

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[Adelante_CCT]

You didn't just do CfNs job did you? 

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'm not the only person on the admin team who can do a bit of 'moving and merging' - and, even for a man of his girth, bobm can be a very good full-back, if the opportunity or need arises. 

[bobm]

bobm can be a very good full-back, if the opportunity or need arises. 

*If* your description of me is correct I'd be a good goalkeeper. 

[rower40]

Is it too early to suggest that, with nothing on this thread for two weeks, that the infrastructure has finally settled down and started working as designed?

Or is everyone so inured to the system failing that it's no longer post-worthy?

Or have I just jinxed it by posting this?

[grahame]

Is it too early to suggest that, with nothing on this thread for two weeks, that the infrastructure has finally settled down and started working as designed?

Or is everyone so inured to the system failing that it's no longer post-worthy?

Or have I just jinxed it by posting this?

Over the area that the Coffee Shop covers as a whole, I tend to notice posting volume fluctuating is sync with there being issues which are newsworthy - and those newsworthy items are typically NOT  "there were plenty of seats on the 19:30 and it ran on time".   

April to June ... our post numbers were in the 1150 to 1350 range.   July to now - 1750 to 2150 range. (extrapolating from the first few days of this month, we're still in that range).   We have "new" problems ... lack of train crew, lack of available trains ... but those problems are now further west than the Thames Valley.

And rather than problems with old stuff, perhaps the Thames Valley is moving into the "teething issues" phase which may be more appropriate on other threads.

[lordgoata]

Is it too early to suggest that, with nothing on this thread for two weeks, that the infrastructure has finally settled down and started working as designed?

Or is everyone so inured to the system failing that it's no longer post-worthy?

Or have I just jinxed it by posting this?

The infrastructure may have inproved, but I would love to know what the heck is going on with the trains. The 0738 from Goring has been 2 carriages this week, and its absolute hell. Its standing room only leaving Tilehurst, then it has Reading, Twyford and Maidenhead. If I recall, it used to then do non-stop to Paddington, but its now also doing Burnham, Slough and Southall I think the driver said. Its insane. A couple of weeks ago it went from 5 cars to 6, and now its 2?!

About the only good thing is the driver telling all those with full bikes to get off, or refusing to let them on - polietly pointing out they have never been allowed on this service as it arrives into Paddington before 9am. Nice to see that finally being enforced - and to be fair to the cyclists, all the ones I have seen have complied without any issues.

[Jason]

From the Reading to Paddington perspective there have been infrastructural niggles over recent weeks but generally after I've already passed through.
Yesterday there were minor signalling delays and a broken down train around 9:30

[Sixty3Closure]

It doesn't really seem worth posting the same issues each time. My morning is nearly always 5-10 mins late, generally over crowded and occasionally just doesn't turn up. Or the lack of information on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s website as that's been consistent over the years

Standing on the platform with the regular commuters its just become the accepted level of service.

[IndustryInsider]

Much better performance recently though, don't think anyone could contest that, and reflected in performance figures over the last few weeks.  Hopefully it will continue, though I'm sure there will be disruption again soon as it is such an intensively used section of track.

[TaplowGreen]

Much better performance recently though, don't think anyone could contest that, and reflected in performance figures over the last few weeks.  Hopefully it will continue, though I'm sure there will be disruption again soon as it is such an intensively used section of track.

"Much better" - relatively to an extent in that "only" 1 in 5 trains are late?  I'm not sure too many Businesses would be celebrating that stat.

To show an improvement on June/July when there were several total meltdowns between Reading and Paddington is hardly a significant achievement, and your final comment emphasises that it's more down to luck/timing than anything else.

I get that the area is intensively used, but if memory serves we were all told that the extensive signalling work which in itself created massive disruption was supposed to address the problems and issues that this created along with replacing the older systems?