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

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

A driver reported a track defect so there was a short closure of that line, an examination by another train and all reportedly ok.  Trains not stopping at Twyford during the time there was one line shut and shortly after until congestion had eased.

[TaplowGreen]

Delays to services at Maidenhead
Due to a speed restriction over defective track at Maidenhead trains have to run at reduced speed.
Train services running through this station may be delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

[TaplowGreen]

As if all the crew shortage cancellations tonight weren't enough...………….

Alterations to services at Slough


Due to a speed restriction over defective track at Slough the line towards Reading bound local stopping is disrupted.
Train services running through this station may be delayed by up to 10 minutes or running non stop between Langley and Taplow. Disruption is expected until 18:00 31/10.
Customer Advice
Passengers for Slough from the London direction are advised to change at Maidenhead for a service back to Slough.
Customers at Slough for Reading are advised to travel to West Drayton for onward connections.

[BBM]

As if all the crew shortage cancellations tonight weren't enough...………….

Alterations to services at Slough


Due to a speed restriction over defective track at Slough the line towards Reading bound local stopping is disrupted.
Train services running through this station may be delayed by up to 10 minutes or running non stop between Langley and Taplow. Disruption is expected until 18:00 31/10.
Customer Advice
Passengers for Slough from the London direction are advised to change at Maidenhead for a service back to Slough.
Customers at Slough for Reading are advised to travel to West Drayton for onward connections.

Now extended to 19:00.

And if THAT wasn't enough................

Cancellations to services at Maidenhead

Due to a problem with line-side equipment at Maidenhead:

Train services running through this station may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes. Disruption is expected until 19:00 31/10.

[TaplowGreen]

As if all the crew shortage cancellations tonight weren't enough...………….

Alterations to services at Slough


Due to a speed restriction over defective track at Slough the line towards Reading bound local stopping is disrupted.
Train services running through this station may be delayed by up to 10 minutes or running non stop between Langley and Taplow. Disruption is expected until 18:00 31/10.
Customer Advice
Passengers for Slough from the London direction are advised to change at Maidenhead for a service back to Slough.
Customers at Slough for Reading are advised to travel to West Drayton for onward connections.

Now extended to 19:00.

And if THAT wasn't enough................

Cancellations to services at Maidenhead

Due to a problem with line-side equipment at Maidenhead:

Train services running through this station may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes. Disruption is expected until 19:00 31/10.

Line has finally reopened,  disruption ongoing till at least 2200.....I guess the cancellations caused by crew shortages should help clear any congestion......

[eightf48544]

Quote "running non stop between Langley and Taplow."

Interesting I thought trains weren't allowed to stop on the Down MAin at Taplow so why not st say Langley to  Burnham?

[Sixty3Closure]

Thoroughly miserable journey home Thursday night. The train I was on changed destinations several times, was not stopping at Slough but definitely stopping at Taplow/Burnham. It then stopped at Slough got cancelled and after a lot of people got off seemed to become a new service set off almost straight away to not stop at Taplow/Burnham.

Some services or cancellations doesn't seem to do justice to the chaos and as usual complete lack of information. With hindsight I know it was multiple incidents but the different communication channels seemed to each have a slight variation which at the time only added to the frustration.

Have I missed the deadlines for questions to the MD because I'd really like to understand more about GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s business continuity planning. I think we all understand incidents happen but every-time its the lack of information or worse wrong information.

Is this because the plan is badly written? Not understood? No clear lines of responsibility? Constrained by cost?  Lack of resources? Too much automation on things like the website?
Does the incident response focus on getting rolling stock and staff back in place rather than passengers? 
Relationship with Network Rail? The programme on channel 5 highlighted that communication between the two parties didn't seem great. And Network Rail don't always seem to see things as a customer/end user.

[grahame]

[snip]

Some services or cancellations doesn't seem to do justice to the chaos and as usual complete lack of information. With hindsight I know it was multiple incidents but the different communication channels seemed to each have a slight variation which at the time only added to the frustration.

Have I missed the deadlines for questions to the MD because I'd really like to understand more about GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s business continuity planning. I think we all understand incidents happen but every-time its the lack of information or worse wrong information.

[snip]

Sadly, the deadline was in the middle of last week - to give GWR a chance to know what's coming up (and indeed have some text ready) rather than us playing a "what can we spring on Mark to catch him out" game.   GWR have, I know, been working on the questions.

Looking back at last time's questions, there was one on "continuity" but that was more directed at sorting out the passengers rather than sorting out the trains ... links to last time's subjects at http://gwr.passenger.chat/22399 . Bearing in mind than next Tuesday's session is specifically slanted towards December changes, I suspect we may end up discussing recovery from unplanned issues, as with the best will in the world, there probably will be some of these.

[TaplowGreen]

[snip]

Some services or cancellations doesn't seem to do justice to the chaos and as usual complete lack of information. With hindsight I know it was multiple incidents but the different communication channels seemed to each have a slight variation which at the time only added to the frustration.

Have I missed the deadlines for questions to the MD because I'd really like to understand more about GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s business continuity planning. I think we all understand incidents happen but every-time its the lack of information or worse wrong information.

[snip]

Sadly, the deadline was in the middle of last week - to give GWR a chance to know what's coming up (and indeed have some text ready) rather than us playing a "what can we spring on Mark to catch him out" game.   GWR have, I know, been working on the questions.

Comes across as rather sycophantic.

Irrespective of "deadlines", contingency planning and Customer Communication should be part of an MD's portfolio, and the details should be at his fingertips at all times. He shouldn't need an underling to have some "text ready" - I attended a meeting  at a far larger and more sophisticated organisation than GWR yesterday and the responsible MD gave a presentation without notes or prompting and answered questions without hesitation.

It's not a question of trying to "catch him out", just basic stuff that goes with the pay grade.

[grahame]

Comes across as rather sycophantic.

Maybe it does come across that way, so fair comment.  It's also very practical; do members really want our "Meet the Manager" hour to be spent waiting for a response to be typed in when each question is sprung? 

The way we're doing it reminds me very much of how I tackle a niche training course on a complex programming language;  most of the language, I'll know (and use) well ahead of time but sometimes there's one or two somewhat unusual modules / elements that the customer wants to be covered.  They're always there in the product - but never the less I need to prepare ahead of time.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, I think I'd prefer a prompt, detailed and accurate initial reply given the limited time of the session.  Seemed to work fine last time, though hopefully there will be no repeat of the unfortunate 'lost questions' incident which didn't help with trust in the transparency of the whole thing.

Whatever happens it'll be far better than the void of silence we had from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s management during the bad times last year.

[TonyK]

It's not a question of trying to "catch him out", just basic stuff that goes with the pay grade.

Presumably the agreement is for a certain period of notice to be given? If that is the case, it should be stuck to, to preserve an event that was popular and informative the first time it was done, so that it can be a long-standing tradition (usually about the third outing). I wonder if a discreet enquiry could be made about adding this topic, though, given that it is a major source of frustration to passengers, although I would hazard a guess that the answer will be that it is a major source of frustration to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) too.

[grahame]

It's not a question of trying to "catch him out", just basic stuff that goes with the pay grade.

Presumably the agreement is for a certain period of notice to be given? ...

Indeed, though once the base question is put and answer pasted, the session is open for discussion, follow up questions, etc. Basically the preparation sets the groundwork and then corollary stuff is welcomed without notice.  Those of you who submitted questions may well yourselves have follow up thoughts / text / additional comment prepared ahead of time too

[charles_uk]

Not really infrastructure but for the want of somewhere better:

Cancellations to services between Reading and Didcot Parkway

Due to a broken down train between Reading and Didcot Parkway all lines are closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 16:00 08/11.
Last Updated:08/11/2019 14:35

Lots of delays showing at Reading at the moment.

[bobm]

Train of oil tankers reported to be showing signs of smoke.   All trains stopped while it is examined.