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

[whole diary]

[tomL]

18.18 and 19.48 via Maidenhead cancelled.  So that puts 500+ extra people on the 19.05 3 carriage to Henley.  Good work.   

High Speed Train's (HST^▸ (High Speed Train))s can stop at Maidenhead right? Surely it would be beneficial for one to call there. the 17:45 to Swansea is taking the load for Twyford. 

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[TaplowGreen]

Well I was quite lucky, bailed out early and was only 15 mins late - judging by Reading the stoppers are running OK but a lot of the fast trains are SNAFU^▸ (Situation Normal: All Fouled Up (I have toned down the F word))'d........good luck all getting home tonight!

[BBM]

The 1706 fast to TWY^▸ (Twyford station) was cancelled. I went to P1 to see if the 1703 to PNZ would stop there, as often happens when the 1706 is cancelled, so I asked an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) dispatcher who proudly showed me the Special Stop Order. Yet the TM^‡(resolve) was adamant in her PA^▸ (Public Address) announcement that it wouldn't stop there. Why the disparity?

So for me it was the jammed 1712 with only 2 coaches, and apparently the following 1735 was also only 2-car. 

[thetrout]

1706 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) - BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) is indeed cancelled throughout... I'm waiting for it at Trowbridge

Just about serves me right really

[johoare]

I left work at 4 as I couldn't face a repeat of this morning.. I got the 4.42 which actually wasn't too full though stopped everywhere.. I did wonder why they didn't stop the odd HST^▸ (High Speed Train) at Maidenhead.. Incidentally I was actually aiming for the 16.49 to Slough to change there but that was cancelled which was a shame as it only had to get from the depot (old oak common) to Paddington and then head off to Oxford and would have helped a lot..

Anyway I added it up.. Today I covered 60 miles in 5 hours which includes getting to and from the station at both ends btw - but still pretty impressive huh? And I only managed to be in the office for 5  1/2 hours thanks to this.. So some time to make up

[johoare]

I left work at 4 as I couldn't face a repeat of this morning.. I got the 4.42 which actually wasn't too full though stopped everywhere.. I did wonder why they didn't stop the odd HST^▸ (High Speed Train) at Maidenhead.. Incidentally I was actually aiming for the 16.49 to Slough to change there but that was cancelled which was a shame as it only had to get from the depot (old oak common) to Paddington and then head off to Oxford and would have helped a lot..

Anyway I added it up.. Today I covered 60 miles in 5 hours which includes getting to and from the station at both ends btw - but still pretty impressive huh? And I only managed to be in the office for 5  1/2 hours thanks to this.. So some time to make up

Ha ha I just realised I spent pretty much the same time travelling as working today..  Now how different would that be had FGW^▸ (First Great Western) put Wi fi in when other train operators did...

[NickB]

18.18 and 19.48 via Maidenhead cancelled.  So that puts 500+ extra people on the 19.05 3 carriage to Henley.  Good work.   

High Speed Train's (HST^▸ (High Speed Train))s can stop at Maidenhead right? Surely it would be beneficial for one to call there. the 17:45 to Swansea is taking the load for Twyford. 

Yes, maidenhead can take High Speed Train's (HST)s happily, and I fully agree with your comment. The 18.18 is a 6 car turbo that is always rammed and is 95% maidenhead passengers as it is the only direct service >3 carriages within a 2hr window. If it is cancelled then it has massive implications for Maidenhead passengers

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronyms

[johoare]

So... now we can all begin to wonder how tomorrow will be (I'm not hopeful)..

And also should the title of this thread be changed to remove months and just go for years (and obviously add 2015).. Sorry.. just being cynical but it's been a very long day in FGW^▸ (First Great Western) land... again..

[Chris from Nailsea]

I refer readers to post #264 on this topic: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=14689.msg164707#msg164707 

[johoare]

Definitely not a pessimist anymore if it were to be renamed... Just a realist 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Bowing to member opinion, I have now accepted the apparently inevitable, and renamed this topic yet again.

Happy now?   

[trainer]

I have read the comments in this thread with increasing wonderment and sympathy for all of you who have had to put up with this appalling service for so long with no end in sight.  Usually I am one of the first to leap to the defence of the rail industry, but it seems that this is now beyond what is at all acceptable.  I am sure no individuals set out to cause havoc, but Network Rail has some serious questions to answer about their management of a major infrastructure renewal while managing an asset (can that be the right word here?!) that has been grossly neglected until comparatively recently.  FGW^▸ (First Great Western) still don't seem to have sorted out the communication issues.

I am fortunate in not being caught up in all of this but am saddened what is happening and feel the frustration of those of you who for months have daily wondered if you can just get to work and home again.

[grahame]

So... now we can all begin to wonder how tomorrow will be (I'm not hopeful)..

Additional trains!

05:33 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington due 05:52
06:03 Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington due 06:24
06:33 London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington due 06:52
07:03 Hayes & Harlington to London Paddington due 07:24
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 09/12/14
This is due to signalling problems. Last Updated :09/12/2014 03:22

I'm scratching my head as to why additional public services are running.

[TaplowGreen]

I think it's because Heathrow Connect/Express are cancelled/reduced so a link to Hayes gives people an option to get the bus to the airport?

[BBM]

So... now we can all begin to wonder how tomorrow will be (I'm not hopeful)..

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) reporting signal failure this morning at Theale with nothing running between NBY^» (Newbury - next trains) and RDG^‡(resolve), but also seeing Twitter reports that the 0609 NBY-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) is stuck at Midgham due to a level crossing failure?