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

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

A lot of angry people at Bath on Twitter.

There would have been as Bath is already down to one Paddington train an hour due to only one platform being available. Other local services were cancelled as well.

The sad thing is all the work being carried out will only partly benefit Bath passengers, enabling new trains to call, now electrification won't be coming through the station.

[Timmer]

UPDATE: Obviously more serious than just overrunning engineering work.

From Twitter: Disruption due to overrunning works at Bath Spa is expected until the end of the day.

[John R]

And apparently a replacement coach service laid on around 0830 has broken down shortly after leaving Bath.

[Timmer]

And apparently a replacement coach service laid on around 0830 has broken down shortly after leaving Bath.

Whoops. Be a few very unhappy passengers on that service this morning. At least with schools being off sourcing replacement road transport shouldn't be too difficult.

[rower40]

And apparently a replacement coach service laid on around 0830 has broken down shortly after leaving Bath.

Whoops. Be a few very unhappy passengers on that service this morning. At least with schools being off sourcing replacement road transport shouldn't be too difficult.

Indeed.  Schoolchildren are ideal as rickshaw-pedallers.

[Timmer]

Service pattern appears to be two trains in each direction every hour.  1 Bristol-Paddington and 1 Cardiff-Portsmouth (also calling at Keynsham and Oldfield Park to cover for Bristol-Weymouth services which start/terminate at Westbury)

[a-driver]

UPDATE: Obviously more serious than just overrunning engineering work.

From Twitter: Disruption due to overrunning works at Bath Spa is expected until the end of the day.

A engineering train ran through a set of points which were incorrectly set causing considerably damage to them. The amount of time needed to repair the damage means it can only be done tonight.

[Timmer]

A engineering train ran through a set of points which were incorrectly set causing considerably damage to them. The amount of time needed to repair the damage means it can only be done tonight.

Would I be correct in saying it was the set of points just outside Bath Spa meaning trains on the UP line having to join the down line at the crossover at Saltford to enter platform 1 rather than in Bath?

[Oxonhutch]

A engineering train ran through a set of points which were incorrectly set causing considerably damage to them. The amount of time needed to repair the damage means it can only be done tonight.

Running through wrongly set points under an engineering possession seems to be getting a common problem these days. I recall there was one by Ealing Broadway recently.  Is there a systemic problem with the communication between PICOP^▸ (Person In Charge Of Possession)*, PICOW and signaller?

*PICOP/W Person in Charge of Possession/Work - acronyms appear to change regularly.

[a-driver]

A engineering train ran through a set of points which were incorrectly set causing considerably damage to them. The amount of time needed to repair the damage means it can only be done tonight.

Running through wrongly set points under an engineering possession seems to be getting a common problem these days. I recall there was one by Ealing Broadway recently.  Is there a systemic problem with the communication between PICOP^▸ (Person In Charge Of Possession)*, PICOW and signaller?

*PICOP/W Person in Charge of Possession/Work - acronyms appear to change regularly.

Seems like there is.  As you say, happens regularly.  I think there was one at Maidenhead recently as well which resulted in no through trains from Bourne End/Marlow to Paddington.  That set of points was out of use for over a week.

[TaplowGreen]

There's a lot of it about, here's todays starter for 10..........

Cancellations to services between Reading and Slough


Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Reading and Slough some lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 20 minutes. Disruption is expected until 07:30 20/04.

[Timmer]

Problems still continuing at Bath Spa as well

[grahame]

UPDATE: Obviously more serious than just overrunning engineering work.

From Twitter: Disruption due to overrunning works at Bath Spa is expected until the end of the day.

Should be back to normal this morning (?) - except

Alteration: 10:49 from Bristol Temple Meads.
10:49 Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury due 11:42 will be started from Great Malvern and terminated at Bristol Temple Meads.

It will no longer call at Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Freshford, Avoncliff, Bradford-On-Avon, Trowbridge and Westbury but will call additionally at Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Ashchurch-for-Tewkesbury, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester, Cam & Dursley, Yate, Bristol Parkway, Filton Abbey Wood, Stapleton Road and Lawrence Hill.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

How can it be an "alteration" - isn't it a different train?

[stuving]

Alteration: 10:49 from Bristol Temple Meads.
10:49 Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury due 11:42 will be started from Great Malvern and terminated at Bristol Temple Meads.

It will no longer call at Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Freshford, Avoncliff, Bradford-On-Avon, Trowbridge and Westbury but will call additionally at Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Ashchurch-for-Tewkesbury, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester, Cam & Dursley, Yate, Bristol Parkway, Filton Abbey Wood, Stapleton Road and Lawrence Hill.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

How can it be an "alteration" - isn't it a different train?

Well, there is a Great Malvern-Westbury train in the normal timetable (2F97), though recently the work at Bath (which isn't in the Thames Valley, is it?) has led to it being changed and part-cancelled. Today's has now been reinstated as per the normal working, but JourneyCheck reads:

Alteration: 10:49 from Bristol Temple Meads.
10:49 Bristol Temple Meads to Westbury due 11:42 will be started from Great Malvern.
It will call additionally at Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Ashchurch-for-Tewkesbury, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester, Cam & Dursley, Yate, Bristol Parkway, Filton Abbey Wood, Stapleton Road and Lawrence Hill.
This is due to a problem currently under investigation.

However, it has vanished from Realtime Trains, at least in Bristol.

I guess the software (probably "assisted" by some soft but also warm and sqidgy ware) has tried to match the new service to one in the current timetable (whatever that means) and got confused by the way it has been messed about.

[TaplowGreen]

Alterations between Reading and Newbury
Due to a road vehicle colliding with level crossing barriers between Reading and Newbury all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed by up to 30 minutes or diverted. Disruption is expected until 14:00 21/04.