Snow/Wintry conditions

[whole diary]

[willc]

The Cathedrals Express became the Cathedrals stopper this morning, after the halts Turbo was cancelled. Left Moreton-in-Marsh 50-plus minutes late, shed more time to Oxford, including the crawl through the cutting near Stonesfield, as landslip repairs have yet to be done. Was about 80 late into Oxford. Rather quiet as far as Charlbury, where the platform was packed (100+ people, I'd guess), partly as people aiming for the 08.35 had been joined by those for the 09.52 but also because the local roads are still tricky and Stagecoach has still not resumed buses to the town. Picked up four people at Shipton, eight at Ascott and two at Finstock. Not sure about Combe, one guy was on the platform as we arrived, but I think one or two more had been waiting down on the road in a car.

What I assume were the two Turbo sets Insider mentioned being stranded at Worcester on Saturday appeared to be on their way back to Reading depot tonight. The 17.00 from Malvern arrived about 25 minutes late, trailing two snow and ice-encrusted sets behind it - think it must be the first nine-car Turbo formation I've ever seen. Train was terminated at Oxford, with passengers being transferred to a reinstated 19.31 from Oxford. The nine-car rake then disappeared towards Didcot.

Still long delays both ways on the Cotswold Line, as I saw the above working while waiting for the 18.54 (17.50 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)) which was about 45 minutes down leaving Oxford.

Three snow pics from Moreton-in-Marsh yesterday at http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009

[willc]

Poor effort information-wise about the Cotswold Line today. Very heavy snow in Worcester was causing problems there but at 9.45 a notice appeared on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) home page saying all services on the line were suspended until further notice due to "extreme snowfall". Not out as far as Moreton-in-Marsh it wasn't, just the odd flurry here.

The 06.48 and 08.22 from London were indeed stopped at Oxford but the 05.48 was turned back at Evesham and ran in the path of the 08.58 from Malvern. It had yet to call at Moreton, Kingham, Charlbury and Hanborough when that notice appeared. How many people took it at face value and didn't bother going for the train?

Next, the 09.21 set off west from Oxford and its progress could be tracked on National Rail, even though all the other information available said no trains were running. Finally, at 11.43, FGW live updates and journey check admitted the train had got through and that it would run back from Moreton in the path of the 12.06 from Worcester. However, the FGW home page notice at present is still the one from 09.45 saying services are suspended.

How is the average passenger supposed to work out what on earth is going on?

Time for me to finally set off to work...

[IanL]

Poor information continues, 'due to signal failure', or 'due to adverse weather conditions'. One might be fixed in time for those trying to get home, the other is less likely as the day goes on.

[IanL]

Original line problem between Oxford and Worcester fixed, trains now running normally, now emergency engineering works between Worcester and Hereford, delays of 60min may occur. Not been a good day!

[IanL]

10 min ago, all showing as clear with no line problems, now showing line problem between Oxford and Worcester due to obstruction on the line. The landslide again?

[Brucey]

Several Portsmouth-Bristol/Cardiff services are showing as being started/terminated at Southampton due to poor weather conditions.

Not sure what the weather conditions are, but Southern also have a broken down train at Swanwick.  Probably a related issue.

[paul7575]

SWT^▸ (South West Trains) were reporting it as a broken down train affecting east bound services only, so it makes sense for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to turn round at Southampton, and wait for their diagrammed return working in due course. 

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) can't divert the whole Netley line service round via Eastleigh as there isn't line capacity on the singled sections, so it's better to divert SWT's stopper (which they have done) with its much higher passenger capacity.

There were no weather issues when I came home via Swanwick a couple of hours ago though, so that aspect may be duff info...

Paul

[Brucey]

There were no weather issues when I came home via Swanwick a couple of hours ago though, so that aspect may be duff info...

Just spoken to my dad, who is trying to get home from Swanwick.  Weather is fine, albeit a little cold.  16:29, 16:50, 17:11, 17:33, 17:50 all not stopping (or diverted).  He is now eligible for the 50% compensation level - yet another Rail Travel Voucher coming his way.  I believe he is now cycling to Fareham to attempt to take the next service.  No replacement road transport, as usual (not that it would be any good with a bike anyway).

The regularity of problems between Swanwick and Cosham is starting to become a bit tiresome now.  Every 2 weeks there appears to be some disruption, with Southern's response of simply terminating the services early (at Barham or Havant usually) or skipping out stations (Swanwick and Cosham being the two favourites), leaving South West Trains to take the passengers and deal with them at the station (and expect the passengers to cough up excess fares when they have SN only tickets).  The problems aren't Southern's fault, but their handling of the aftermath (e.g. replacement road transport or arranging ticket acceptance) could be much better.

Thank goodness FGW^▸ (First Great Western) seem to have recently conquered this customer service malarky

[James Vertigan]

Some delays on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) out of Paddington tonight due to 'lack of available rolling stock' - so presumably a lot of failed HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) today which is most probably weather related in some way.

[gwr2006]

Original line problem between Oxford and Worcester fixed, trains now running normally, now emergency engineering works between Worcester and Hereford, delays of 60min may occur. Not been a good day!

Poor information continues, 'due to signal failure', or 'due to adverse weather conditions'. One might be fixed in time for those trying to get home, the other is less likely as the day goes on.

10 min ago, all showing as clear with no line problems, now showing line problem between Oxford and Worcester due to obstruction on the line. The landslide again?

A difficult day to say the least...

Frozen points at Evesham during a heavy snowfall this morning meant some trains terminated at Moreton-in-Marsh and Oxford.  Information on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website was woeful and confusing with the mixed messages in the Live Updates and front page.

This afternoon there was a broken rail at Ledbury which caused delays and cancellations between Worcester and Hereford.

Then 1P61 from Great Malvern hit several icicles inside Chipping Campden Tunnel and was disabled. It limped into Moreton-in-Marsh on a single engine and had to be pushed to Oxford by the Turbo that had arrived from Oxford to form the 1614 to Didcot Parkway, which was then cancelled.  The whole 6-car ensemble got to Oxford just before 1800 and terminated.  Passengers went forward on the delayed 1707 fast which was held ^ the 1607 Oxford to Paddington had earlier failed at Radley causing delays to services south of Oxford.

[SDS]

......
He is now eligible for the 50% compensation level - yet another Rail Travel Voucher coming his way..

Doubt it, they'll quote NRCoC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage) at him and say "weather is outside the control of the railway industry".

[IanL]

Thanks for the update and explanation, more fustration later, the 1731 OXF^» (Oxford - next trains) to Worcester was cancelled at 1729 (appeared on the website then and also announced at the platform at that time). Many passengers were waiting for this train which was advertised as being on time until 1729.

But I really wish FGW^▸ (First Great Western) customer service would simply put 'broken rail', 'frozen points' or train damaged by overhanging icicles! Much better than hiding behind the ever present signal failures, emergency engineering works or obstruction on the track?

[willc]

There were also problems with the points at Norton Junction and I gather that one of the signals at Moreton was stuck for a while as well.

Not that it was the end of problems for the day. Leaving the office in Oxford at 7pm, the 18.22 was shown running on time. Needless to say, by the time I was at the station that had slipped to five late, then nine or 10 late, which was the case when it reached Oxford.

After an extended stop the train manager came on the PA^▸ (Public Address) to announce that a safety system was faulty, which he told me later was the AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System). The driver managed to reset it at Oxford and off we went 20 late. At Hanborough the stop became interminable and it transpired the AWS had gone again and efforts to revive it were fruitless. The driver was eventually given permission to isolate it and proceed at a maximum of 40mph all the way to Worcester, where passengers for Malvern and Herefordshire would be transferred to the following 19.22. We left Hanborough 50 late and reached Moreton-in-Marsh 70 late, inclusive of an extra stop at Shipton due to the cancellation of the 17.50 from London.

In contrast to the contradictory picture being painted online this morning, the announcements on the train throughout all this were a model of clarity and ensured everyone knew what was going on and what was being done to get them to their destinations, even if the circumstances were difficult.

[JayMac]

Some delays on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) out of Paddington tonight due to 'lack of available rolling stock' - so presumably a lot of failed HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) today which is most probably weather related in some way.

Not all weather related. A down PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-WSM HST struck a shopping trolley (according to a TM^‡(resolve) I spoke with) and the service was caped at Bristol Temple Meads. There was then a knock on delay for the subsequent up service (1A27 1730 ex BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) - on which I, and Chris from Nailsea were passengers) whilst the fitters sorted out problems caused to the power car involved. Told by the Train Manager that striking the shopping trolley had led to damage to the compressed air system. Our initial attempt at departing from Temple Meads resulted in a journey length of, according to a PA^▸ (Public Address) announcement by the TM, one inch! We got going eventually but were further delayed by stoppers between Bristol and Bath, arriving into Swindon over 30 mins late. A 'severe delay' according to Phil Sayer, but fairly minor compared to what others have experienced on the rail network in recent days. His apology was welcome though. 

The delay to this up service caused a further knock on to the scheduled down service this HST set was meant to run from Paddington. Fairly certain that's what happened as we had the same set (and TM) back to Bristol from Swindon later in the evening, still delayed by over 30 mins.

[SDS]

According to trust, the driver reported "a Trolley being thrown at him". Will dig out some more details tomorrow.