Great Western Coffee Shop

No, I haven't lost the plot! ;)
Rather, I'm sharing member ChrisB's view that this sort of problem won't suddenly go away on New Year's Eve:
I'm merely preparing the ground here, ready for member TaplowGreen to develop this topic, in due course.
CfN. ;D

TaplowGreen, the Coffee Shop forum is prepared for you. ;)

That's a presuming that there will be infrastructure problems in the Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere in 2026 ....................  8)  I am a born optimist  ;D

Didn't take long, did it?

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on all lines.

Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 06/01.

Damage has been found to the OLE in the Ladbroke Grove area. Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) is the name given to the overhead wires and other equipment on electrified railway lines that provides power to the trains.
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What are we doing about it?
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Whilst engineers are fixing the damage, our train service will have to be reduced between London Paddington and Reading.
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The problem affects all of the four lines between London Paddington and Reading, so we are having to reduce the train service through the area to avoid congestion. Local stopping services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway/Newbury will only run between Reading and Didcot Parkway/Newbury. Most of our longer distance Intercity services will continue to run between London Paddington and Reading, but may be subject to delay and some services between London Paddington and Cardiff Central will not run.

"Disruption is expected until the end of the day"

Dear Graham,

We're getting in touch to advise about current disruption in West London impacting GWR services operating between London Paddington and Reading, as well as Elizabeth Line services.  This is due to an issue with overhead wires in the Ladbroke Grove area. Network Rail teams are working quickly to repair the overhead wires and as a result, services are likely to be impacted until the end of the day.

Local stopping services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway/Newbury will only run between Reading and Didcot Parkway/Newbury. Most of our longer distance Intercity services will continue to run between London Paddington and Reading, but may be subject to delay and some services between London Paddington and Cardiff Central will be cancelled.

For the very latest please visit our dedicated webpage at www.gwr.com/check. Delay Repay compensation is available for customers using GWR services who arrive at their destination 15 minutes or more later than scheduled, and can be claimed at www.gwr.com/delayrepay. 

We're very sorry for the disruption to passenger services today and would be grateful if you could share this information with your networks.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Best wishes,

Olivia & Ahmed

One of my New Year's Day pictures showed diesel fumes - or was it steam - coming out of the pipes on an IET at Chippenham - no doubt just warming up has it come electric as far as Cocklebury Lane, and I mused sadly that it wasn't electric through to Bath, Bristol and beyond.   Seeing the problems that NR / GWR seem to have with the extra complexity of OLE, I wonder if I should be careful what I wish for.

The newer sections of OHLE are generally very robust.  Problems nearly always occur in the legacy OHLE from the 1990s from Paddington out as far as Heathrow.  Though that fragile area is the most important unfortunately!

You're only as strong as your weakest point.

What's the nature of today's problem?

TfL drivers this evening are telling passengers that the OLE won’t be fixed tonight and not to bother travelling tomorrow.

(TfL are blaming an OLHE problem, could quite conceivably be both I guess given the state of the infrastructure)

Delays to services between Reading and Newbury

Due to a points failure at Reading West disruption is expected until 13:30 28/01.
Train services between Reading and Newbury may be delayed.

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on some lines.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 08:45 13/02.

The fire brigade have been responding to a fire at a train depot near London Paddington.

To allow the fire brigade to deal with the incident, power to the overhead electric wires which powers electric trains was switched off.

As a result, major disruption has occurred on this route this morning.

However, the fire has now been safely extinguished, and we are slowly starting to reintroduce the train service. However, delays and short notice cancellations should be expected as continue to restore the train service.

Not infrastructure per se, unless you count trackside fencing, but…

Extensive disruption this afternoon at paddington with all lines blocked due to a trespasser at Southall. 

To my recollection this is the 3rd such incident in the past fortnight.  Does the great western line have a track security problem?

Lines open again now but still extensive delays until 1800 according to National Rail on one of the busiest days of the year - also affecting local Elizabeth Line services.

This sort of moronic behaviour does indeed seem to be on the rise and not just in this area - saw some footage of a couple of people practically tap dancing on the third rail last week, narrowly avoided being turned into charcoal.

.....Does the great western line have a track security problem?

The volume of graffiti, AKA criminal damage, along the railway between Paddington & Acton, indicates the answer to that question is a resounding 'Yes'.

Ah but Bob that graffiti is "art", and yet another benefit of our increasingly progressive, diverse society (....or something!)  ::)

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to urgent repairs to the track between London Paddington and Reading fewer trains are able to run on some lines.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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We have had a report of a defect with the track in the West Drayton area. Trains may not be able to run over the affected line until it has been inspected or may have to run at reduced speed.

......and it continues into today......

Cancellations to services between Twyford and Slough

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Twyford and Slough fewer trains are able to run on some lines.

Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 06:45 09/04.

Now pushed out to 1100

"The problem affects 2 of the four lines between London Paddington and Reading, so we are having to reduce the train service through the area to avoid congestion. Local stopping services between London Paddington and Newbury will only run between Reading and Newbury. Most longer distance intercity services will continue to run between London Paddington and Reading, but may be subject to delay.
We are working with Network Rail to be able to return to running our normal timetable as soon as possible".
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Wasn't there to be a concerted effort from NR and contractors to fix the many long-term infrastructure issues on the Paddington the Reading main line?  What happened to that?  Failures seem to me to be as frequent as they ever were

Culprit seems to have been the 6V50 Wembley-Merehead.

Moving again after standing for >3 hours. (passed Kintbury 16:52 and Bedwyn 20:22).

What are the barriers to achieving a rescue in less time?

Lack of spare locos and traincrew at depots

Lack of inter-operability between classes of loco

Few places where there are crossovers to enable rescue locos to reach a failed train conveniently

Lack of lay-by loops and refuge sidings where a train can be placed "out of the way"

Surprise!!!  It’s bust again.  ::)
Definitely reaching the point of ‘nope, I won’t bother going in case I can’t come back’ that we had in 2024 (and every other year since 2020 really)

Cancellations to services between Slough and Reading
Due to a points failure between Slough and Reading fewer trains are able to run on some lines.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 22:45 17/04.

If it's any comfort, (as we're told above) apparently it's "definitely improving"  ::)

Still poor...but definitely improving.

Yes, I think that's a fair statement...as long as you include the "Still poor" bit.

You could also say, it's 'slightly less bad'.  ;) :D ;D

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to trespassers on the railway between Reading and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on all lines. Disruption is expected until 13:00 20/04.

Train services between London Paddington and Reading may be cancelled or delayed.

Cancellations to services between Reading and Newbury

Due to trespassers on the railway between Reading and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on all lines. Disruption is expected until 13:00 20/04.

Train services between Reading and Newbury may be cancelled or delayed.

Delays now until 6pm

"The person has been on the railway since the early hours, and despite Police negotiation they remain on the railway"

.............surely by now they could have been physically removed?

Now there’s a new ‘railway emergency’ that has brought trains to a standstill at Burnham

Taser.

Taser.

Network Rail have been carrying out planned engineering work in the London Paddington area. They have informed us that this will not be finished on time.

Still, we haven’t got long to wait and it’ll be nationalised and all the infrastructure faults will magically disappear overnight! 

Seems to apply to the majority of the London - Didcot services today

09:08 London Paddington to Didcot Parkway due 10:22
09:08 London Paddington to Didcot Parkway due 10:22 will no longer call at Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.

This is due to a speed restriction because of high track temperatures.

Isn't the infrastructure in public ownership already?

Normal weather - normal service

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington

Due to a points failure between Reading and London Paddington some lines are blocked.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 08:01 01/06.

Now going to take extra 7 hours to fix disruption

Disruption is expected until 15:00 01/06.

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to a fault with the signalling system between London Paddington and Reading some lines are closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 10:15 02/06.

There is a fault with the signalling system between Slough and Acton. The signalling system is how trains are kept a safe distance apart and directed onto the various lines along their journey. When there is a fault with the signalling system trains may need to stop at the affected signals so that the Driver can speak to the Signaller to confirm if the track ahead is clear.

The problem affects 2 of the four lines between London Paddington and Reading, so we are having to reduce the train service through the area to avoid congestion.
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Some services between London Paddington and Oxford, and between London Paddington and Cardiff Central, will not run, in either direction.
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Local stopping services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway/Newbury will only run between Reading and Didcot Parkway/Newbury.
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Most longer distance Intercity services will continue to run between London Paddington and Reading, but may be subject to delay.
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We are working with Network Rail to be able to return to running our normal timetable as soon as possible.

A major area of focus has been the Thames Valley and Network Rail has carried out a high volume of asset interventions concentrating on track, overhead line equipment, axle counters and points.

And in a bit of comedy timing, whilst all the disruption continues, the regulator ORR has decided to issue a letter to Network Rail Western saying ORR is satisfied with their performance and improvement.

Even includes :
https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-06/2026-06-01-nr-wales-and-western-compliance.pdf

So apparently ORR thinks the interventions are good enough, even though failures are continuing.  Words fail me.

Delays to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to a fault with the signalling system between London Paddington and Reading trains have to run at reduced speed on some lines towards Reading.

Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed by up to 20 minutes. Disruption is expected until 19:15 02/06.
Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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Some axle counters, part of the signalling system, have stopped working in the Ruscombe area. Axle counters tell the signalling system if a section of track has a train on it. If an axle counter stops working, trains need to stop at the affected signal so that the Driver can speak to the Signaller to confirm if the track ahead is clear.