North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Though why any scheduling system would have three separate TMs^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) (Paddington - Reading - Shrub Hill - Great Malvern) for a journey that is 2:22 long is beyond me.

Sadly that's what the computer churns out these days.  Works on paper, but not in practice as soon as anything goes wrong.  The powers that be, don't seem to get it unfortunately.

[Worcester_Passenger]

As you say, a journey of that length with three pieces of work is best described as "vulnerable".  But I would have expected the software to flag it as a potential issue. Alas, I'd fear that the report of the scheduling efficiency statistics wouldn't notice the shortness of the pieces - they'd be lost in any overall average.

It's odd that it's only a one-way cancellation - does this duty not go back to Reading at some stage?

[IndustryInsider]

As you say, a journey of that length with three pieces of work is best described as "vulnerable".  But I would have expected the software to flag it as a potential issue. Alas, I'd fear that the report of the scheduling efficiency statistics wouldn't notice the shortness of the pieces - they'd be lost in any overall average.

Without checking I don't know for sure, but it's quite possible the TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) assists on the way back, or that a Worcester based TM booking on standby could work it back.

[Worcester_Passenger]

The A return working has now turned up, though I imagine there's been some juggling of pieces of work:

20:20 Hereford to London Paddington due 23:38 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:17/05/2025 17:36

23:05 Reading to London Paddington due 23:38
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 23:05 Reading to London Paddington due 23:38.
Last Updated:17/05/2025 17:38

18:45 : Reading - Paddington leg added (I hadn't noticed this before).
05:15 : spelling

[Worcester_Passenger]

Sunday May 18

1W49 15:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +5 and was cancelled thereafter "due to disorder (VA)".
1W51 16:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern was held Evesham (+14) and arrived +19.

18:57 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 21:27 was started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
It has been delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill and is now 43 minutes late.
This is due to the police dealing with an incident near the railway earlier today.
Last Updated:18/05/2025 20:12

1P81 18:57 Great Malvern to London Paddington was started from Shrub Hill (+29), was held at Norton (+43), arrived +47.

Later...
1W08 18:45 London Paddington to Hereford (21:54) departed +18, was held Great Malvern (+42), arrived +42.
1W73 19:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (22:16) was delayed after West Drayton, held at Wolvercote (+14), arrived +25.
1W79 21:45 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (23:59) departed +37 and arrived +33.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Wednesday May 21

1W13 06:52 Paddington to Great Malvern was started from Reading due to engineering work not being finished on time.

11:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 14:23 has been delayed at Oxford and is now 33 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:21/05/2025 14:31

12:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 15:00 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:21/05/2025 13:44

15:18 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 17:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:21/05/2025 13:45

[Witham Bobby]

Friday 23 May

11:52 London Paddington to Hereford due 14:44 will be terminated at Great Malvern.
It will no longer call at Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford.
It has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Evesham and is now 58 minutes late.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge
Last Updated:23/05/2025 14:35

Not sure of the location of this bridge

Somewhere between Moreton in Marsh and Evesham perhaps

1P04 1318 Hereford to London Paddington departed Evesham at 1436, just one minute down, so the problem may have cleared now

[Worcester_Passenger]

Friday 23 May

11:52 London Paddington to Hereford due 14:44 will be terminated at Great Malvern.
It will no longer call at Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford.
It has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Evesham and is now 58 minutes late.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge
Last Updated:23/05/2025 14:35

Not sure of the location of this bridge

Somewhere between Moreton in Marsh and Evesham perhaps

1P04 1318 Hereford to London Paddington departed Evesham at 1436, just one minute down, so the problem may have cleared now

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) has 1W02 1152 London Paddington to Hereford as being held at Moreton (+38) and at Evesham (+58). Arrived Great Malvern +69.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Sunday May 25

25/05/25 12:45 London Paddington to Hereford due 16:04 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:24/05/2025 21:22

25/05/25 17:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 20:15 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:24/05/2025 21:18

25/05/25 17:30 Hereford to London Paddington due 20:29 will be started from Reading.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:24/05/2025 21:25

25/05/25 20:46 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 23:41 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:24/05/2025 21:21

Plus:

07:36 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 10:15 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:25/05/2025 07:46

10:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 13:30 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:25/05/2025 07:46

13:11 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 15:30 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:25/05/2025 12:07

21:45 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill due 23:59 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:25/05/2025 16:58

This is the last train.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Well, we've made it onto a new section of the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) leaderboard:

Due to a shortage of train crew between Great Malvern and Worcester Shrub Hill the line towards Worcester Shrub Hill is closed.
Train services running through these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 21:00 25/05.
Customer Advice
-
20.46 train Great Malvern to London Paddington will start at Worcester Shrub Hill due to staff shortages.
-
A taxi has been booked to leave Great Malvern at 20.30 and will call at Malvern Link and Worcester Shrub Hill.
-
The taxi has to run earlier than the train times due to road transport takes longer.
-
We're sorry for the delay to your journey.
-
We will update this message with more information when we have it.

Last Updated:25/05/2025 18:31

Good to know that a taxi will suffice.

Meanwhile,

18:45 London Paddington to Hereford due 21:54 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:25/05/2025 13:24

And the 17:30 from Hereford to Paddington, reported above as being started from Reading, now looks to have been cancelled throughoput.

The revised workings are quite interesting. According to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website),
1W03 12:45 London Paddington to Hereford was cancelled after arriving Worcester Shrub Hill at 15:20 (+20).
The stock ran empty to Hereford as 5W03 15:01 Worcester Shrub Hill to Hereford (16:04).
The stock then ran empty back again as 5P77 17:30 Hereford to London Paddington (20:29).

[Worcester_Passenger]

Final score for Sunday May 25:

1P45 10:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington : started from Shrub Hill
1P49 11:57 Great Malvern to London Paddington (14:26) : delayed after Reading, arrived +29.
1P55 13:12 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (15:30) : cancelled throughout (train crew)
1P59 13:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (16:26) : held Sbrub Hill (+22), arrived +25.
1P69 15:31 Hereford to London Paddington (18:29) : started from Worcester Foregate Street.
1P73 16:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:26) : held Charlbury (+19), arrived +26.
1P77 17:30 Hereford to London Paddington : ran empty Hereford - Reading, started from Reading.
1P85 19:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:27) : departed +26, arrived +24.
1P88 20:46 Great Malvern to London Paddington (23:41) : started from Worcester Shrub Hill

1W15 07:36 London Paddington to Great Malvern (10:15) : cancelled after Worcester Shrub Hill (train crew)
1W02 11:45 London Paddington to Hereford (15:04) : delayed before Reading (+30), arrived Worcester Foregate Street +35 and cancelled thereafter.
1W03 12:45 London Paddington to Hereford (16:04) : held Evesham (+13), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +20 and cancelled thereafter. Stock then ran empty to Hereford.
1W47 14:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (17:15) : departed +20, held Reading (+33), did not stop at Didcot, held Evesham (+30), arrived +32.
1W51 16:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:15) : departed +19, held Oxford (+25) and Shrub Hill (+43), arrived +46.
1W59 17:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (20:15) :  cancelled after Worcester Shrub Hill (train crew).
1W08 18:45 London Paddington to Hereford (21:54) : cancelled after Oxford.
1W73 19:45 London Paddington to Great Malvern (22:16) : departed +17, arrived +21.
1W77 20:45 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (23:00) : started from Oxford
1W79 21:45 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (23:59) : reported as cancelled at one stage.

Monday May 26

Not surprisingly, given yesterday's disruption:

1P02 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington (08:24) : started from Oxford.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Monday May 27

After the short working first thing, the rest of the day was good.

Except for
1P06 22:00 Hereford to London Paddington (01:15), which lost time after Shrub Hill and arrived +26.
In turn, this delayed 1W45 22:51 London Paddington to Worcestershire Parkway at Wolvercote. It arrived +18.

Tuesday May 28

13:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 16:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:27/05/2025 12:37

The stock is running empty to Shrub Hill.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Tuesday May 27 (continued)

16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 19:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Last Updated:27/05/2025 16:22

19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 22:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Last Updated:27/05/2025 16:22

18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 21:18.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.
Last Updated:27/05/2025 08:52

Later:

19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 22:24 will be reinstated.
It will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Last Updated:27/05/2025 17:01

[Worcester_Passenger]

Wednesday May 28

20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 23:13 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:28/05/2025 02:47

[Worcester_Passenger]

and
1W11 05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern was delayed at Shrub Hill. Arrived Worcester Foregate Street +22 and cancelled thereafter.

08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:25 has been delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill and is now 36 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on a train in front of this one.
Last Updated:28/05/2025 09:14

Indeed so - I'm on it. And the "train in front" was the 05:53.

08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 11:27 will be started from Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:28/05/2025 08:58