North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

Sunday June 29

1P41 09:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (12:22) cancelled throughout.

12:50 London Paddington to Hereford due 16:04 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:29/06/2025 06:00

My fault - I wanted to travel home from London on this one.
Stock running ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) to Shrub Hill.

13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 16:16 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:29/06/2025 06:00

... and I'd prefer Foregate St.

16:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:26 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:29/06/2025 09:45

[Worcester_Passenger]

Monday June 30

06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 08:44 will be diverted between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading.
It has been delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill and is now 43 minutes late.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 07:30

07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway due 08:46 has been delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill and is now 17 minutes late.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 07:18

07:25 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:02 is being delayed at Worcester Shrub Hill and is now expected to be 25 minutes late.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 07:44

Though the 07:25 operates via Stroud and not via Evesham.

[charles_uk]

Delays to services between Shipton and Kingham

Due to a tree blocking the railway between Shipton and Kingham the line towards Worcester Shrub Hill is blocked.

Train services running through these stations may be delayed. Disruption is expected until 14:30 30/06.

Services from Worcester towards Oxford, Reading and London Paddington are operating as normal.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 13:53

[Worcester_Passenger]

16:16 : Disruption expected until 18:00.

13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 16:15 will be diverted between Reading and Worcester Shrub Hill.
It will be delayed due to the diversion and is expected to be 24 minutes late.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 13:53

14:53 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:04 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 14:58

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 16:13

17:04 Didcot Parkway to Evesham due 18:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 16:13

15:18 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 17:29 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 13:34

15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 15:12

17:26 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 19:52 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 14:58

18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 20:29 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 16:13

[charles_uk]

In addition to the above, the 12:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street service was terminated at Oxford so no down services on to the north Cotswolds line for over three and a half hours.

[Worcester_Passenger]

15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29 was started from Worcester Shrub Hill and will be terminated at Reading.
It will no longer call at Hereford, Ledbury, Colwall, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-In-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury, Hanborough, Didcot Parkway and London Paddington.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway earlier today.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 17:24

Later:

19:53 London Paddington to Hereford due 22:57 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:30/06/2025 19:08

[Worcester_Passenger]

Yesterday's delays involving the tree never mentioned what had happened to the 11:52 from Paddington, which first encountered it. It was +2 at Ascott, but arrived at Kingham +228 (three hours and 48 minutes). I'm surprised that didn't make the local news.

Final scores:

1W02 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford (14:44) : Arrived Worcester Shrub Hill 17:43 (+226) and cancelled thereafter. Forms 1P05.
1W25 12:52 London Paddington to Foregate St (15:00) : cancelled after Oxford
1W27 13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern : diverted between Reading and Shrub Hill. Arrived +10.
1W29 14:53 London Paddington to Foregate St (17:04) : cancelled after Oxford "due to lineside vegetation (JP)" [RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)].
1W30 15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St (17:47) : Charlbury +1, Ascott +26. Arrived Shrub Hill +31 and cancelled thereafter.
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) : Ascott +20, arrived +23.
2E14 17:04 Didcot Parkway to Evesham (18:23) : cancelled throughout, "due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS)" [RTT].
1W33 16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:25) : OK
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford (20:25) : held Wolvercote (+11) but arrived on time.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) : OK
1W36 18:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern : started from Reading, arrived +12.
1W05 19:53 London Paddington to Hereford (22:57) : cancelled after Oxford (train crew), stock ran ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock).

1P34 15:18 Foregate Street to London Paddington (17:29) : started from Oxford
1P05 15:18 Hereford to Paddington (18:29) : started from Worcester Shrub Hill +93 (at 17:50), skipped stops, arrived Reading +76 and cancelled thereafter. Forms 1W36.
1P38 16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:29) : departed +11, but benefits from 16-minute stand at Moreton.
1P39 17:26 Foregate Street to London Paddington (19:52) : started from Oxford
1P40 18:02 Foregate Street to London Paddington (20:29) : started from Worcester Shrub Hill
2E16 18:51 Evesham to Oxford : cancelled throughout.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Tuesday July 1

06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 08:44 will be starting late from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:01/07/2025 06:41

and, optimistically (given the state of the OHLE^▸ (Over-Head Line Equipment (electrification via catenary)) at Malvern)

Facilities on the 07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:42.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 8 coaches instead of 12.
Last Updated:01/07/2025 03:42

Later:

The 08:18 from Shrub Hill to Paddington will be starting late. This one should arrive from Swindon at 07:58, but today it has had to go round via Bristol Parkway on account of a trespasser at Stroud.

14:15 :

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a points failure.
Last Updated:01/07/2025 13:48

15:39 : A different reason

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will be started from Oxford.
It will be delayed at Oxford.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:01/07/2025 15:19

Though RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) has "cancelled due to unknown cause (ZW)".

16:25 : JourneyCheck is right - it has started from Oxford, and departed on time.

17:40 :

17:04 Didcot Parkway to Evesham due 18:23 will be terminated at Oxford.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:01/07/2025 16:55

[charles_uk]

Some problems yesterday including:

1523 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street cancelled between Oxford and Worcester Foregate Street due to disorder (VA)
1552 London Paddington to Great Malvern cancelled between Worcester Shrub Hill and Great Malvern due to late arrival of an inbound service (YI) (departed Oxford 59 late, arrived WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) 69 late)
1658 London Paddington to Great Malvern cancelled between Worcester Foregate Street and Great Malvern due to late arrival of an inbound service (YI) (departed Oxford 19 late, held at Wolvercote Junction and arrived at WOF 69 late)

and a regular one for today:

17:04 Didcot Parkway to Evesham due 18:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.

18:51 Evesham to Oxford due 19:50 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.

[ray951]

Some problems yesterday including:

1523 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street cancelled between Oxford and Worcester Foregate Street due to disorder (VA)
1552 London Paddington to Great Malvern cancelled between Worcester Shrub Hill and Great Malvern due to late arrival of an inbound service (YI) (departed Oxford 59 late, arrived WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains) 69 late)
1658 London Paddington to Great Malvern cancelled between Worcester Foregate Street and Great Malvern due to late arrival of an inbound service (YI) (departed Oxford 19 late, held at Wolvercote Junction and arrived at WOF 69 late)

See https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=30434.0;topicseen for details of the disorder.

[Worcester_Passenger]

An unusual one this morning:

05:23 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:24 is being delayed at Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a shortage of station staff.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9.
Last Updated:10/07/2025 06:45

It's due to depart Foregate St at 06:06. But, as of 07:00, it's still there.

Meanwhile, it's blocking other movements:

07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:42 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of station staff.
Last Updated:10/07/2025 06:50

The Hereford train has departed Foregate St +58.

[Witham Bobby]

Alterations to services at Worcester Shrub Hill
Due to a points failure at Worcester Shrub Hill some lines are blocked.
Train services running through this station will be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 10/07.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
A set of points has failed outside of Worcester Shrub Hill
-
A points failure is a fault with the movable pieces of track that enable trains to change tracks.
-
What are we doing about it?
-
Engineers have arrived on site and are assessing the situation.
-
What are my options?
-
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today. Below are the current options available to you:
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Option 1: Use the National Rail Enquiries real-time journey planner to check if a journey by rail is currently possible. If you are at a station please check the Live Departure Boards or speak to a member of our station team.
-
Option 2: We are looking at other rail companies or local public transport providers which may be able to help you make your journey.
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Option 3: Replacement transport provided by us such as a buses, coaches or taxis, have not been requested at this time. We will continue to monitor the need for this as the situation develops and provide updates here.
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Option 4: Travel at a later time. You might want to consider postponing your journey until our service returns to normal.
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Let us help you:
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Don't worry if you're already travelling when disruption happens, we'll get you where you need to go. If you miss the last train of the day due to cancellation or because another train was delayed, we wont leave you stranded.
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If you require help, further information or would like to provide feedback, to help us improve in the future:
Speak to our staff at the station or on the train.
Use the Customer Help Point on the platform.
Message us on X @GWRHelp, Facebook Messenger @gwruk, Instagram @gwruk or WhatsApp 07890 608043. Our team is available daily between 07:00 and 19:00.
Call our Customer Support team on 03457 000 125, who are available between 06:00 and 23:00.
Call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950, who are available 24 hours a day.
-
Last Updated:10/07/2025 09:23

[Witham Bobby]

Alterations to services at Worcester Shrub Hill
Due to a points failure at Worcester Shrub Hill some lines are blocked.
Train services running through this station will be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 10:30 10/07.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
A set of points has failed outside of Worcester Shrub Hill
-
A points failure is a fault with the movable pieces of track that enable trains to change tracks.
-
What are we doing about it?
-
UPDATE 09:52 - Engineers on site have now fixed the fault with the points. Trains can now run normally but may still suffer from delays to due to the disruption caused.
-
Whilst trains are safely moved through the area, services towards Worcester and towards Oxford will both suffer from delays.