North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025

[whole diary]

[Worcester_Passenger]

Sunday December 7

12:49 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:07/12/2025 03:08

17:30 Hereford to London Paddington due 20:25 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:07/12/2025 03:13

EDIT - 14:00 : Both journeys have been removed from JourneyCheck's 'Other service updates' list.

But there is bad news for tomorrow morning's 1P11 05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington service - it'll be just five cars:

Facilities on the 13:12 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 15:25.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9.
Last Updated:07/12/2025 04:51

Facilities on the 15:49 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 18:15.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9.
Last Updated:07/12/2025 04:51

Facilities on the 18:57 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 21:22.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9.
Last Updated:07/12/2025 04:51

Facilities on the 21:50 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill due 23:59.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9.
Last Updated:07/12/2025 04:46

EDIT - 18:10 : 1W79 21:50 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill is still on JourneyCheck as five cars, but is now being reported on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) as nine cars, so looking good for Monday morning.

EDIT - Monday 04:15 :
1W59 17:49 London Paddington to Great Malvern (20:14) : Oxford +9, arrived +18.
1P88 20:46 Great Malvern to London Paddington (23:41) : departed +40, held Norton (+54), arrived +35.
1W79 21:50 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (23:59) : held Wolvercote for 1P88 (+14), arrived +23.

[charles_uk]

06:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 09:29 was terminated at Oxford.
It will no longer call at Hanborough, Charlbury, Kingham, Moreton-In-Marsh, Honeybourne, Evesham, Pershore, Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern Link and Great Malvern.
This is due to a fault on this train.

07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 09:42 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
It will no longer call at Great Malvern, Malvern Link and Worcester Foregate Street but will call additionally at Shipton, Ascott-Under-Wychwood, Finstock and Combe.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:23 will be started from Oxford.
It will no longer call at Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Worcester Foregate Street, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Pershore, Evesham, Honeybourne, Moreton-In-Marsh, Kingham, Charlbury and Hanborough.
This is due to a fault on this train.

And the 07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway halts service "cancelled between Worcester Shrub Hill and Oxford due to unknown cause (ZW)."

[Witham Bobby]

Monday 8/12/2025

Problem with the 2-car unit for the Up Parliamentary this morning, according to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)

The Down train 2E77 0555 from Oxford arrived just a minute late at Shrub Hill, at 0616

But the return Up service, 2E80 did not run for passengers.  It seems to have gone to Oxford as empty cars, stopping only at Charlbury to wait for the single line.  Left Worcester at 0700 and got to Oxford at 0840.

[Witham Bobby]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) reports 1W13 0652 Paddington to Great Malvern did not get further than Wolvercote Jcn, having arrived at Oxford on time and departed westwards 20 mins late, because of a problem with the traction equipment

The return working, 1P24 0956 Great Malvern to Oxford was started back to Paddington from Oxford, on-time at 1132

Unit 800 006

[Witham Bobby]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) (but not GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) JourneyCheck) is showing 1W30 1523 Paddington to Foregate Street as cancelled today, 8th December 2025, for an unknown reason

The return working, 1T40 1802 Foregate Street to Paddington is, at present, shown on RTT as still operating

[Worcester_Passenger]

1W25 12:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St (15:00) : Reading +14, arrived Shrub Hill +17 and cancelled thereafter.

15:18 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 17:29 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:08/12/2025 15:06

More difficult to see what to make of this:

15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 17:47 will no longer call at Reading, Didcot Parkway, Oxford, Hanborough, Charlbury, Kingham, Moreton-In-Marsh, Honeybourne, Evesham, Pershore and Worcestershire Parkway Hl.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:08/12/2025 15:11

Is it running non-stop from Paddington to Shrub Hill perhaps? It's not listed on JourneyCheck as "cancelled", though RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) has it running empty all the way.

[ChrisB]

Problem with the 2-car unit for the Up Parliamentary this morning, according to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)

Strictly, not a Parliamentary.

Definition of a Parliamentary is a once-a-day/week/month train run to prevent closure notices on stations. This servve runs twice daily at the stations that would otherwise be closed

[Witham Bobby]

'Tis what we called the stopping service which, if I remember correctly was at about 0715 from Moreton to Oxford when I was at Moreton 'box.  And 1715 back from Oxford.

For a while, we had a further three trains each way per day, all stations, between Oxford and Moreton.  An initiative of BR^▸ (British Rail(ways))(WR)'s London Division.  Sadly, it fizzled out, and we were back to The Parly as only all stations service.  Back then, this was Hanborough's only service.  Quite remarkable, when you see today's level of traffic

[Oxonhutch]

I suspect the internal railway nomenclature goes back further than the more modern concept of a 'Parliamentary Train' to when, by law, a railway had to offer at least once a day a service accommodating third class passengers at no more than 1d (0.467p) per mile - serving all stations. A bit like Witham's second handle - Bobby - reflecting a signalman's evolution from the railway policeman.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Tuesday December 9
 
1P02 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington : started from Shrub Hill (RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) : "due to an issue with the train crew (TH)").
2E80 07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway : held Moreton (+12) and Charlbury (+23), arrived Oxford +28 and cancelled thereafter.
1P18 07:13 Great Malvern to Paddington (09:42) : held Charlbury (+40), arrived Reading +35 and cancelled thereafter (RTT : "due to unknown cause (ZW)")

09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 12:23 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to earlier engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 08:37

1W13 0652 London Paddington to Great Malvern (09:29) : departed +14, Oxford +24, arrived Shrub Hill and cancelled thereafter (RTT : "due to overrunning engineering works (I5)").

EDIT - 14:45

11:52 London Paddington to Hereford due 14:44 will be terminated at Great Malvern.
It has been delayed between Oxford and Hanborough and is now 17 minutes late.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 14:29

Oxford +12, arrived Great Malvern +19 and cancelled thereafter (RTT : "due to disorder (VA)").

15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29 will be started from Great Malvern.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 14:29

17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 20:11 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 14:32

EDIT - 16:00

Stock of 17:57 PAD^▸ (Paddington (London) station)-WOF is running empty to Foregate St.

[charles_uk]

17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street due 20:11 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 14:32

And following the cancellation of the 17:57, the next service won't get you beyond Reading!!!

18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 21:18 will be terminated at Reading.
It will no longer call at Oxford, Hanborough, Charlbury, Kingham, Moreton-In-Marsh, Honeybourne, Evesham, Pershore, Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern Link and Great Malvern.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 15:24

But now, better news

18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 21:18 will call additionally at Shipton.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated: 09/12/2025 16:53

[Worcester_Passenger]

I missed this one:

20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 23:29 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:09/12/2025 14:32

And this despite running the stock empty from Paddington.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Tuesday Dec 9
1W41 20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (23:13) : departed +10, Reading +32, Oxford +27, held Evesham (+43), arrived +42.

[charles_uk]

Not mentioned on JourneyCheck but tonight's 19:53 Paddington to Hereford service is a five car short-formation. The GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) app is showing some seats available in first class but none in standard.

So it's likely tomorrow's 05:23 Hereford to Paddington train will also be a short-form.

[Worcester_Passenger]

Thursday December 11

Last night:

Not mentioned on JourneyCheck but tonight's 19:53 Paddington to Hereford service is a five car short-formation. The GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) app is showing some seats available in first class but none in standard.

So it's likely tomorrow's 05:23 Hereford to Paddington train will also be a short-form.

Indeed so - today may be a day for WFH^▸ (Working From Home):

05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 07:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 03:50

Facilities on the 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington due 08:24.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 05:24

Facilities on the 08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington due 10:25.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 05:09

EDIT - 07:00

To which we must add

08:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 11:14 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 06:29

11:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 14:23 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 06:29

EDIT - 11:15

Stock of 1P11 05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington ran empty to Reading (depart Shrub Hill 08:50, arrive Reading 10:21) and picked up service as 1P21 09:59 Oxford to London Paddington