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Chris from Nailsea
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« on: November 27, 2025, 17:43:07 » |
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I have been reminded of my original post, on another topic here - simply because of its ongoing topicality. Those major infrastructure problems won't go away with Great British Railways, nor any of Rachel Reeves' Budget announcements : 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: And the first for 2025....New Thread please!
I'm merely preparing the ground here, ready for member TaplowGreen to develop this topic, in due course. CfN▸ .  This is clearly an area of concern (understatement?) to our members and readers of the Coffee Shop forum, in terms of their experiences of travelling on the railways in our wider area. While starting this topic (in preparation), may I also reassure all of our members that their ongoing contributions to this, and indeed any other topic, will continue to be very welcome. Chris from Nailsea.  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2025, 17:44:31 » |
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TaplowGreen, the Coffee Shop forum is prepared for you. |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Electric train
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« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2025, 17:49:52 » |
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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 ....................  I am a born optimist |
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"The real source of danger, and the only one which there is any hope of removing, is in a complication of imperfections in a great number of the mechanical parts of the system"
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2026, 11:12:02 » |
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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 .................... I am a born optimist Didn't take long, did it? Cancellations 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. Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 12:00 01/01. Customer Advice Due to a signal fault in the Slough area, trains departing London Paddington towards Reading will be subject to delays. |
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bobm
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« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2026, 12:53:35 » |
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Not helped by the fact the Up and Down mains are closed for planned engineering work in the Slough area.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2026, 14:12:07 » |
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Didn't take long, did it?
Nope! That's why I did such timely groundwork, ready for this new topic. CfN▸ .  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: Stop, Look, Listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2026, 06:47:09 » |
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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.
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grahame
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« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2026, 09:15:24 » |
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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.
Oh dear! 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. 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. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Transport User Group, West Wiltshire Rail User Group Committee and TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2026, 10:44:04 » |
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"Disruption is expected until the end of the day"
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grahame
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« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2026, 10:57:21 » |
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"Disruption is expected until the end of the day"
From my inbox 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 Sharing done ... |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Transport User Group, West Wiltshire Rail User Group Committee and TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2026, 11:10:54 » |
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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! |
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2026, 12:15:27 » |
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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? Too chilly? |
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2026, 12:46:36 » |
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It gets better & better  Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading Due to a broken down train between London Paddington and Reading all lines are blocked. Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled, delayed by up to 75 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day. Customer Advice - What has happened? A freight train has failed just East of Reading station and blocked all lines. We are unable to services between London Paddington and Reading until the freight train has been rescued. |
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NickB
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« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2026, 19:26:00 » |
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TfL» drivers this evening are telling passengers that the OLE▸ won’t be fixed tonight and not to bother travelling tomorrow.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #14 on: January 07, 2026, 12:04:04 » |
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You're only as strong as your weakest point.
Indeed. That's kind of what I meant by... "Though that fragile area is the most important unfortunately!"What's the nature of today's problem?
It was a broken bridle, which is part of the OHLE▸ . TfL» drivers this evening are telling passengers that the OLE▸ won’t be fixed tonight and not to bother travelling tomorrow.
It was fixed overnight (the overnight services starting/turning back at Ealing Broadway) and all lines reopened just gone 6am, though there were knock-on delays and cancellations for a couple of hours after that, mostly on the Elizabeth Line. |
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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