Weather related disruption - Christmas 2013 and New Year 2014

[VauxhallandI]

Rather than start another thread, does this on the Virgin website :


mean that seat reservations for people booked on specific services will have been canned (which usually happens during disruption)?

Trying to decide whether to take our 1530 EUS-GLA and hope to find our reserved standard seats with no one sitting in them, or just go for an earlier train and take part in the bun fight.

Having the same dilemma here. My reserved seats are in first on the 14:30 service

GA services are now running from me so I can get down to Euston early

 

[steverailer]

Just a thought for you all.

Can you spare a thought for the lads and lasses on the ground trying to clear all this so you can get home.

Part of the problem with this weather is its past the limits allowed for the MEWPs to work in, meaning it takes longer to get the lines back up. I know the lads and lasses are doing the very best they can in very challenging conditions.

 

[Goatboy]

Again I feel this morning credit is due to FGW. Despite the South West being hit hard last night by winds of up to 90mph and other operators saying they wont operate anything until 10am, FGW have not followed suit and are attempting to run all the trains they can. It would have been very easy for them to follow others and simply can everything until 10am but they didn't and for this they deserve travellers respect.

 

[Wivenswold]

Sorry where did I blame anyone?

Obviously you can just blow off work when you like, not possible for all of us.

Not true. I'm working today and made arrangements. Okay so you didn't blame anyone but you gave the impression of being in a huff about it all.

I know one of the blokes out clearing debris from the tracks on Christmas eve in the driving rain. NR are doing their best.

 

[ushawk]

Again I feel this morning credit is due to FGW. Despite the South West being hit hard last night by winds of up to 90mph and other operators saying they wont operate anything until 10am, FGW have not followed suit and are attempting to run all the trains they can. It would have been very easy for them to follow others and simply can everything until 10am but they didn't and for this they deserve travellers respect.

Did you ever think that other operators have been worse hit than FGW ? Southern certainly have and had to suspend service - there was no other option.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Not true. I'm working today and made arrangements. Okay so you didn't blame anyone but you gave the impression of being in a huff about it all.

I know one of the blokes out clearing debris from the tracks on Christmas eve in the driving rain. NR are doing their best.

Wrong again, I'm not in a huff with it at all. It's not their fault it's the weather!

The huff is some people saying people should build in x to their plans. Not always possible. Hindsight is wonderful isn't it

 

[1e10]

Some disruption to XC this morning.

1S37 0520 Plymouth to Edinburgh - This service was cancelled throughout due to severe flooding (X2).
1Z39 0751 Taunton to Glasgow Central - This service was cancelled throughout due to severe flooding (X2).
1S39 0625 Plymouth to Exeter St Davids - This service was cancelled between Exeter St Davids and Glasgow Central due to severe flooding (X2).
1M29 0900 Bristol Temple Meads to Manchester Piccadilly - This service was cancelled between Paignton and Bristol Temple Meads due to unknown cause ().
1S41 0930 Bristol Temple Meads to Edinburgh - This service was cancelled between Plymouth and Bristol Temple Meads due to unknown cause ().

Sorry if I've missed something, anyone know where this has flooded too?

 

[Wivenswold]

Wrong again, I'm not in a huff with it at all. It's not their fault it's the weather!

The huff is some people saying people should build in x to their plans. Not always possible. Hindsight is wonderful isn't it

Well, I apologise for interpreting that way.

I am perhaps a little battle scarred from seeing so many idiotic tweets from passengers on my local line. Some people completely ignore forecasts, throw their toys out of the pram and expect everything handed to them on a plate. GA said no trains until 10am but most services are already running, yet people are still getting at them for any residual delays.

I'm an ex-railwayman and a meteorologist. I get defensive about these things.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Well, I apologise for interpreting that way.

I am perhaps a little battle scarred from seeing so many idiotic tweets from passengers on my local line. Some people completely ignore forecasts, throw their toys out of the pram and expect everything handed to them on a plate. GA said no trains until 10am but most services are already running, yet people are still getting at them for any residual delays.

I'm an ex-railwayman and a meteorologist. I get defensive about these things.

Tough day for everyone.

A little secret, I have it down as a bit of an adventure! However I have a girlfriend with man flu that is not really helping my Biggles spirit!

 

[Rich McLean]

Some disruption to XC this morning.

1S37 0520 Plymouth to Edinburgh - This service was cancelled throughout due to severe flooding (X2).
1Z39 0751 Taunton to Glasgow Central - This service was cancelled throughout due to severe flooding (X2).
1S39 0625 Plymouth to Exeter St Davids - This service was cancelled between Exeter St Davids and Glasgow Central due to severe flooding (X2).
1M29 0900 Bristol Temple Meads to Manchester Piccadilly - This service was cancelled between Paignton and Bristol Temple Meads due to unknown cause ().
1S41 0930 Bristol Temple Meads to Edinburgh - This service was cancelled between Plymouth and Bristol Temple Meads due to unknown cause ().

Sorry if I've missed something, anyone know where this has flooded too?

Cowley Bridge Jn has flooded again, hence the cancellations. Limited buses between Taunton and Exeter, the same as last year

 

[Goatboy]

Did you ever think that other operators have been worse hit than FGW ? Southern certainly have and had to suspend service - there was no other option.

Unlikely, they currently have multiple obstructions blocking main lines. I'm sorry if you don't feel they deserve credit for the way they are handling things, but I do.

 

[rdwarr]

Cowley Bridge Jn has flooded again, hence the cancellations. Limited buses between Taunton and Exeter, the same as last year

Poor show from the TOCs then.
They knew that flooding was likely.
They should have laid on amphibious trains.

 

[Tracked]

Poor show from the TOCs then.
They knew that flooding was likely.
They should have laid on amphibious trains.

never mind all these modifications for DDA, we need all trains fitted with oars by 2019!

 

[Monty]

Poor show from the TOCs then.
They knew that flooding was likely.
They should have laid on amphibious trains.

If the TOCs were even half compentant then surely they would have acquired hover trains that arn't affected by the flooding.

Stuck at W'loo waiting for a train that may not leave, I've had better days.

 

[Zoe]

Limited buses between Taunton and Exeter, the same as last year

I travelled on December 24 last year and would not have called the bus service limited. It was actually a very good service considering the circumstances (in addition to Cowley Bridge there was also a landslide at Teighmouth), trains were terminating at Tiverton Parkway with buses running fast between there and Newton Abbot in addition to buses between Tiverton Parkway and Exeter and Exeter and Newton Abbot.

 

[Goatboy]

Last year's Cowley bridge buses were advertised as very limited but the service was very good.

 

[Tav77]

Poor show from the TOCs then.
They knew that flooding was likely.
They should have laid on amphibious trains.

If they were anything like the amphibious pleasure crafts in London and Liverpool, then they'd probably go up in smoke, and there would be more delays!

 

[infobleep]

My aunt was due into Euston at 1600, but instead got an earlier train because of Virgin lifting ticket restrictions, so she got in at 1300 instead. Her original train is now 50 minutes late, and we're sitting with a cup of coffee at home, feeling very smug.

I think they've made the best of a very bad situation!

That being said, Euston was horrific earlier, with the 1330 and 1343 to Glasgow being announced as the train from Edinburgh just arriving. Nearly caused absolute chaos with two huge crouds trying to pass through each other!

Euston don't always get the announcing system right. They once announced the platform for a London Midland service 2 minutes before it was scheduled to depart and it wasn't the usual platform it departs from either. It actually left late but the departure boards said it was on time at that point so passengers are not to know that.

That wasn't the only issue I found over the few years I passed through the station. Saying that it's not always easy to get things out during periods of disruption and I have no doubt the staff are trying their best.
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I don't think anyone is disputing the fact that its a shame if people can't get to where they want to be at xmas-many of us rail staff are in exactly the same boat and whilst passengers get delayed going to where they are trying to get to, we can get delayed and still have to get to the yard 2 hours late having missed our last trains or planes to where we are trying to get to (I'm not after sympathy before people start, just pointing out that we to have places we want to get to for Christmas and our plans may have to be abandoned along with the fare paying public).

Out of interest, if you ever miss the last train due to train disruption, does your employer pay for you to get home or are you require to sort it out yourself?

I had an interesting journey last night. I planned to travel during the disruption because I wanted to see what it would be like. I knew the risks.

Despite having a planned 20+ minute walk to the station, to enjoy the wind and adding on another 7-10 minutes as I left something at work, I still didn't miss any of my trains because they were all so delayed. Had I got a bus to the station, I wouldn't have saved any time overall either! I arrived at my destination only 45 minutes late!

I considered that to be really good going, given some trains were over 2 hours 30 minutes late! Well done to the train companies; network rail and staff for running services.

I took a photo at Gatwick Airport and you could see the clouds and rain blowing. By that point it looked as if it had got much heavier than when I was walking.
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Plus a lot of the line side trees are not on railway land but in peoples back gardens and council owned land. Network rail can not cut those ones down and if they fall from private land they can still damage the infrastructure or obstruct trains.

Can Network Rail put in requests for private landowners to cut down trees. IF not then isn't this a good case for the government introducing laws forcing people to cut down trees. After all that is more important, people getting around or people's back gardens?

 

[Rich McLean]

Cowley Bridge area:

By the look of that, it won't re-open until the New Year

 

[Zoe]

Looks like FGW are running through to Tiverton Parkway now. The FGW website is showing services as diverted via Bristol and terminating at Tiverton Parkway.

 

[mrmatt]

Rather than start another thread, does this on the Virgin website :


mean that seat reservations for people booked on specific services will have been canned (which usually happens during disruption)?

Trying to decide whether to take our 1530 EUS-GLA and hope to find our reserved standard seats with no one sitting in them, or just go for an earlier train and take part in the bun fight.

My favourite tactic to get a seat from Euston is to use RTT to check the platform (it shows it as soon as the inbound service comes in) and therefore I can wait on the ramp and the second it is announced I am first on. No bun fighting required

Given the disruption there could be a late change of set I suppose but if the platform changed you would be in not a much worse position than those coming from the concourse.

 

[Rich McLean]

Looks like FGW are running through to Tiverton Parkway now.

Yep, FGW just annouced

 

[Optimo]

re: seat reservations

Having the same dilemma here. My reserved seats are in first on the 14:30 service

GA services are now running from me so I can get down to Euston early

Saw on @VirginTrains twitter that "We can't guarantee seat reservations today" - they can't guarantee them any day, so no change there really. They've not yet answered if reservations are 'likely' to be honoured on the service I asked them about though (1530 EUS-GLA). Good luck, I see some First Class is being declassified.

 

[edwin_m]

If the TOCs were even half compentant then surely they would have acquired hover trains that arn't affected by the flooding.

Or even Hoover trains that clear up the debris on the line.

 

[Monty]

re: seat reservations



Saw on @VirginTrains twitter that "We can't guarantee seat reservations today" - they can't guarantee them any day, so no change there really. They've not yet answered if reservations are 'likely' to be honoured on the service I asked them about though (1530 EUS-GLA). Good luck, I see some First Class is being declassified.

I would imagine if they can't guarantee seat reservations for today then it is unlikely your reservation for the 1530 will be honoured..

 

[edwin_m]

Just a thought for you all.

Can you spare a thought for the lads and lasses on the ground trying to clear all this so you can get home.

Part of the problem with this weather is its past the limits allowed for the MEWPs to work in, meaning it takes longer to get the lines back up. I know the lads and lasses are doing the very best they can in very challenging conditions.

Amen to that.

For the third time this year, it seems to me that the weather people and the operators have called this one about right. Warnings received, publicity of likely problems, some reductions in service. Result is some disruption but surely far fewer people affected than if business as usual had been attempted.

 

[infobleep]

If this becomes much more common, will train companies and network rail need to adapt to cope with it or is it a case that our weather is just too extrem to be able to cope full stop, no matter how more frequent these events are?

 

[HowardGWR]

If this becomes much more common, will train companies and network rail need to adapt to cope with it or is it a case that our weather is just too extrem to be able to cope full stop, no matter how more frequent these events are?

I don't know but echo the congrats on earlier posts to NR staff and TOC staff who did their best. On SWT lines to Exeter yesterday, many tree incidents were dealt with as promptly as could be expected. Great work in appalling conditions.

 

[Optimo]

My favourite tactic to get a seat from Euston is to use RTT to check the platform (it shows it as soon as the inbound service comes in) and therefore I can wait on the ramp and the second it is announced I am first on. No bun fighting required

Given the disruption there could be a late change of set I suppose but if the platform changed you would be in not a much worse position than those coming from the concourse.

Thanks haven't seen that site before (realtimetrains.co.uk right?). Not 100% clear to me which platform is likely as the GLA-EUS arrives 15:10 at Plat 2, but the 1530 EUS-GLA departs from 15. Is there a way to tell which is the inbound train that will form the outbound service?

I would imagine if they can't guarantee seat reservations for today then it is unlikely your reservation for the 1530 will be honoured..

Saying they 'won't guarantee a reservation' is just standard operating procedure no matter disruption or not though. Was kind of looking for some useful advice, e.g. "anyone with a ticket can travel on any train, but reservations are/are not valid", then pax would know exactly the situation they're getting in to by bothering to wait or not for their reserved services. I guess it's not an exact science if downloading reservations is at the discretion of the TM.

Am sure VT CS have bigger fish to fry and the TM's can't get getting involved in customer disputes about seats on every train.

 

[mrmatt]

Thanks haven't seen that site before (realtimetrains.co.uk right?). Not 100% clear to me which platform is likely as the GLA-EUS arrives 15:10 at Plat 2, but the 1530 EUS-GLA departs from 15. Is there a way to tell which is the inbound train that will form the outbound service?

It will show the platform on the outbound service as soon as the planned inbound comes in. I've used in many times to get a couple of minutes ahead of the rabble.

realtimetrains.co.uk yes