Delays at Paddington (21-22 June)

[hassaanhc]

More delays between Twyford and Reading tonight, 30 minutes due to signalling problems. They've been having so much bad luck recently and then get abuse for it on Twitter .
I used this section earlier today for the first time, had no issues whatsoever and a helpful RPI who advised me on where to change trains despite not having asked him (and first time in 8 years I've taken a train west from Southall, save a journey from West Drayton to Ealing Broadway last year. First ever time west of Slough)

 

[waterboo]

What i do not understand, standing from southall, is that Heathrow Express services were happily cruising past, leaving the cohort of the 100+ passengers.

Could they have not at least turned them into stopping services??

 

[hassaanhc]

What i do not understand, standing from southall, is that Heathrow Express services were happily cruising past, leaving the cohort of the 100+ passengers.

Could they have not at least turned them into stopping services??

Probably comes down to paths, capacity and whether BAA want to reduce services for their premium passengers was there a large gap in service, significantly more than the usual 23 minute timetabled twice an hour? And how were 'Connects affected?

 

[waterboo]

Probably comes down to paths, capacity and whether BAA want to reduce services for their premium passengers was there a large gap in service, significantly more than the usual 23 minute timetabled twice an hour? And how were 'Connects affected?

Heathrow connect i believe were on strike action that day. There appeared to be a normal service on Express.
Although, i can understand the paths issue.

 

[hassaanhc]

Heathrow connect i believe were on strike action that day. There appeared to be a normal service on Express.
Although, i can understand the paths issue.

Oh o.k., that has muddied the waters. I know on at least some of the strikes the Express was running 2tph instead of 4 and FGW were running services between Paddington and Hayes at roughly the same timings as the normal HC services. But it can get annoying waiting for a train that stops and seeing others go through without stopping :P

 

[VisualAcid]

Trouble again today near Paddington with a bridge strike and train failures. Just outside they've just detrained everyone at Oldfield Park and the trains just left! Must be another problem with the 150s.

 

[MyFriendMary]

Trouble again today near Paddington with a bridge strike and train failures. Just outside they've just detrained everyone at Oldfield Park and the trains just left! Must be another problem with the 150s.

Rear door failed to close. PAD-BRI was sent to collect them all 30ish mins later

 

[waterboo]

Oh o.k., that has muddied the waters. I know on at least some of the strikes the Express was running 2tph instead of 4 and FGW were running services between Paddington and Hayes at roughly the same timings as the normal HC services. But it can get annoying waiting for a train that stops and seeing others go through without stopping :P

Absolutely!!! It was just one of those days i suppose.

 

[Taunton]

More delays between Twyford and Reading tonight, 30 minutes due to signalling problems. They've been having so much bad luck recently and then get abuse for it on Twitter

I went down here as well at that time, on the 1845 to Swansea, and ran into the 30 minute delays after Maidenhead, announced as the relief lines closed due to signal failures.

Can quite understand those who have been delayed each day getting fed up. Repetitive faults are not due to "bad luck", more that you don't manage your assets properly. It doesn't matter if the failure is an FGW train, or on a Railtrack asset, or the man that screwed the speedometer together used the wrong screwdriver "so nuffin' to do with me, guv", or whatever. It is the responsibility of the train operator to pull it all together properly. That's what the job is.

How many days have there been signal failures between Slough and Reading?

 

[VisualAcid]

Rear door failed to close. PAD-BRI was sent to collect them all 30ish mins later

I'd never seen a broken down train before, or that many people at Oldfield Park a 6 coach pair of 158s came a few mins later but a few couldn't get on still because it was rammed.

 

[VisualAcid]

Another nightmare between Reading and London, they seem to be weekly nowadays! Really hurting the service, not much alternative for most passengers apart from a detour to Waterloo. Really poor.

 

[tsr]

NR are investigating a complex problem involving signalling control. Supposedly, a power supply loss is affecting use of certain panel(s) dealing with the Twyford area, but I understand the issue is with NR equipment.

 

[richardhall99]

I had enough of the FGW to paddington after that week of disasters and now take the 724 to Clapham before a quick hop to Victoria...saves on the underground and the extra fare

 

[455driver]

As the fault is with NRs equipment I am sure FGW are happy that you are blaming them for it! :roll:

 

[thelongestroad]

Another (separate) issue tonight.. track circuit failures at Paddington.

 

[tsr]

Another (separate) issue tonight.. track circuit failures at Paddington.

Also, earlier in the afternoon, there was a train failure on the London-bound approach to Thatcham, plus there were simultaneously some problems operating level crossings in the Heyford area.

 

[VisualAcid]

As the fault is with NRs equipment I am sure FGW are happy that you are blaming them for it! :roll:

To the average customer this is all they recognise though. For such a key commuter route it's been dreadful recently, you wonder if there'll be anyone left by the time electrification has finished .

 

[LewFinnis]

I received my compensation from FGW today - vouchers for the full fare paid - so they accepted my point that, while the train was only 35 late into Paddington, the knock-on effect was me arriving home 70 minutes late.

 

[HowardGWR]

To the average customer this is all they recognise though. For such a key commuter route it's been dreadful recently, you wonder if there'll be anyone left by the time electrification has finished .

Such a disappearance would take years. They are captive and they know it.