Dicky wireless makes Chiltern cancel parliamentary train

[Old Yard Dog]

On Monday morning, having checked the realtimetrains and National rail websites, I made my way to South Ruislip intending to catch the 1057 parliamentary train to Paddington (and back) in order to "tick off" the little used Northolt Junction to Old Oak Common West Junction line. The 3-car DMU duly arrived in platform 3 showing "98 London Paddington" and the conductor came down the train to confirm that that indeed was where I wanted to go. However at 1057, it became clear that something was wrong as the driver left his cab and the guard announced there was a technical problem. A few minutes later, it was announced that the train was cancelled as there was a problem with the radio communication, meaning they could not proceed to Paddington.

I know that parliamentary trains are not high on Chiltern's list of priorities but they could at least have tried to allocate a set with a working radio before it left the depot. I had forked out a fair few quid to spend the night in London to "do" this line (and avoid the returning Man Utd hordes at Euston) so I was less than enamoured. I wonder how often this train is in fact cancelled?

As an aside, does anybody know whether it is possible to use an Oyster card to make an immediate return journey? Can you touch out and then immediately touch back in again at your destination? Or does that confuse the system? I brought the missus's Oyster card as a back up but never got to try the double touch at Paddington. But I did at least get to tick off some of the outer reaches of the tube network so all was not lost.

 

[Llanigraham]

It would have been checked before it was left the Depot, therefore it must have failed between there and Paddington.

 

[Deepgreen]

On Monday morning, having checked the realtimetrains and National rail websites, I made my way to South Ruislip intending to catch the 1057 parliamentary train to Paddington (and back) in order to "tick off" the little used Northolt Junction to Old Oak Common West Junction line. The 3-car DMU duly arrived in platform 3 showing "98 London Paddington" and the conductor came down the train to confirm that that indeed was where I wanted to go. However at 1057, it became clear that something was wrong as the driver left his cab and the guard announced there was a technical problem. A few minutes later, it was announced that the train was cancelled as there was a problem with the radio communication, meaning they could not proceed to Paddington.

I know that parliamentary trains are not high on Chiltern's list of priorities but they could at least have tried to allocate a set with a working radio before it left the depot. I had forked out a fair few quid to spend the night in London to "do" this line (and avoid the returning Man Utd hordes at Euston) so I was less than enamoured. I wonder how often this train is in fact cancelled?

As an aside, does anybody know whether it is possible to use an Oyster card to make an immediate return journey? Can you touch out and then immediately touch back in again at your destination? Or does that confuse the system? I brought the missus's Oyster card as a back up but never got to try the double touch at Paddington. But I did at least get to tick off some of the outer reaches of the tube network so all was not lost.

It's quite possible that the radio was working before it left the depot and failed subsequently, or that the train's equipment was not at fault.

While annoying for you (were there any other passengers aboard, out of interest?) I don't think a TOC will worry too much about those who simply want to 'tick off' a route, even if you had paid to stay overnight for that purpose!

 

[rebmcr]

Completing a journey and immediately turning around and re-entering the gateline is supported on Oyster. Are there Oyster barriers on the NR platforms at Paddington, though?

There is a plan to do the Bubble car in a month or so, and some of us are interested in also doing this parliamentary -- http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=142874

 

[swt_passenger]

Completing a journey and immediately turning around and re-entering the gateline is supported on Oyster. Are there Oyster barriers on the NR platforms at Paddington, though?

Definitely are on those few platforms that the Chiltern service uses.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Were there any other passengers aboard, out of interest?

There was just one young lady, who I assumed to be a "normal", and myself.

 

[najaB]

There was just one young lady, who I assumed to be a "normal"...

Because of gender?

 

[Loop & Link]

Radio working in the 'A' end not working in the 'B' end or vice-versa? Seems a reasonable explanation to me.

 

[Lrd]

It would have been checked before it was left the Depot, therefore it must have failed between there and Paddington.

Yeah it did, at South Ruislip :P

 

[westv]

And there was me thinking someone called Richard had cancelled a train!

 

[LAX54]

On Monday morning, having checked the realtimetrains and National rail websites, I made my way to South Ruislip intending to catch the 1057 parliamentary train to Paddington (and back) in order to "tick off" the little used Northolt Junction to Old Oak Common West Junction line. The 3-car DMU duly arrived in platform 3 showing "98 London Paddington" and the conductor came down the train to confirm that that indeed was where I wanted to go. However at 1057, it became clear that something was wrong as the driver left his cab and the guard announced there was a technical problem. A few minutes later, it was announced that the train was cancelled as there was a problem with the radio communication, meaning they could not proceed to Paddington.

I know that parliamentary trains are not high on Chiltern's list of priorities but they could at least have tried to allocate a set with a working radio before it left the depot. I had forked out a fair few quid to spend the night in London to "do" this line (and avoid the returning Man Utd hordes at Euston) so I was less than enamoured. I wonder how often this train is in fact cancelled?

As an aside, does anybody know whether it is possible to use an Oyster card to make an immediate return journey? Can you touch out and then immediately touch back in again at your destination? Or does that confuse the system? I brought the missus's Oyster card as a back up but never got to try the double touch at Paddington. But I did at least get to tick off some of the outer reaches of the tube network so all was not lost.

If the GSM-R was not working to start with, then it would not have left the depot at all, so it must have failed en route

 

[t_star2001uk]

The radio could have failed anywhere between Marylebone and South Ruislip. The unit for this service works ECS from Marylebone to Wembley LMD. If it didn't need fueling or any other work it would have been sent straight to the north end of the depot to depart to South Ruislip. So the first time the driver would have found out it had failed was at South Ruislip.

 

[theageofthetra]

The radio could have failed anywhere between Marylebone and South Ruislip. The unit for this service works ECS from Marylebone to Wembley LMD. If it didn't need fueling or any other work it would have been sent straight to the north end of the depot to depart to South Ruislip. So the first time the driver would have found out it had failed was at South Ruislip.

At a guess it was showing 'searching for networks' and it stuck like that. Normally the good old turn it off and on again sorts it.

 

[rmt4ever]

I got this train once. Purely by mistake. Turned up at South Ruislip for a train into town and this was the next one. It was rammed! A few people on it (day trippers?) seemed surprised, "oh this one goes to Paddington not Marylebone, thats odd" but nothing more than that really. For me it didn't make much difference - was going boozing with some cronies in the west end.

Can't remember where the trains origin was, but think it formed the West Ruislip when going back from Padd.

 

[Retorus]

Because of gender?

Looking to be offended?

 

[najaB]

Looking to be offended?

Just curious what basis there was for deciding she was a 'normal'. There are female railway geeks too (allegedly).

 

[dk1]

Cancelling this service made the most sense & was entirely the correct decision in my opinion (and Chiltern Railways).

 

[pompeyfan]

Didn't the rule book change slightly in December, saying a train could run in passenger service up to 75 miles or words to that effect? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

 

[W230]

Didn't the rule book change slightly in December, saying a train could run in passenger service up to 75 miles or words to that effect? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

It did change in relation to GSM-R and a train can now run in certain circumstances but it depends on the fault and availability of track side equipment.

In reality whatever the specific fault, it probably made most sense to cancel it and try and get the fault repaired!

 

[Deepgreen]

I got this train once. Purely by mistake. Turned up at South Ruislip for a train into town and this was the next one. It was rammed! A few people on it (day trippers?) seemed surprised, "oh this one goes to Paddington not Marylebone, thats odd" but nothing more than that really. For me it didn't make much difference - was going boozing with some cronies in the west end.

Can't remember where the trains origin was, but think it formed the West Ruislip when going back from Padd.

At 1057? Early start. It must be unusual for a Parliamentary service to be very busy - it seems to defy the usual purpose of these workings; i.e. to keep a route open despite virtually non-existent traffic.

 

[paddington]

Sometimes Oyster can get confused in the situation you mention, particularly if there is a continuation exit set on the readers. It shouldn't happen at South Ruislip though.

However, I once travelled from Earls Court to Dagenham East and immediately back (met an ebay seller at the station to pick something up), and for some reason the return journey was added to the outbound so it said something like
Earls Court-Dagenham East, £(Z1-5 single)
Earls Court-Earls Court, £(Z1-5 single)

I've never been able to figure out why this happened nor replicate it. This was on Oyster so fare calculated and deducted immediately.

I've taken the parliamentary train many times and it has always run (on time as there is generous padding), so you just had bad luck.

 

[dk1]

At 1057? Early start. It must be unusual for a Parliamentary service to be very busy - it seems to defy the usual purpose of these workings; i.e. to keep a route open despite virtually non-existent traffic.

It's a post peak working when surplus units/crew are available at no cost & has the benefit of retaining route knowledge onto the GWML.

 

[DarloRich]

who is Dicky Wireless and what position does he hold in company?

 

[eastdyke]

who is Dicky Wireless and what position does he hold in company?

I believe that he is a cohort of children's entertainer Dicky Lead.

 

[Surreytraveller]

If you tap out at Stratford and back in again within half an hour it treats it as two incomplete journeys. I got ripped off doing that once going shopping.

 

[rmt4ever]

At 1057? Early start. It must be unusual for a Parliamentary service to be very busy - it seems to defy the usual purpose of these workings; i.e. to keep a route open despite virtually non-existent traffic.

Yep meeting fellow shift workers ..

Like I said it was a while ago and quite possibly half term. It certainly hadn't just come from a short hop.. somewhere further afield

 

[47513 Severn]

At 1057? Early start. It must be unusual for a Parliamentary service to be very busy - it seems to defy the usual purpose of these workings; i.e. to keep a route open despite virtually non-existent traffic.

Is it actually a Parliamentary service in that respect? I think the service exists more to maintain driver and guard route knowledge for diversionary purposes. I have done it a few times for the curiosity value. From Paddington it usually only carries a couple of cranks but I have found the southbound working to be surprisingly busy (relatively speaking, still barely into double figures) on occasions, even after the guard had walked through and checked the passengers knew where the train was going.

 

[DelW]

Sometimes Oyster can get confused in the situation you mention, particularly if there is a continuation exit set on the readers. It shouldn't happen at South Ruislip though.

However, I once travelled from Earls Court to Dagenham East and immediately back (met an ebay seller at the station to pick something up), and for some reason the return journey was added to the outbound so it said something like
Earls Court-Dagenham East, £(Z1-5 single)
Earls Court-Earls Court, £(Z1-5 single)

I've never been able to figure out why this happened nor replicate it. This was on Oyster so fare calculated and deducted immediately.

AIUI, if you touch out and quickly back in again, the system regards it as an Off Station Interchange (i.e. interchange outside the gateline) and does indeed consider the second journey to be a continuation of the first. If the trip is long enough, it can then hit the maximum journey time limit and count it as an unresolved journey at maximum fare. When I do unusual trips I've always bought a paper travelcard for that reason.

Is it actually a Parliamentary service in that respect? I think the service exists more to maintain driver and guard route knowledge for diversionary purposes. I have done it a few times for the curiosity value. From Paddington it usually only carries a couple of cranks but I have found the southbound working to be surprisingly busy (relatively speaking, still barely into double figures) on occasions, even after the guard had walked through and checked the passengers knew where the train was going.

It is definitely for route knowledge as it runs daily, trains run to avoid closure procedures only need to be weekly. The one time I used it, there were three of us on the up and I was the only passenger on the down.

 

[Rob F]

While annoying for you (were there any other passengers aboard, out of interest?) I don't think a TOC will worry too much about those who simply want to 'tick off' a route, even if you had paid to stay overnight for that purpose!

TOCs should be concerned about all their passengers. The purpose of that passenger's journey is of no concern to them, but the fact that they have bought a ticket should be.

ROB

 

[pdeaves]

TOCs should be concerned about all their passengers. The purpose of that passenger's journey is of no concern to them, but the fact that they have bought a ticket should be.

ROB

Indeed, and that is why all reasonable endeavours are made to get passengers to the final destination. In a sense, the exact route is of no concern, as long as they get to the destination.