Signalling blackout Ashchurch - Cheltenham

[221129]

Major disruption in the Cheltenham area this afternoon. Disruption is expected to last until the end of service.

Expect delays and cancellations.

XC Passenger advice;

Arriva Trains Wales are conveying passengers between Newport South Wales and Shrewsbury in both directions until further notice.

Arriva Trains Wales are conveying passengers between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street in both directions until further notice.

London Midland are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice.

Virgin Trains are conveying passengers between London Euston and Birmingham New Street in both directions until further notice.

Great Western Railway are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice.

East Midlands Trains are conveying passengers between Derby and St Pancras International via Leicester in both directions until further notice.

Virgin Trains East Coast are conveying passengers from London Kings Cross in that direction only until further notice.

Ticket acceptance with London underground has also been agreed.

 

[Whistler40145]

Why can't CrossCountry divert via Kidderminster?

 

[Mag_seven]

Why can't CrossCountry divert via Kidderminster?

Because it doesn't get them past the affected area.

 

[Smethwickian]

Why can't CrossCountry divert via Kidderminster?

Because presumably the problem lies near Ashchurch, as per the thread title, in which case services to/from Worcester and Bromsgrove directions will all be affected.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's a long time ago now, but it was not unknown for Bristol-Birmingham trains to divert via the Severn Tunnel, Hereford and Worcester.
More recently, XC has diverted occasionally via Swindon and Oxford.

 

[Senex]

I've got a friend who's on one of the delayed trains, apparently stopped for three hours just outside Ashchurch but now on the move -- presumably 1V52. No hard information for more than two hours, but then they were told it was a case of cable theft. XC on board staff apparently excellent in keeping passengers up to date with what little they knew and generally being helpful. My friend well pleased she had upgraded to First!

 

[jimm]

It's a long time ago now, but it was not unknown for Bristol-Birmingham trains to divert via the Severn Tunnel, Hereford and Worcester.
More recently, XC has diverted occasionally via Swindon and Oxford.

Probably when there weren't anything like the current number of passenger services between Worcester and Malvern or Hereford and there was still double track between Ledbury and Shelwick junction (singled 1984).

I understand precious few XC drivers sign the GMWL to Didcot, so unless divisions are planned in advance to ensure the right staff are on duty, they are highly unlikely to divert this way.

 

[Mag_seven]

I understand precious few XC drivers sign the GMWL to Didcot, so unless divisions are planned in advance to ensure the right staff are on duty, they are highly unlikely to divert this way.

They couldn't do it today even if they tried: Banbury - Leamington is shut due to engineering works.

 

[father_jack]

I've got a friend who's on one of the delayed trains, apparently stopped for three hours just outside Ashchurch but now on the move -- presumably 1V52. No hard information for more than two hours, but then they were told it was a case of cable theft. XC on board staff apparently excellent in keeping passengers up to date with what little they knew and generally being helpful. My friend well pleased she had upgraded to First!

"A friend" ??? That might be an ecumenical matter Roy

 

[55018ballymoss]

If it was a signalling blackout why was temporary block working not introduced?
It would take a little while to set up but would get trains moving....
I hope it was not another instance of all trains stopped rather than applying the rule book.

 

[FordFocus]

Two possibilities, one been a lack of staff to implement TBW. The other I can think of is an engineering possession needing to be taken to fix the affected equipment. Some places have limited clearances to work on signalling gear.

 

[Mintona]

Probably when there weren't anything like the current number of passenger services between Worcester and Malvern or Hereford and there was still double track between Ledbury and Shelwick junction (singled 1984).

I understand precious few XC drivers sign the GMWL to Didcot, so unless divisions are planned in advance to ensure the right staff are on duty, they are highly unlikely to divert this way.

Only Bristol drivers sign to Didcot.

 

[D1009]

Apparently cable theft was the cause of the signalling blackout. Once a plan was in place, the hourly Scotland to South West services ran through having to be talked past 3 signals in the Ashchurch area, and there also a couple of AHB crossings. I was on 1V68 1348 Glasgow Cen to Bristol TM which was delayed by around 18 mins in the area. Subsequently it was diverted via Newport rather than the planned reversal at Severn Tunnel Jn due to the cancellation of the previous Cardiff service.

 

[theageofthetra]

Apparently cable theft was the cause of the signalling blackout. Once a plan was in place, the hourly Scotland to South West services ran through having to be talked past 3 signals in the Ashchurch area, and there also a couple of AHB crossings. I was on 1V68 1348 Glasgow Cen to Bristol TM which was delayed by around 18 mins in the area. Subsequently it was diverted via Newport rather than the planned reversal at Severn Tunnel Jn due to the cancellation of the previous Cardiff service.

Shame this vermin are still operating. I thought we had got over the worse of it. Is this area particularly blighted by this human garbage?

 

[D1009]

Shame this vermin are still operating. I thought we had got over the worse of it. Is this area particularly blighted by this human garbage?

Don't think so particularly, but the cables obviously haven't been replaced with fibre optic yet.I guess it's inside info regarding how well protected they are.

 

[221129]

If it was a signalling blackout why was temporary block working not introduced?
It would take a little while to set up but would get trains moving....
I hope it was not another instance of all trains stopped rather than applying the rule book.

It was...

 

[Sunset route]

If it was a signalling blackout why was temporary block working not introduced?
It would take a little while to set up but would get trains moving....
I hope it was not another instance of all trains stopped rather than applying the rule book.

Because you can't bring in TBW with trains still trapped in the area, then you need to resource it, hand signallers, (barrier attendants, secure all points in the effected area if indeed there level crossing and points within the effected area) and that takes time a lot of time.

 

[ABB125]

Shame this vermin are still operating. I thought we had got over the worse of it. Is this area particularly blighted by this human garbage?

As someone who lives in the area, I would say that generally, this is just a plain area, not openly inviting, and generally not uninviting either (although there are a few grotty areas, for example the footbridge just north of the station).

 

[Hellzapoppin]

Don't think so particularly, but the cables obviously haven't been replaced with fibre optic yet.I guess it's inside info regarding how well protected they are.

You still need lineside copper signalling and power cables. Optical cables only provide the transmission path to the relevant Signalling Centre, the local cables are still copper.

 

[Spankthemonkey]

Shame this vermin are still operating. I thought we had got over the worse of it. Is this area particularly blighted by this human garbage?

They get minority status in this country!