What's going on (or not) on GA?

[AndrewE]

1659 Ipswich all stations to Peterborough was apparently cancelled
1748 currently (1823) shown "at platform" but expected 1848! (2 different RTT pages.)
How does the railway expect people to pay for tickets for business journeys when it is like this?

 

[dk1]

Been a lineside fire on the Manningtree side of Colchester damaging signalling cables. The 11:52 Ips-Lst was trapped whilst the OHL was switched off to assist the fire brigade. This then failed & they had to eventually look at de-training the 84 stranded passengers. The following 11:30 ex-Norwich terminated Ipswich & was sent to Stowmarket down loop. Chaos ensued for the next 4 hours until the line reopened. Everything & traincrews are now out of place.

 

[AndrewE]

Thanks for the update... Bad news for Ipswich to Peterborough passengers though. It's another one of the problems of a "lean" (supposedly financially-efficient!) privatised railway that a problem way to the south of the Ipswich starter completely f***s the service to the north from there.

 

[Alfie1014]

The first northbound service since the 11:00 down has just left Colchester for Norwich.

 

[dk1]

Thanks for the update... Bad news for Ipswich to Peterborough passengers though. It's another one of the problems of a "lean" (supposedly financially-efficient!) privatised railway that a problem way to the south of the Ipswich starter completely f***s the service to the north from there.

Well the infrastructure is maintained by state owned NR & Colchester drivers work Peterborough services as well as Ipswich depot.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Thanks for the update... Bad news for Ipswich to Peterborough passengers though. It's another one of the problems of a "lean" (supposedly financially-efficient!) privatised railway that a problem way to the south of the Ipswich starter completely f***s the service to the north from there.

Regardless of the merits of nationalisation or privatisation, I don't think you can exactly blame this one on the fact that Greater Anglia are a private operator. Network Rail, whose infrastructure was damaged, is effectively Government owned and controlled. Greater Anglia can only do so much when there's heavy disruption to a key part of the route! I'm not sure BR could have done any better.

In any case, I am actually of the view that the current "privatised" railway is far from efficient, but that's another matter.

 

[AndrewE]

Perhaps I should have said "Balkanised." That the infrastructure is nationalised and was damaged way to the south is irelevant to the recovery performance. A railway composed of bigger units is more likely to be able to fund "spare" traincrew and also to have more options for juggling staff - with more route knowledge - between routes after events like this.
"The price of everything and the value of nothing" comes to mind.

 

[TitanMike]

New member here!
Add to this a signal systems failure at BIC this afternoon and now a broken down train coming out of Ilford Sidings blocking 2 of 4 tracks, its not a good day and i've forgotten the last time i had a fault free, non short form week of commuting with GA!

 

[dk1]

Perhaps I should have said "Balkanised." That the infrastructure is nationalised and was damaged way to the south is irelevant to the recovery performance. A railway composed of bigger units is more likely to be able to fund "spare" traincrew and also to have more options for juggling staff - with more route knowledge - between routes after events like this.
"The price of everything and the value of nothing" comes to mind.

Bigger units are coming next year. Minimum of 3-cars & frequency doubled to hourly. Spare crews are often available too at Ipswich but today was an exception. It's not all bad you know.

 

[AndrewE]

Bigger units are coming next year. Minimum of 3-cars & frequency doubled to hourly. Spare crews are often available too at Ipswich but today was an exception. It's not all bad you know.

"Bigger units" (jam tomorrow) are all very well if they actually run. bigger business units (like an integrated railway) would have a better response to a problem like this. It is all bad for my son, who was at Ipswich for the 1659 train - it looks like the first departure might be 2000 (arr PBO 2140!) His tea (and welcome) will definitely have gone cold by the time he gets home. I doubt he will waste much of his employers money on rail fares in future!

 

[AndrewE]

New member here!
Add to this a signal systems failure at BIC this afternoon and now a broken down train coming out of Ilford Sidings blocking 2 of 4 tracks, its not a good day and i've forgotten the last time i had a fault free, non short form week of commuting with GA!

My point is why should London's problems impact on people trying to make their living outside the region? A journey from Ipswich to Peterborough shouldn't be stuffed by a problem in a London carriage sidings.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

i've forgotten the last time i had a fault free, non short form week of commuting with GA!

Flipping NR again...

Sounds pretty similar with SWR down here that the infrastructure problems are hampering both TOCs' performances

 

[Darandio]

My point is why should London's problems impact on people trying to make their living outside the region? A journey from Ipswich to Peterborough shouldn't be stuffed by a problem in a London carriage sidings.

And it wasn't stuffed by a problem in a London carriage sidings?

 

[dk1]

"Bigger units" (jam tomorrow) are all very well if they actually run. bigger business units (like an integrated railway) would have a better response to a problem like this. It is all bad for my son, who was at Ipswich for the 1659 train - it looks like the first departure might be 2000 (arr PBO 2140!) His tea (and welcome) will definitely have gone cold by the time he gets home. I doubt he will waste much of his employers money on rail fares in future!

16:59 must have been a short term planning service as not in the timetable. I worked for BR & it was exactly the same just we where even poorer. Nothing to do with jam tomorrow as these new unit are in production & under test. Today was just one of those days.

 

[AndrewE]

16:59 must have been a short term planning service as not in the timetable. I worked for BR & it was exactly the same just we where even poorer. Nothing to do with jam tomorrow as these new unit are in production & under test. Today was just one of those days.

Maybe he had gone for the 1630 change at Cambridge, which only makes it worse. New units in the future are irrelevant to people whose lives are being wrecked now by the railway's failure to deliver the current timetable.

 

[Darandio]

His tea (and welcome) will definitely have gone cold by the time he gets home.

New units in the future are irrelevant to people whose lives are being wrecked now by the railway's failure to deliver the current timetable.

I guess he really loves his tea?

 

[dk1]

Maybe he had gone for the 1630 change at Cambridge, which only makes it worse. New units in the future are irrelevant to people whose lives are being wrecked now by the railway's failure to deliver the current timetable.

Can't help things like fires. Always been the same in my 34yrs of railway employment. Best he goes by Road in future, not that can always be relied upon especially where safety is concerned.

 

[dk1]

I guess he really loves his tea?

If the chippy is shut I'm sure there's a 24hr Maccy Ds somewhere nearby

 

[Darandio]

If the chippy is shut I'm sure there's a 24hr Maccy Ds somewhere nearby

Unless it's closed because no deliveries were made due to a road accident. More lives wrecked...

 

[GB]

some of the Ipswich/Peterborough services have been listed on RTT and Greater Anglia as cancelled due to train faults, not because of the issues at Illford or Colchester.

 

[AndrewE]

Whatever, I doubt he'll waste time and money on train journeys much now. Driving long distances alone is ****, trains can't be relied upon. Why work at a job that requires one or the other? Young family, possible terminally ill father in law: sod it, let some other fool suffer. And people wonder why competent, qualified specialists are taking their ball home and working elsewhere!

 

[dk1]

some of the Ipswich/Peterborough services have been listed on RTT and Greater Anglia as cancelled due to train faults, not because of the issues at Illford or Colchester.

17:48 & 19:50 return. Many issues as can be expected at 30+ degrees have been cab air-con faults which result in driver refusal. The 170 fleet has been struggling.

 

[captainbigun]

16:59 must have been a short term planning service as not in the timetable. I worked for BR & it was exactly the same just we where even poorer. Nothing to do with jam tomorrow as these new unit are in production & under test. Today was just one of those days.

The new units will be painful and any claim otherwise is barking. Stadler have no UK experience. This purchase is using an inexperienced rosco who have missed some key questions. See axle weight, turn around times and a few other bits. Added to this the fleet will have to turn imperious availability to avoid cancellation. Having a such a thin fixed length fleet may transpire to be folly.

Then there’s the ongoing fiasco that’s the Aventura. They are proving to be utterly awful.

As for the aircon issues, 30 deg C should be well within operating spec. It’s not particularly hot for this country. It should work whether there’s one hot day or 30. Exited a 379 this evening, whole unit blowing hot air.

As for the capitulation of the GE this evening. NR and GA need to hold their hands up. A fiasco. Communication was awful.

Unfortunately, as I need it for my daily commute, I foresee several years of misery whilst GA get the new fleets up and running.

 

[dk1]

The new units will be painful and any claim otherwise is barking. Stadler have no UK experience. This purchase is using an inexperienced rosco who have missed some key questions. See axle weight, turn around times and a few other bits. Added to this the fleet will have to turn imperious availability to avoid cancellation. Having a such a thin fixed length fleet may transpire to be folly.

Then there’s the ongoing fiasco that’s the Aventura. They are proving to be utterly awful.

As for the aircon issues, 30 deg C should be well within operating spec. It’s not particularly hot for this country. It should work whether there’s one hot day or 30. Exited a 379 this evening, whole unit blowing hot air.

As for the capitulation of the GE this evening. NR and GA need to hold their hands up. A fiasco. Communication was awful.

Unfortunately, as I need it for my daily commute, I foresee several years of misery whilst GA get the new fleets up and running.

Oh mate your glass is definitely half empty. Can't blame you though as past performance even under the mighty BR was always woeful & the 720s (345s) are UK built so anything is possible. Hopefully Swiss involvement will change all these perceptions & prove you wrong. Whatever happens it will be an eventful couple of years keeping us all very interested.

 

[AndrewE]

Jam tomorrow! You will have lost customers (forever) by then...

 

[dk1]

Jam tomorrow! You will have lost customers (forever) by then...

Don't be daft. We have had horrendous times over the years & the punters always come back bringing their friends & family with them. Don't you worry, the railway can always afford to be complacent.

 

[captainbigun]

Oh mate your glass is definitely half empty. Can't blame you though as past performance even under the mighty BR was always woeful & the 720s (345s) are UK built so anything is possible. Hopefully Swiss involvement will change all these perceptions & prove you wrong. Whatever happens it will be an eventful couple of years keeping us all very interested.

Maybe. But point me to a new fleet from a manufacturer with an established history in supplying the UK who has hit the road running. Here’s a reliable new fleet. Said no one ever.

Stadler have no UK experience. I don’t think most realise how different the UK network is to Europe. There’s big challenges in gauge and signalling immunisation. That rolls a long way into the wider design.

GA haven’t got a lot right......drinking water in a couple of stations apart.

Let’s not start on Renatus......

 

[captainbigun]

Don't be daft. We have had horrendous times over the years & the punters always come back bringing their friends & family with them. Don't you worry, the railway can always afford to be complacent.

Actually I think he has a point, and I understand the stats support this. I don’t need to be in the office now. I can work just as well from home. The last couple of months of extra misery have lead to an extension of this. And that is becoming common place. Technology will continue to augment this.

As for family day out. Drive to Westfield and park. Much cheaper and far less hassle.

 

[dk1]

Maybe. But point me to a new fleet from a manufacturer with an established history in supplying the UK who has hit the road running. Here’s a reliable new fleet. Said no one ever.

Stadler have no UK experience. I don’t think most realise how different the UK network is to Europe. There’s big challenges in gauge and signalling immunisation. That rolls a long way into the wider design.

GA haven’t got a lot right......drinking water in a couple of stations apart.

Let’s not start on Renatus......

We will be well rid of the Dusty bins inc the Renatus examples soon. We also give out copious amounts of bottled water day in day out with no expense spared. Stadler are hoping for huge U.K. Orders & makes me think they are pulling out all the plugs on the GA fleets.

 

[dk1]

As for family day out. Drive to Westfield and park. Much cheaper and far less hassle.

For me & most of my friends & acquaintances that would be a definite no no. Who would be the one to not drink? You did say family day out though which I suppose involves children & would be very alien in my world.