Major WCML signal failure Penrith area (22/08)

[D1511]

I'm currently sitting on a southbound Avanti service standing in Carlisle, and we have been here now for 50 minutes.
Details from the on board announcements are thin, but apparently there are 6 signals in each direction at red, and all trains north and southbound are at a stand.
As well as my fellow passengers, I feel sorry for the lone spotter on the platform, who clearly isn't going to be seeing much for a while.
Any signallers on here that can provide any more details?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Multiple track circuit failures I believe.

 

[The Planner]

OpenTrainTimes map suggests some blank signals. 4M27 in the immediate area on the up.

 

[D1511]

Multiple track circuit failures I believe.

Thanks. According to the latest announcement from Derek our train manager, in 10 minutes, we are about to commence a crawl to Penrith. Already 1hr 27mins late.......

 

[Stampy]

Looks like it's blank between Carnforth & Upperby Bridge Jct (Just South of Carlisle)

Blank Signals

 

[The Planner]

Looks like it's blank between Carnforth & Upperby Bridge Jct (Just South of Carlisle)

Blank Signals

No, it just doesnt show the aspects on that part.

 

[driver9000]

I'm not up there today although I'm waiting further south but I have heard they are putting Emergency Special Working in place to get trains moving.

 

[Some guy]

I caught 8:54 Preston to Glasgow been stuck between Penrith and Carlisle 20 minutes so far

 

[D1511]

Thanks all. We're moving now {9M52)....just passed MP64 at about 30mph, and a northbound Avanti service just passed us, so it looks like trains are moving again.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Aug 2023 ==

I caught 8:54 Preston to Glasgow been stuck between Penrith and Carlisle 20 minutes so far

A limited number of trains are being let through on ESW to clear the backlog, and then they're going to shut the line again to investigate fully. I suspect you are on one of the trains that will be let through. I have just passed you.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I was just reading in September's Modern Railways that Rob McIntosh is the new MD of NW & Central Region of NR (replacing Tim Shoveller who has become CEO of Freightliner's parent G&W) .
He was previously MD of Eastern Region, and so takes charge of the WCML instead of the ECML in England.
He will have plenty of challenges on the WCML, the ageing signalling north of Crewe being just one of them.

 

[williamn]

Currently on the 11.30am from London Euston, which will be terminating at Preston. Avanti are advising against all travel but I'm just going to see what happens...

 

[wilbers]

The later trains don't show as cancelled, at the moment only a couple more and that is because they are out of position from terminating early at Preston or Carlisle.

This one doesn't show as cancelled, but scheduled to depart Preston 14 minutes ago (but according to RTT hasn't done so).

Realtime Trains | 1203 Preston to Glasgow Central | 22/08/2023

Real-time train running information for 1203 departure from Preston to Glasgow Central on 22/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Looks like this one is held at Preston as well

Realtime Trains | 0840 London Euston to Edinburgh | 22/08/2023

Real-time train running information for 0840 departure from London Euston to Edinburgh on 22/08/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Northern Barrow and Windermere trains have been getting through so it seems OK between Preston and Oxenholme, but presumably not so easy to turn trains around at Lancaster or Oxenholme as at Preston even if only minority of them run.

 

[williamn]

Avanti have tweeted (or X'd) to say that the problem is fixed...

https://twitter.com/AvantiWestCoast/status/1693952910722281891?s=20

 

[Railsigns]

I was on the 07:36 Glasgow Central to London Euston Avanti service this morning. We arrived on time at Carlisle Platform 4, stopping alongside another London-bound Avanti train in Platform 3. There was an announcement regarding a signalling failure between Carlisle and Penrith, then another saying that emergency special working (ESW) was being set up.

After about an hour the train in Platform 3 departed, and some time later another announcement informed us that it had passed through the ESW area and we would be on our way shortly. Then there was an announcement to say that the fault had been fixed and we would be proceeding under normal signalling. There would be additional stops at Penrith and Crewe.

The next announcement was less positive: The train was now cancelled. Buses were being arranged to take passengers south, and the train would return to Glasgow. It departed northbound from Carlisle around three hours after its arrival there.

 

[williamn]

The 11.30 from Euston was terminated at Preston. Told to seek help on the platform and promised buses but of course this consisted of a handful of staff and hundreds of passengers! Only rail replacements were for Lancaster and oxenholme. Since we arrived at 13.40 one TPE train has departed for Glasgow, very overfull and leaving lots behind. I’m crossing my fingers for the promised 15.41 now…

 

[voyagerdude220]

It's certainly been a bad day for Avanti today. Aside from the above, there was a trespass incident in the Coventry area, a WMR had issues with it hitting branches and subsequently being reported to have smoke coming from it between Crewe and Stafford. Also an operational incident involving a light engine passing a red signal near Stafford.

 

[D1511]

I was on the 07:36 Glasgow Central to London Euston Avanti service this morning. We arrived on time at Carlisle Platform 4, stopping alongside another London-bound Avanti train in Platform 3. There was an announcement regarding a signalling failure between Carlisle and Penrith, then another saying that emergency special working (ESW) was being set up.

After about an hour the train in Platform 3 departed, and some time later another announcement informed us that it had passed through the ESW area and we would be on our way shortly. Then there was an announcement to say that the fault had been fixed and we would be proceeding under normal signalling. There would be additional stops at Penrith and Crewe.

The next announcement was less positive: The train was now cancelled. Buses were being arranged to take passengers south, and the train would return to Glasgow. It departed northbound from Carlisle around three hours after its arrival there.

Apologies.....I was on the other train that left (9M52) on the adjacent platform. However, our train manager advised customers going to Euston to change on to your train as mine went via WM and takes an hour longer, so I'm thinking those passengers aren't going to be very happy with him now......

 

[Railsigns]

Apologies.....I was on the other train that left (9M52) on the adjacent platform. However, our train manager advised customers going to Euston to change on to your train as mine went via WM and takes an hour longer, so I'm thinking those passengers aren't going to be very happy with him now......

I was annoyed with myself afterwards for not having the sense to cross over to your train on Platform 3, since it was probable that it would leave first, being the first to arrive. I only wanted to travel as far as the Wigan, then on to Liverpool. As it turned out, my plans for today were utterly trashed.

 

[D1511]

I was annoyed with myself afterwards for not having the sense to cross over to your train on Platform 3, since it was probable that it would leave first, being the first to arrive. I only wanted to travel as far as the Wigan, then on to Liverpool. As it turned out, my plans for today were utterly trashed.

I'm really sorry to hear that. Ironically, had your train stopped at MKC, I'd have probably done the opposite and changed to your train, to avoid the tiresome diversion in exchange for zooming down via Tamworth on TVL instead. As it turned out, to try to recover lost time (we were 142 late into Crewe!) my train ended up going that way anyway, and the WM passengers were dumped at Stafford. In the end, I was a mere 91 late into MKC.

 

[williamn]

I had to let 3 trains go at Preston as they were all so full. Eventually got on an Avanti to Edinburgh, and now headed to Glasgow where I'll arrive almost 4 hours late! I guess it could be worse...