19/12/23 Not a great day for the ECML

[yoyothehobo]

Looks like a southbound service has sat down at Grantham (now labelled as 5D05) and they have stacked the heavily delayed 1A02 into platform 4 at Grantham. Unfortunately this looks like it has blocked 1R82 (Norwich - Liverpool) on the Down fast as this needs to use platform 4 to leave the East Coast Main Line. This is now blocking 1B80 and the Down lines on the ECML. Pretty much every Up platform on the ECML is stacked with trains in platforms.

I believe 1Z99 is on its way to pick up the stranded train at Grantham, but this is causing chaos.

View attachment 148792

As i write this 1A02 has finally left platform 4 after probably at least half an hour there and is carrying on Southwards.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Dec 2023 ==

View attachment 148793
Ok, still confused here unless 1Z99 is the mystery causing the problem

 

[MCR247]

What happened to this service? If it is the problem it could explain why it’s taken so long to sort? https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C28947/2023-12-19/detailed#allox_id=0

As this EMR from Nottingham to Peterborough got cancelled at Grantham and worked back to Nottingham ECS.

Realtime Trains | 2E01 0513 Nottingham to Grantham | 19/12/2023

Real-time train running information for 2E01 0513 departure from Nottingham to Grantham on 19/12/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[62484GlenLyon]

1Y00, 04.40 York to Kings Cross, today starting at Doncaster, seems to be the problem. RTT shows this leaving Grantham at 05.55 and nothing since. At about 08.45 1Z99 was shown on OTT on the two track section just north of Stoke Tunnel and moved to the present position soon after 09.00.

 

[yoyothehobo]

I think 1Y00 was the problem sat on the Up fast just onto the twin track section looking at what you have both posted

 

[Emilali]

1Y00 has a vibration monitoring alarm. SLW being put in apparently.

 

[TreacleMiller]

1Y00 Hit a very large lump of concrete on the railhead. VMS triggered and subsequently brought down to a stand.

Picture of said concrete circulating internally and it's a good old lump to have tumbled into the up.

 

[Failed Unit]

An interesting working as a result, an 8 car EMR 158

Realtime Trains | 1L11 1151 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich | 19/12/2023

Real-time train running information for 1L11 1151 departure from Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich on 19/12/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Can't stop at a few stations on route.

 

[Surreytraveller]

1Y00 Hit a very large lump of concrete on the railhead. VMS triggered and subsequently brought down to a stand.

Picture of said concrete circulating internally and it's a good old lump to have tumbled into the up.

VMS?

 

[Emilali]

VMS?

Vibration monitoring alarm/ system it stands for. Fairly serious fault.

 

[MCR247]

An interesting working as a result, an 8 car EMR 158

Realtime Trains | 1L11 1151 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich | 19/12/2023

Real-time train running information for 1L11 1151 departure from Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich on 19/12/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Can't stop at a few stations on route.

I’m not sure this is related to be honest. Not sure why the 1051 off Lime St was cancelled but can’t see how it’d be this disruption. RTT says ‘due to late arrival of incoming service’ which I assume relates to another arrival as it’s inbound working arrived on time. If I had to guess, I’d say it was impacted by the 0637 Nottingham to Liverpool failing at Sheffield https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C55123/2023-12-19/detailed

 

[louis97]

I’m not sure this is related to be honest. Not sure why the 1051 off Lime St was cancelled but can’t see how it’d be this disruption. RTT says ‘due to late arrival of incoming service’ which I assume relates to another arrival as it’s inbound working arrived on time.

Typically during the day some crew have over an hour in Liverpool between workings. The 0929 arrival into Liverpool was cancelled, so suggests therefore no crew for the 1051 departure. Seems unconnected to the disruption on the ECML, as the 0929 arrival terminated at Sheffield with a train fault.

 

[CarrotPie]

Vibration monitoring alarm/ system it stands for. Fairly serious fault.

So was it the concrete that was the problem or was it the subsequent activation of the vibratey detecty system?

 

[Failed Unit]

That is unfortunate that 2 trains can be wiped out by 1 train failure. But just looking again and the ones that were caught up seemed to have restarted at Nottingham.

 

[Silenos]

Re the thread title: has the ECML had any great days recently?

 

[800001]

1Y00 Hit a very large lump of concrete on the railhead. VMS triggered and subsequently brought down to a stand.

Picture of said concrete circulating internally and it's a good old lump to have tumbled into the up.

It wasn’t concrete, it was strail (which I believe is very heavy rubber) from road rail vehicle access point which 1Y00 hit.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Dec 2023 ==

Looks like a southbound service has sat down at Grantham (now labelled as 5D05) and they have stacked the heavily delayed 1A02 into platform 4 at Grantham. Unfortunately this looks like it has blocked 1R82 (Norwich - Liverpool) on the Down fast as this needs to use platform 4 to leave the East Coast Main Line. This is now blocking 1B80 and the Down lines on the ECML. Pretty much every Up platform on the ECML is stacked with trains in platforms.

I believe 1Z99 is on its way to pick up the stranded train at Grantham, but this is causing chaos.

View attachment 148792

As i write this 1A02 has finally left platform 4 after probably at least half an hour there and is carrying on Southwards.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Dec 2023 ==

View attachment 148793
Ok, still confused here unless 1Z99 is the mystery causing the problem

1A02 was going to wrong line platform 4 at Peterborough to Stoke Junction, however this was communicated to signaller in a timely manner, so 1R82 was already routed towards Grantham.

1A04 terminated at Grantham to form 1D05 starting at Grantham, 5D05 was the head code for the shunt.

1Z99 was 47 from Newark which attached to rear of 1Y00 and hauled the service back to Grantham where it terminated and then went ecs to Neville Hill.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Dec 2023 ==


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Dec 2023 ==

So was it the concrete that was the problem or was it the subsequent activation of the vibratey detecty system?

It was the obstacle on the line that was the issue, causing multiple alarms and alerts on the train and also a damaged traction motor.

 

[sjm77]

Looks like a southbound service has sat down at Grantham (now labelled as 5D05) and they have stacked the heavily delayed 1A02 into platform 4 at Grantham. Unfortunately this looks like it has blocked 1R82 (Norwich - Liverpool) on the Down fast as this needs to use platform 4 to leave the East Coast Main Line. This is now blocking 1B80 and the Down lines on the ECML. Pretty much every Up platform on the ECML is stacked with trains in platforms.

The signalling and layout at Grantham didn't help. Platform 2 can only normally be used by Northbound ECML services. Once you stack a Southbound ECML service into Platform 4 then the Liverpool to Norwich services are screwed and everything caught behind them as you witnessed. A starting signal southwards on Platform 2, or a crossover from Platform 2 to the Nottingham line would have been useful this morning. Although the latter maybe tricky given the cant of the Down Main.

 

[dk1]

The signalling and layout at Grantham didn't help. Platform 2 can only normally be used by Northbound ECML services. Once you stack a Southbound ECML service into Platform 4 then the Liverpool to Norwich services are screwed and everything caught behind them as you witnessed. A starting signal southwards on Platform 2, or a crossover from Platform 2 to the Nottingham line would have been useful this morning. Although the latter maybe tricky given the cant of the Down Main.

Always wondered why Grantham is such a pigs ear of a station and why it’s never been remodelled. Recent work has been like for like with crossovers at the same low speeds. Longer trains on the Skegness route also prohibit them from using the bay.

 

[MCR247]

Always wondered why Grantham is such a pigs ear of a station and why it’s never been remodelled. Recent work has been like for like with crossovers at the same low speeds. Longer trains on the Skegness route also prohibit them from using the bay.

Indeed. When Grantham/the ECML has issues they just skip Grantham and wait time at the next stop. Unfortunately for 1R82 today that meant after picking up a 35 min delay at Grantham, it got held again outside Bottesford due to the ex-Skegness 170 waiting time after skipping Grantham!

 

[TreacleMiller]

Was definitely reported as a concrete lump. Not my image but here's the remnant of it anyway.

Certainly rubber, with something more solid looking attached.

 

[urpert]

I guess I was lucky to escape all of this… was on the 1600 from Edinburgh and arrived bang on time in Peterborough after an exemplary run!

 

[dk1]

I guess I was lucky to escape all of this… was on the 1600 from Edinburgh and arrived bang on time in Peterborough after an exemplary run!

Fills my heart with joy