Storm Pia disruption - Thursday 21st December 2023

[Leisurefirst]

Boarded the 16:40 Glasgow Central to Euston thankfully with Passenger Assistance as travelling with 88yo not in best health given that it turned into the 17:30 which then also sat for an hour(?) at Preston waiting for another driver and turned into what would have been the 18:40.
Arrived at Euston 23:51 with no Passenger Assistance from Coach A despite my efforts contacting them.
As had single advances for both outward and this return will only get this leg refunded of course.
However full marks to Avanti staff who saw the struggle across the concourse and were proactive in offering taxi home rather than taking last buses/tube and walking at Midnight to 1am.

 

[robbeech]

We reached Edinburgh only 1 minute late on 06.08 LSL charter from Leicester. Only 1 minute late back into Sheffield this evening hauled by venerable 40013.

Makes you think doesn’t it.

 

[dk1]

Still nothing from Norwich to Yarmouth, Lowestoft or Sheringham. Water levels are receding but S&T will need to test track circuits.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Still nothing from Norwich to Yarmouth, Lowestoft or Sheringham. Water levels are receding but S&T will need to test track circuits.

Presumably rail journeys from Lowestoft to Norwich can still, at the current time, be made by schlepping down to and changing at Ipswich?

 

[dk1]

Presumably rail journeys from Lowestoft to Norwich can still, at the current time, be made by schlepping down to and changing at Ipswich?

Oh yes. Traincrews are being taxied to/from Lowestoft as required and trains would be stabled there last night.

 

[LAX54]

Still nothing from Norwich to Yarmouth, Lowestoft or Sheringham. Water levels are receding but S&T will need to test track circuits.

Pictures looked a bit 'wet' at Whitlingham !

 

[12LDA28C]

We reached Edinburgh only 1 minute late on 06.08 LSL charter from Leicester. Only 1 minute late back into Sheffield this evening hauled by venerable 40013.

I was also on board.

 

[Par]

I was caught up yesterday’s chaos. Was booked on the 17.15 Manchester - Euston service. I was aware that nothing left Piccadilly between 12.15 and 15.15. I also knew that there was a 16.15 which ran. My presumption is that these two services were formed of units already in Manchester?

Arriving at Piccadilly, the 17.15 was advertised as being on time, which I found surprising, given that nothing had left Euston until 15.33 heading north, which couldn’t possibly have formed the 17.15, so my presumption was that another unit had been ‘found’ or turned elsewhere.

Passengers were permitted on to the platform and at about 17.05 an announcement was made that the 17.15 service was delayed by approximately 20 minutes. Looking at RTT it was evident to me that there was no service arriving that could possibly form the service and my assumption was confirmed at about 17.40 when the cancellation announcement duly came.

As I thought would happen, the 15.33 Euston departure arrived into Piccadilly late at 18.14 (to form the 18.15) and headed back south at 18.30.

Now, I get the fact disruption happens, but the information about the 17.15 departure initially being on time, then 20 minutes delayed and then cancelled, seems at best disingenuous or at worst an outright lie.

If there was a train, which I don’t think there was, how can it be only 20 minutes away and then disappear?

Apologies for the long post and a bit of a rant, but I’d just like a bit of honesty from the operator.

Edit:- Looks like the 17.15 should have been formed from a Milton Keynes service (1H25) that terminated at Macclesfield at 16.33? Still really poor communication.

 

[jfollows]

Apologies for the long post and a bit of a rant, but I’d just like a bit of honesty from the operator.

I suspect incompetence is a more likely reason than mendacity. Avanti isn’t very customer-focussed.

 

[Russel]

I suspect incompetence is a more likely reason than mendacity. Avanti isn’t very customer-focussed.

LNWR And Network Rail at EUS didn't exactly shower themselves in glory yesterday either, in all fairness!

 

[D6130]

Several cancellations on the Calder Valley this morning due to flooding at Walsden....ironically almost at the highest point on the line. It would appear that the dredging works in the stream under the railway bridge a few years ago haven't been very successful.

 

[Djgr]

Reading the comments it seems that that Wirral, where I live, escaped the bad weather as it usuall does. Just a windy day, but nothing special. Accordingly, a lot of travellers arriving at Lime Street for long distance travel would not have expected the level of disruption.

Yes. Quite a nice day on the paradise peninsula yesterday.

 

[Howardh]

Anyone thought what if this disruption occured on Christmas Eve, meaning thousands of passengers stranded with no chance of movement over the next two days, let alone that day??

Would/could the railways open up on Xmas Day to move them, in other words find drivers, stock and abandon engineering; find coaches or simply abandon everyone forcing them to either taxi 200 miles home (and pay them back) or expensive hotel rooms (ditto)??

 

[dk1]

Pictures looked a bit 'wet' at Whitlingham !

Wasn't too bad yesterday as I passed six times. The New Cut however was extremely high.

 

[12LDA28C]

Would/could the railways open up on Xmas Day to move them, in other words find drivers, stock and abandon engineering; find coaches or simply abandon everyone forcing them to either taxi 200 miles home (and pay them back) or expensive hotel rooms (ditto)??

Absolutely zero chance of running trains, finding drivers/guards etc on Christmas Day.

 

[stuartl]

Anyone thought what if this disruption occured on Christmas Eve, meaning thousands of passengers stranded with no chance of movement over the next two days, let alone that day??

Would/could the railways open up on Xmas Day to move them, in other words find drivers, stock and abandon engineering; find coaches or simply abandon everyone forcing them to either taxi 200 miles home (and pay them back) or expensive hotel rooms (ditto)??

I suspect that there would be a blanket Do Not Travel notice with lots of trains cancelled the day before.

 

[dk1]

Would/could the railways open up on Xmas Day to move them, in other words find drivers, stock and abandon engineering; find coaches or simply abandon everyone forcing them to either taxi 200 miles home (and pay them back) or expensive hotel rooms (ditto)??

Zero chance of that.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suspect that there would be a blanket Do Not Travel notice with lots of trains cancelled the day before.

I'm surprised that hasn't already been issued. WMT are saying for one that they are likely to run fewer than 50% of services but have stopped short of it.

 

[800001]

I was caught up yesterday’s chaos. Was booked on the 17.15 Manchester - Euston service. I was aware that nothing left Piccadilly between 12.15 and 15.15. I also knew that there was a 16.15 which ran. My presumption is that these two services were formed of units already in Manchester?

Arriving at Piccadilly, the 17.15 was advertised as being on time, which I found surprising, given that nothing had left Euston until 15.33 heading north, which couldn’t possibly have formed the 17.15, so my presumption was that another unit had been ‘found’ or turned elsewhere.

Passengers were permitted on to the platform and at about 17.05 an announcement was made that the 17.15 service was delayed by approximately 20 minutes. Looking at RTT it was evident to me that there was no service arriving that could possibly form the service and my assumption was confirmed at about 17.40 when the cancellation announcement duly came.

As I thought would happen, the 15.33 Euston departure arrived into Piccadilly late at 18.14 (to form the 18.15) and headed back south at 18.30.

Now, I get the fact disruption happens, but the information about the 17.15 departure initially being on time, then 20 minutes delayed and then cancelled, seems at best disingenuous or at worst an outright lie.

If there was a train, which I don’t think there was, how can it be only 20 minutes away and then disappear?

Apologies for the long post and a bit of a rant, but I’d just like a bit of honesty from the operator.

Edit:- Looks like the 17.15 should have been formed from a Milton Keynes service (1H25) that terminated at Macclesfield at 16.33? Still really poor communication.

Maybe they thought they could get a set from Longsite depot?

 

[YorkRailFan]

Now, I get the fact disruption happens, but the information about the 17.15 departure initially being on time, then 20 minutes delayed and then cancelled, seems at best disingenuous or at worst an outright lie.

I saw York departure boards showing 1Z31 as initially on time, then 30 minutes late, then cancelled and then just delayed.

 

[LAX54]

Anyone thought what if this disruption occured on Christmas Eve, meaning thousands of passengers stranded with no chance of movement over the next two days, let alone that day??

Would/could the railways open up on Xmas Day to move them, in other words find drivers, stock and abandon engineering; find coaches or simply abandon everyone forcing them to either taxi 200 miles home (and pay them back) or expensive hotel rooms (ditto)??

To abandon Engineering work would cost hundreds of thousands, put the work back some 4 or 5 years, and may result in ESR's being imposed after a while, you will also need, more station staff, signallers, S&T staff, more Pway staff on duty

 

[ChrisC]

Anyone thought what if this disruption occured on Christmas Eve, meaning thousands of passengers stranded with no chance of movement over the next two days, let alone that day??

Would/could the railways open up on Xmas Day to move them, in other words find drivers, stock and abandon engineering; find coaches or simply abandon everyone forcing them to either taxi 200 miles home (and pay them back) or expensive hotel rooms (ditto)??

Unfortunately this is a now a possibility. The Met Office have recently issued a yellow weather warning for Christmas Eve. This warning is for high winds covering the eastern side of England from Nottinghamshire up to Northumberland. Also warning of high winds in the North of Scotland and rain in Wales.

UK weather warnings

Met Office UK weather warnings for rain, wind, snow, ice, fog, thunderstorm, lightning and extreme heat.

www.metoffice.gov.uk

 

[Howardh]

Unfortunately this is a now a possibility. The Met Office have recently issued a yellow weather warning for Christmas Eve. This warning is for high winds covering the eastern side of England from Nottinghamshire up to Northumberland. Also warning of high winds in the North of Scotland and rain in Wales.

UK weather warnings

Met Office UK weather warnings for rain, wind, snow, ice, fog, thunderstorm, lightning and extreme heat.

www.metoffice.gov.uk

On a Sunday too so fewer than normal trains which makes thing worse when some are cancelled?

Frankly I would never travel far this week, or between the holidays, but I have booked for Jan 2 hoping the silly season has ended by then! But due to work/family etc many absolutely have to this weekend and which ever way they turn there's congestion (roads) and cancellations (air/rail).

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Pictures looked a bit 'wet' at Whitlingham !

Back up and running it appears, the 4 car Stadler's will have come into their own shifting the backlog

 

[trainophile]

On a Sunday too so fewer than normal trains which makes thing worse when some are cancelled?

Frankly I would never travel far this week, or between the holidays, but I have booked for Jan 2 hoping the silly season has ended by then! But due to work/family etc many absolutely have to this weekend and which ever way they turn there's congestion (roads) and cancellations (air/rail).

I've booked 27th-30th Dec. Wonder if there will be storms or other disruption. They should theoretically be normal working days.

 

[Falcon1200]

I suspect incompetence is a more likely reason than mendacity.

I would suspect rather that extreme overload in the Control offices involved was a major factor, staffing of such hopefully being something Andrew Haines is looking at after his experience in the Paddington debacle.

 

[Howardh]

I've booked 27th-30th Dec. Wonder if there will be storms or other disruption. They should theoretically be normal working days.

Should be, I know that round here they are running a "Saturday" service on the buses but looks like a full service for the trains - peak ones in the morning should be pleasantly empty! As for trains I recall that they will charge off-peak fares even through peak hours? Hope so!

Just a thought in Xmas Eve, as it's a Sunday then most travellers will have travelled on the Friday to make the most of the long weekend, therefore spreading the load, so any disruption should affect a lot fewer than if Xmas Eve was today.

 

[yorksrob]

Unfortunately this is a now a possibility. The Met Office have recently issued a yellow weather warning for Christmas Eve. This warning is for high winds covering the eastern side of England from Nottinghamshire up to Northumberland. Also warning of high winds in the North of Scotland and rain in Wales.

UK weather warnings

Met Office UK weather warnings for rain, wind, snow, ice, fog, thunderstorm, lightning and extreme heat.

www.metoffice.gov.uk

I'm sick of bloody weather.

Thinking of emigrating to Pluto (yes, I still consider it a planet, couldn't care less who thinks otherwise).

 

[MotCO]

I'm sick of bloody weather.

But what would we Brits talk about if there was no weather!

 

[yorksrob]

But what would we Brits talk about if there was no weather!

Fair point - the state of the rail/road network instead !