Avanti quick to cancel but not TPE

[pnepaul]

I was booked on the 14.34 AWC from Glasgow to Carlisle. This was cancelled due to a freight train breaking down in the Lockerbie area. A couple of platforms along the 15.06 TPE service to Preston was still advertised as running. The train manager assured me it would run - eventually. Even though I was somewhat sceptical I did board the train. In the meantime, the 15.34 AWC to Euston was also cancelled. By c15.50 the train manager told us the freight train was on the move, and a few minutes later we departed. ( I regarded a 50-minute late departure a minor miracle in the circumstances). So well done to TPE for not cancelling.

Which begs the question - why were Avanti so quick to cancel two busy trains, esp the 15.34, when just 10 minutes later the line was clear?

 

[Boodiggy]

More than likely due to crew displacement.

 

[Horizon22]

Probably anticipating an extremely late start on the 1434 which would have had major crew implications.

The 1534 eventually started from Preston. Presumably the units in Glasgow were utilised for later departures.

 

[pnepaul]

Probably anticipating an extremely late start on the 1434 which would have had major crew implications.

The 1534 eventually started from Preston. Presumably the units in Glasgow were utilised for later departures.

The up line was not blocked so trains from the south were arriving on time. When it was announced that 15.34 was cancelled less than ten minutes later we were informed the failed train was on the move and abt 5 minutes later we departed - hence my puzzlement by its quick cancellation.

 

[Horizon22]

The up line was not blocked so trains from the south were arriving on time. When it was announced that 15.34 was cancelled less than ten minutes later we were informed the failed train was on the move and abt 5 minutes later we departed - hence my puzzlement by its quick cancellation.

That's fine but if you keep pumping in trains from the south without anything departing to the south, eventually you will run out of available platforms.

There are lots of potential reasons as to why the train was eventually cancelled - sometimes timescales aren't known so you prepare for the worst and suddenly it's "normal running". Without knowing all the crew, fleet and infrastructure constraints, its only an educated guess as to why.

 

[Ianigsy]

When there’s disruption on the northern half of the WCML, Avanti do tend to turn northbound services back at Preston so there’s a negligible impact south of there (and particularly once you get south of Rugby where everything has to fit into a pattern). They also run a more or less hourly service, whereas TPE are several times a day.

 

[Lg_]

When there’s disruption on the northern half of the WCML, Avanti do tend to turn northbound services back at Preston so there’s a negligible impact south of there (and particularly once you get south of Rugby where everything has to fit into a pattern). They also run a more or less hourly service, whereas TPE are several times a day.

TPE also run an hourly service north of preston alternating between Glasgow and Edinburgh and turn units back north at Preston dependant on delays.