Major disruption through Retford (16/04/2026) and residual effects over following days

[Horizon22]

I don’t blame the drivers either. I blame the management.

What are you blaming management for exactly? If trains are arriving 4-5 hours late and crew are over their maximum driving hours and there's no spare resource at 1-2am, what are they to do?

 

[Rach227]

if you haven't already get in touch with the train company and tell them this. He deserves the praise and reward.

Absolutely will be! He was great

 

[H F Stephens]

Does the railway believe that? Or do those that hold the purse strings and specify what the railway should be doing that believe that?

It is after all to a great extent the DfT and HMT that decide how many trains can be ordered, how many staff can be recruited, what pieces of infrastructure can be built, etc etc...

Not to say that better outcomes might be possible within existing funding envelopes and resource allocations(!) but it isn't just "the railway" which gets to decide how much contingency to have.

A very fair point and question in terms of ‘the railway’ - and what ‘constitutes’ it.

When I drafted the post, I originally wrote ‘LNER, Transpennine Express, DOR, Network Rail, the ORR and the DfT’.

I then tried the resolve that the first and second are nominally part of the third, controlled by the sixth which, really also controls the fourth and the independence of the fifth is, erm, well….

In doing so, aiming to limit the word count and also reflecting the fact that the general public and passengers know little to none of all that, I abbreviated to ‘the railway’ in the final post.

For what it’s worth, I’d also suggest that there’s plenty of apparent evidence that, whilst the DfT (and hey, let’s namecheck The Treasury too) holds the purse strings, there are plenty of parts of the other ‘organisations’ that seem to enthusiastically support and promote DfT edicts, however iniquitous, compromising and sometimes downright barmy they may be.

To abbreviate the above paragraph as succinctly as possible: LNER.

 

[800001]

With LNER and Network Rail they’re typically all sat near each other in York ROC so this doesn’t fit - they also have a BTP desk if I recall my last visit correctly.

They do have a BtP desk, sat opposite/adjacent to the ECML route controllers, however in my timeline York Roc I saw someone there once.

LNER and NR are sat directly behind each other, if you swivel your chair round you can touch them. That's how close they are.

 

[Andyh82]

It wouldn't surprise me, either. It won't have had time to be tanked at Ferme Park, in that time.

To avoid doubt, I meant 1303 above, not 1330 (fat fingers)

Surely a long distance train with no toilets available at all should be taken out of service, rather than it being seen as an optional nice to have and pressing on regardless?

 

[yorkie]

Surely a long distance train with no toilets available at all should be taken out of service, rather than it being seen as an optional nice to have and pressing on regardless?

That's not been my experience with other TOCs (though they may not count depending on definition of 'long distance'), however feel free to create a new thread to debate whether it should be.

 

[Falcon1200]

Surely a long distance train with no toilets available at all should be taken out of service, rather than it being seen as an optional nice to have and pressing on regardless?

Normally yes, but not when, as per previous posts, eg #118, half the service has already been cancelled!

As also mentioned, an incident such as this, which seemingly required both an all-line blockage and the overhead power switched off, is a nightmare to manage because it is open-ended; Nobody, not the Police or any rail staff on site, nor Network Rail or Train Operator Controls, can have any idea how long it will go on for. Next time a trespasser is reported at say Retford, should trains immediately be stopped from departing Kings X, Leeds and Edinburgh?

 

[D1537]

Surely a long distance train with no toilets available at all should be taken out of service, rather than it being seen as an optional nice to have and pressing on regardless?

Especially since given that all of the KX-EDB fasts have been cancelled, there should be at least half a dozen 801/2s sitting around doing nothing. Were there really no 9-cars left at Ferme Park (and if so, where are they?)

Meanwhile, the unit is being sent straight back to KGX on 1E27.

Oh, and 1S17 arrived 59 late, just to ensure that its original customers could only get 50% back on their fare

 

[Chrism20]

Surely a long distance train with no toilets available at all should be taken out of service, rather than it being seen as an optional nice to have and pressing on regardless?

Not the first time LNER have done it. I've been on a train before that left Edinburgh with one working toilet which was done by the time the train reached Berwick

 

[43094]

My point above was that it having been mentioned on here after departure, ensuring the crew are aware (which they likely will be, but...) so that it can be addressed ASAP, is the next best option available.

Although I have a pretty strong view on this (as those who know me offline will know!), I make no further comment about this specific situation; not having access to the granular details for today to know what other options may have been discussed, to avoid that happening in the first place.

 

[H F Stephens]

Surely a long distance train with no toilets available at all should be taken out of service, rather than it being seen as an optional nice to have and pressing on regardless?

Acknowledging that this is completely subjective, but in circumstances like last night’s, having a pre-planned contingency strategy might include inter-node shuttles, station calls permitting natural calls and any number of other passanger-applicable considerations might, just possibly, be appropriate, relevant or, for a tax-payer funded system, mandatory.

And, while we’re talking about it, staff rostering and on-call availability that doesn’t see blue trainers sitting spare while red trainers are out of hours.

 

[bramling]

If they had the right information then perhaps it would make the job of dealing with a trainload of passengers easier?

The problem with that is that in many cases the right information may well be “we haven’t got round to dealing with your specific train yet, so we don’t yet know what’s going to happen to you”.

 

[Trainguy34]

Unsure if this is related but tonight's northbound Highland Sleeper was 15 late off Wembley, which spiralled into 70 late leaving Euston (Currently ~90 Late) with knock-ons onto the Lowland (Currently ~35 Late), any chance there might've been a problem at the depot seeing as the Highland Sleeper didn't arrive until 13:45?

Surprisingly the only portion of the Southbound Highland Sleeper to be running on time is the one that had the least turnaround and most delays (Fort W)!

 

[Sakuradori]

there should be at least half a dozen 801/2s sitting around doing nothing

Half of which have expired certificates because they didn't get back to the depot until 5am and the other half have no available driver and crew because they're all over their Hidden regs

 

[prasa]

Unsure if this is related but tonight's northbound Highland Sleeper was 15 late off Wembley, which spiralled into 70 late leaving Euston (Currently ~90 Late) with knock-ons onto the Lowland (Currently ~35 Late), any chance there might've been a problem at the depot seeing as the Highland Sleeper didn't arrive until 13:45?

Surprisingly the only portion of the Southbound Highland Sleeper to be running on time is the one that had the least turnaround and most delays (Fort W)!)!

Think a lot of the delays (INV,ABD,EUS all delayed) are due to TMs, hosts and GBRf drivers requiring minimum rest ,before heading for tonight's duty. Most duties are book on Thursday - lodge Friday - book off Saturday morning.

 

[RichSwitch]

Does anyone know what exactly is wrong with the set at Arlesey that means it is coming up for 36 hours since it broke down? And does anyone know what the plan is to move it (if there is one)?

 

[304033]

Does anyone know what exactly is wrong with the set at Arlesey that means it is coming up for 36 hours since it broke down? And does anyone know what the plan is to move it (if there is one)?

Cleared this morning around 5am.

 

[GordonT]

Not been a great few days for the ECML south of Doncaster as track diagrams currently showing 1E01 the 0537 ex Edinburgh-King's Cross at a stand just north of Newark from around 0830hrs. with following trains held in its wake.

 

[800001]

Not been a great few days for the ECML south of Doncaster as track diagrams currently showing 1E01 the 0537 ex Edinburgh-King's Cross at a stand just north of Newark from around 0830hrs. with following trains held in its wake.

And also northbound services being held at Newark.

1E02 terminating Doncaster.

 

[milooo]

I've heard a broken down train at Newark we are being held at grantham

And also northbound services being held at Newark.

1E02 terminating Doncaster.

 

[Trainguy34]

Anyone know why a broken down train at Newark would mean trains need to be held in both directions? They managed to get diversions via Lincoln going quickly which is good though!

 

[gabrielhj07]

1A14 cancelled at Leeds I see.

Misleading information at Wakefield, “We do not have an estimate for the line re-opening” rather omits the fact that local services (Sheffield etc) are fine.

 

[ChilliSauce]

Seems possible no problems South of Newark as 1B83 (Lincoln / KX) set off south of, sort of on-time

 

[Tramfan]

Anyone know why a broken down train at Newark would mean trains need to be held in both directions? They managed to get diversions via Lincoln going quickly which is good though!

It may be that the driver needs a line block to examine the train from the outside, depending on what the fault is

 

[800001]

Seems possible no problems South of Newark as 1B83 (Lincoln / KX) set off south of, sort of on-time

The problem train is between Retford and Newark on the Up, believed to be 1E01.

 

[Banham7]

Hull Trains 1A92 will be diverting using the full joint line (via Saxilby, Spalding), not stopping at Retford or Grantham.

LNER 1Y81 has diverted using the partial joint line (via Saxilby, Boultham Curve then up to Newark Northgate).

 

[55002]

Suspected air leak between coaches A and B according to comment on railcam. Northbound moving now

 

[MontyP]

Northbound seems to be still at a standstill. I'm on 1D09 0940 to Bradford being held at Biggleswade. Looks like there are services ahead being held at St Neots and Peterborough

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Apr 2026 ==

The problem train is between Retford and Newark on the Up, believed to be 1E01.

Are you sure it's 1E01? Looks like 1Y81 is ahead of it but still being held at Newark?

 

[Banham7]

Northbound seems to be still at a standstill. I'm on 1D09 0940 to Bradford being held at Biggleswade. Looks like there are services ahead being held at St Neots and Peterborough

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Apr 2026 ==


Are you sure it's 1E01? Looks like 1Y81 is ahead of it but still being held at Newark?

1Y81 has diverted via the joint line, 1E01 is the train which is faulty.

 

[yorkshirerail]

Northbound seems to be still at a standstill. I'm on 1D09 0940 to Bradford being held at Biggleswade. Looks like there are services ahead being held at St Neots and Peterborough

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Apr 2026 ==


Are you sure it's 1E01? Looks like 1Y81 is ahead of it but still being held at Newark?

Yes it is definitely 1E01 1Y81 diverted via the joint line