Avanti Service failed to call at LPY (20/05)

[Ellis101]

Just witnessed the 16:43 LIV-EUS pull into Liverpool South Parkway (LPY) at about 50mph then miss the platform after applying very heavy brakes. The train came to a standstill blocking Allerton junction for about 10-15 minutes and then just left!

Many people on the platform were waiting to get on and they must be very confused!

How has that happened, did the driver simply forget to stop? Bit concerning if so!

 

[hexagon789]

Just witnessed the 16:43 LIV-EUS pull into Liverpool South Parkway at about 50mph then miss the platform after applying very heavy brakes. The train came to a standstill blocking Allerton junction for about 10-15 minutes and then just left!

Many people on the platform were waiting to get on and they must be very confused!

How has that happened, did the driver simply forget to stop? Bit concerning if so!

Likely the driver just forgot.

Given half the Avanti services don't call, it stands to reason that, drivers being human after all, are going to forget on occasion.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W33877/2026-05-20/detailed#allox_id=0

Clearly not a (serious) fault with the train, it is proceeding albeit 11-15 minutes late.

 

[yorkie]

How has that happened, did the driver simply forget to stop? Bit concerning if so!

It's possible there was a mistake with the diagram provided to the driver, but failing that, yes it could be a case of forgetting the calling pattern of the train.

Personally I would't consider it concerning, as it's not in any way a safety issue.

Given the range of calling patterns on Avanti is huge, it isn't surprising that there are occasional failures to call, though these are very rare in the grand scheme of things.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

It's possible there was a mistake with the diagram provided to the driver, but failing that, yes it could be a case of forgetting the calling pattern of the train.

Personally I would't consider it concerning, as it's not in any way a safety issue.

Given the range of calling patterns on Avanti is huge, it isn't surprising that there are occasional failures to call, though these are very rare in the grand scheme of things.

Does Avanti use DAS or anything? Surely incidents like these are probably less common where it is used?

 

[SteveHFC]

Does Avanti use DAS or anything? Surely incidents like these are probably less common where it is used?

What is DAS?

 

[jfollows]

It’s also the case that Pendolinos can’t call, and they’re frequently used on what should be other diagrams, so it’s very common for the call to be removed at short notice.

Pendolinos have SDO, Selective Door Operation, but it’s not appropriate and not used for Liverpool South Parkway. It’s used at Wilmslow for up Styal line services, for example.

 

[Merle Haggard]

I can't find it at the moment but I think there was a recent thread about a down Liverpool failing to stop at Milton Keynes.

 

[jfollows]

I can't find it at the moment but I think there was a recent thread about a down Liverpool failing to stop at Milton Keynes.

1F32 Sat 16th May from MKC, passed through

Hey all, on Saturday 16th May I was waiting at Milton Keynes Central to travel on 1F32 18:15 Avanti service to Liverpool Lime Street. As the train approached MKC you got the usual announcement that the next arriving at platform 6 is the 18:15 Avanti service to Liverpool Lime Street etc but the...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[hexagon789]

Does Avanti use DAS or anything? Surely incidents like these are probably less common where it is used?

Yes.

In fact, the 80x can only run at MU speeds if it is active as part of the agreed mitigation with the ORR over the lack of TASS on the 80x fleet.

What is DAS?

Driver Advisory System.

 

[Ericscollar]

Does Avanti use DAS or anything? Surely incidents like these are probably less common where it is used?

80X’s use DAS but you can mute/dark screen it. Sounds like he/she just forgot, it’s not a good look but does happen now and then, especially on stops that are not frequent

 

[Merle Haggard]

I once was on a train that passed through what should have been the last booked stop before Euston at line speed and I did wonder what was going on in the cab...

 

[dk1]

Oh I feel for the driver. So easy to do and now on a plan. It’s a horrible feeling when you realise.

 

[Ericscollar]

Oh I feel for the driver. So easy to do and now on a plan. It’s a horrible feeling when you realise.

It’s not that big of a deal, interview to find out if there was any mitigating circumstances, will probably just get an additional assessment and downloads for 12mth.

 

[dk1]

It’s not that big of a deal, interview to find out if there was any mitigating circumstances, will probably just get an additional assessment and downloads for 12mth.

Hmm, all depends on previous history. Hope he/she has a decent driving record old bean.

 

[irish_rail]

It's possible there was a mistake with the diagram provided to the driver, but failing that, yes it could be a case of forgetting the calling pattern of the train.

Personally I would't consider it concerning, as it's not in any way a safety issue.

Given the range of calling patterns on Avanti is huge, it isn't surprising that there are occasional failures to call, though these are very rare in the grand scheme of things.

Most TOCs WOULD consider it a safety issue though, certainly GWR would, though I cannot talk for Avanti. With the huge numbers of new drivers joining the driving grade, many who where previously onboard hosts or similar, there is bound to be an initial rise in these type of operational incidents.

 

[D1511]

Hmm, all depends on previous history. Hope he/she has a decent driving record old bean.

Hopefully, given the fact that only some stop at Parkway, it'll not be too serious for them. The MKC incident was much worse, because they all stop there.

 

[bahnause]

Hmm, all depends on previous history. Hope he/she has a decent driving record old bean.

Our company:
„You know why it happened?“
„Yes, because of XYZ.“
„Ok, don’t do it again, let‘s go for lunch.“

 

[scosutsut]

What is DAS?

I hope you said this loudly and in a German accent

 

[dk1]

Our company:
„You know why it happened?“
„Yes, because of XYZ.“
„Ok, don’t do it again, let‘s go for lunch.“

That’s not the common theme but nice to see it happens. Bet there’s no alcohol included with that meal.

 

[Ericscollar]

Hmm, all depends on previous history. Hope he/she has a decent driving record old bean.

There’s no threat to safety, it’s only operational, as long as protocol was followed the driver will be fine regardless of previous

 

[Bletchleyite]

Hopefully, given the fact that only some stop at Parkway, it'll not be too serious for them. The MKC incident was much worse, because they all stop there.

WMT I assume? As only 3tph of Avanti services stop at MKC out of the 10.

 

[D1511]

WMT I assume? As only 3tph of Avanti services stop at MKC out of the 10.

Most of the Liverpools stop, don't they? The non stop incident involved a Liverpool, and they're nearly all MKC-Crewe-Runcorn with some that also stop at Parkway.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Most of the Liverpools stop, don't they? The non stop incident involved a Liverpool, and they're nearly all MKC-Crewe-Runcorn with some that also stop at Parkway.

Half of them don't. The 807 operated slower service does, the Pendolino operated faster service doesn't.

 

[D1511]

Half of them don't. The 807 operated slower service does, the Pendolino operated faster service doesn't.

So if he/she was driving a 807 they ought to have known to stop then. That's kind of what I was getting at by suggesting that was worth than this incident.

When I go fast on the TVL from up and down from MKC it always seems to be a Liverpool I get. I presume the intermediate ones are 9 car pendos.....are they the ones that randomly stop in Lichfield or Tamworth?

 

[Ellis101]

It’s also the case that Pendolinos can’t call, and they’re frequently used on what should be other diagrams, so it’s very common for the call to be removed at short notice.

Pendolinos have SDO, Selective Door Operation, but it’s not appropriate and not used for Liverpool South Parkway. It’s used at Wilmslow for up Styal line services, for example.

It was a :43 departure from Lime Street which are always pathed as 807s because 390s cant call at LPY.

Either way I hope nobody was trying to catch a flight from somewhere down in London as there was a lot of people with luggage and suitcases.

Drivers are humans so we have to cut them a bit of slack although, If I was on a tight schedule I wouldn’t be very pleased at all. In fact I’d probably be furious.

 

[185143]

It was a :43 departure from Lime Street which are always pathed as 807s because 390s cant call at LPY.

Either way I hope nobody was trying to catch a flight from somewhere down in London as there was a lot of people with luggage and suitcases.

Drivers are humans so we have to cut them a bit of slack although, If I was on a tight schedule I wouldn’t be very pleased at all. In fact I’d probably be furious.

I'd assume most with luggage at South Parkway had just arrived into John Lennon, or aren't flying at all.

But the point still stands. I know from experience of the Manchester-Scotland TPEs that people will travel a surprisingly long distance by train for flights, though admittedly Manchester will have more varied flights than the Scottish airports, but less so than London obviously.

 

[Krokodil]

Most TOCs WOULD consider it a safety issue though, certainly GWR would, though I cannot talk for Avanti.

Virgin certainly used to. There was a tale of a driver forgetting that he was booked to call at Lockerbie (easily done, most don't call), remembering too late and overshooting the platform. Instead of it being treated similar to a fail-to-call, management treated it with as much seriousness as a TPWS intervention.

So a little while later another driver makes the same mistake, but just as he puts the brake in he remembers how his colleague was treated and figures that he'd get less grief for missing the stop completely than for overshooting and he powers up again.

 

[yorkie]

Either way I hope nobody was trying to catch a flight from somewhere down in London as there was a lot of people with luggage and suitcases.

I would allow enough slack for the train to be 2+ hours late and still make the flight.

In this case, there was a train to Crewe half an hour later, and a decent connection from there to Euston, due in only 33 mins later than booked (and in reality only 15 min later than the direct train, given the delay).

Personally, when heading to an airport, I'd take a delay of that length any time, and be happy with the 50% compensation.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 May 2026 ==

There’s no threat to safety, it’s only operational, as long as protocol was followed the driver will be fine regardless of previous

Is the pragmatic and sensible view to take.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 May 2026 ==

Most TOCs WOULD consider it a safety issue though, certainly GWR would, though I cannot talk for Avanti. With the huge numbers of new drivers joining the driving grade, many who where previously onboard hosts or similar, there is bound to be an initial rise in these type of operational incidents.

Many train companies in Great Britain are notorious for poor judgement and acting in a nonsensical way, but that doesn't make them right!

 

[Krokodil]

Is the pragmatic and sensible view to take.

So we can almost guarantee that management will do the opposite. This is the railway, you know!