Magdalen Road
Member
As long as that includes the two I need that’s fine
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Experiences of service recovery (or lack of) on GTR Great Northern
- Thread starter Failed Unit
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RailUK Forums
They've run one more service to/from KLN this afternoon, but it was run by a 387. It seems pretty clear that the issue is (still) with the 379s.tatitiliti
Member
Exactly, seen very few 379s around
Their introduction has been a disaster, and given the rumours of adding ETCS being near impossible right now (for reasons I do not know) even though some 387s have already got it, they'll be creating more problems in the coming months/years.
horsewalrus
Member
I'm about to get caught up in this - was meant to be getting the 18:48 KGX-Cambridge North but that's been binned off (as have all the Ely / King's Lynn services). Currently debating whether to try and squeeze onto the 18:54 CBG stopper, no doubt full thanks to three cancelled services' worth of people getting on (as the 19:18 Cambridge and 19:27 Letchworth train have also been binned off), or take advantage of GA ticket acceptance and take the scenic route via Liverpool Street.
I thought only 1 387(101) had ETCS and that hadn't even re-entered service yet
An_Engineer
Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2018
- Messages
- 47
There's also the 19:01 semi-fast from St Pancras to Cambridge. Can't say how busy any of them will be though (I go the other direction).
An_Engineer
Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2018
- Messages
- 47
Is the lack of 379s why they aren't even attempting a KGX<->CBG fast shuttle? It's frustrating that they can't even run that section during peak rush hour
I don't know the unit number, but saw a 387 this week with stickers relating to ETCS along the undercarriage. This was at Welwyn Garden City.
There don't seem to be any 379s out at all at the moment, maybe things are really so bad they can't run any right now.
The 1424 KGX-Ely would seem to be the last service run by a 379 so far today, and that went off to carriage sidings rather than running the 1551 back as it would normally do.
Edit : ah, that's not quite true, the 1648 KGX-KLN is a pair of 379s, let's see if that goes further than Ely.
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Failed Unit
Established Member
There are some 379s on the southern end of the route. Not sure where they are going (could be Peterborough or Letchworth).
Also surprised about fitting of ETCS in the 379. If they can do the 158s anything should be possible. Not the best out of Finsbury Park this evening either. They are tripping over each other again so the delays will be snowballing.
Also surprised about fitting of ETCS in the 379. If they can do the 158s anything should be possible. Not the best out of Finsbury Park this evening either. They are tripping over each other again so the delays will be snowballing.
horsewalrus
Member
It appears to have now left Ely, and there's an association record in Darwin for it to go to King's Lynn Carriage Sidings at 23:55 as 5T60 (implying it's going to sit at KLN till then?)
OneOfThe48
Member
If faulty overhead wires cause damage to the train pantographs over a relatively short period of time that means they need to be taken out of service until the pantographs are repaired and the culprit faulty overhead wire is located and repaired - I am slightly stumped by what GTR should do other than go back in time and prevent the overhead wires from becoming faulty?
Failed Unit
Established Member
I think the biggest problem we have isn’t this has happened again, but the lack of communication / back up plan to keep us moving.
Magdalen Road
Member
That they’re not even running Ely - KGX but go no further than CBG. They could try for taxis to connect people to Cambridge for the early morning trains, when they know they’re cancelling for first 2.5 hours of the day the night before. My commute took 2h33 yesterday, instead of 1h16 (plus to/from station = 3h15). KLN pax have had 4 hours commutes.
OneOfThe48
Member
There’s lots of information and updates on the Twitter account from what I’ve been following
Failed Unit
Established Member
I don’t have twitter. (As I don’t agree with its business model). I just use the trains so have to rely on what is given to us on the platforms or the national rail app.
Magdalen Road
Member
It hasn’t mentioned useful info such taxis being available between Cambridge and Ely in the afternoon, they keep omitting ticket acceptance by LNER, and info gets lost in the threaded replies.
Those XC services can also often be delayed due to speed restrictions between Ely and Peterborough. All of the GA/XC services are usually quite heavily filled as well before any GN commuters can get on.
It's starting to seem that Ely station is not fit for purpose and needs some upgrades to support service disruption.
From what they've said on Twitter it seems this was their latest attempt to see if the problem was resolved, and unfortunately it seems it wasn't and so that was the end of that for the rest of the day. Which makes it 3?4? times they've hoped they've 'solved' the problem only to find out that they actually haven't. One wonders exactly what the problem is and why it is proving so difficult to solve.
There does appear to have been one train that did Kings Lynn-Cambridge-Kings Lynn-Cambridge after this but it isn't published on RTT what stock ran it, so I'm going to assume a 387.
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Yes, unfortunately I'm aware of how busy the alternative services can get, after standing on an XC along with at least 100 other passengers on Tuesday morning. I expect something similar tomorrow
It would be nice if GN realised this, as they seem to believe the existence of alternative services between Cambridge and Ely (though not so much for the intermediate stations) somehow means they don't need to bother serving Ely whenever anything goes wrong. I've seen this happen for a couple of years now.If nothing else, it is making the experience for those travelling north of Ely even more miserable and extended, as the GN rail-replacement buses they are running are going to Ely but, for the most part, GN rail services are not.
While I agree Ely station could use more capacity, I'm not sure what can be realistically done - another platform is presumably never going to happen and they already make good use of the platforms they have. Maybe more use could be made of the down goods loop, though it is already irregularly used for out-of-place stock.
Magdalen Road
Member
GTR have not put on buses between Ely - CBG this morning. This would have been a good idea to connect with London trains from Cambridge.
A train arrived from Kings Lynn, to connect with the Ely 0553 Liverpool St.
GTR have not put ticket acceptance in place with LNER despite both being publicly owned so we couldn't go across to Peterborough and south from there.
The Cambridge - Kings Cross semi-fasts including 0625 was cancelled so the only option is St Pancras or Liverpool St.
I really hope service is better this afternoon because the schools are back today and the Norwich / Birmingham trains from Cambridge to Ely won't be able to cope.
A train arrived from Kings Lynn, to connect with the Ely 0553 Liverpool St.
GTR have not put ticket acceptance in place with LNER despite both being publicly owned so we couldn't go across to Peterborough and south from there.
The Cambridge - Kings Cross semi-fasts including 0625 was cancelled so the only option is St Pancras or Liverpool St.
I really hope service is better this afternoon because the schools are back today and the Norwich / Birmingham trains from Cambridge to Ely won't be able to cope.
Glad I wasn’t going in to London today as there are lots of peak cancellations on the Cambridge branch. The peak extra semi fasts normally operated by 379s were cancelled as well as the Kings Lynn fasts. So the only services operating were the Brighton trains and the stoppers that start from Royston/Letchworth. Plus any of the semi-fasts which are 387s or 700s which are usually the 0630 or 0830 from Letchworth.
Today's 'service' appears to consist of a pair of 4-car trains irregularly shuttling between Ely and Kings Lynn (one of which helpfully blocked platform 2 at Ely for almost an hour between 0915 and 1004!), nothing at all between Ely and Cambridge, and no fasts between Cambridge and London.
They continue to helpfully point out we can use our tickets 'at no extra cost' - how generous! - on the packed-to-the-rafters GA and XC services between Cambridge and Ely. How kind. Of course XC are no use for Cambridge North, and apparently Waterbeach doesn't matter at all (something people may want to bear in mind before moving to the new town there with the intent of relying on the railway).
They continue to helpfully point out we can use our tickets 'at no extra cost' - how generous! - on the packed-to-the-rafters GA and XC services between Cambridge and Ely. How kind. Of course XC are no use for Cambridge North, and apparently Waterbeach doesn't matter at all (something people may want to bear in mind before moving to the new town there with the intent of relying on the railway).
bramling
Veteran Member
Does anyone know what is actually going on? Seems hardly any of the Electrostar fleet is running today.
The 'service' seems to have settled down into two 4-carriage trains that run a x04 from Ely to Kings Lynn, then immediately turn around to run a x41 Kings Lynn to Ely, and then sits at Ely for 50 minutes before heading back to Kings Lynn.
Of course that 50 minutes sitting at Ely should be (just) enough time to run to Cambridge and back rather than blocking a platform at Ely for the best part of an hour. Or, if that's a little tight, they could at least go to Cambridge North and reverse there, for people to transfer onto the GA services. But apparently blocking a platform at Ely is the best we're going to get.
Of course that 50 minutes sitting at Ely should be (just) enough time to run to Cambridge and back rather than blocking a platform at Ely for the best part of an hour. Or, if that's a little tight, they could at least go to Cambridge North and reverse there, for people to transfer onto the GA services. But apparently blocking a platform at Ely is the best we're going to get.
For the record, all of the Norwich to Stansted services are calling additionally at WBC.
I noted the one I was on this morning did so; good for GA, as usual. Though there is no note of this in GN's disruption information, indeed Waterbeach isn't mentioned at all.
Shame XC don't add Cambridge North calls in cases like this, but I don't think I've ever seen that happen.
Magdalen Road
Member
Good news to report, I managed get confirmation of ticket acceptance to use LNER to Peterborough. Then the train manager agreed I could travel EMR from Peterborough to Ely this afternoon. The LNER and EMR were very pleasant.
Saved 10 minutes compared to STP - CBG - Ely and more importantly avoided the crowded trains at CBG.
It appears that GTR have started a few trains from CBG to Ely finally.
Saved 10 minutes compared to STP - CBG - Ely and more importantly avoided the crowded trains at CBG.
It appears that GTR have started a few trains from CBG to Ely finally.
Is there capacity for that? The Train will need to approach Platform 2 very slowly and it will also be blocked...
I do think they can run 1 Train per hour to Ely though.