Paddington-Reading blocked due to OLE isolation and lineside fire (5/9)

TheLastMinute · Saturday at 17:53

All lines between London Paddington and Reading have been effectively blocked since 1610, almost 1.75 hours so far. Reports of a "flash and bang" from the OLE near Paddington and the fire service attending a fire near the railway - unclear if the two events are linked at present.

Obviously very significant disruption to long-distance GWR services across the network, as well as Elisabeth Line and Heathrow Express services.

Does anyone have information that they can share?

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popeter45 · Saturday at 18:01

stuck at kemble at the moment due too this

embers25 · Saturday at 18:07

TRAKSY suggestef the1610 Heathrow Express was being evacuated just outside Paddington.and 5Z26 has pulled up next to it so may be true.

I'm counting my lucky stars that my 1600 made it out just and is only 18 late.

sir_gummerz · Saturday at 18:07

Was on one of the last trains to make it out of Paddington, feeling very lucky right now as all the trains behind are now showing as delayed

Attached photo that I took passing the smoke at about 16:00 on a GWR train pad-bristol

dk1 · Saturday at 18:13

TheLastMinute said:
All lines between London Paddington and Reading have been effectively blocked since 1610, almost 1.75 hours so far. Reports of a "flash and bang" from the OLE near Paddington and the fire service attending a fire near the railway - unclear if the two events are linked at present.

Obviously very significant disruption to long-distance GWR services across the network, as well as Elisabeth Line and Heathrow Express services.

Does anyone have information that they can share?

Is 1.75hrs the same as an hour and three quarters or 105 minutes?

CarltonA · Saturday at 18:17

There is a possession in the Slough area adding to the problem. I noticed a fire engine outside Slough station earlier in the afternoon, though it was likely unrelated to the present issues.

ADIRU · Saturday at 18:20

Acathater · Saturday at 18:21

Incident: Southall | National Rail

Major disruption between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading expected until 21:00. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Route(s) affected
Trains between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading

Description
A failure of the electricity supply caused by a fire next to the track in the London Paddington area means all lines between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading are blocked.

As a result, trains will be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.

Major disruption is expected until 21:00.

A visual disruption map video is available.

Elizabeth line customer advice:

You can use your ticket at no extra cost on the following alternative services:

London Underground services via any reasonable route

London Buses between Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / West Drayton / Abbey Wood

South Western Railway services between London Waterloo and Reading

Chiltern Railways between London Marylebone and High Wycombe

Docklands Light Railway via any reasonable route

Southeastern services between London Terminals and Abbey Wood

Thameslink services between Farringdon and Abbey Wood

Great Western Railway customer advice:

You may use your ticket at no additional cost on the following operators:

Avanti West Coast services between Birmingham New Street and London Euston

CrossCountry services between Birmingham New Street and Bristol Temple Meads

Chiltern Railway services between Oxford and London Marylebone

South Western Railway services between Salisbury / Reading and London Waterloo

London Underground on Bakerloo and Jubilee lines

If your train is cancelled, you may travel on either of the two services before, or two services after, your original train. If these are peak services or less flexible, you can still travel with your original ticket, at no extra cost.

Tickets dated for today Saturday 5 September will be valid for travel tomorrow Sunday 6 September.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey using the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner.

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.

Jimini · Saturday at 18:22

Explains why the SWR Reading train I’m on is so popular!

TheLastMinute · Saturday at 18:24

From the maps, I'd guess that 5Z26 is being used to evacuate the stranded 9H20 at Ladbroke Grove.

Meanwhile, it looks like the OLE power has been restored west of Acton allowing the stranded EL trains have moved forward. This will free up the Reliefs for IETs running on diesel, presumably after 9H20 is sorted. Both Mains are closed for a planned possession.

dk1 said:
Is 1.75hrs the same as an hour and three quarters or 105 minutes?

Yes, 1.75 hours is roughly 105 minutes.

dk1 · Saturday at 18:27

TheLastMinute said:
From the maps, I'd guess that 5Z26 is being used to evacuate the stranded 9H20 at Ladbroke Grove.

Meanwhile, it looks like the OLE power has been restored west of Acton allowing the stranded EL trains have moved forward. This will free up the Reliefs for IETs running on diesel, presumably after 9H20 is sorted. Both Mains are closed for a planned possession.

Yes, 1.75 hours is roughly 105 minutes.

Thank you

In my half a century plus on this earth I have never heard it referred to thus.

TFN · Saturday at 18:29

Only 9H20 and 1T86 are stranded, with everything else being bi-mode or not in the area at the time of the OLE trip.

However with no OLE access to/from Old Oak Common depot, it’s hard to get the trains west of Acton out of the way as there’s nowhere else to put them (other than 6 at Maidenhead).

swt_passenger · Saturday at 18:53

Just to confirm the location, is the smoke (photo in post #4), rising from the vicinity of the Kensal Green 25 kV traction power site? Up by the canal? That bridge along the tracks being the depot flyover line?

sir_gummerz · Saturday at 19:08

Sorry im not sure exactly where, it was a few minutes after Paddington, between where the underground disappeared but before the hs2 works. This was looking out on the north side of the train

cduncan · Saturday at 19:11

Loads of people asking for the Reading train that'll explain it!

swt_passenger · Saturday at 19:11

sir_gummerz said:
Sorry im not sure exactly where, it was a few minutes after Paddington, between where the underground disappeared but before the hs2 works. This was looking out on the north side of the train

Yes, I had a few more minutes to try and pin it down now, I think the very tall electrification masts, (behind the signal), can be seen on Google satellite view.

popeter45 · Saturday at 19:24

slowly getting trains on the move again
trains getting slots in reading that open up platforms at prior stations for trains too fit into, just left kemble with a 88 minute delay

Kite159 · Saturday at 19:32

popeter45 said:
slowly getting trains on the move again
trains getting slots in reading that open up platforms at prior stations for trains too fit into, just left kemble with a 88 minute delay

I guess no available platform at Swindon which would have been more useful than Kemble.

popeter45 · Saturday at 19:37

Kite159 said:
I guess no available platform at Swindon which would have been more useful than Kemble.

correct, looks like gameplan is get trains too reading then terminate so SWR can take then too London
BTP turned up at Kemble at one point so fear somebody decided to take their frustrations out on staff

83G/84D · Saturday at 19:44

Up and down mains are open for normal running for diesel trains only. No HEX services to or from Heathrow until further notice.

800301 · Saturday at 19:50

83G/84D said:
Up and down mains are open for normal running for diesel trains only. No HEX services to or from Heathrow until further notice.

I wouldn’t say normal running, there is a possession west of Slough and the OHLE is still off and doesn’t look like it’s coming back any time soon

Mike Machin · Saturday at 20:04

BBC Radio News have confirmed that the cause of the disruption is a grass fire which got out of control and has ‘caused electrical supply problem.’

I guess this could take a little while to sort out.

brad465 · Saturday at 20:15

ADIRU said:
View attachment 211051 View attachment 211051

These links aren't working for me

mickey · Saturday at 20:17

Does anyone know what they’re telling people at Paddington about westbound journeys (TV, not long distance)? Am about to head over from south London but if it’s ’go to Heathrow and plan again from there’ then I’ll get a head start.

popeter45 · Saturday at 20:19

83G/84D said:
Up and down mains are open for normal running for diesel trains only. No HEX services to or from Heathrow until further notice.

looking at traksy dont see anything moving now, everything is red again

iamthekareem · Saturday at 20:34

On the 17.32 from OXF to PAD.

Got green signal at Reading at 2007 (Was supposed to depart 1759) to be held outside Twyford for the past 27 mins. Sad times.

JamieL · Saturday at 20:35

83G/84D said:
Up and down mains are open for normal running for diesel trains only. No HEX services to or from Heathrow until further notice.

The news websites are saying "disruption expected until 7.15pm. Is this likely to be inaccurate given the incident? I am guessing so given that time has passed but wondering if we would expect it to normalise by tomorrow?

Cancellations and delays to services are expected until 7.15pm

London Paddington fire causes rail chaos as Heathrow trains cancelled

Blaze causes electricity supply failure and disruption of services to airport and Reading

www.theguardian.com

MarlowDonkey · Saturday at 20:42

mickey said:
Does anyone know what they’re telling people at Paddington about westbound journeys (TV, not long distance)? Am about to head over from south London but if it’s ’go to Heathrow and plan again from there’ then I’ll get a head start.

It doesn't look as if anything completely electric is moving. So that's closing the Elizabeth Line both to Heathrow and Reading. It looks as if the odd GWR train, presumably an 80x is stopping at Slough and Maidenhead. It's suggested that longer distance services are being turned at Reading.

iamthekareem · Saturday at 20:48

MarlowDonkey said:
It doesn't look as if anything completely electric is moving. So that's closing the Elizabeth Line both to Heathrow and Reading. It looks as if the odd GWR train, presumably an 80x is stopping at Slough and Maidenhead. It's suggested that longer distance services are being turned at Reading.

Im on 1P32. Crept into Twyford where passengers were picked up. Guard has announced no further stops until PAD. Hopefully make it there at some point today!

popeter45 · Saturday at 20:52

think we had the quickest stop i've ever seen at Didcot, less than a minute between stopping and heading off again, still no word on if we are getting cancelled at Reading or not

Paddington-Reading blocked due to OLE isolation and lineside fire (5/9)

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