Axminster

[embers25]

OK it's now Friday and despite getting an extra two days after and also those last minute extra weekends prior to the week closure which should have finished last Monday Network Rail still are not able to deliver an on time service thru Axminster. Given the new hourly timetable starts Sunday and thus far they can't even cope with a 2 hourly service (or almost anything at all in evening peak last night). Does this mean a temporary timetable is going to be needed from Sunday? Yet again Network Rail have failed to deliver a big project on time ala Rugby meaning massive inconvenience to us all. It does seem that yet again the signalling is their downfall.

 

[Capybara]

Someone will be getting a carpeting for that.

 

[PhilipW]

Yet again Network Rail have failed to deliver a big project on time ala Rugby meaning massive inconvenience to us all.

To the public, the Axminster project is a little project, nothing on the scale of Rugby. It is just 3 miles of track and a few extra signals on what is little more than a grand loop. It is very sad that projects like this cannot be delivered on time.

Before anyone jumps in and attempts to explain that the signalling is lot more complicated than what I have described, I am just expressing how it seems to the general public. No crossings, no junctions, just a grand loop. Could it be simpler, I think not.

 

[Capybara]

So what is the underlaying cause?

 

[4SRKT]

So what is the underlaying cause?

Uselessness?

 

[starrymarkb]

It's not ansaldo breda gear is it?

 

[embers25]

Ironically they are operating an opening special today despite the signalling still not working and delaying all trains! Lets add another train to the line making existing trains even later!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
OK so the opening special had to be coupled to the back of a regular train in the end as the line was still screwed up. Now to top off everything we have officially reached farcical level from Notwork Rail as to maximise speed is was found that the platforms are better accessed by trains from the logically wrong side meaning that passengers now have to go West from the normal East platform and vv and so that guarentees some will get it wrong, particularly when the PIS aren't working properly like today!

This is getting worse than Rugby or Portsmouth...why are Notwork Rail not held accountable...there's a real danger ere they could actually make SWT look competant!

 

[royaloak]

Now to top off everything we have officially reached farcical level from Notwork Rail as to maximise speed is was found that the platforms are better accessed by trains from the logically wrong side meaning that passengers now have to go West from the normal East platform and vv and so that guarentees some will get it wrong, particularly when the PIS aren't working properly like today!

Believe it (or not) it was always going to be this way round, the up line is actually the down line and visa versa .

 

[Drsatan]

I just don't get it. All NR had to do was relay three miles of track, build a new station platform and move a few signals. What could possibly go wrong? Obviously some heads need bashing together somewhere.

 

[johnb]

Surely not much did go wrong, in the end? Everything delivered, slight delay, like most projects in most industries...

 

[SWT Driver]

Not acceptable though.

This was planned for god knows how long & they STILL cannot get it right. Some little minion tucked away in a office somewhere obviously hasn't got a damned clue about planning a relatively major project like this.

I'd dread to think what would happen if they said we're going to double the line from Wilton Junction all the way down to Honiton & Pinhoe, which might happen if the electrification of the line ever takes place.

 

[starrymarkb]

I think what needs to be asked is...
A - What went wrong
B - Why did it go wrong
C - Could it have been foreseen (and was it in the control of the railway)
D - if so were steps taken to reduce the likelihood of it occurring.

If the answer to C is Yes and D is No then blame the railway to the max extent. If the Answers to C and D were yes, then they did plan it well and things just happened, and if both are No then its just bad luck

 

[embers25]

Surely not much did go wrong, in the end? Everything delivered, slight delay, like most projects in most industries...

If you call requesting last minute extra weekend before the planned closure and over running by 5 days on a 9 day project slight! Also what made it worse for pax and SWT was that Notwork Rail couldn't even give SWT any clue as to when they would be done meaning SWT had to improvise. It would have been much better if NR had just said on Sunday we're sorry we screwed up and we won't be done till Friday then at least SWT could have set up contingency plans and had to kee promising new opening dates only to be told sorry still shut. The only sad thing here is that this is not considered national news as it's not a high profile line and so NR will likely yet again get away with it, just like Pompey. Where will they screw SWT and their pax next...oh wait I forgot Soton Tunnel (I see signal problems and other overrunning eng works already springing up to the West of Soton..will they use these as an excuse for not finishing Soton on time?

 

[fgwrich]

Basingstoke Resignalling Project is also running late, last i heard of it, was that phase 3 had been postponed until porstmouth was sorted...

 

[furryfeet]

I think what needs to be asked is...
A - What went wrong
B - Why did it go wrong
C - Could it have been foreseen (and was it in the control of the railway)
D - if so were steps taken to reduce the likelihood of it occurring.

It does not matter what the answers to C and D actually are - it still points to bad project management !

The project manager(s) should have been conducting regular reviews of the project to make sure that it was on track, and if not, then take immediate corrective action.

Hence action should be taken against the project managers AND their managers so that such errors do not occur again, even if it involves training and changing the lines of communication.

 

[Helvellyn]

Basingstoke Resignalling Project is also running late, last i heard of it, was that phase 3 had been postponed until porstmouth was sorted...

Phase 3 due to go live Easter 2010 I believe, nearly two years late. I'd heard it was because after the disaster of Port Talbot and Portsmouth at the same time, NR would not commission two signalling schemes at the same time again. As other schemes were already pencilled in, Basingstoke Phase 3 was kicked back two years to a vacant slot, even though installation was well advanced (i.e. signals and cabling in place). There will still be work after this I'd imagine, removing redundant equipment and cabling, plus decommissioning the old Signal Box (YW).

 

[SWT Driver]

Oh well another BARS day coming up Easter 2010!