Bad week for GWML

[Benjwri]

I can guarantee in most of those circumstances they had to because the reliefs had an issue stopping them from operating at capacity, or there was a service that stopped right behind.

 

[ComUtoR]

Many thanks both.

 

[matt_world2004]

I can guarantee in most of those circumstances they had to because the reliefs had an issue stopping them from operating at capacity, or there was a service that stopped right behind.

No it was because they were running 40 minutes late. I was on a train a few weeks ago that left Paddington they announced at acton mainline that the train was skipping all the stops until Heathrow and no other train served acton mainline for the next 30 minutes.

 

[JN114]

Any kind of moderate disruption - I believe the official definition is delays of more than 10 minutes per train and expected to continue for more than 30 minutes; or any kind of disruption that closes a line entirely; necessitates the implementation of one of the industry disruption plans. None of the operators really get a choice in its implementation. NR tell us it’s happening and we then work to it.

These dictate service reductions to maximise use of the available infrastructure and, as I understand, trigger a suspension of Crossrail’s points-based performance regime described above.

But these plans are incredibly disruptive - they certainly break Crossrail’s performance regime as many of them leave stations entirely unserved in either one or both directions while in play. It is plainly evident reading these plans that delay payments, or similar, were not remotely in the thought process. The aim of them is to force as many trains through the bottleneck as possible, to run as normal service as possible either side of the issue.

***

Crossrail are heavily incentivised to continue serving the Airport as they are the sole operator between T2/3 and T4; and Heathrow Airport place a significant emphasis on keeping the Airport moving even during disruption on the mainline for inter-terminal traffic. Indeed during serious disruption on the mainline they will normally call on HEx to operate a CTA/T5 shuttle even if trains aren’t able to run to Paddington, and we will normally oblige if resources allow. The expectation is on Crossrail to do the same for T4 but I haven’t yet seen it happen in anger; that could just be me though.

 

[Horizon22]

They do run non stop to Heathrow and have done in the last two weeks

A perfectly reasonable option if it is the first to run in a while (or vice versa to Paddington) and has a clear path ahead.

 

[leytongabriel]

GWR didn't help their reputation today. When the late-running train forming the 1331 to Cheltenham was turned round at Reading ( fair enough), the announcement told passengers to get the train for Reading from platform 10. It was due to go from platform 11 so why not, but there was no train there. Just a couple of minutes before it left there was a second announcement telling Cheltenham train passengers to go to platform 4 instead for the Didcot train to Reading. So then there was the spectacle of people coming onto to the platform being ignored by platform staff who sent the pretty empty Didcot train off on time regardless.

Would it have been such a problem for the Didcot train ( which was only for Reading and Didcot) to have been held back for a couple of minutes more to allow passengers to get on? It had to slow right down a couple of miles outside Reading anyway as it was early. As it was, the 1356 left Reading half-empty ( with the train conductor wondering why) and the missing passengers had to wait for an hour at Paddington.

 

[Taunton]

Except they wouldn’t do that. There’s too much traffic on the reliefs to do that. If they tried to run non stop to Heathrow they would just be sitting at a red light at each station anyways,

Except not if the service is disorganised and it's been 30 minutes since the last one (performance over recent weeks refers).

 

[Falcon1200]

necessitates the implementation of one of the industry disruption plans. None of the operators really get a choice in its implementation. NR tell us it’s happening and we then work to it.

But surely the Contingency Plans are agreed with Train Operators after consultation, not simply imposed on them by NR? And they are agreed with due regard to providing the best overall service possible given whatever reduced capacity exists. However unique circumstances on the day (because every incident is different) may necessitate short-notice adjustments.

I arrived at Paddington at 1510 on Thursday 18th May (the day of the Slough points failure, not in any way GWR's fault of course) for the 1520 to Didcot, only to find a huge crowd of passengers and no trains shown on the departure screens until the 1557 departure! There was no information on any trains booked to leave before 1557, nothing to say what was cancelled or delayed, which was strange, given that the 1502 to Bristol did run, albeit late, causing a mass stampede when it was announced

 

[JN114]

But surely the Contingency Plans are agreed with Train Operators after consultation, not simply imposed on them by NR? And they are agreed with due regard to providing the best overall service possible given whatever reduced capacity exists. However unique circumstances on the day (because every incident is different) may necessitate short-notice adjustments

Minor variations can and do happen, when justified. But the trigger criteria and overarching content of the plans are agreed in advance. If those criteria are reached the plan goes in.

 

[Falcon1200]

Minor variations can and do happen, when justified. But the trigger criteria and overarching content of the plans are agreed in advance. If those criteria are reached the plan goes in.

Is that not, essentially, what I said?!!

 

[JN114]

Is that not, essentially, what I said?!!

Apologies I thought you’d phrased it as a question?

 

[Falcon1200]

Apologies I thought you’d phrased it as a question?

No problem!