Brief problems across South East tonight?

[Saint66]

There's a few reports that a power surge on the national grid across the South East has impacted several lines into London due to signalling and OHLE being affected.

FCC have one or two delays it seems? While South Eastern had their signalling go down for a few minutes?

A few tube line's are also reporting power supply problems it seems (I know this is the rail forum, but it seemed to add to the context, apologies!)

Anyone else heard anything, or have any updates?

Excuse the awful spelling mistake in the title!

 

[user15681]

This does seem to be the case. I must admit, my lights did go off and then come back on, along with my TV, a little while ago, probably 30-40 minutes, maybe more. I've seen a picture of a lot of the lights out at Waterloo station.

It affected a significant area, although delays are specifically prominent in the London Bridge, Wimbledon, Streatham and Blackfriars.

Note this seems to be a National Grid problem and not something necessarily to do with Network Rail or TfL infrastructure. Lots of lifts stuck, lights coming on at film premieres and street lights out across south London tonight.

 

[Bald Rick]

Yep a Grid problem. Knocked out signalling briefly across most of the south east.

Also made my lights dim in deepest Hertfordshire.

Nevertheless, in train delay terms, it's Network Rail's fault.

 

[jon0844]

It's the energy companies wanting to make a point about the problems we'll all face if they aren't allowed to keep increasing prices!

 

[Saint66]

I was just quite shocked by how wide a region it affected! Lucky it didn't happen any earlier when lines would've been much busier.

We had our lights flicker here in Herts, and it's still affecting FCC services now.

Interestingly, it sounds like a lot of lights in public areas, such as stations, and street lights etc still haven't come back on.

 

[PermitToTravel]

I did wonder what that flickering was!

 

[RichmondCommu]

I was just quite shocked by how wide a region it affected! Lucky it didn't happen any earlier when lines would've been much busier.

We had our lights flicker here in Herts, and it's still affecting FCC services now.

Interestingly, it sounds like a lot of lights in public areas, such as stations, and street lights etc still haven't come back on.

Yes we noticed it here in SW London. Thanks for posting this by the way.

 

[Saint66]

NRE service alteration notice: 'Delays to services in the South of England until further notice'

At least they're honest!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This does seem to be the case. I must admit, my lights did go off and then come back on, along with my TV, a little while ago, probably 30-40 minutes, maybe more. I've seen a picture of a lot of the lights out at Waterloo station.

It affected a significant area, although delays are specifically prominent in the London Bridge, Wimbledon, Streatham and Blackfriars.

Note this seems to be a National Grid problem and not something necessarily to do with Network Rail or TfL infrastructure. Lots of lifts stuck, lights coming on at film premieres and street lights out across south London tonight.

Yes, had this in Epsom - about ½ way through the BBC News at 22.00 the lights and TV flickered off for a second or so.

 

[user15681]

Actually, on this subject, I had the exact same happen in the early hours of Saturday (29/03) morning, around 0200. Now that would have gone unnoticed to most as most are in bed, trains aren't running etc. Were any similar problems reported then?

 

[Daniel]

It was broadcast over my line channel, stating a number of stations having blackouts owing to UKPN supply issues - apparently a blackout lasting around 5 minutes. Didn't affect service control on the met line at least. I did notice the Bakerloo, District and Victoria lines all had partial suspensions for a time owing to the supply interruption, for a time.

 

[Alteran Ancient]

I was travelling through Lewisham when this happened. Train was sitting at the platform, and just at about 22:20, the platforms were suddenly plunged into darkness. The service was delayed by about 10 minutes whilst they waited for the power to come back on.

 

[user15681]

It was broadcast over my line channel, stating a number of stations having blackouts owing to UKPN supply issues - apparently a blackout lasting around 5 minutes. Didn't affect service control on the met line at least. I did notice the Bakerloo, District and Victoria lines all had partial suspensions for a time owing to the supply interruption, for a time.

I should imagine it was a tricky night for those control rooms affected!

The Bakerloo was suspended Lambeth to Elephant, Victoria was from Stockwell to Brixton and District was around Richmond area. Overground was also suspended from Richmond to Willesden. Sort of gives a rough idea of the area effected.

UKPN have since denied any fault on their behalf, blaming National Grid.

 

[feline1]

UKPN have since denied any fault on their behalf, blaming National Grid.

Nice to see the electricity sector has just as many sloping shoulders as the rail sector

 

[Lockwood]

What happened to the good old days when the railway infrastructure had its own power supply?

 

[Blindtraveler]

It's the energy companies wanting to make a point about the problems we'll all face if they aren't allowed to keep increasing prices!

very true. On a serius note, hope no too many foalk were stuck in lifts for long, it can be scary.↲

 

[Be3G]

Ah! So that's why our lights flickered briefly in North London last night – the power didn't go out long enough to cause any electronic devices to actually switch off. The electrics in this flat aren't great so at the time I just put it down to a random glitch.

 

[otomous]

What happened to the good old days when the railway infrastructure had its own power supply?

I believe the mainline railway has always drawn its traction power from the grid. The London Underground generated its own until 2002 I think.

 

[trainfanatic]

What happened to the good old days when the railway infrastructure had its own power supply?

That would be a Power Station sited at Chelsea waterfront (can't quite recall the name of the station) generating power for London Underground. I worked there briefly many years ago.
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[user15681]

That would be a Power Station sited at Chelsea waterfront (can't quite recall the name of the station) generating power for London Underground. I worked there briefly many years ago.
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Lots Road, was it?

 

[howittpie]

very true. On a serius note, hope no too many foalk were stuck in lifts for long, it can be scary.↲

In tonight's Evening Standard it reports people were stuck in the lifts at Elephant 7 Castle tube station for an hour.

 

[trainfanatic]

Lots Road, was it?

That would be the place!

 

[Mojo]

Apparently was caused by National Grid routine switching at Beddington.

(Awaits Nym to come along and explain what this means)

 

[Saint66]

I'm surprised that an issue at one substation (as mentioned by National Grid on Twitter) affected such a big area?!

 

[user15681]

I'm surprised that an issue at one substation (as mentioned by National Grid on Twitter) affected such a big area?!

As is always the case, a localised problem on the railway can spread far quite quickly. The substation is by no means small, either, and feeds the surrounding areas, particularly Croydon, Wimbledon, Staines and Brixton areas.

 

[Saint66]

As is always the case, a localised problem on the railway can spread far quite quickly. The substation is by no means small, either, and feeds the surrounding areas, particularly Croydon, Wimbledon, Staines and Brixton areas.

But it affected signalling on the South Eastern routes (into areas like Kent) and also caused my power to go off and back on here in Herts, along with affecting FCC services up here!

 

[user15681]

But it affected signalling on the South Eastern routes (into areas like Kent) and also caused my power to go off and back on here in Herts, along with affecting FCC services up here!

Like I said, it's a pretty big substation and feeds a lot of south London, I believe. I'd put the SE problems into Kent from Victoria down to this, given that the substation supplies Brixton and the surrounding areas. Hence why Victoria line Brixton to Stockwell, Bakerloo from Elephant to Lambeth and SE heading out of Victoria were affected (not sure why London Bridge was, but can only assume it's linked in there somewhere). As for the problems in Herts, I can't explain that.

 

[Class377/5]

Like I said, it's a pretty big substation and feeds a lot of south London, I believe. I'd put the SE problems into Kent from Victoria down to this, given that the substation supplies Brixton and the surrounding areas. Hence why Victoria line Brixton to Stockwell, Bakerloo from Elephant to Lambeth and SE heading out of Victoria were affected (not sure why London Bridge was, but can only assume it's linked in there somewhere). As for the problems in Herts, I can't explain that.

It caused a surge in the linked systems that saw SWT, C2C, FCC among others hit.

 

[hassaanhc]

This does seem to be the case. I must admit, my lights did go off and then come back on, along with my TV, a little while ago, probably 30-40 minutes, maybe more. I've seen a picture of a lot of the lights out at Waterloo station.

It affected a significant area, although delays are specifically prominent in the London Bridge, Wimbledon, Streatham and Blackfriars.

Note this seems to be a National Grid problem and not something necessarily to do with Network Rail or TfL infrastructure. Lots of lifts stuck, lights coming on at film premieres and street lights out across south London tonight.

Interestingly, it sounds like a lot of lights in public areas, such as stations, and street lights etc still haven't come back on.

No idea exactly what happened but with the types of bulbs that many floodlights/streetlights and the like use, if switched off then they won't switch on again until they've cooled down a bit. Or was it a proper outage?

Just before 2000 I was on the Emirates Air-Line cable car, while afterwards I was at North Greenwich Bus Station and around 2030 onwards on the DLR from Woolwich Arsenal, and I didn't notice anything. Mind you, a few years ago a few power surges days apart damaged the RAM and motherboard on my dad's PC (well they still worked until we unassembled parts a few days later to clean out the dust ).

 

[DY444]

I believe the mainline railway has always drawn its traction power from the grid.

Nope. There were railway power stations at Durnsford Road and Rotherhithe on the SR