Currently at a stand on the 1210 HUL-KGX service at St Neots, along with an FCC train on platform 4. According to the guard there is damage to the OHL ahead. Does anybody know anything more of this, or of the severity of the delay?
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ECML Damaged OHL
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1D53
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I've just escaped London on the 14:48 Bradford Interchange any everything looked normal!
I don't often admit this but I do feel a little (very little) bit sorry for FCC at the moment. Very unhappy passengers all round and have been named least satisfactory TOC aswell and the last few weeks, even months, have been atrocious but not through their own fault.
Take today alone, kings cross platforms 0-7 were closed due to route setting problems in the morning peak, that left 3 platforms for FCC, hull trains and grand central and only 1 for east coast plus a few trapped trains. Network rail then told FCC they had to start terminating at Ali Pali and Finsbury park which almost made things worse. Plus signal problems at purely and west Hampstead on the otherside and now power problems at Ali Pali and that's just in one day, many delayed and very angry punters and none of it actually FCCs fault.
Combine today with the past few days, weeks and even months with major 'news-worthy' OHLE problems at hitchin and radlett as well as the problems with the snow, 3 days worth of signalling problems at digswell Friday/sat/sun and numerous other signal and points problems on the TL and gn lately and it's no wonder they are seen so poorly by the public, and as I say very few of the issues lately have been within their control!
Take today alone, kings cross platforms 0-7 were closed due to route setting problems in the morning peak, that left 3 platforms for FCC, hull trains and grand central and only 1 for east coast plus a few trapped trains. Network rail then told FCC they had to start terminating at Ali Pali and Finsbury park which almost made things worse. Plus signal problems at purely and west Hampstead on the otherside and now power problems at Ali Pali and that's just in one day, many delayed and very angry punters and none of it actually FCCs fault.
Combine today with the past few days, weeks and even months with major 'news-worthy' OHLE problems at hitchin and radlett as well as the problems with the snow, 3 days worth of signalling problems at digswell Friday/sat/sun and numerous other signal and points problems on the TL and gn lately and it's no wonder they are seen so poorly by the public, and as I say very few of the issues lately have been within their control!
westcoaster
Established Member
Everyone likes to bash fcc, dammed if they do and dammed if they don't, there was a thread yesterday about disruption and someone said blame fcc even though we are nowhere near.
CatfordCat
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Message timed 1529 on FCC website says replacement buses now being arranged - suggests it's not going to clear any time soon.
Sounds like a repeat of last week's exercise where people were bussed across from the GN line to the trainless Midland line, but in reverse.
Sounds like a repeat of last week's exercise where people were bussed across from the GN line to the trainless Midland line, but in reverse.
one of those days when it must be so tempting for FCC Control and Customer Service personnel to hide under their desks and sob quietly until the power comes back on/the signals get fixed/NR declare the bridge safe- but they don't, they step up and do what they need to do (even if the sheer volume of problems can make it seem it like customer service aren't doing anything help individuals).
ushawk
Established Member
Depending on the severity of the damage, i think they might terminate you at Stevenage, would have thought East Coast will turn at Peterborough though.
Down lines dont look affected, but the Up lines are shut.
FCC have posted that Great Northern services in and out of Kings Cross and Moorgate are now suspended, usual ticket acceptance in FCC delays is occuring.
Would assume buses would run from Kings Cross to Stevenage or Welwyn, maybe Hitchin or Peterborough too.
We've already passed Stevenage. We are now on the move at a decent pace. We were told earlier that we will be allowed to proceed because we are a diesel train, but just being held due to congestion. Will post further updates as and when things happen!
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Good job the BBC aren't filming at KX today! 
ushawk
Established Member
Looks like it might not be OHLE damage but just a loss of power then.
This is going to cause massive problems for the football at Arsenal tonight, what with nothing serving Finsbury Park which will cause already packed Piccadilly Line trains to be even busier and local buses to be full up, still - theres always the Victoria Line !!
Used the up slow through Alexandra Palace and a 91 set was being rescued by a thunderbird on the up fast at Hornsey. Looks like we've made it through the affected area (although running at reduced speed).
wensley
Established Member
Alexandra Palace reported as the problem area, on both Up lines, diesel traction now being permitted to move towards London, so some sort of service will keep moving! Grand Central's 1A66 to pick up Doncaster, Newark, Grantham and Peterborough.
ushawk
Established Member
All lines now open according to Network Rail on twitter, looks like it was just a power failure in the Ally Pally area.
tsr
Established Member
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Agreed - it is a nightmare out there , and the FCC drivers must be very hard boiled to deal with the innumerable problems coming their way - (being really in the line of fire from passengers , especially with the stress of serving 2 major airports where pax have deadlines to get to) - the effect of problems north and south of the river together is a job killer. GN in severe trouble today though makes a change from the Midland route issues. Most of it is infrastructure with the TOC getting the flak. The Southern Region issued a pamphlet in the 1960's entitled "DO YOU WANT TO RUN THE RAILWAY" to explain to the users the challenges. Did not do much good in PR terms I am told. ...
I normally do Blackfriars to St Pancras and Kings X to Stevenage. Today I stayed on to Luton Airport Parkway. I had a lift arranged but the FCC staff were really polite and helpful and has some buses laid on to Hitchin.
FCC get a lot of stick but it's hard to think of a recent delay that's been their fault.
FCC get a lot of stick but it's hard to think of a recent delay that's been their fault.
asylumxl
Established Member
I have nothing but praise for FCC. I find the majority of their staff to be helpful and polite, and I feel that they've really got to grips with dealing with severe disruption.
While I'm sure many people are happy to moan about the situation on TL etc, I really do feel they gave the best they could given the hand they were dealt.
Tim R-T-C
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No burning smell or evac at 7 so must have been resolved. Although FCC services still all over the place.
I heard the announcement at KX asking people to leave platfroms 7 & 8 immediately due for safety reasons - I assumed that too many people were crowding there as there was another similar announcement later on asking poeple not to stand on the bridge over the platforms.
When went into the main platfroms later one there was a 67 by the buffers coupled to a 225 set in platform 7 or 8 so maybe that had caused the fumes?
My experience today:
Lucky this morning as I missed the problems. I saw the website info about the signalling problems before leaving home so got an earlier train than planned. the problems had obviously been solved as we just slowed down after New Southgate following other trains in front so just 10 minutes late into The Cross (arrived at 9:10)
This afternoon arrived at KX at 16:15 to find a full concourse and the departure board with every service saying either Delayed or Cancelled.
the 16:22 FCC service was advertised about 16:30 (only going as far as St Neots instead of PBO) - a large number from the concourse rushed in that direction.
Then at 16:35 the 15:36 FCC PBO stopper was adverstised (again terminating at St Neots) from 10 - another mad rush.
The 16:32 Cambridge stopper went from 11 at around 16:55.
17:00 Edinburgh & 17:19 Hull EC services boarding showing on time departures as these are HSTs.
2 more FCC arrivals came into 10 & 11 so a lot of people started to crowd round the suburban barriers (which were now closed all set for exit only from the platforms) one of the staff on the barrier inidcated there was a Foxton train from platform 5 shortly so I went up the escalator & over the bridge (the barriers ont he bridge were open) and got onto platform 5 before the train was announced. I was one of the first on to the train (4 coach 317) - within 2 minutes it was full & standing so they were announcing for people not to go to platfrom 5 any more. The train left 20 minutes late at 17:15 (so I had been there an hour)
I think we got to about WGC before other trains started to over take us on the fast line. I noticed that the sidings at WGC were full when they would normally be empty in the evening peak.
The announcements at KX while I was on the councourse were not particularly helpful. some were telling passengers to use other routes if possible but there was no mention if any bus links had been set up etc other than advising Cambridge passengers to go to Liverpool street.
the staff on the suburban gateline were quite helpful but obviously could not do much especially as alot of people were complaining to them at once that "their train" was delayed or always left from platform 9 so why couldn't they go through onto the platform.
I believe the main problem around 16:30 was that there were FCC trains in KX but there were no drivers available as they were stuck elsewhere. If that had been explained to the passengers in the councourse it might have made thing easier.
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