ECML Disruption (07/02/14 Huntingdon)

[johntea]

Any ideas on how long the ECML disruption is expected to last?

Our Grand Central train terminated at Peterborough with the advice that tickets can be used on FCC via Cambridge to London but I would rather stay here in Peterborough and catch a more direct service if they're going to fix the problem within 2-3 hours.

 

[user15681]

Seeing multiple reports it was a balloon in the wires at Huntingdon. NR said 40 minutes ago some lines were reopening, though. They've just said they're trying to move stationary trains and the repair to damage is ongoing.

 

[OLJR]

I am on the 1500 from King's Cross right now and we are just pulling out of Stevenage. It will stop at every station on the line before terminating at Edinburgh.

1ST is rammed full and the vestibules and aisles are full of standing passengers. Passengers showing their ticket at the catering galley have received the usual 1ST sandwiches and drinks.

At King's Cross many passengers were running to the train and an announcement asked passengers to walk for their own safety.

As an aside, the train is not a mallard but has a rather nice, if old, blue theme interior.

I expect that the disruption, due to fallen lines, will last all day.

 

[High Dyke]

I expect that the disruption, due to fallen lines, will last all day.

I don't think any of the OLE actually fell down, it was just difficulty in removing the balloon obstructing the equipment. Services are now running again albeit with some disruption / cancellations.

Flooding problems earlier at Potters Bar didn't help the situation.

 

[philjo]

a few 4 coach FCC services running - my train is supposed to divide at Letchworth but was it only 4 coaches (though announced as 8 on the CIS). no one had informed staff either as the platform staff who check the rear unit & the driver who takes the rear unit ot the siding were both waiting on Letchworth platform & looked somewhat surprised that only coaches turned up.

The standing water in the Potters Bar area has mainly gone down since this morning - a lot of the back roads in the area had a foot of water on them at 8am this morning!

 

[bb21]

As an aside, the train is not a mallard but has a rather nice, if old, blue theme interior.

The EMT rake.

 

[Bald Rick]

Any ideas on how long the ECML disruption is expected to last?

Our Grand Central train terminated at Peterborough with the advice that tickets can be used on FCC via Cambridge to London but I would rather stay here in Peterborough and catch a more direct service if they're going to fix the problem within 2-3 hours.

Fixed now.

 

[johntea]

Many thanks, will head to the station and see what I can get then

 

[GB]

I don't think any of the OLE actually fell down, it was just difficulty in removing the balloon obstructing the equipment. Services are now running again albeit with some disruption / cancellations.

Flooding problems earlier at Potters Bar didn't help the situation.

The ballon had burned through the catenary wire.

 

[A-driver]

Not helped by the fact that there is also OHLE damage at barnet-all northbound traffic was on the down slow for a while.

 

[samuelmorris]

Arriving at KGX around 1430 to find nothing running, I bit the bullet and went back on the tube to Euston. Getting to Manchester was no issue, but great numbers of people who had the same idea piling onto a single 3-car 185 from Manchester alongside all the other peak time commuters was unpleasant to say the least.

 

[causton]

Not helped by the fact that there is also OHLE damage at barnet-all northbound traffic was on the down slow for a while.

Wondered why I saw that! Went to see what it was like at Huntingdon and saw a Cambridge Cruiser inbetween a Peterborough stopper and a Welwyn all-stations on the slow!

 

[wensley]

Wondered why I saw that! Went to see what it was like at Huntingdon and saw a Cambridge Cruiser inbetween a Peterborough stopper and a Welwyn all-stations on the slow!

Still ongoing this morning as far as I am aware, electric traction DS through Barnet Tunnels.

 

[westv]

I was fortunate to get on the 17:19 to Hull. I suspect many weren't so fortunate as it comprised of a 5 set HT unit rather than a 9 set EC unit. Needless to say it was rammed.

 

[TUC]

I was fortunate to get on the 17:19 to Hull. I suspect many weren't so fortunate as it comprised of a 5 set HT unit rather than a 9 set EC unit. Needless to say it was rammed.

So did HT take EC's slot for this journey or was EC using HT's set?

 

[ianhr]

EC certainly had as bad day yesterday. The 07.28 from Wakefield left 30 min late, behind the Skipton-London HST. It had been delayed leaving Neville Hill due to a traction fault. Ran to Peterborough practically empty and we were then told it would terminate there. The Harrogate train made an additional stop at 09.41 to pick up passengers for London. Slow running just south of Hatfield, then a stand and more slow running due to Flooding in down tunnels at Hadley Wood. Final arrival 90 mins later than my original booked time of 09.28 so will get a refund.

Returning on the 20.35. No seat reservations & no catering, first class downgraded to standard and train crew continuously explaining the procedure for claiming refunds. Many passengers from cancelled earlier trains likely to miss last connections. Slow running all the way to Barnet on the down slow line. High speed through Huntingdon, so obviously fixed! Extended dwell time at Grantham for no obvious good reason. 20 late by Wakefield with passengers getting anxious about last connections from Leeds. Staff were good about reassuring passengers that alternative arrangements would be made to get them home. I wonder how much they pay for a taxi for e.g. Grantham-Skegness?!

 

[westv]

I was fortunate to get on the 17:19 to Hull. I suspect many weren't so fortunate as it comprised of a 5 set HT unit rather than a 9 set EC unit. Needless to say it was rammed.

So did HT take EC's slot for this journey or was EC using HT's set?

They must have taken the slot as the normal EC service was cancelled. The guard was saying the service was originally meant to be the 15:49 HT service but due to arriving late it was now the 17:19 but with no catering.

 

[TUC]

They must have taken the slot as the normal EC service was cancelled. The guard was saying the service was originally meant to be the 15:49 HT service but due to arriving late it was now the 17:19 but with no catering.

I wonder if HT accepted EC's tickets for passengers with Advances for the 1719 journey?

 

[westv]

I wonder if HT accepted EC's tickets for passengers with Advances for the 1719 journey?

That's what I had. I did ask and was told it was ok.
The service made an additional stop at Peterborough which HT don't normally stop at. Apart from that it was the usual HT stops.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Having read all this, I'm glad I decided to take the hit on time and go via Manchester. The train from Euston to Manchester was very pleasant, and I have to say I was very impressed with Virgin first class. The train from Manchester was much less pleasant, although I was able to get on it and get a seat in first class. The catering hostess was very good at keeping people out of the first class compartment.

The only downside was leaving London at 1540 and not getting into Newcastle until 2030. I saw that the 1700 (which I was booked on) ran 59 minutes late and got in about 30 minutes after I did, and assume that it had no catering.

 

[leyscjd]

The 1700 did indeed arrive at Newcastle 59 minutes late but most of that was due to it stopping at all EC stations (except Durham) enroute. Using the slow line between Alexandra Palace-New Barnet and signalling problems at Northallerton contributed around 15 minutes to the delay.

Catering crew boarded at Peterborough and were unable to serve anything in First Class until Doncaster due to standing passengers blocking aisles.

Hot drinks and cakes were offered between Doncaster and York with sandwiches, crisps and cold drinks after York. Hot food was not available but considering it was a trying day all round, I was impressed with staff attitude.

 

[westv]

What happens in these sort of instances when TOCs accept tickets from different companies and someone has an AP 1st class ticket? Are they still able to use 1st class on the other TOC service?

 

[Marton]

What happens in these sort of instances when TOCs accept tickets from different companies and someone has an AP 1st class ticket? Are they still able to use 1st class on the other TOC service?

I have never had a problem.

Couple of weeks ago used a standard EC Scottish exec ticket with a free 1st upgrade on virgin Euston to Preston and TPE from there to Edinburgh. Accepted without question.

Also used EMT/XC to York without a problem. Always seems better than the suggestion of via manchester

Personally I much prefer mallard to pendolino.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[High Dyke]

..Slow running all the way to Barnet on the down slow line. High speed through Huntingdon, so obviously fixed! Extended dwell time at Grantham for no obvious good reason. 20 late by Wakefield with passengers getting anxious about last connections from Leeds. Staff were good about reassuring passengers that alternative arrangements would be made to get them home. I wonder how much they pay for a taxi for e.g. Grantham-Skegness?!

The slow running was due to the flooding between Ally Pally and Potters Bar. The dwell time at Grantham was 2 minutes (departed 12 late), but being stuck behind an on-time local service through the Wakefield area caused a further 8 minute delay.

Interestingly enough passengers from the south of Grantham would not be able to get through to Skegness by train at time of night. The 20:35 ex Kings Cross does not connect with the 21:38 EMT service from Grantham - which in any case being the last train eastwards terminates at Boston. The last possible connection for that is the 20:30 HT service from Kings Cross - Hull.

 

[Stats]

Also used EMT/XC to York without a problem. Always seems better than the suggestion of via manchester

EMT were refusing travel to ticket holders of destinations north of Leeds on Friday, insisting that they must travel from Euston.

 

[Tetchytyke]

What happens in these sort of instances when TOCs accept tickets from different companies and someone has an AP 1st class ticket? Are they still able to use 1st class on the other TOC service?

It's a first class ticket so you can travel in first class. What you get in terms of service depends on the TOC.

Virgin and TPE were happy to provide a full service, including food and wine on Virgin. XC refused anything apart from a cup of coffee.

EMT were refusing travel to ticket holders of destinations north of Leeds on Friday, insisting that they must travel from Euston.

Interesting, I was told at Kings Cross that I could either take EMT to Derby or Sheffield or I could take Virgin to Manchester. I chose Virgin to Manchester as the EMT was only a five-coach Meridian and it looked rather snug on board.

 

[Saint66]

There is another balloon stuck in the wires on the GN route! This time it is at Bayford, meaning no trains can currently run between Gordon Hill and Steveange.

 

[samuelmorris]

It's a first class ticket so you can travel in first class. What you get in terms of service depends on the TOC.

Virgin and TPE were happy to provide a full service, including food and wine on Virgin. XC refused anything apart from a cup of coffee.



Interesting, I was told at Kings Cross that I could either take EMT to Derby or Sheffield or I could take Virgin to Manchester. I chose Virgin to Manchester as the EMT was only a five-coach Meridian and it looked rather snug on board.

The last time I had to travel to York during EC disruption I took the EMT/XC option. The 5-car 222 was completely rammed, and this didn't help me travelling with an oversized suitcase, as after seeing numerous passengers (rightly) told off for obstructing the ticket gates to try and see which train they should get on, I followed the advice of waiting to see which train it was. People slowly filtered through the gates anyway. After 10 minutes of waiting with no announcement I decided to wander out and find the train and sure enough, it had been boarding for those 10 minutes, and was already full. 7 passengers and 3 suitcases to a non-toilet-end vestibule (i.e. a handful of square meters at best) for the entire 2 1/2 hours to Sheffield was distinctly unpleasant.
The CrossCountry 220 from Sheffield was busy leading me to stand, but not excessively so, I had plenty of room there. The return journey was fine (I timidly bought separate return tickets to guarantee validity as on that occasion no announcement was made at KGX about them being valid by the time I abandoned the station), but the crowding on the outbound made me rethink how I'd do it next time.

This weekend then (Friday afternoon) I took the Virgin/TPE route. The 390 to Manchester was busy, but there were some seats at the front of the train, which the train manager kindly pointed out to people over the announcement, but walking through 4 carriages with my case was never going to work so I stood alone in the vestibule.
The TPE end of the journey was an absolute farce though. A 3-car train on a major route at peak commuter time seems a bit iffy to me anyway, but with the extra load, it was 100% full as far as Huddersfield, and even then had almost as many standing passengers as seated until Leeds. In order to let people board I had to put one sizeable item of luggage on my head so people could squeeze through the tiny gap.

Although the TPE experience was somehow even less comfortable than that on EMT (which I hadn't considered possible), it did last less time, as there was ample standing room by Leeds, so about 60 minutes. On that basis I'm not really sure which I think is the preferred option. Journey time wise they seem fairly similar, but the frequency of the Virgin and TPE services is higher, so that seems like it might be the better choice.

 

[tsr]

There is another balloon stuck in the wires on the GN route! This time it is at Bayford, meaning no trains can currently run between Gordon Hill and Steveange.

I believe there were at least 2 nearby bunches of balloons stuck in the incident today, though I may accidentally have been reading details of the previous incident.

 

[westv]

Balloongate!