ECML in 2017 - all a bit disjointed really

[Taunton]

A return trip from Kings Cross to Doncaster and back today led to :

Outbound. Three separate apologies having to be given by the poor train manager in the first 30 minutes.

1. No trolley service.
2. Signal failure at Oakleigh Park and slow line diversion lost 20 minutes.
3. Heating failure in the carriage in a full train (0 degrees outside).

Meanwhile, the tap in the toilet adjacent to my seat could be heard running nonstop. I couldn't work out a way to stop it. After more than an hour it ceased, presumably ran out of water.

While we rolled slowly through the suburban stations, Hadley Wood in particular, I noticed that the snowfall we had on Sunday (only) had still not been dealt with on the platforms by today, the following Thursday. By now it has turned to solid sheet ice, right across the yellow line to the platform edge, just where you step in/out of the train. Does H&S nowadays not allow shovelling?

Return. Further apology. No hot food for First Class. Apparently the supplier in Leeds didn't show up.

We do seem to be dropping back to the "crumbling edge" of BR early 1980s. Except for the fare levels of course.

 

[Starmill]

Is there something unusual about any of that? Surely it's all entirely to be expected?

 

[Skimble19]

A return trip from Kings Cross to Doncaster and back today led to :

Outbound. Three separate apologies having to be given by the poor train manager in the first 30 minutes.

1. No trolley service.
2. Signal failure at Oakleigh Park and slow line diversion lost 20 minutes.
3. Heating failure in the carriage in a full train (0 degrees outside).

Meanwhile, the tap in the toilet adjacent to my seat could be heard running nonstop. I couldn't work out a way to stop it. After more than an hour it ceased, presumably ran out of water.

While we rolled slowly through the suburban stations, Hadley Wood in particular, I noticed that the snowfall we had on Sunday (only) had still not been dealt with on the platforms by today, the following Thursday. By now it has turned to solid sheet ice, right across the yellow line to the platform edge, just where you step in/out of the train. Does H&S nowadays not allow shovelling?

Return. Further apology. No hot food for First Class. Apparently the supplier in Leeds didn't show up.

We do seem to be dropping back to the "crumbling edge" of BR early 1980s. Except for the fare levels of course.

That’s very concerning about Hadley Wood. Staff are still allowed to clear snow, however this does of course rely on actually having sufficient station staff to do it - it was all hands on deck on Sunday with Platform staff being joined by Booking Office, Gateline staff, On Board staff and Rail Enforcement Officers (and some team leaders and managers) where available. Additional staff were also brought in to assist but again numbers were limited as many weren’t able to actually get in and many will have already had plans.

Sadly on sundays we are considerably shorter on all station staff than any other day of the week - major stations are generally okay (the majority of our bigger stations are staffed by Platform Staff 24/7) but some smaller stations such as Hadley Wood may only have one member of staff or none at all. Staff were sent out to unstaffed and low staffed locations where possible but as said numbers are very limited, and those stations that were only partially cleared or weren’t able to be done on Sunday were then done as early as possible on Monday when more staff were available.

I would be very surprised if Hadley Wood hadn’t been done at all, especially by now - out of interest was it the slow line platforms or the island in the middle you are referring to? If it’s the island in the middle then this platform is extremely rarely used which may explain why it hasn’t been done.

 

[Taunton]

It was the central island, I was sat on the right. The matrix indicators were of course fully on display in the middle of it all. I suppose I notice this thing about suburban fast line platforms because I have been repeatedly told here, in discussion about issues like the new Cricklewood station, that fast line platforms are essential and cannot be left out to save cost because local trains are regularly sent up the fast lines, especially when there are night works or issues, and at little notice. And there was an issue this morning, just the other way round, and everything was on the Slow.

Incidentally, we do of course thank the team that turned out on Sunday to deal with it.

 

[96tommy]

It's been a bad year so n ECML. Was you traveling with Virgin? If so, I've stopped travelling with them. If you thought National Express East Coast was bad just wait until you travel VTEC. No trolley service is now the norm with them. I've now started travelling Grand Central and Hull Trains and the passenger numbers on them between Doncaster and Kings X seems many others have made the change. Cheaper too. To think back to the days of GNER which at its peak was the ultimate service. East Coast was almost as good.

Paying first class travel and not being given what you pay for is a very poor showing.

Signal failures and line failures (mainly trains bringing down wires) are a common occurrence on the line. In my journeys between Doncaster/Leeds/York and London in 2017 I worked out I'm up to about 14 hours late overall.

 

[jon0844]

Hadley Wood only uses two platforms but because 2/3 can be used in an emergency, they were to be cleared but definite would get done last.

Staffing is of course an issue as it takes a bloody long time to clear one platform properly (remembering you cannot put any snow on the track - although some contractors do so).

Initially the priority was to clear the platforms for the length of the trains stopping and then do the rest, as even if Hadley Wood usually only has 3, 4 or 6 car trains call, at any time an 8 car could terminate due to an operating incident. But one member of platform staff isn't going to be able to do that. Walking paths must also be cleared, including walking routes in car parks!

I thought GN stations were pretty well done given the circumstances and the timing of the snow, compared to GA where all stations between Tottenham Hale and Cheshunt weren't touched at all even by the evening of the Sunday.

 

[Clip]

Paying first class travel and not being given what you pay for is a very poor showing.

You pay for the seat and extra leg room and that's it. Everything else is complimentary so if you are going to travel with thinking you are paying for food and drink then you should be prepared to be dissapointed

 

[ash39]

Absolutely so, although I can see how the inconsistency due to staffing and stock levels could be disappointing.