ECML problems

[sonic2009]

Now by the looks of it the East Coast has problems around the Retford Area...

1719 KGX To Hull. 32 overdue at Retford...

Signalling Problems

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

or it could be TRUST playing up, had it the other week, we logged at two places then went delayed or something like that until much later on when it changed to no log at most places.

 

[sonic2009]

no its not this taken from nationalrail.

Delays between Grantham and Doncaster expected until 21:00 19:21 - 11/04/2011

Start date
11/04/2011
Route affected
London Kings Cross, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Retford, Doncaster and Hull / York / Leeds
Train operators affected
East Coast , First Hull Trains
Description
A signalling problem is causing disruption in the Retford area.
Because of this, there are delays of up to 45 minutes to trains between Grantham and Doncaster. These delays will continue until approximately 21:00.

 

[ushawk]

Problems on both the WCML and the ECML - not a good day for people travelling north.

 

[Donny Dave]

"Delays between Grantham and Doncaster"

Anyone willing to bet on the level crossing just South of Retford station being the cause again?

 

[MadCommuter]

Problems on both the WCML and the ECML - not a good day for people travelling north.

...or south

 

[ushawk]

I apologise. Should have mentioned that.

 

[Skimble19]

Yet more disruption for the ECML now, apparently somebodys been hit by a train between Biggleswade and Sandy. My thoughts to the driver and all involved.

 

[Aictos]

Yet more disruption for the ECML now, apparently somebodys been hit by a train between Biggleswade and Sandy. My thoughts to the driver and all involved.

Customer Advice:

A shuttle train services is running between Peterborough and St Neots, calling at Huntingdon. Services to/from London King's Cross will start/terminate at Biggleswade. Northbound trains are unable to call at Arlesey.

East Midlands Trains services are conveying passengers between Cambridge and Peterborough via Ely in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Capital Connect (GN) rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

First Capital Connect (Thameslink Route) services are conveying passengers between St Pancras International and Bedford in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Capital Connect (GN) rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between St Neots and Biggleswade in both directions until further notice. Rail replacement buses will call at Sandy.

 

[wintonian]

Possibly the 13:22 from KGX to PBO?

 

[stut]

Possibly so - the 13:36 was curtailed at Hitchin, and the 14:22 (which I was on from Hitchin) was the first to make it to Biggleswade.

There's a freight train caught between Arlesey and Biggleswade, making the slow lines inaccessible between Hitchin and just south of Biggleswade.

Just heard a fast train go past (through Biggleswade) though, so it could be looking better (although there have been some lone locos whizzing past too).

Big thumbs up to the Hitchin platform staff, who were out in force answering queries and giving out information (over loudhaler) as it came in. LDB, as usual, was less than useless.

 

[wintonian]

The 14:36 from KGX - PBO has seems to have passed Sandy now 25 late.

 

[stut]

...and an HST just headed northbound through BIW. Definitely picking back up.

 

[amcluesent]

Still a 'mare. I'm on an additional 19:03 from KGX, declassified, standing in FC. Quite a few EC sets in KGX but maybe no crew getting south?

 

[sonic2009]

Everything going wrong, heard from a friend.

that the signals have gone between sheffield and doncaster too...

 

[DazCM]

Still a 'mare. I'm on an additional 19:03 from KGX, declassified, standing in FC. Quite a few EC sets in KGX but maybe no crew getting south?

I'm on the 1730 KGX to Edinburgh and we've just passed through Newark.

 

[amcluesent]

Back in PBO

I think I saw one EC pass us going south. PBO bit chaotic (I've seen worse!), all EC southbound all showing delays as at 20:20.

FCC seem to be recovering from the person under train at Sandy

 

[wintonian]

Everything going wrong, heard from a friend.

that the signals have gone between sheffield and doncaster too...

and between North Gate and Retford. the ECML has really gone kaput today.

 

[sonic2009]

majorly kurput!

the 1650 ex London Kings Cross to Sunderland.... left 1721

is sat the otherside of retford.

 

[Smoggy]

The problems today was caused by the 1336 Kings Cross-Leeds hitting a person near Lindfells Crossing at Sandy. I was on 1D76 14:20 GC to Bradford which was held at Kings Cross until 1555 and was the first departure north after the 14:00 EC service. The 14:10, 14:30, 14:35 etc services were all caped with stock running to Bounds Green to free up platforms and pax advised to goto St Pancras.

We passed the stricken 13:36 on the Down Slow which had the Kings Cross thunderbird (it departed KGX at 1433) waiting in rear.
We then passed through Newark at 1725 and came to a stand just north of the platforms and was held there until 19:00 awaiting TBW to be implemented due to the power supply issues between Grove and Egmanton.

1D76 arrived Doncaster at 1951 (only 232mins late) so I waited for the 20:03 service towards Sheffield, which was delayed at Mexborough on its inbound working due to the signalling problems at Conisborough! XC services were being diverted via the S&K and TBW was set up around 2115 on the Up Sheffield, with Down trains running at caution.

Quite an eventual journey home!

 

[wintonian]

Oh dear it's not just the ECML.

A person has been hit by a train near to Worplesdon.

Because of this, trains between Woking and Guildford are currently suspended. This will continue until approximately 23:00.

 

[Lee_Again]

Has a lovely day in London with the wife and kids; to be ruined by the journey home.
Arrived at Kings Cross (not knowing about the earlier problems) at 5.05 to find the 5.33 already advertised as platform 3 (I should have known!!!). At 5.40 we're told that because the driver was on his 'break' (100% true) we would not be leaving until 6.00. We actually left at 6.15... to arrive at Finsbury Park at 6.20. (down fast)
"Due to signalling problems in the Doncater area...leaving here in 20 mins". At 6.50 we get a similar message; a further 20 minute delay. At 7.10 "those passengers for Stevenage please come to coach F where a door is open so you can catch a local service". Having seen a number of FCC trains being routed in front of us (I could see the down slow signal with feathers to the right) I thought this would be a good idea. The kids (3 & 6) are now hungry, tired and bored.
So, we are on the down slow platform and guess what? Yep, no Stevenage train until 7.27 and the sticken East Coast pulls away 100 passengers lighter. How there was not a row I don't know? Kept my cool because I had the kids in tow. So, finally, we arrive at Stevenage at 7.50; 2 hours late!!!
I LOVE train travel but sometimes, sometimes it really pushes the buttons.
Why a signal problem 100+ miles away has to hold an East Coast train at Finsbury Park I'll never know? It could easily have gone to Stevenage or further north without a problem. Unless there was something we were not being told?? About 6 FCC trains were routed in front of us during out stop.
There was an empty EC on the down goods and stangely, a 180 on the up main (going North), both being stabled. I presume to empty Kings Cross. And why wait 50 mins to let us off the train? They could have done that after 10 (when the first 20 minute delay was announced).

 

[wintonian]

Has a lovely day in London with the wife and kids; to be ruined by the journey home.
Arrived at Kings Cross (not knowing about the earlier problems) at 5.05 to find the 5.33 already advertised as platform 3 (I should have known!!!). At 5.40 we're told that because the driver was on his 'break' (100% true) we would not be leaving until 6.00. We actually left at 6.15... to arrive at Finsbury Park at 6.20. (down fast)
"Due to signalling problems in the Doncater area...leaving here in 20 mins". At 6.50 we get a similar message; a further 20 minute delay. At 7.10 "those passengers for Stevenage please come to coach F where a door is open so you can catch a local service". Having seen a number of FCC trains being routed in front of us (I could see the down slow signal with feathers to the right) I thought this would be a good idea. The kids (3 & 6) are now hungry, tired and bored.
So, we are on the down slow platform and guess what? Yep, no Stevenage train until 7.27 and the sticken East Coast pulls away 100 passengers lighter. How there was not a row I don't know? Kept my cool because I had the kids in tow. So, finally, we arrive at Stevenage at 7.50; 2 hours late!!!
I LOVE train travel but sometimes, sometimes it really pushes the buttons.
Why a signal problem 100+ miles away has to hold an East Coast train at Finsbury Park I'll never know? It could easily have gone to Stevenage or further north without a problem. Unless there was something we were not being told?? About 6 FCC trains were routed in front of us during out stop.
There was an empty EC on the down goods and stangely, a 180 on the up main (going North), both being stabled. I presume to empty Kings Cross. And why wait 50 mins to let us off the train? They could have done that after 10 (when the first 20 minute delay was announced).

Not good, unfortunately it's worse for some people the 15:05 from Leeds arrived in to Finsbury Park 42 late and has been sitting there since 17:49 and still seems to be waiting to go to Kings Cross!

 

[Smoggy]

Due to the lack of estimate of time that the problems would be rectified, at around 1745 EC decided to basically cancel all further trains going north.
1D40 and 1D41 were both terminated at Peterborough and returned to Bounds Green ECS. Stock at Kings Cross were sent ECS to Bounds Green to free up platforms for all the late arrivals.

TBW was only implemented at around 1855 which severly limited the number of trains able to get through the section, not helped by 4 freights being trapped as well. Then 4E32 limped through the section holding the job up even more.

I believe only one EC Southbound HST was diverted via Lincoln

 

[sonic2009]

it also looks like the 2200 EC Service to York. that does not normally stop at leeds, is being ran via Leeds tonight.

 

[wintonian]

Some early detail at the bottom:

BBC radio's Any Questions? had to be cancelled after guests were unable to get to the recording because of major delays on a railway line.

The Radio 4 programme was due to be broadcast from the National Railway Museum in Shildon, County Durham.

But three of the four panel members, including Employment Minister Chris Grayling, failed to make it.

The delays were caused after a person was hit by a train on the East Coast main line.

There were further delays after signal problems in the Grantham area.

Liberal Democrat policy chief Richard Grayson was the one guest to make a successful journey, unlike Labour peer Lord Malloch-Brown and Interbrand chairman Rita Clifton.
'Unforeseen circumstances'

Listeners were given an on-air apology and a past programme was broadcast instead.

A spokesman said: "Due to unforeseen circumstances some panellists due to appear on Any Questions? from Durham this evening were severely held up on their journey."

Saturday's edition of Any Answers?, in which listeners respond to what they have heard during the debate, has also been cancelled.

The programme hopes to return to the museum in the future.

British Transport Police were called to a level crossing in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, after reports of someone being hit by a train.

A person was pronounced dead at scene and there were no suspicious circumstances.

BBC

 

[ungreat]

The problems today was caused by the 1336 Kings Cross-Leeds hitting a person near Lindfells Crossing at Sandy. !

It was the 1330 KX-Leeds..the suicidal person changed their mind a little too late and was hit by the train and according to reports,impaled on a signal.

 

[amcluesent]

>impaled on a signal<

That's quite a 'cry for help'!

 

[OxtedL]

Lets not trivialise this...

 

[sonic2009]

Many Trains delayed Some Running 267mins Late!