ECML Signal Failure 26/6/08

[RolandR]

Just arrived home an hour ago in Leeds from a bit of a nightmare.

I had arranged to meet my cousin at St Pancras at 18:30 prior to catching the 20:03 from KGX to LDS. I had got off a bus in Euston Road and walked through Kings Cross, I didn't notice anything unusual going on. At STP I saw the 18:25 STP to LDS leave on time and I also heard the 19:25 to LDS leave as well. Still in STP, I could hear annoucements about passengers for Leeds and Wakefield who had tranferred from Kings Cross.

There had been signalling problems between Newark and Retford and the line was closed for the rest of the night.

I managed to get on the 19:55 to Sheffield and the 23:15 from SHF to LDS. Both trains were very busy with passengers for Wakefield and Leeds.

I think that many thousands will have been affected, with passengers who wanted to go north of York totally stranded in London.


Last updated 26/06/2008 20:59
Route Affected London Kings Cross, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark North Gate, Retford, Doncaster, Leeds / York / Hull & Sunderland / Newcastle and Cleethorpes, Grimsby Town, Lincoln Central, Newark North Gate & Nottingham
TOC(s) Affected East Midlands Trains, Grand Central, National Express East Coast, Hull Trains, Northern Rail
Description Signalling problems are causing disruption between Newark North Gate and Retford.

This disruption is expected to continue until the end of service today, Thursday 26 June.

The following changes to trains will apply:

There will be 2 trains per hour between Doncaster and Newark North Gate via Retford in each direction. These trains will be delayed by up to 160 minutes.
There will also be a limited diverted service between Doncaster and Newark North Gate not calling at Retford. This will mean longer journey times than normal.
Northern Trains services to / from Retford will be delayed by up to 40 minutes.


Easements National Express East Coast passengers are being accepted on CrossCountry services and East Midland Trains services on any reasonable route.

 

[1D53]

Lightning strike at Bawtry effectively wiped out every signal from Grantham to Doncaster. The line is open, just things running very very late. As I write this the 2330 London - Leeds has just passed Doncaster, so is only about 30 or so down. There has been plenty of services running 180+ minutes late.

I dont know about people being totally stranded, the last Newcastle of the night, the 2200 to York ran through late and I believe the shuttle to Newcastle has waited for it. The last Leeds has gone late. The 1730 Edinburgh made it - although it was near enough 4 hours down by the time it got there.

Certainly peoples journeys have been very very extended, most people I imagine have made it home though!

 

[RolandR]

Lightning strike at Bawtry effectively wiped out every signal from Grantham to Doncaster. The line is open, just things running very very late. As I write this the 2330 London - Leeds has just passed Doncaster, so is only about 30 or so down. There has been plenty of services running 180+ minutes late.

I dont know about people being totally stranded, the last Newcastle of the night, the 2200 to York ran through late and I believe the shuttle to Newcastle has waited for it. The last Leeds has gone late. The 1730 Edinburgh made it - although it was near enough 4 hours down by the time it got there.

Certainly peoples journeys have been very very extended, most people I imagine have made it home though!

I'm back again after some sleep and thanks for the reply.

I did not have enough time to go over to Kings Cross but I heard one lady say that there were about 5000 passengers on the concourse and no trains. At least some would have been able to complete their journeys.

The National Rail website reports that the problem has been cleared and that passengers with tickets for 26/6 can travel on 27/6. There is zero information on the NXEC website, they are currently reporting "no disruptions reported". GNER were much better than this.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

lightening strike.... cable theft you mean
Got caught up in it all, sat at Newark for best part of 2 hours... before being the first one North from Newark direct rather than via Lincoln.

 

[1D53]

lightening strike.... cable theft you mean
Got caught up in it all, sat at Newark for best part of 2 hours... before being the first one North from Newark direct rather than via Lincoln.

B*stards! Presume you went straight to Newcastle, missing the coast? You seemed to stop reporting on ldb at Northallerton best part of four hours down by which time the Coast signal boxes should have been closed?

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

Aye, didnt go via the coast as it was well past the signaller's bedtimes!!

 

[BOSCH]

Aye, didnt go via the coast as it was well past the signaller's bedtimes!!

And yours no doubt !!!! :neutral:

 

[Craig]

And yours no doubt !!!! :neutral:

Just slightly late into Sunderland then... hock:

 

[BOSCH]

Just slightly late into Sunderland then... hock:

Just a bit like !!! :grin:

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

Late into Sunderland... we didnt got to sunderland!! I signed off at 0055!!

 

[Craig]

You'd better get signed back on, it looks like the clock it still ticking

 

[yorkie]

were passengers for Sunderland able to get off at Newcastle for onward transport?

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

were passengers for Sunderland able to get off at Newcastle for onward transport?

Of course. Also HPL and EAG Pax were dropped off at Darlo for taxis to their destination.
Did you enjoy your jaunt via Lincoln then Yorkie?8)