Great Northern Weekend Cancellations

[Max]

This issue is back with a bang today. Pretty much all Moorgate trains cancelled for the rest of the afternoon. Out of curiosity, are there fewer drivers passed to Moorgate? Just feels like the inner suburbans always take the brunt of the traincrew shortage issues. Also feels like there's a total lack of creativity in keeping services running (e.g. No special stop orders on the semi fasts etc).

http://m.nationalrail.co.uk/pj/disruption/details/2D13245805FB47AA95F5BA230A44B8B0

 

[Failed Unit]

This morning it was hitting both routes hard. Some trains did have orders to stop at WGC at potters bar (but not Hatfield)

Because they can only run 4 coach trains at the weekend they are extremely overcrowded so extra stops will probably mean denied boarding.

I avoid travelling at the weekend now, too risky. Today unfortunately i had no choice but no idea if / when I will get back.

 

[jon0844]

I assume Moorgate gets canned because there are other ways to get there, but given four car trains are so squashed there's at least a bit more capacity running 6 car trains from WGC to FPK where people can take the Victoria line to KGX.

But that's no good further up the line so we get stuffed.

 

[bramling]

This morning it was hitting both routes hard. Some trains did have orders to stop at WGC at potters bar (but not Hatfield)

Because they can only run 4 coach trains at the weekend they are extremely overcrowded so extra stops will probably mean denied boarding.

I avoid travelling at the weekend now, too risky. Today unfortunately i had no choice but no idea if / when I will get back.

They would be better to run 8-car trains and serve Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton by bus/taxi instead. I can't see any obvious reason why this can't be done, though obviously the diagrams would need adjusting.

 

[philjo]

THey would have to change the diagrams but maybe they could use the 387s as 8 coaches using the SDO on the Cambridge stoppers on Saturdays as they will be replacing the 317s next month?

 

[Failed Unit]

It did amuse me at WGC. "Train cancelled due to train fault - first class declassified" on a Moorgate service. So one of the few they have a driver on. They have no train.

 

[Class 170101]

They would be better to run 8-car trains and serve Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton by bus/taxi instead. I can't see any obvious reason why this can't be done, though obviously the diagrams would need adjusting.

How about a Royston to Kings Lynn 4 carriage train service. Longer trains south of Cambridge missing those stations (except Royston)? Its been done before.

 

[Failed Unit]

Pretty bad again this evening. Most Moorgate services from WGC are buses to Alexander Palace. (Hope they go via Arnos Grove). Mainline slightly better but still many cancellations. What do GTR need to do to get stripped of the franchise? Remember this is the good part, pity poor Southern.

 

[jon0844]

Yesterday (Friday night/Saturday morning) they cancelled the last train (0135) to Peterborough, so delayed the earlier service to leave at 0135.. but that only went as far as Stevenage, so I assume they run buses from there - or put people in cabs?

Lots of cancellations showing tonight too.

 

[Kite159]

I noticed the cancellations when at Potters Bar earlier for Moorgate services.

And it will only get worse with Christmas coming

 

[Failed Unit]

I suspect on the WGC line we will get our first 100% service for a long time. Because of the engineering work. Hehe.

 

[Hadders]

I've just checked Great Northern's website for today and it states:

http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/your-journey/live-travel-info/

08:06 Moorgate to Hertford North due 08:56

This train will be delayed at Finsbury Park and is expected to be 8 minutes late.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track earlier today.

01:35 London Kings Cross to Peterborough due 03:18

This train will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

So the last train just cancelled with no mention of alternative transport. I'd like to think this is the only cancellation today but I bet there'll be lots more.....

I think the 0318 arrival at Peterborough forms the first service to Kings Cross that starts at 0325. I wonder if this will be cancelled tomorrow morning.

 

[jon0844]

I guess they may deliberately delay the earlier train again, so they don't have to bus people between King's Cross and Stevenage.

And this got me thinking; isn't the 0111 train a train to Stevenage via Hertford? If so then on Friday night they actually changed the stopping pattern to make it go via Welwyn Garden City*. Thus solving part of the issue, but effectively meaning those via Hertford North lost THEIR last train too?

Did management just work out who would have the most angry people needing money back and a bus, taxi or even hotel?

* I don't know if there was any engineering work stopping the Hertford Loop working

 

[Hadders]

I guess they may deliberately delay the earlier train again, so they don't have to bus people between King's Cross and Stevenage.

And this got me thinking; isn't the 0111 train a train to Stevenage via Hertford? If so then on Friday night they actually changed the stopping pattern to make it go via Welwyn Garden City*. Thus solving part of the issue, but effectively meaning those via Hertford North lost THEIR last train too?

Did management just work out who would have the most angry people needing money back and a bus, taxi or even hotel?

* I don't know if there was any engineering work stopping the Hertford Loop working

The 0105 runs via Hertford - in my experience this is a very busy train, particularly to the likes of Enfield Chase. This seemed to run as planned in the early hours of Saturday.

The 0111 normally runs to WGC. Departure was delayed until 0135 and it was extended to Peterborough

The 0135 to Peterborough runs via WGC and was cancelled. God knows what passengers between Stevenage and Peterborough were supposed to do (I haven'r checked the current timetable but most of the stops on this service used to be set down only which would help in arranging taxis - I doubt they'd put on a bus at short notice at that time of night).

 

[Failed Unit]

As we are getting closer to Christmas the cancellations return. Stations between Royston and Cambridge not getting served today. Between 1300 and 1400 today look at WGC. The following are cancelled

1308, 1323, 1353 London kings cross.
1348 Moorgate (is this an extra to stop the overcrowding?)

Normal GTR service resumes.

 

[greatkingrat]

As we are getting closer to Christmas the cancellations return. Stations between Royston and Cambridge not getting served today. Between 1300 and 1400 today look at WGC. The following are cancelled

1308, 1323, 1353 London kings cross.
1348 Moorgate (is this an extra to stop the overcrowding?)

Normal GTR service resumes.

They usually run a few extra services when Arsenal are playing at home (including the 1308 and 1348 from WGC), although if they don't have enough drivers for the regular service, these will be the first to get canned.

 

[Class 170101]

Also an overtime ban

today is "the first day when ASLEFs overtime ban will be felt on a non-strike day. We're sincerely sorry but passengers are advised services will be severely reduced and, on some routes, cancelled altogether. We will put on rail replacement buses where we can. We urge people to check before they travel."

Source Rail News

 

[petersi]

Also an overtime ban







Source Rail News

This does not effect the GN route as its been driver only since BR days

 

[infobleep]

So what is Alex Foulds saying to Rail News about the driver shortages on GN and also Thameslink?

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

[Failed Unit]

Would I be correct in saying that if great northern had an overtime ban we would have no Sunday service at all.

 

[jon0844]

I saw at WGC today mention of overhead wire problems, in addition to the usual train crew problems.

I think at one point there were 3 trains back to back cancelled, or delayed, and it was before Arsenal kicked off - so a fair few confused and angry fans were wondering how to get to the stadium.

Even as a Spurs fan, I felt for them.

 

[Failed Unit]

I saw at WGC today mention of overhead wire problems, in addition to the usual train crew problems.

I think at one point there were 3 trains back to back cancelled, or delayed, and it was before Arsenal kicked off - so a fair few confused and angry fans were wondering how to get to the stadium.

Even as a Spurs fan, I felt for them.

Were they running 8 coaches on the trains that did run?

 

[Class315]

Nope, The overheads went down on the ECML between Hadley Wood and New Barnet on Friday evening, as a result of this after the 0135 KGX PBO a block was implemented, the line re-opened after 08:00 approx with the first trains either cape'd or diverted via the loop, to compound with the issue of the main line being blocked. A charter steam train failed on the incline between Alexandra Palace and Bowes Park on the down road.

Despite the cancellations, after full time i know additional stops where implemented to 17:05 & 17:35 respectively calling at NSG, OKL & NBA as a result of two consecutive WGC inners being cancelled. In terms of cancellations the amount of services has reduced significantly as more drivers pass out.

Weren't many 8 car's out, especially on the 2C & 2P services.

 

[Class 170101]

This does not effect the GN route as its been driver only since BR days

The article doesn't make it clear whether the overtime ban is only at the Southern division of GTR or company wide.

The fact that its GN services being cancelled as suggested by the previous poster makes me think it might be company wide.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Would I be correct in saying that if great northern had an overtime ban we would have no Sunday service at all.

No guarantee of that. GE had an overime ban some time ago yet there were still volunteers for Sunday turns.

 

[Failed Unit]

I am not aware in of an overtime ban on great northern. The cancellations because of train crew unavailable shot up in December last year. I am sure someone that worked for them said the drivers were not in dispute but a new roster was the issue.

 

[philjo]

I did see mention on the service alterations list on the website yesterday that at least one Cambridge to Kings Cross fast train around lunchtime would be formed of 12 coaches instead of 8 and calling additionally at Stevenage and Finsbury Park - presumably to assist with passengers for Arsenal (& also one of the other fasts was cancelled

 

[Failed Unit]

Not really the weekend but bad news if you are travelling north today.

0704, 0734 and 0804 all cancelled for various reasons. Unit failures and drivers missing.

A massive loss of service with no additional stops. How GTR can keep doing this with no repercussions from DFT amazes me.

 

[jon0844]

I do wonder if things will get so bad that the Government has no choice but to step in and do something. I know it quite likes Govia getting all the blame for its actions on Southern, so talks the talk while actually doing nothing, but for the rest of the company there is no excuse.

It was funny last night when GN announced on Twitter that all trains were now running as normal - just before midnight - before someone pointed out there was a train after midnight also cancelled, which they apologised for and said was due to a shortage of train crew!

People are also complaining that GN isn't publishing the list of cancelled trains even though it must know (bar a driver literally not turning up at the last minute) in advance. Passengers are seeing trains as on time, only for them to be cancelled shortly before departure.

Surely there's no way the company doesn't know what trains will be covered and which ones won't? I get that on occasion they try and move drivers around to cover things, but that's more for when there's a train fault or NR related disruption surely? Not sorting out what trains to run on the day because you know you're short on crew!

 

[HH]

Passengers are seeing trains as on time, only for them to be cancelled shortly before departure.

This seems to be SOP for GTR; Thameslink trains are reknowned for pulling this trick.

 

[A0]

I do wonder if things will get so bad that the Government has no choice but to step in and do something. I know it quite likes Govia getting all the blame for its actions on Southern, so talks the talk while actually doing nothing, but for the rest of the company there is no excuse.

That is the last thing the government should do - it's what ASLEF and the RMT want - the power to be negotiating with the government, which is why it should never happen.

The other problem it would introduce is the unions would then play havoc with any franchisee they didn't like and would start demanding the government get involved.