Incident at Hemel Hempstead

[Bletchleyite]

Now here's something interesting.

Southern appear not to have given up and gone home on the WLL. There are cancellations, but they are "working to resume services" and not every train has been cancelled.

Also, have a read of this:

Advice for Southern customers:

Services between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central are currently suspended, and due to the displacement of both crew and trains these are not expected to resume until after 19:00. We are working to resume services between Clapham Junction and Shepherds Bush, however this may also be revised closer to the time.

Your tickets are being accepted on the following services:

• 
  
  • London Underground between Victoria and Euston
  • London Overground between Euston and Watford Junction
  • London Buses via any reasonable route
  • Virgin Trains between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston.

Can anyone see who's missing from that acceptance list? (I'm sure the passengers to/from MKC itself will enjoy the acceptance on VT, but not much good if you're going to Tring).

Quelle surprise, now the south WCML commuter services are no longer Govia?

 

[47271]

Changing the subject slightly before it gets into a 50 ways to die thread. This policy of not piling everything behind the train involved seems to be a recent initiative which I've been caught up a few times myself. Once everything is reopened, it stops the concertina effect that means you end up running red to red if at the back. Whether it aids delays or not is another matter, but it is definitely a smoother run once you are allowed to move.

Useful thanks.

The last time I got caught in one of these was a couple of months ago (I was travelling between Birmingham and Euston and the incident had occurred just north of MK) and now that I think of it we did hold in Rugby station for nearly all of the wait. At the time I thought it was a coincidence that we sat in the station, but it may well have been deliberate. Obviously Rugby is a lot closer to MK than Warrington is to Hemel so it didn't occur to me.

Good idea if it helps get things going again, or get people off trains if that's how it has to be resolved.

 

[ah-media]

There's nowt on the boards for LNWR at Euston.
Nice to know that VTWC services to Milton Keynes allows you to connect to a bus but for anyone south of MKC.. You're screwed!

Mass scramble on Platform 10 for the only LNWR service in the station. No one knows exactly where it's going...No one when its going..but we're on it....

 

[ah-media]

Updating my last post.

Well done to LNWR - the 1730 to Milton Keynes left 4 mins late... However, there was NO information at Euston on the big boards, on the platform screen or through the PA.

Platform staff were quoting next service after 1900....

So well done for running a train... But information. Would have been nice...

 

[A0]

There's nowt on the boards for LNWR at Euston.
Nice to know that VTWC services to Milton Keynes allows you to connect to a bus but for anyone south of MKC.. You're screwed!

Mass scramble on Platform 10 for the only LNWR service in the station. No one knows exactly where it's going...No one when its going..but we're on it....

Isn't Euston a NR managed station?

What gets displayed on the boards is presumably determined by the station operator, not the TOC at major multi operator stations?

 

[Antman]

Its quite a good policy to hold trains in stations where possible - it at least gives punters the chance to exit and try their luck with any local transport.

Or find a local pub until things get moving or just go outside for a smoke.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I went via Bedford, currently waiting for whichever chug is going to save the day

Edit: and it's chug 1, though plenty of space as barely anyone else has done. I actually don't dislike the 153s as much as some do, the interior is quite nice, the lighting is quite pleasant too (daylight colour, but very subdued, very much like the Irish IC DMUs). Heating isn't working properly though, it's a bit chilly.

(East Croydon to Bedford in a 700 and no sore backside by the way )

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Or find a local pub until things get moving or just go outside for a smoke.

We had a power outage at Tring one day -the 321 coasted in - the conductor was advised by me , via Control to treat the passengers to soft drinks , tea , coffee - crisps for the youngsters etc in the nearby hostelry - bill sent to me as Ops Manager in due course - after an hour or so - train crew paged - they carried on. Result = letters of praise to , rather than grief.

That was the day when the training crew on the 31's for By - Bedford conveniently went wrong road under great care - coupled onto a stalled down Liverpool and hauled it to BY where the juice was on and carried on. Still some awful delays though - ....we made some effort.

 

[87015]

@ChiefPlanner I meant to send you this the other week when Wembley collapsed. 1983 Hemel riot, trains running morning after one of the most severe de-wirements ever...
http://www.leightonlogs.org/1983Hemelwd.htm

 

[jyte]

@ChiefPlanner I meant to send you this the other week when Wembley collapsed. 1983 Hemel riot, trains running morning after one of the most severe de-wirements ever...
http://www.leightonlogs.org/1983Hemelwd.htm

Wow that's insane!

How many 'thunderbirds' are left? I know there's often one at rugby but anywhere else? Could this be pulled off today?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Wow that's insane!

How many 'thunderbirds' are left? I know there's often one at rugby but anywhere else? Could this be pulled off today?

Basically no ...

 

[87015]

How many 'thunderbirds' are left? I know there's often one at rugby but anywhere else? Could this be pulled off today?

Different world now, it wouldn't even be dreamed of...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

@ChiefPlanner I meant to send you this the other week when Wembley collapsed. 1983 Hemel riot, trains running morning after one of the most severe de-wirements ever...
http://www.leightonlogs.org/1983Hemelwd.htm

That is the one - from my Freightliner days in actually loading and despatching trains as a mere youth (!) , we were really warned about "stacked flats" - these were "U" shaped containers designed for carrying things like steel coils - which folded down in a stack of 5 when empty , locked by twistlocks , generic name was "stackmasta"or similar.

Anyway - you were expected to examine every flat in a stack - make sure the twistlocks were locked in - AND - rope down the "stack" as belt and braces - (often done at short notice) - for whatever reason this train had not that treatment and one of the container on top , sprung up - contacted the overheads and ripped them down + a neutral section. Bad news.

The rates for shifting these "stacks" were really cheap - as an encouragement to get the loaded containers the other way - £60 in 1981 from Stratford to Swansea and maybe £250 the other way as a single load. I can honestly say no problems with any , I sent , but had been fully briefed and checked up on by Loads Inspectors ...I slept well.

I did however load a 2.3 metre wide box to Cardiff , by accident , - which shut the Severn Tunnel for an hour. No damage and apart from a severe telling off ..survived to last another job ...

 

[Hadders]

(East Croydon to Bedford in a 700 and no sore backside by the way )

Rear carriage, I assume

Or did you stand...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Rear carriage, I assume

Or did you stand...

Nope, a classic ironing board all the way. I actually don't like the 1st seats that much, they push me up against the sidewall. (The ironing boards don't in the same way as they are flat, it's more like a 2 seat bench with a gap in it).