Incorrect cancellation information

[spp]

I was at Runcorn station on Saturday waiting for the 18.20 Birmingham train (although running short to Stafford only due to works). There from around 6p, showing as running on time till around 6.10-6.15 then showing running a couple of minutes late, no issue. I walked up the platform. When all of a sudden around 2-3 mins before it was due in automated tannoy announcement ‘unfortunately the 18.20 to Stafford has been cancelled due to availability of member of train crew’. The platform board then reverted to showing the next train as the 18.51.

Baffled at that I walked towards a member of staff in the concourse area to ask why a train thst was two minutes away was cancelled. Looked at the departure tv, showed as cancelled. Just about to chat to someone on the desk and the train pulls in!! A hop and a jump and luckily I made it. Luckily I looked to have a moan as my first reaction was to head to a local shop to get a drink if having to wait, wouldn’t have made it if had got onto the car park.

How can this happen? Error on announcement and departure boards (both in concourse and on platform)

 

[BJames]

I can't answer your question but I'm slightly curious too as I've had the same on the Weaver line before on the Overground. I was a bit confused about the reason for the cancellation given as I could see the train on Open Train Times map heading into Enfield Town. I went to my local station anyway (luckily I live only a couple of mins away) to see whether I was right as the train seemed to be showing the correct headcode (rather than a 5Uxx) and the train arrived (despite still showing cancelled on the board) and we proceeded as normal. Seem to have corrected itself a couple of stops later. I was only monitoring because I was in a rush and really needed that train to run!

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

I’ve noticed that if a train is cancelled and reinstated, it will update on TRUST, but not on RTT and the like - maybe a Darwin/NR open data upstream/data parsing issue?

In regard to the train crew example, it sounds to me that Control reinstated the train, but then forgot to un-cancel it!

 

[Average_Driver]

The Weaver Line is awful during disruption with trains not showing as late sometimes hours later and failing to cancel trains in advance when they are fully aware units will not be in place to run!

 

[spp]

I’ve noticed that if a train is cancelled and reinstated, it will update on TRUST, but not on RTT and the like - maybe a Darwin/NR open data upstream/data parsing issue?

In regard to the train crew example, it sounds to me that Control reinstated the train, but then forgot to un-cancel it!

So they cancelled it but then reinstated it (albeit forgetting to ‘un-cancel it’) all within a 2-3 minute period? Seems strange.

I did half expect that once the train got to Crewe it might be cut short and the mixed messages were a prelude slip up to that but it wasn’t it ran to Stafford as planned.

There was an announcement on the train at Crewe for people wanting to change to a Northampton (I think) bound service that that service was starting from Stafford not Crewe so they should stay on. Unfortunately the announcement was made after they’d all already alighted, so it does seem LNW were have a bad day.

 

[janb]

So they cancelled it but then reinstated it (albeit forgetting to ‘un-cancel it’) all within a 2-3 minute period? Seems strange.

They messaged out at 1819 that the service would be starting in Crewe, then a message that it would run as scheduled at 1820. Obviously an error that was quickly corrected but that correction might not show up on the info screens instantaneously.

 

[spp]

They messaged out at 1819 that the service would be starting in Crewe, then a message that it would run as scheduled at 1820. Obviously an error that was quickly corrected but that correction might not show up on the info screens instantaneously.

But how could it be starting in Crewe when it was obviously on the approach (albeit out of sight).

It hadn’t been corrected when the train arrived by either tannoy announcement or on the departure screen

 

[janb]

But how could it be starting in Crewe when it was obviously on the approach (albeit out of sight).

Well exactly, that's why it was a mistake, and they had to send a "Run As Scheduled" message a minute later.