Maidenhead Engineering Overrun

[embers25]

If the line from Reading to Paddington is supposed to be completely shut until 11am how come there is an hourly Slough to Reading shuttle running and also how is it getting to Slough when the total line closure is at Maidenhead? Clearly the line to Slough must be open at least somewhat given trains to run shuttles to Henley and Windsor are also running just fine too?

 

[DarloRich]

If the line from Reading to Paddington is supposed to be completely shut until 11am how come there is an hourly Slough to Reading shuttle running and also how is it getting to Slough when the total line closure is at Maidenhead? Clearly the line to Slough must be open at least somewhat given trains to run shuttles to Henley and Windsor are also running just fine too?

So what are you complaining about? That the line is open in part or that the line is open at all?

 

[embers25]

So what are you complaining about? That the line is open in part or that the line is open at all?

I'm not complaining just wondering why they can't state the actual situation rather than a made up one. If it's not closed don't tell passengers it is surely? I know if I was told my train was cancelled and then I arranged for a taxi instead and my train then passed me running as normal I'd be quite annoyed.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Nothing running between Paddington and Reading/Heathrow "until 1100".
All lines on the FGW service status map on its web site are at red (major disruption), even in Cornwall and the North Downs.
NRE blames over-running engineering work at Maidenhead, but that would not stop Heathrow services would it?
What's going on? Bridge demolition/rebuilding problems?
Simon Calder has already had a rant on the BBC.

 

[davidgiles]

The Maidenhead overrun has also led to the cancellation of all Heathrow services. Communication seems very confused.

 

[Safety365]

Nothing running between Paddington and Reading/Heathrow "until 1100".
All lines on the FGW service status map on its web site are at red (major disruption), even in Cornwall and the North Downs.
NRE blames over-running engineering work at Maidenhead, but that would not stop Heathrow services would it?
What's going on? Bridge demolition/rebuilding problems?
Simon Calder has already had a rant on the BBC.

Could the Heathrow problems be related to last weeks fire in a relay room/hut?

 

[Goatboy]

They have managed to communicate the usual assumption that half the public travel as they have nothing better to do so they can say DO NOT TRAVEL, though. An even more annoying message when the delay is rail caused

 

[embers25]

Aha BBC now have the real reason which is an electrical fault between Hayes and West Drayton discovered during the engineering works. Now why can't National Rail Enquiries say that rather than lying.

Service Reading to/from Slough now every 30 minutes so hardly no trains at all! For those that need to know they seem to be at xx02 and xx32 from Slough and

 

[Oliver]

They have managed to communicate the usual assumption that half the public travel as they have nothing better to do so they can say DO NOT TRAVEL, though. An even more annoying message when the delay is rail caused

Yes, I think the FGW online notices are very cavalier; they say "Do not travel to Devon or Cornwall" and as an after-thought say that the SWT service to Exeter is running. Since when wasn't Exeter in Devon? Incidentally, the SWT trains have been strengthened to 6 car west of Salisbury, so hopefully not too rammed.

 

[ushawk]

Fast lines reopening at 11.15, slows to remain closed until further notice.

Should probably be put on NRE that the disruption is at Hayes. Was signalling problems at Southall as well earlier, that might well be connected to the electrical problems.

 

[Monty]

Can't speak for the West of England mainline services but trains between Reading and Waterloo via Staines are rammed solid.

 

[ushawk]

At Paddington, there is only ONE train in a platform - a HeX service to Heathrow, service to resume at 11.27.

I need to get to Hayes and I've been told to go via Waterloo and Reading !!!

 

[DarloRich]

Aha BBC now have the real reason which is an electrical fault between Hayes and West Drayton discovered during the engineering works. Now why can't National Rail Enquiries say that rather than lying.

Service Reading to/from Slough now every 30 minutes so hardly no trains at all! For those that need to know they seem to be at xx02 and xx32 from Slough and

has it crossed your mind that NRE might not have known what the problem was? Perhaps the fault was communicated to them quickly enough and they went with the last information to hand or they could just be liars :roll:

 

[ushawk]

Fasts are now open, first service has just left for Heathrow only, stopper to Didcot leaves at 11.27 - reliable info is hard to come by. Even I helped a few people who looked very flustered !!!

 

[swt_passenger]

has it crossed your mind that NRE might not have known what the problem was? Perhaps the fault was communicated to them quickly enough and they went with the last information to hand or they could just be liars :roll:

All it takes is for someone to include 'via Maidenhead' in the initial problem report. As you rightly imply, such errors are hardly indicative of a conspiracy at NRES...

 

[embers25]

There were people on the 0920 Waterloo to Exeter train (which is pretty empty btw) that had been advised to go to Cardiff via Exeter!!!! Given that rather dubious advice (ie no trains from Exeter to Tiv) I advised them to get off at Salisbury where the late running 1040 would connect now with us!

 

[tsr]

has it crossed your mind that NRE might not have known what the problem was? Perhaps the fault was communicated to them quickly enough and they went with the last information to hand or they could just be liars :roll:

I'm absolutely certain they did briefly post an update on the Current Service Disruptions page at about 0900hrs stating that the problem was at Hayes & Harlington, but it appears to have disappeared almost instantly. How odd.

 

[embers25]

has it crossed your mind that NRE might not have known what the problem was? Perhaps the fault was communicated to them quickly enough and they went with the last information to hand or they could just be liars :roll:

Actually Network Rail even told BBC so I'm sure they made National Rail aware! Also even when Nat Rail finally acknowledged the shuttle train running from Slough-Reading (about 20 mins after I posted about it on here curiously) they still NOW say trains from Slough to Padd are cancelled due to overrunning engineering in Maidenhead which is rubbish! They even confirmed via Twitter at 10:16 it was at Hayes and yet still haven't updated their website...typical poor show from them. This Christmas their website has been truly awful at keeping up to date. Their Twitter has been much better but for most people the website is their only option and each year they never seem to improve.

 

[ushawk]

Awful communication with passengers, was told the 11.27 called at Hayes by staff, it sailed straight through and I'm now stuck at Iver, waiting for a train back !!

Had I of known I'd of bailed out at Southall !!

 

[jopsuk]

as long as they accurately tell you where trains are running, does it matter what reason they tell you for the disruption, even if the reason they give is nonsensical?

 

[embers25]

as long as they accurately tell you where trains are running, does it matter what reason they tell you for the disruption, even if the reason they give is nonsensical?

Yeah but given they haven't been telling us accurately where trains are running all morning, at least if we know the correct location of the problem we have a starting point for figuring out where could be running and ways around the fault. Maidenhead vs Hayes is quite significantly different. For example. If I wished to travel from Staines to Maidenhead I would have got a taxi based on their info and yet I could have gone via Windsor with very little delay in the end and even via Reading was working...it was hardly the no trains they said it was! Incorrect fault location and incorrect running information makes for chaos.

 

[Oliver]

as long as they accurately tell you where trains are running, does it matter what reason they tell you for the disruption, even if the reason they give is nonsensical?

It matters enormously. Any company communicating with its customers should be accurate and helpful in its communications. Giving nonsensical reasons undermines customers confidence in the information given.

 

[Zerothebrake!]

It matters enormously. Any company communicating with its customers should be accurate and helpful in its communications. Giving nonsensical reasons undermines customers confidence in the information given.

Cue Reggie Perrin..'Sorry I'm late -Aardvarks on the line at Tooting''.

 

[tsr]

Cue Reggie Perrin..'Sorry I'm late -Aardvarks on the line at Tooting''.

Oddly enough, I wouldn't be surprised at that excuse being made - after all, I have seen trains stopped or cautioned due to the following animals and objects, amongst others: a cat, "a large swan", an over-adventurous dog, a small scaffolding pole (not vandalism related), a bicycle wheel (at Longcross - one of the most obscure stations in SE England), a "piece of wood", and a teddy bear. These incidents did not occur all at once, it has to be said.

 

[railuser007]

It sure was confusing when it said delays in Maidenhead when trains were running from Slough; does anyone know what the likelyhood of a normal timetable tomorrow?

 

[mrbond009]

I am not sure whats going on with this Company. We all know there are problems every where. But, when People Jump on to the tracks (Hayes often), Over head problems, Signalling problems and etc... Its the biggest pain on the earth for rail companies where they cant control them. But , How Quickly and Efficiently they are reacting and solving the issues???

I travel regularly from Slough to Paddington. From last month Nov 2012 to till date there were many delays and disruptions. And there are no trains at all today morning. Jesus Christ !!! I am not sure if the company is getting worst or unable to manage or lack of staff. I doubt If FGW contract gets extended next year.

Opinions guys ???

 

[tsr]

And there are no trains at all today morning.

The problem can be twofold in situations like this. Firstly, sometimes a service may not be able to run on line X (in this morning's case, all roads of the GWML at Hayes & Harlington) for a time for safety reasons. For example, if the complex electronic signalling systems have failed due to an electrical supply malfunction, it is not safe to run services conventionally, and alternative signalling methods may not be able to be used for various reasons (not least of which may be a lack of a possible strategy to do so). Now, this means that no trains are physically able to run down the track.

Even if there is some technical workaround, or if there are nearby sections of line which could in theory host services, this of course leads to the second part of the problem: the shortage of resources. All TOC resources are finite - they simply cannot have piles of trains, huge numbers of crews and loads of platform staff available in order to provide an unusual, limited service pattern a few times a year. In addition, even if the appropriate resources exist, they have to be moved (and this may not be possible due to such things as line possessions, a lack of alternative transport, weather problems and so on).

In this exceptionally brief description, I haven't considered crew hours, train classes permitted - or not - over certain routes (try putting a HST on the Greenford Branch ), congestion, track layouts, passenger flows, information provision, control room decisions based on different information sources... you name it, it affects a disrupted service.

Therefore, it is quite possible that trains are unable to run, even if the line where you are looks "just fine" to the untrained eye.

Now, with regards to speed... within a few hours, days or some other measure, it is sometimes possible to ease the situation, and start running the service. If the resources can be put in place for a significant proportion of the downtime, alternatives can be operated. Speed is crucial, but sometimes it isn't worth it to try to provide alternatives or complicated emergency service patterns, as a more optimistic solution may be found shortly. In addition, preparation and complex strategic decisions are needed to move staff, stock and equipment.

 

[E16 Cyclist]

It sure was confusing when it said delays in Maidenhead when trains were running from Slough; does anyone know what the likelyhood of a normal timetable tomorrow?

There is Crossrail work taking place all week meaning all trains are using the main lines meaning Acton, West Ealing, Hanwell and the Greenford branch have no service so it won't be entirely normal