It certainly seemed (again, from a safe distance!) to settle down quite quickly once they'd worked out what was going on. Looked like credit is also due for the quick thinking in getting most trains stopped in platforms, and arranging for the stranded trains to be evacuated quickly. Just out of interest - why was someone needed to clip points at St Albans? Are the trailing points on the Up Slow out of the centre siding unworked?
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Major Disruption on TL route
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CallySleeper
Established Member
Incorrect information reported in the press does my head in no end!!
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
You are very perceptive - first thing I checked on P2 was how many trains were in platforms at 0740 when I offered my services at SAC this am - most were (a couple set back) - apart from those right in the thick of the incident. The SAC turnback is not track circuited - so the method of working is to put a man there to clip the facing points for a move US - turnback - and back out to the down slow - the signaller of course has to use the individual point switches to make the move. What really helped was having an extra driver to double end the sets doing the reverse - which speeded it up no end.
Sorry what was incorrect, at the time they went to press in the morning , all EMT services either started or terminated at Leicester or Bedford. It was not till later in the day that some EMT services started to run through Hendon
CallySleeper
Established Member
At no point I don't believe were "all trains cancelled between STP and LEI for the rest of the day". Stopping short at Bedford and Luton yes, but not Leicester.
Trains in platforms stood out straight away - the pink blocks on CCF formed such a consistent pattern! Thanks for the explanation of the turnback move at SAC too - sounds very well handled. Normally, of course, there's no need to clip motor-worked points if they're locked and detected, which is why I wondered about the provision of someone to do it.
It looked a bit chaotic at first, with trains being held on the Up as far back as East Mids Parkway (possibly further). Again, it all seemed to come together quite quickly once they worked out what was what. I'd agree that it wasn't the best reporting!
I know the press get things wrong but on this occasion, they were only printing a NWR spokesman, looking at RTT nothing ventured below Luton or st Albans from Leicester after around 0830 this morning , nor started below there as I said previous the blockade was in London suburbs at Hendon on all 4 lines so nothing could get down there or visa versa. The fact that the 1B51 1405 Nottingham to St Pancras International made it down as the first through this afternoon is credit to the Pway and OLE staff
Hatfield has been fun all day. But I wasn't really affected at all, especially riding home with first class to myself on 365 517!
But there were more coaches than V Festival (well, not quite but almost) so you could see it was bad. But loads of staff everywhere, including platform 2/3, and the police to manage the traffic from inconsiderate motorists stopping wherever the hell they liked, making things even more dangerous for pedestrians while the station work goes on.
But I did see FCC getting complimented on Twitter for providing information all day. Obviously some moaners though, including one wanting money for a taxi. FCC just said no as they provided alternative transport! Good on them.
But there were more coaches than V Festival (well, not quite but almost) so you could see it was bad. But loads of staff everywhere, including platform 2/3, and the police to manage the traffic from inconsiderate motorists stopping wherever the hell they liked, making things even more dangerous for pedestrians while the station work goes on.
But I did see FCC getting complimented on Twitter for providing information all day. Obviously some moaners though, including one wanting money for a taxi. FCC just said no as they provided alternative transport! Good on them.
mister-sparky
Member
There was also no trains at all between Blackfriars and the Wimbledon Loop ALL day. Why couldn't they run from the Blackfriars bays and the loop or from Victoria? Why does problems at Hendon mean no services the loop?? They managed to divert and still run the Sevenoaks's. There was also no bus replacements for the loop.
ushawk
Established Member
Unlikely considering overheads have been ripped down and a FCC unit has had its pantograph damaged.
Local News yet again not looking for basic facts !!
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At a guess, units were stuck to the North. Services between Brighton and City Thameslink are running a reduced service at present, which might have freed up units to now run a service - which is running to/from Blackfriars.
Bus replacements wouldnt be needed as normal buses suffice during the day, there is also Southern and Tramlink service which can be used.
Class377/5
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There's been services around the Wimbledon Loop all day so not sure where your getting that incorrect information from. Guessing because your trying to use one of the track taking website which won't have shown most trains as it's all be short term planning.
Also no FCC driver sounds Victoria. Those Sevenoaks were run completely by Southeastern under the agreement they have work FCC.
hairyhandedfool
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From what I can see, services round the loop operated every half hour from Herne Hill. Herne Hill has a direct service to London (aside from FCC services). I doubt any FCC drivers sign Victoria these days. Running from Herne Hill allows more services to operate as they require less time to make the journey.
How many units were available south of Blackfriars? The last service to Sutton from West Hampstead appears to have been the 0708 (according to realtimetrains).
The Sevenoaks services are operated by Southeastern, rather than FCC, when south of Blackfriars. You can't blame FCC for those running.
Is your 0400 tomorrow morning? I know the FFC site said they weren't sure if any trains would be running before 6am tomorrow, but weren't able to guarentee anything.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Massive train crew issues - there were Bedford and so on crews who booked on at normal times -stuck south of the river , and who stayed with their trains with no breaks etc - and no chance to get even into Blackfriars due to blocking back. Had an Orpington driver on at 04xxx who dug a few trains out for us and was taxied over to Hatfield to get home having done well over his hours. Brighton drivers who went well over their normal schedules moving stock around. Say no more.
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Tried very hard on the information side - had nearly 30 buses on the Hatfield side and Hornsey depot played a blinder by getting 4 x 317 , 321 out extra + 2 x 313 stock out + 20 extra calls at the critical times. Who says FCC don't make the effort. Well handled I reckon. j
LBSCR Times
Member
Half hourly on the loop, from Blackfriars to Blackfriars, until 23.31, one half hour in one direction, the other half hour in the opposite.
Local buses passing passengers on the Loop, standard practice. Not bad with a limited number of Blackfriars drivers plus some a few others as and when they could get there.
All lines between St Albans and Blackfriars are still blocked (For FCC anyway, I think EMT night be running a limited timetable?) That's nearly 24 hours of no trains north of London!
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Oh, no, EMT services into St Pancras are suspended until at least 8am.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oh, no, EMT services into St Pancras are suspended until at least 8am.
Hmmm, it's almost like the franchise is ending soon and they are bidding for other franchises and attempting to impress the DfT is it not...
dave55uk
Member
Coaches still running from St Albans.
asylumxl
Established Member
This dewirement seems to be taking longer to repair than the Radlett incident a few months back. Anyone got info on why it is taking longer to repair? Something to do with the curve?
dave55uk
Member
A FCC employee at St Albans this morning said they were waiting for testing to be carried out.
Does anybody know why the arrangements to use bus routes between St Albans and Hatfield don't include services run by Arriva? I agree that FCC seems to have done as good a job as possible but it seems a bit strange not to be allowed to use what is probably the quickest route between the stations.
My train into London at midday was 8-car instead of 4, which I didn't realise and get a chance to benefit from!
I have to say that FCC's managing of things at Hatfield was excellent. There's no way anybody could have been confused or managed to get lost, even with all the building work that has made the outside of the station a mess even for locals.
I had at least two people ask me where I was going as I waited at the bus stop in case I wasn't sure what was happening, but of course I just said I was travelling locally.
And having staff to move on taxis and cars parking up to pick up/drop off helped too - and, once again, showed just how inconsiderate some members of the public are. One guy wanted to wait to pick someone up and parked in the bus stop, holding up one of the coaches and another bus. He refused to move until the FCC guy said he'd get the old bill. As he went to get the cop over, funnily enough, he moved.
No sooner had the coach gone, but three more cars pull up and park in the bus stop. It must have been a fun day for all the staff concerned!
Haha, maybe. But I've seen them manage to get a load of coaches laid on many times before. I think they've obviously got a fairly good emergency plan to link St Albans and Hatfield.
Not sure.
I know that when I got on the bus to the station, the bus driver (Uno) said there were problems because he'd been told on the radio to accept tickets between Hatfield and St Albans. That's the first I heard of the problems.
I'd have expected Arriva services would have done the same.
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dave55uk
Member
As an Arriva bus driver, I can assure you we were taking FCC pasengers yesterday. They now seem to have sorted out their own bus and coach services.
For all FCC's faults, I could not fault their emergency plan at all yesterday
As a regular Bedford - London commuter, I took the decision to drive to St Neots and then get the train from there. On both the outward and return journeys, staff were at St Neots making sure Bedford-bound passengers knew what they were doing, and also went out of their way (for passengers on our train - not myself as I was in a car, but in hindsight I needn't have worried about having it by the looks of things!) to get a taxi authorised due to there only being about 4 passengers and the bus being another 30minutes away.
At Bedford, I understand from other people that this was also very well controlled - with everyone knowing what was going on.
As a regular Bedford - London commuter, I took the decision to drive to St Neots and then get the train from there. On both the outward and return journeys, staff were at St Neots making sure Bedford-bound passengers knew what they were doing, and also went out of their way (for passengers on our train - not myself as I was in a car, but in hindsight I needn't have worried about having it by the looks of things!) to get a taxi authorised due to there only being about 4 passengers and the bus being another 30minutes away.
At Bedford, I understand from other people that this was also very well controlled - with everyone knowing what was going on.
superhands
Member
Yeah, they did well getting the passengers of the stranded trains I was impressed they came to that decision so quick. But you will find apart from the ticket office, there was no extra staff at Hendon and none at Cricklewood to help with onwards journeys, and once passengers where off the train and out of the station they where left to fend for themselves. They should have deployed some RPI's for customer service duties. I think Mill hill would have been the same. To be fair at Cricklewood, there were three members of staff helping with the evacuation of the first train at Cricklewood. I would have hoped that fcc had used their common sense and got some of the shunters and drivers from Brent carriage sidings to assist in the evacuation of the second train.
The train evacuations were very well organised. Feedback from stranded passengers was excellent in regards to updates from staff etc and they arranged all managers in safety critical work to go across to evacuate. Hornsey training school was closed to allow all the training managers to go across along with as many driver managers and other grades who could be spared on the GN route.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
I did 12 hours at St Albans yesterday , and after the initial chaos - I have to say the plan worked well. We had plenty of staff , RPI's assisting , great bus drivers who were excellent to the customers. Got no grief whatsoever - in fact some passengers were pleased with the "personal" service. Doubtlessly there will be a huge number of complaints - but the best that could be done , was done. The support from the GN side was excellent also - apart form a good train service - there was some proactive resourcing on stations. Let's hope we don't have another one like this for a very long time.
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