More Virgin Train Delays Today

[87031]

It seems like the West Coast Curse has struck again again today, everything going via Northampton at the moment and cancellations as well. Anyone know if there has been any Pendolino failures today?

 

[stratfordstation]

This is due to overhead wire problems.

 

[87031]

Always some excuse im sure they will blame Network Rail as usual...Virgin suck

 

[matt]

How are overhead wire problems Virgin's fault?

 

[87015]

Fridays have been a farce on the West Coast since time began, this shouldn't be surprising anyone!

At least one capage was VTs fault - 1445 Wolves-Euston collapsed in a heap at Cov and caped due to door problems on 390xxx. LM also seemed to be missing a few staff as ever...

 

[stratfordstation]

The reason was taken from here:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/sa565e667df34a4dbf9ec46a5a3c7fc3/details.html

 

[87031]

forget it im a tosser!

 

[cyclebytrain]

Reading this thread and looking at the national rail website of incidents today I feel rather special -I've been through Milton Keynes twice without problem, North of Preston and through Farringdon, which means I've been through three out of five of the problem areas today, but haven't (yet) been delayed by any of them (famous last words). The railways god seems to be smiling on me today. From what I heard this morning, I think that at least one Pendolino failed fairly early in the day (before the Milton Keynes problems)

 

[37401]

speaking of delays on the WCML the scotrail sleeper was 2hrs down this morning, it was 5 up when the 67 was on then at EDB when the 90 was suposed to take over it was 120+ down, its not been a good few days for the 90`s with the VT set been 20 down and then getting cancelled yestoday and now this today hope they get better soon

 

[asylumxl]

Fridays have been a farce on the West Coast since time began, this shouldn't be surprising anyone!

There is an obvious solution to this. Remove Friday from the week .

 

[Bittern]

ScotRail is one word, mate.

 

[37401]

ScotRail is one word, mate.

I know, well spotted pal amazingly when they did find a replacement 90 it was 120 down then 90 down then 120 down :roll: how did that happen

looks like delays are still on 1D94 EUS-CTR left EUS 8 late

 

[87031]

speaking of delays on the WCML the scotrail sleeper was 2hrs down this morning, it was 5 up when the 67 was on then at EDB when the 90 was suposed to take over it was 120+ down, its not been a good few days for the 90`s with the VT set been 20 down and then getting cancelled yestoday and now this today hope they get better soon

They do struggle with Pendolino diagram timings but like The Night Rivera back in May you can just get a couple of failures in a week it happens. Could the Caledonian Sleeper delay be also linked to the overhead wires problem? Get 87002 out!

 

[37401]

Get 87002 out!

here here!

note: the sleeper was down to a "train defect" in EDB most likely the only noticed it as the 67 was just about to pull in bringing the stock down from Inverness, 2hrs later a new 90 arrives

 

[Expression357]

Has to be said, the vast majority of Virgin Trains (and whilst we're at it London Midland) problems occur on the West Coast South part of the route; that is London Euston - Rugby/Northampton.

You'd be surprised how little of the delays are actually the result of the team at Virgin Trains.

Most of the delays perceived to have been caused by Virgin are caused by holding connections; that have been neccessitateed by something of Network Rail responsibility.

The same could be said for CrossCountry - very little of their delay, is caused by themselves.

 

[37401]

.
You'd be surprised how little of the delays are actually the result of the team at Virgin Trains.

my point exacly, the only time its the TOC`s fault is well i cant really think of one

 

[Mintona]

Traincrew shortage? Unit failure?

 

[37401]

Traincrew shortage? Unit failure?

Traincrew shortage is the train crews fault often I hear of them being late ect then its a case of "Lack of traincrew"

unit failure is the fault of the unit

 

[asylumxl]

Traincrew shortage is the train crews fault often I hear of them being late ect then its a case of "Lack of traincrew"

unit failure is the fault of the unit

Man speaks the truth.

 

[90019]

Man speaks the truth.

How unusual

 

[37401]

How unusual

I was waiting foe that

 

[87015]

Man speaks the truth.

Apart from the fact Network Rail receive more income in delay penalties on an annual basis than they have to pay out?

 

[MCR247]

Apart from the fact Network Rail receive more income in delay penalties on an annual basis than they have to pay out?

And that is VTs fault how...?

 

[87015]

And that is VTs fault how...?

Somewhat debunks the claim that most delays are non-TOC doesn't it? If you'd like me to present a long list of past farces that were VT orientated than I'd be happy to...

 

[MCR247]

Ok then

 

[Expression357]

Man speaks the truth.

Granted he speaks the truth, but this applies as much to the best performing operators (c2c, Merseyrail, Chiltern) as it does to the worse.

TOC 'caused' problems include:

• Depot Problems
• Operations Problems
• Fleet Problems
• Station Problems
• External Problems

External Problems can include things like: Passenger Disorder, Ill Passengers, Vandalism to Stations and Trains, Misuse of the Passenger Alarms & Egress Handles and the impact upon the trains caused by Birds less than the average weight of a phesant, police attending a train at a station.

Operations Problems, include things like: Train Planning diagramming & rostering errors, driving technique issues, driver/guard errors, train crew late to train etc.

Bear in mind that if a train is 20 minutes late in due to a Bridge Strike, and that following that arrival (which may, normally, have a 40 minute turnaround), and that the driver has a 30 minute PNB, then you can probably expect at least a 10 minute late start, this may be announced as 'waiting for driver' but will actually be the result of the bridge strike; the driver is doing as he is diagrammed, which he is entitled to do.

Station Problems: Fire Alarms, Mobility Assistance, Excess Luggage, Bicycle Boarding, Shear Volume of Passengers (although if excess station time due to passengers is the result of a cancellation/short formation, then the delay is attributed to the known cause of the delay).

Fleet Problems: fairly self explanatory; deals with the general 'fault on the train' (the delays are attributed to whose train it is), so a Virgin could be delayed due to 'a fault on a train' but that fault could lie on a TPE that is causing chaos around Piccadilly, a London Midland causing problems at Wolverton or a DB Shenker coming over from the North London Line.


The TOC is only responsible for the things that it is actually in control of.

Everything else either belongs to another Operator OR Network Rail.

Network Rail are responsible for the infrastructure: so your Points Problems, Signalling Problems, 'problems with lineside equipment' (probably a TCF, HABD or Axle Counter Problem), together with Lineside Fires, Trespassers, Fatalities, OHLE issues, aeroplanes crashing on the track, the impact of weather, or the impact of birds of greater average weight than a pheasant; are all theirs.


As I said, precious little delay is the actual responsibility of Virgin Trains.
It may be the responsibility of A train operating company, but not much is that of Virgin.

 

[Mintona]

Traincrew shortage is the train crews fault often I hear of them being late ect then its a case of "Lack of traincrew"

unit failure is the fault of the unit

They're both the fault of the TOC though. As are lots of other things mentioned in the previous post.

 

[87031]

Perhaps Virgin should of held back the HF timetable a bit longer, wait till the remaining problems are sorted newer equipment installled etc, sufficent rolling stock etc there only kidding the paying customer promising all the quicker journey times and increased services if they cant deliver them.

 

[The Planner]

The did hold back for 2 months, it was meant to start on the 14th December 2008, they had to get permission off the Dft to put in the watered down version. The Dft wouldnt have let them hold off for an entire timetable or more.

 

[tbtc]

Blame someone else...