More Virgin Train Delays Today

[Geezertronic]

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...

Still waiting for your words of wisdom.... I used to travel from Birmingham International to London (and return) 3-4 times a week and only once were any delays caused by Virgin (390 failure at Oxley). All the rest were caused by OH issues, line issues (including fatalities), or other TOCs train failures etc...

 

[bengolding]

Arrived at Euston at 15:45 yesterday intending to get the 16:03 to Birmingham International. Inbound Pendolinos were running around 40 mins late into Euston due to earlier problems at Milton Keynes. Both the 16:03 and 16:20 were cancelled. My 16:23 VT, as with all others at the time, was diverted via Northampton adding 20 mins to the journey. Thankfully my 07:03 refurbished loco-hauled train earlier in the day was only 3 mins late into International and wha ta great journey it was too!

 

[87015]

Well this week alone I've seen the Mk3 set deconfigure at the Keynes, the 1445 Wolves-Euston yesterday caped Cov due door fault and the 1830 Euston-Glasgow on Wednesday a late start due to catering staff being AWOL.

A quick look at their quality maintenance programme from 2004 shows that New Years day saw 11 87s out of service with faults, and the following failures followed. The 4th January saw 87013 1A21 19.35 Liverpool-Euston failed, 57302 to rescue arriving to Euston 01.14 am, 87028 1S90 17.30 Euston-Glasgow failed Preston, 57310 fwd that too failed at Lune Valley loop. 87028 then pushed the ensemble to Carlisle. 57310 dumped at Carlisle then 87028 ECS to Polmadie. Meanwhile 90015 1A47 10.35 Liverpool-Euston (failed at Leighton Buzzard, rescued by 57302), sent back out regardless on 1F19 15.10 Euston-Liverpool, fails Rugby with same problem...
The same month saw 47840 drag 1S94 from Crewe, only to run out of fuel at Preston. 87022 is failed at Euston with a flooded cab as noone thought to close the doors in a downpour at Euston. 1D87 starts Crewe with 47xxx.

A few classics from previous days:
0906 Liverpool-Weymouth arrives New St on time, no forwarding diesel to be seen. Virgin control totally unaware until driver appears and asks where 478xx is, its been "borrowed" for an earlier departure, eventually 47363 turns up to work forward just 160 late. Handbrake is left on so further delays at Int'l where train eventually leaves just two hours forty down. 58017 follows on 1406 ex New St so loads of aircon that day.

Various stock riots including 2-car HST on a summer Saturday Blackpool-Portsmouth, this is shown as cancelled at New St to avoid passenger joining, takes eight minutes to load/unload at Int'l and seven at Cov. Probably better than the four coach formation Mk2 turned out behind 47xxx for the following weeks 0600 Padd-Manchester.

Some very sensible decisions in control saw a HST which had failed to make Newquay with two sick powercars deemed fit to work back anyway and it duly stalls on Dainton with two hours delay for 47818 to come and push to Newton Abbot runround and work forward.

478xx working from Holyhead to Euston as the booked electric forward from Crewe has been blocked in by 573xx on a crew training run but said traincrew are

Station staff dispatching trains on a red peg another quality operation.

There was the entire week the 1145 Euston-Wolves was caped and running as emcars as no guard had been rostered in the new timetable.

 

[MCR247]

Sorry I didnt see the point in that post, being that was 2004 and the fact that Virgin dont use those trains anymore. Anyway I though you wanted LHCS, not against it.

 

[Geezertronic]

Sounds like another anti-Virginite to me, you gotta do better than that mate.

And while you are there, I suggest checking other TOCs to see if the issues you point out are any different to those from Virgin Trains. And 2004 doesn't count

 

[90019]

So, what you are saying is that Virgin LHCS was cr*p.

And you want it brought back? :?

 

[87015]

So, what you are saying is that Virgin LHCS was cr*p.

No the maintenance quality was crap. Makes DBS 37 exams look like full heavy overhauls.

You lot claimed "Virgin never cause delay minutes its always someone else". Thats crap aswell.

 

[Geezertronic]

You lot claimed "Virgin never cause delay minutes its always someone else". Thats crap aswell.

I think your misquoting now. The majority of any TOCs delays are usually out of their hands whether it be OHL issues, track issues, fatalities, other TOCs train issues etc... I don't see how you can single Virgin Trains out for special treatment when, like last week, the majority of their issues were not their fault. Otherwise you might as well include London Midland who would have suffered similarly last week, again the majority of their issues were not their fault either.

 

[MCR247]

Speaking for myself here, I never said that, I was saying, you cant blame virgin for every delay. I bet if they had the stock you wanted, you would be posting something simalar to this. Its just pathetic. But whats maintenance in 2004 got to do with it? for starters, some of the problems you put couldnt happen now, because of the new stock that you hate. Some of the problems are about why VT needed to get rid of that stock. BTW I hate voyagers, but I dont blame XC/VT for every delay, just because they dont have the stock you love so much

 

[ukrob]

Wow, quoting maintenance issues from 2004 on stock which is now replaced. That is really clutching at straws, it is quite funny.

Quite clearly you are just anti-Virgin because you have also started quoting faults from Virgin Cross Country.

 

[MCR247]

and that, even though he is anti voyager and pendolino, he has quoted faults that are no longer relevent to the faults he has mentioned

 

[Expression357]

According to the latest performance figures for the 12 months to June 27th 2009:

Virgin Trains incur the following amounts of delay minutes:

8,829 minutes per period upon themselves of which:

• 357 minutes per period by Depots
• 473 minutes per period by Operations
• 1,275 minutes per period by Traincrew
• 5,759 minutes per period by Fleet Technical
• 301 minutes per period by Stations
• 1,282 minutes per period by (TOC Responsible) External causes
• 127 minutes per period by Adhesion Problems

7,530 minutes per (4-week rail) period from other operators.

• 198 minutes per period by other operators trains with depot issues
• 722 minutes per period by Operations
• 1,049 minutes by other operators Traincrew
• 4,262 minutes by other operators Fleet problems
• 206 minutes by other operators Stations problems
• 504 minutes per period by other operators' (TOC responsible) External causes
• 630 minutes by Freight Terminal delays
• 130 minutes by other operators' adhesion problems.

41,831 minutes per period from Network Rail.

• 18,241 minutes per period to Points and Signals
• 9,410 minutes per period to Network Management issues (controllers, signallers etc).
• 4,962 minutes per period to Track Issues
• 1,295 minutes per period caused by Severe Weather issues
• 443 minutes per period caused by Autumn Factors
• 7,852 minutes per period caused by External matters, like trespassers, fatalities, bridge strikes etc.

This all means that Virgin Trains suffers 58,190 delay minutes per period; and that 71.8% of delays suffered by Virgin Trains passengers are the result of Network Rail; of which:

• 25,750 minutes is caused on West Coast South
• 4,756 on Central area
• 4,688 on West Midlands
• 4,686 on Lancs & Cumbria
• 1,862 on Scotland
• the remainder is spread across the country down to the 9 minutes per period caused by NR Kent, and 6 minutes per period caused by NR Sussex.

Of the 7,530 minutes delay per period, caused by other operators:

• ATW = 324
• Scotrail = 253
• NXEC = 33
• Northern = 419
• NXEA = 4
• Southern = 24
• Southeastern = 1
• SWT = 10
• Chiltern = 36
• TPE = 187
• FGW = 56
• LM = 2,304
• LO = 3
• XC = 314
• EMT = 57
• AMEC = 128
• AMEY = 17
• FL = 1,052
• Grant Rail = 32
• Harsco = 5
• LUL Bakerloo = 2
• Serco Railtest = 88
• DRS = 461
• DBS = 1,164
• GBRf = 124
• Advenza = 28
• Wrexham & Shropshire = 122

 

[Geezertronic]

That's some good stats. Out of interest, how does that compare to NXEC?