Power outage on the ECML 1/8/25

[321362]

I'm currently on 1N85, the 13:06 LNER Azuma from Kings Cross to York, and the guard has just informed us that the overhead power and signals are both currently turned off due to a power outage.

Even if we were given authority to proceed past the signals, we're an 801 so no diesel other than the emergency motor which they probably won't use.

Afaik the power outage is only platforms 0-3 so i might switch to another Azuma out of a different platform.

As I write this the power "might" be turned on soon once they figure out what's tripped, so hopefully we're moving shortly.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Aug 2025 ==

Update: 1D15 and 1N85 both now moving.
Expected to run along the slows as far as Alexandra Palace.

Given that I'm going to miss my connection in Peterborough (to Lincoln), will I be allowed to stay on the train to Retford and get the Northern from there?

My seat is only reserved as far as Peterborough.

 

[zwk500]

Is this related to the previous failure?

Major Power Failure Between Kings Cross and Stevenage 27/07/25

The contingency plan exists, it involves terminating at Peterborough and Stevenage. That's great for the railway, but what about onward travel for passengers? Finsbury Park has the advantage of the Piccadilly Line, but can't cope with the passenger numbers. Perhaps we should be looking at...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[eastwestdivide]

Big queue of 6 trains signal-to-signal showing on the maps southbound to Potters Bar too

 

[speciallygreen]

Given that I'm going to miss my connection in Peterborough (to Lincoln), will I be allowed to stay on the train to Retford and get the Northern from there?

Next departure from Peterborough towards Lincoln is 2K20 at 1511, chances are you'll be delayed enough to make that the most sensible connection. Assuming the LNER service also gets horrendously delayed.

 

[Farigiraf]

Considering that I'm definitely not making my connection at St Pancras now, would a Cambridge-Kent (via HS1) ticket be valid to go Cambridge - Tottenham Hale - Stratford (walk to International) - Kent?

 

[Watershed]

Considering that I'm definitely not making my connection at St Pancras now, would a Cambridge-Kent (via HS1) ticket be valid to go Cambridge - Tottenham Hale - Stratford (walk to International) - Kent?

It is valid that way anyway, assuming you have a walk-up ticket.

Can't see many Advance tickets for that sort of journey, but if you have one then it will depend on the routeing. Likely to be [some TOC] "& Connections" so you would be fine to take a different TOC or route than the one listed in the event of disruption.

 

[Farigiraf]

It is valid that way anyway, assuming you have a walk-up ticket.

Can't see many Advance tickets for that sort of journey, but if you have one then it will depend on the routeing. Likely to be [some TOC] "& Connections" so you would be fine to take a different TOC or route than the one listed in the event of disruption.

It's an Off-Peak Return.
Would this be valid on the DLR or should I walk?

 

[Watershed]

It's an Off-Peak Return.
Would this be valid on the DLR or should I walk?

It would be valid on the DLR too.

 

[Failed Unit]

Next departure from Peterborough towards Lincoln is 2K20 at 1511, chances are you'll be delayed enough to make that the most sensible connection. Assuming the LNER service also gets horrendously delayed.

Or maybe ask if you can get the following LNER service which is due into Lincoln at 1600. It has left London so probably the most effective option considering the time.

 

[speciallygreen]

Or maybe ask if you can get the following LNER service which is due into Lincoln at 1600. It has left London so probably the most effective option considering the time.

Yeah, that's expected to get to Lincoln about 15 minutes earlier unless it gets delayed more.

 

[Failed Unit]

Interesting movements for electric trains, they all seem to be on the slow moving back onto the fast at Ally Pally.

 

[zwk500]

In either this or the previous power failure, was the Moorgate Line within the impacted area and if so, how did the signals-away ETCS section handle it?

 

[yorkie]

Given that I'm going to miss my connection in Peterborough (to Lincoln), will I be allowed to stay on the train to Retford and get the Northern from there?

Your best bet is to get the LNER behind, from Newark.

I had an issue getting to Lincoln and was told by staff at Newark that if you will miss a connection that would result in a long wait from there, then to get to an alternative station from where a more suitable train will get you to Lincoln with minimal delay.

This is preferable to finding yourself without a train for hours! (When this happened to me, platform staff at Doncaster told me that LNER would get a taxi, but station staff at Newark said they were wrong to say that)

 

[speciallygreen]

The LNER one got further delayed as expected so now both services are due to arrive in Lincoln at about the same time. My bet is on the EMR stopper arriving first, but I'm interested which one OP chose!

 

[ainsworth74]

Has the line reopened or should delays be expected heading southbound? Still a fair old way away (Darlington area) but wanting to know if I should expect the worst!

 

[Failed Unit]

In either this or the previous power failure, was the Moorgate Line within the impacted area and if so, how did the signals-away ETCS section handle it?

The Moorgate line tends to have an issue getting the trains out of the section. On Monday fatality with trains in Finsbury Park station here was no-where to get trains onto the ECML. I suspect they just ended up queuing to Drayton Park.

When you look at the impacted trains, the 1252, 1307 and 1322 towards Finsbury Park then caught up in the incident.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Aug 2025 ==

Has the line reopened or should delays be expected heading southbound? Still a fair old way away (Darlington area) but wanting to know if I should expect the worst!

It looks like the service is recovering.

 

[ainsworth74]

It looks like the service is recovering.

Excellent, fingers crossed then for a around hour or so from now!

 

[zwk500]

The Moorgate line tends to have an issue getting the trains out of the section. On Monday fatality with trains in Finsbury Park station here was no-where to get trains onto the ECML. I suspect they just ended up queuing to Drayton Park.

When you look at the impacted trains, the 1252, 1307 and 1322 towards Finsbury Park then caught up in the incident.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Aug 2025 ==


It looks like the service is recovering.

Sorry if I wasn't clear or the question can't be answered easily. I was asking if the Moorgate line being signals-away allowed it to be less impacted by a signalling power failure.

 

[godfreycomplex]

In either this or the previous power failure, was the Moorgate Line within the impacted area and if so, how did the signals-away ETCS section handle it?

The NCL is on a separate traction power supply so it wasn’t affected in and of itself.

 

[zwk500]

The NCL is on a separate traction power supply so it wasn’t affected in and of itself.

Thank you, I thought that might be the answer.

 

[yorkie]

Has the line reopened or should delays be expected heading southbound? Still a fair old way away (Darlington area) but wanting to know if I should expect the worst!

Southbound is OK at the moment. However, your train will be busier than normal from York and you can expect an additional call at Doncaster.

 

[Failed Unit]

Thank you, I thought that might be the answer.

It is also still too early to tell - I have not yet bieng diverted into Kings Cross because of singalling related issues since the new signalling went live. They will send you into Kings Cross, but that is normally excessive delay on arrival at Finsbury Park.

 

[yorkie]

Anyone know what's going on at Doncaster?


(image shows a queue of trains southbound)

I fear @ainsworth74 can expect to be further delayed!

 

[ainsworth74]

Southbound is OK at the moment. However, your train will be busier than normal from York and you can expect an additional call at Doncaster.

Nope we're fast! Well, in the congestion at Donny which is slowing us down but no extra stop anyway. Passengers for the 1602 (1Y88), which is being started from Doncaster, were told to get off at York and catch the 1634 (1E18) which has had additional stops at Retford and Grantham added. Passengers from Stevenage are to change at Peterborough for GN.

I did ask a contact at LNER and they thought it was a little odd as adding a call at Donny in this situation does happen so possibly something else is afoot which prevented it.

Anyone know what's going on at Doncaster?

View attachment 185320
(image shows a queue of trains southbound)

I fear @ainsworth74 can expect to be further delayed!

Things are flowing so I think it's just congestion caused by the constrained layout at Doncaster for services which needs to cross the ECML.

 

[yorkie]

Nope we're fast! Well, in the congestion at Donny which is slowing us down but no extra stop anyway. Passengers for the 1602 (1Y88), which is being started from Doncaster, were told to get off at York and catch the 1634 (1E18) which has had additional stops at Retford and Grantham added. Passengers from Stevenage are to change at Peterborough for GN.

I did ask a contact at LNER and they thought it was a little odd as adding a call at Donny in this situation does happen so possibly something else is afoot which prevented it.


Things are flowing so I think it's just congestion caused by the constrained layout at Doncaster for services which needs to cross the ECML.

Yes it's normally an extra call at DON, but given the congestion at DON, the best thing to do was indeed to get your train through ASAP and then the stopper could depart on time (and be overtaken at subsequent points by the following trains, which otherwise would have been stuck waiting for platforms at DON)

But yes, it is unusual that the 1602 being cancelled doesn't result in the fast train getting an additional call, or maybe a change in policy, but that's certainly what's happened several times in the past. This train used to be a semi-regular of mine, but not recently to be fair (the last time I did it, I saw @Huntergreed unexpectedly also on the train)

 

[endofthetunnel]

Anyone know what's going on at Doncaster?

View attachment 185320
(image shows a queue of trains southbound)

I fear @ainsworth74 can expect to be further delayed!

That’s relatively normal for that time of day at Doncaster, especially with residual delays on the network.

On time 1A39 in p1, 1e16 delayed at York and dropping into P3A with the on time 1J49 awaiting 3B after it arrives.
The already delayed cross country 1V91 ahead of the on time grand central makes it look like there’s a big queue but it’s a well timed screenshot.

 

[Belperpete]

Looking at Journeycheck, there are delays today between KX and Stevenage due to a power supply failure, expected to last until end of day, although not affecting all lines. Is this a continuation of yesterday's problem, or something new?

There was also a signalling failure between Stevenage and Peterborough, now cleared. Not been East Coast's week.

 

[Failed Unit]

Looking at Journeycheck, there are delays today between KX and Stevenage due to a power supply failure, expected to last until end of day, although not affecting all lines. Is this a continuation of yesterday's problem, or something new?

There was also a signalling failure between Stevenage and Peterborough, now cleared. Not been East Coast's week.

Indeed it is, I think Diesel trains only on the fast between Finsbury Park and Ally Pally. Electrics on the slow moving back to the fast after ally pally.

 

[ajrm]

Indeed it is, I think Diesel trains only on the fast between Finsbury Park and Ally Pally. Electrics on the slow moving back to the fast after ally pally.

I'm on 1W20 running on diesel but we were also sent on the slow lines.

 

[OxtedL]

Looks like the Down Fast has just reopened.

I don't understand why the inner service to Stevenage trains going via Hertford couldn't stop at Alexandra Palace though ?

I also didn't understand why this was happening.