Thameslink Services/Timetable from May 20th 2018

[ChiefPlanner]

The improved timetable removes yet more northbound stoppers on the Bedford line. Cricklewood and Hendon now have 45 and 67 minute gaps after 08:25 where there should be a 15-minute service. Evidently no one gives a damn for the locals. May those who are responsible for this continuing shambles ROT IN HELL.

That is a terrible service provision - loads of people travel into Elstree for work. (let alone anyone trying to get to SAC for work , or dare I say it - Luton Airport Parkway)

 

[MikeWM]

Wow - just wow. Looks like nothing left Kings Cross for Cambridge between 1742 and 1950. On the old timetable there would have been 7 (rather busy in my experience) trains in that gap. Astonishing.

Despite the disruption on GA this evening, I took the decision to stick with them anyway, and as such am a little delayed but at least I’m not stuck at Kings Cross :/. I haven’t got a GN train south of Cambridge since the May 20th, thank goodness.

 

[jon0844]

I think the problems started from before that. From around 2.30pm it all started going wrong. And some trains with stop orders didn't get to stop at those added stations because the signaller didn't run the train on the necessary lines to have them stop at platforms.

 

[Megafuss]

Wow - just wow. Looks like nothing left Kings Cross for Cambridge between 1742 and 1950. On the old timetable there would have been 7 (rather busy in my experience) trains in that gap. Astonishing.

Despite the disruption on GA this evening, I took the decision to stick with them anyway, and as such am a little delayed but at least I’m not stuck at Kings Cross :/. I haven’t got a GN train south of Cambridge since the May 20th, thank goodness.

Good luck if you trying to get to Kings Lynn. Two of the last three are cancelled and the very last one is "Delayed" before it has even left It Kings Cross

 

[MML]

Just another week to go, and then all will be well again. We have some exciting new destinations to look forward to in a new timetable effective from 15th July, with lots more trains and exciting new trains operating. Isn't it exciting.

I hope they get the Texan back to announce the new exciting timetable.

 

[Hitchincommute]

Sat on 2312 to Kings Lynn, decamped in first class. With most of preceding trains cancelled it’s going to be fun shifting all the people from The Cure (Hyde Park - that’s me that is), Pride and Wireless at Finsbury Park. You can tell it’s not much fun when you’re 4 coaches from the back and passengers are walking back looking for room to board. I hope they don’t stop it at Finsbury Park

 

[Hitchincommute]

Sat on 2312 to Kings Lynn, decamped in first class. With most of preceding trains cancelled it’s going to be fun shifting all the people from The Cure (Hyde Park - that’s me that is), Pride and Wireless at Finsbury Park. You can tell it’s not much fun when you’re 4 coaches from the back and passengers are walking back looking for room to board. I hope they don’t stop it at Finsbury Park

Driver said train signalled behind 2315 Peterborough train (strange in itself) where alarm has been activated at FPK. Left KGX 15 mins ago and haven’t got to FPK yet

 

[OwenB]

Driver said train signalled behind 2315 Peterborough train (strange in itself) where alarm has been activated at FPK. Left KGX 15 mins ago and haven’t got to FPK yet

Looks like the **** well and truly hit the fan this evening. What's more it was just so predictable with Pride, Wireless, football, etc, etc. Literally the worst run company I have ever come across, this is basic forward planning.

 

[MikeWM]

The 2255 GA Cambridge-Norwich stepped up to the plate with an extra Waterbeach stop - given GN managed to cancel 4 consecutive services from Cambridge to Ely and/or beyond.

GN should be thoroughly ashamed of todays so-called 'service'. Those responsible for this utter shambles should be banned from any position of influence in railways for life.

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

Looks like the **** well and truly hit the fan this evening. What's more it was just so predictable with Pride, Wireless, football, etc, etc. Literally the worst run company I have ever come across, this is basic forward planning.

what made you think they'd manage forward planning? as seen on this thread they can't even look ahead half an hr...

 

[Fred26]

I think the problems started from before that. From around 2.30pm it all started going wrong. And some trains with stop orders didn't get to stop at those added stations because the signaller didn't run the train on the necessary lines to have them stop at platforms.

There was at least one service where the train did not stop at WGC, as requested with a Stop Order, as control hadn't bothered to tell the signalman. The driver had the stop order and had to contact the signalman himself.

 

[Failed Unit]

Absolutely pathetic offering yesterday and not much better this morning.

This is a slimmed Down weekend service

Wonder who GTR are blaming this on? It certainly is hard to believe that the 15th July is going to work when the plan such a small % of trains at weekends and still fail to deliver them.

 

[jon0844]

Absolutely pathetic offering yesterday and not much better this morning.

This is a slimmed Down weekend service

Wonder who GTR are blaming this on? It certainly is hard to believe that the 15th July is going to work when the plan such a small % of trains at weekends and still fail to deliver them.

I was half expecting to hear the reason being down to the trespasser at King's Cross on Friday evening. Gotta milk those non-timetable explanations for all they're worth.

(FWIW, the trespass incident DID cause significant delays for a long time given the time it happened, so I'm just trying to be funny)

 

[Failed Unit]

I was half expecting to hear the reason being down to the trespasser at King's Cross on Friday evening. Gotta milk those non-timetable explanations for all they're worth.

(FWIW, the trespass incident DID cause significant delays for a long time given the time it happened, so I'm just trying to be funny)

It did. People were not impressed it was still causing issues until the end of service. These incidents happen. Many pointed out that they were quick to finger everything on Friday to that, but when it is their own fault it is just an operational incident.

These things happen and will continue to happen. GTR needs to recover from them better then the did on Friday.

How far north did the isolation go? Was the power off at Finsbury Park to prevent the inners running?

 

[OwenB]

Absolutely pathetic offering yesterday and not much better this morning.

This is a slimmed Down weekend service

Wonder who GTR are blaming this on? It certainly is hard to believe that the 15th July is going to work when the plan such a small % of trains at weekends and still fail to deliver them.

It's a slimmed down weekend service, but they're still cancelling huge chunks of what they were saying they would run. Poor.

 

[jon0844]

Today seems to be starting with a base of cancelled trains and then reinstating services as time goes on. Not a way to run things as people will check times at home, see nothing running, then not bother to come to the station*.

I can see a fair few near empty trains because of this, with people cursing at home.. and getting even more angry if they later found out a train DID run after all.

I pray that from July 15th this will stop.

* Actually this is probably a good idea - stay at home and don't travel. But people should be able to go out and enjoy the nice weather!

 

[OwenB]

Today seems to be starting with a base of cancelled trains and then reinstating services as time goes on. Not a way to run things as people will check times at home, see nothing running, then not bother to come to the station.

I can see a fair few near empty trains because of this, with people cursing at home.. and getting even more angry if they later found out a train DID run after all.

I pray that from July 15th this will stop.

Hope is all we have at this stage. Fingers crossed that the Monday-Friday peak service is much improved However, I'm holding out little hope for late night and weekend services.

 

[OwenB]

Looking back at last night's (lack of) service, where many people left off services that were unboardable owing to pure numbers of people (many cancellations, short formation, etc.). Are they obliged to get people home if it is down to their poor service? E.g. All the people at Finsbury Park unable to board already full services from King's Cross.

 

[Aictos]

There was at least one service where the train did not stop at WGC, as requested with a Stop Order, as control hadn't bothered to tell the signalman. The driver had the stop order and had to contact the signalman himself.

And this is something that I doubt would have happened had the GN SDC still been at Kings Cross seeing as they used to share the same room with the KGX PSB signallers now though with the SDC being based at Three Bridges and the signallers still at KGX until they move to York ROC, the simple things of ensuring a train stops out of sync with a stop order is more difficult then it needs to be.

I don't know why they just didn't keep the SDC at Kings Cross for the Great Northern route and the SDC at Three Bridges for the Southern/Gatwick Express/TL (the TL route between Bedford and Brighton and the Loop) with the handover point between the two being Canal Tunnels.

Least with the old way, it was fairly simple to communicate between frontline staff, signaller and SDC - now though it's plain awful!

 

[SPADTrap]

The entire Hertford loop has been suspended in favour of running the mainline. That's quite the low.

 

[Sunset route]

Would it not have been a signaller's error for routing the train towards a block?

No for few couple of reasons.

The train has the correct headcode 9Txx for a Thameslink via London Bridge as apposeed to one routed via the three hills 9Wxx. Any alterations to the plan would need to be given to the signaller in advance.

If the train was on it’s correct route then the signaller(s) further up the line where the possession is to be taken would need to ascertain that the last train(s) have been through the section if necessary talking to the adjoining signalling centres and or control.

Based on that, the signaller controlling Norwood Jcn would not know that the line two or three control areas further up the line controlled by another signaller at the adjoining control centre has been or will closed to traffic.

Also by now there should be a fully fledged Train Management System operating on the Thameslink Core and the BML, which would give last minute adjustments to the WTT, with direct STP or VSTP inputs from control and SSMs to either TMS isolated screens giving train running advice to signallers or TMS interfaced giving the same instructions to the signalling via ARS.

STP short term planning,
VSTP very short term planning,
TMS train management system,
SSM shift signaller manager,
ARS automatic routing system,
WTT working timetable,
BML Brighton main line.

 

[jon0844]

I think we're on NPAA right now.

(No Planning At All)

I think until 7pm there were about 7 or 8 Moorgate trains that ran ALL day. Services will be ramped up tonight because the loop is closed, but it's a bit late now.

 

[sprunt]

The people saying that there's nothing inherently wrong with the Moorgate service, and that it was fine under FCC don't actually use it to get to work every day, do they?

 

[Aictos]

The entire Hertford loop has been suspended in favour of running the mainline. That's quite the low.

That's usually what happens, when it goes tits up elsewhere the Loop is the first to suffer even if a good service is operating!

The people saying that there's nothing inherently wrong with the Moorgate service, and that it was fine under FCC don't actually use it to get to work every day, do they?

I used it to commute every day and it was fine, granted the trains were busy but as the 4tph didn't exist back then it was a case of just getting on with it.

*The 4tph didn't exist off peak as it was only 3 trains a hour south of Hertford.

Saying that FCC did get three extra ex London Overground 313s which helped to a extend.

 

[tsr]

A Fast Lines possession in the West Hampstead area may overrun until circa 0700. Some service alterations presently expected.

 

[OwenB]

The 5.55 HAT-KGX was showing as delayed before I left the house, so tweeted @GNRailUK to ask what was going on. 'Ebs' tweeted back to advise of overrunning engineering works and rail replacement buses from WGC. I'm currently on the on time 6.07. Bizarre advice to say the least.

 

[OwenB]

The people saying that there's nothing inherently wrong with the Moorgate service, and that it was fine under FCC don't actually use it to get to work every day, do they?

I do. It's busy during peak times. Most major issues are due to broken down trains between FPK and MOG, which should be remedied by the new trains currently on their way.

 

[jopsuk]

I did notice that yesterday whilst KGX-Cambridge services were being repeatedly cancelled that some enterprise was undertaken and by lunchtime they had it set up so there was a consistent hourly Cambridge-Kings Lynn service even if the train from Kings Cross didn't turn up

 

[Downthelane]

Yet again WGC and HAT have no KGX services. In 25 years of commuting this is unknown.

 

[benk1342]

Yet again WGC and HAT have no KGX services. In 25 years of commuting this is unknown.

I’m on the 08:02 WGC-KGX right now...