TPE trouble

[Merseysider]

It started out with the 1200 Man Airport - Edinburgh leaving the airport 23 late, and by the time it had got to Mauldeth Road, was 80 down at 1327.

This meant the 1229 Man Airport - Blackpool North was stuck behind it at Burnage and eventually passed Mauldeth Road 108 minutes late, at 1426.

Then the 1241 Man Airport - Middlesbrough was stuck behind that, at East Didsbury, approaching Mauldeth Road 114 late, at 1445.

In the meantime, TPEs continued from Man Piccadilly to Man Airport (why, if they knew the line back up was blocked?) only to be cancelled on their northbound workings, and half the Northern services northbound were sent via Stockport, the other half binned.

In the meantime, the drivers presumably had had to sit there for two hours... oh and the poor passengers

RRBs were put on pretty quickly, which means it was identified as a serious problem.

On my way south from Manchester I saw a couple of 185s just sitting there on the approach, presumably with nothing to do.

I've heard this was caused by traction difficulties - what does this mean/encompass? And any other information? I feel like being nosy, as this was right on my doorstep

 

[WatcherZero]

They now seem to be saying everything is running three and a half hours late due to broken down train on the airport line.

 

[Merseysider]

They now seem to be saying everything is running three and a half hours late due to broken down train on the airport line.

There was lots of fragmenting (right word?) going on; one Mia - Scotland starting at Mauldeth Road and finishing at Preston, a couple of non-timetabled shuttles between Manc and the airport, and one from Barrow missing out everything after Preston even though it was on time

 

[scrapy]

Apparently a pantograph problem

 

[Starmill]

Earlier broken down train near Lockeebie also causing chaos. I was booked on the 1733 Carlisle - Manchester. Used a VT service to Preston that was running over an hour late. No Im on the 1847 Preston - Manchester which left 3 minutes after the previous ex-Scotland service and has 8 coaches instead of 4 it's almost empty!

 

[Merseysider]

Earlier broken down train near Lockerbie also causing chaos. I was booked on the 1733 Carlisle - Manchester. Used a VT service to Preston that was running over an hour late. Now Im on the 1847 Preston - Manchester which left 3 minutes after the previous ex-Scotland service and has 8 coaches instead of 4 it's almost empty!

Would the broken down at Lockerbie be a TPE as well? I'm looking at RTT, but not sure if this is the one you mean (1100 ex-Mia).

TPE had something on NRE along the lines of "Transpennine Express passengers may use East Coast services between York and Edinburgh/Glasgow" so presume that's related.

I was caught up in something similar at the end of last month; a TPE fault creating severe congestion between Man and Wgn but that only knocked everything back half an hour or so.

Hope you get back alright (tonight)!

 

[Starmill]

404 has just arrived at Piccadilly working the 0716 to Glasgow... it does NOT sound good! I really hope it doesn't break down on me...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The two elderly friends of my wife who live in Heald Green turned up at Heald Green station after mid-day expecting to travel to Poulton-le-Fylde were informed by the person in the booking office of the situation and a comment of three hours needed to clear matters.

Showing much quick thinking, they then left the station and took to 369 bus to Peel Hall Metrolink station then the Metrolink from there to Manchester, changing at the current Airport line terminal service point at Cornbrook. Quite a long-ish journey, but far quicker than a three hour wait at Heald Green station.

 

[oddiesjack]

Would they not have been quicker getting a bus to Stockport, then train(s) from there to Poulton? From my very limited experience of the Airport trams, only a masochist would consciously subject themselves to the rather pedestrian pace on this route. It feels like one is going round in circles in the Wythenshawe area!

 

[richardio123]

Would they not have been quicker getting a bus to Stockport, then train(s) from there to Poulton? From my very limited experience of the Airport trams, only a masochist would consciously subject themselves to the rather pedestrian pace on this route. It feels like one is going round in circles in the Wythenshawe area!

I get it every morning and it seems fine and it has an average speed of about 30mph through wythenshawe ;D