Train Regulation on North and West route

[Gareth Marston]

I had a bad experience of freight running in front for a long distance yesterday (Thursday 19th) and holding up the passenger train I was on.

I intended to catch the 1505 to Manchester Piccadily from Newport to Shrewsbury but had no chance of boarding the 2 Car 175 along with around 30 other people also unable too. The cause being the Green Man festival nr Abergavenny, plenty of rucksacks added to the problems. This left Newport 9 mins late. I managed to get aboard the following 1534 to Holyhead again a 2 car ATW Class 175, again we were late off Newport due to gross overcrowding. We then had a noticeably slow run to Cwmbran and more extended station dwell and likewise at Pontypool and New Inn as the Conductor gave passengers a chance to fight there way to the doors. Then at Little Mill Jnc we came to a halt for a few minutes at the signals. It was now obvious something slow was in front of us.
Extended dwell at Abergavenny as the throng disembarked and then we waited for a few minutes and the Conductor came on the tannoy to explain that there was " a freight train in front of us". Nothing in loop at Pontrilas nor on the Hereford relief lines and no sign of anything at Moreton on Lugg. We departed Leominster and then got stuck at the signals for a couple of minutes. I missed Wooferton as I went to the toilet and we had a clear run to Shrewsbury arriving 1544 some 29 minutes late. So presumably the freight looped at Wooferton. I stayed on platforms at Shrewsbury until 1830 but saw no freights come off the Hereford line. The WAG Express came through a couple of minutes late with the trolleys that couldn't get on at Newport in its guards van.

Anyone have any ides what I was stuck behind and why it was seen fit to turn it out in front of a long distance passenger working across the length of two county's (Monmouthshire & Herefordshire)?

I didn't see anything come through Newport station so presume it came across the Maindee curve from East to North.

 

[GB]

Anyone have any ides what I was stuck behind and why it was seen fit to turn it out in front of a long distance passenger working across the length of two county's (Monmouthshire & Herefordshire)?

Sounds like your train was late and out of path before it reached the area where the freight was, resulting in the freight being routed "right time".

Regulation is a bit of a sore spot within Network Rail at the moment as senior managers are taking away the art of regulation from the signallers and insisting trains run in booked order and to right time. While there are some old school signallers that will do what they can to keep trains running with the minium of delay, if a signaller does delay something then they get a bollocking. In essense they can't win.

I apprieciate as a passenger it seems odd to be stuck behind a freight, but remember they pay their access charges and have a right to "right time" running just as much as passenger trains do and often time is more of a valuable commodity for freight trains.

It should also be said that by sticking a freight infront of a passenger train (if its a stopper) it can reduce the overall delay as the freight should in theory have a clear run. I dont know the location concerned so can't comment on this one specfic time.

 

[ukrob]

Whilst frustrating, I bet that freight made more money than your service.

 

[Gareth Marston]

My train will have been hopelessly out of sequence by the time it got to Chester and impacted across the North Wales mainline with Virgin and other ATW services so the knock on consequences on a train due to make a near 5 hr trip are severe despite the freights access charges.

 

[Donny Dave]

Sheffield PSB is pretty good at letting a freight out in front of a fast train as well, especially onto The Hope Valley ....

 

[455driver]

Sheffield PSB is pretty good at letting a freight out in front of a fast train as well, especially onto The Hope Valley ....

Dont get me started on that lot!

On a XC northbound HST sevice last year, we were on time until the approaches to Sheffield then we stopped just before Dore South jn, PA announcement that a freight train was being routed across us and we should be on our way shortly, 3 minutes later and we are off; arriving into Sheffield 6 minutes late (onto a red), we sit there (PA about waiting for the signal to clear) another 3 minutes before the signal clears and off we go, just before Aldwarke jn we stop again, PA announcement that as we are running late the signaller (who had made us late in the first place) had decided to let the stopper out from Rotherham in front of us, so that was it unscheduled stops in the middle of nowhere while he stopped at Swinton, Bolton on Dearne, Goldthorpe, Moorthorpe, Fitzwilliam, Sandal and Agbrigg and Outwood, Result was we arrived in Leeds 37 minutes late!

All because he let the freight across first!

The train went on and arrived at Glasgow on time (how is that for padding)