Wigan Disruption 20/8/25

[M60lad]

Does anybody know the nature of the Signalling problem that is currently causing problems in/around Wigan Northwestern area at the moment? Looks like its going to be causing problems until 12:00 at the earliest so it must be something major that's happened.

I know earlier it was even affecting Chatt Moss services due to a service to Wigan being stuck at the siganl at Parkside Junction.

 

[deepthought]

I don't know the details but problems started last night around 2245. The last London to Preston (1P09) was diverted from Warrington and travelled via Chat Moss to Manchester Piccadilly platform 13 where it reversed and then went via Bolton.

 

[hexagon789]

Does anybody know the nature of the Signalling problem that is currently causing problems in/around Wigan Northwestern area at the moment? Looks like its going to be causing problems until 12:00 at the earliest so it must be something major that's happened.

I know earlier it was even affecting Chatt Moss services due to a service to Wigan being stuck at the siganl at Parkside Junction.

Now 15:00 unfortunately:

Description​

A fault with the signalling system in the Wigan North Western / Warrington Bank Quay areas means some lines are blocked. Trains running through these station may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes, revised or diverted.

Major disruption is expected until 15:00.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Avanti actually been running some services on the Northern half of the WCML, between Glasgow Central and Preston, rather than binning everything off!

 

[hexagon789]

Avanti actually been running some services on the Northern half of the WCML, between Glasgow Central and Preston, rather than binning everything off!

Well, the problem is south of Preston and not north of...

 

[800001]

Avanti actually been running some services on the Northern half of the WCML, between Glasgow Central and Preston, rather than binning everything off!

Because they have the Preston and Glasgow TMs available to run the service as they are lot affected by the disruption.

 

[fgwrich]

Whatever it is has certainly meant a bad night for the Caley Sleeper passengers, with the lowlander arriving into Euston 109 minutes late, while the Highlander in both directions is still travelling.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Chester-Manchester services also affected, so the problems seem to start at Winwick Jn northbound.
But some trains are now running through - 9M50 has just reached Warrington and 9S44 has reached Euxton Jn.
1H83 (Llandudno-Man Airport) has also run through normally.

 

[hexagon789]

Now 15:00 unfortunately:

Now 16:00

 

[Rail Quest]

When I was looking at RailCam track diagrams this morning, I noticed trains seemed to jump through several blocks in a go, jumping all the way from Wigan station to Golborne Jnc, then all the way to just north of Warrington. I'm assuming this sort of behavior indicates signal failures and temporary block working of some description?

 

[aaronspence]

When I was looking at RailCam track diagrams this morning, I noticed trains seemed to jump through several blocks in a go, jumping all the way from Wigan station to Golborne Jnc, then all the way to just north of Warrington. I'm assuming this sort of behavior indicates signal failures and temporary block working of some description?

It looks like northbound trains are using the Up slowas I just saw 9S47 do the jump you described on Traksy

 

[EuxtonNeutral]

I’m on 9S47 and we seem to be doing emergency special working from golborne jnc on the down.

 

[Halwynd]

According to RTT and Traksy, 6M26 Wilton - Knowsley seems to have been stood on the curve at Lowton Jcn since around 04:40 this morning. It's normally a lengthy and I'm surprised it can fit on the curve without fouling either the Liverpool & Manchester or WCML.

 

[Geeves]

Avanti actually been running some services on the Northern half of the WCML, between Glasgow Central and Preston, rather than binning everything off!

The more severe issues always come later at Preston because if there's no train for the Glasgow crew to come down on then of course the return cannot set off north so it just sits at Preston.

 

[800001]

I would imagine, the length of time this is going on, that the cause is cable theft?

 

[hexagon789]

I would imagine, the length of time this is going on, that the cause is cable theft?

Avanti's JourneyCheck page now reads:

Due to attempted theft of signalling cables between Wigan North Western and Warrington Bank Quay fewer trains are able to run on all lines.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Massive cable theft unfortunately, with cable cuts found in six separate locations.

 

[hexagon789]

Massive cable theft unfortunately, with cable cuts found in six separate locations.

15 seperate cables damaged reportedly.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

According to RTT and Traksy, 6M26 Wilton - Knowsley seems to have been stood on the curve at Lowton Jcn since around 04:40 this morning. It's normally a lengthy and I'm surprised it can fit on the curve without fouling either the Liverpool & Manchester or WCML.

The distance between the WCML and the Chat Moss line there is about a kilometre of track length
I don't know the usable length in regards to signals, but I think that's more than enough space.

 

[800001]

15 seperate cables damaged reportedly.

The tweet below is from network rail, including 2 pictures of the cut and damaged cables

https://x.com/networkrailwcml/status/1958143327334695096?s=46&t=JLp3J2Up_Gl_m9cQz-au6w

We apologise to passengers caught up in the disruption on the West Coast Mainline today

Unfortunately, signalling cables have been cut in several locations

This is criminal damage and the police are investigating

 

[Bevan Price]

According to RTT, services at Liverpool Lime St have also been badly affected.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

According to RTT, services at Liverpool Lime St have also been badly affected.

What are you seeing on RTT that gives that impression? From what I can see the only trains disrupted at Lime St are ones that would have gone to Wigan.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What are you seeing on RTT that gives that impression? From what I can see the only trains disrupted at Lime St are ones that would have gone to Wigan.

Or those trains continuing on to Blackpool North or maybe even Glasgow Central. Routed, of course, via Wigan North Western.

 

[Efini92]

The distance between the WCML and the Chat Moss line there is about a kilometre of track length
I don't know the usable length in regards to signals, but I think that's more than enough space.

I think that’s just a data issue because of the signalling. There was nothing on the curve this morning.

 

[BG2024]

None of the eastbound Chat Moss stoppers made it to Manchester this morning. The 0700 and 0802 to Manchester Airport were cancelled, and the 0728 to Victoria only made it as far as Earlestown (where it looks like a very long wait for an onward connection).

Northern had their usual level of passenger communications, i.e. worse than nothing at all. The 0700 was still being reported as expected to leave Lime Street on time right up until the moment it was due to depart, even though the inbound service was still stuck at Manchester Airport. For hours, all they were reporting was some small disruption at Euxton Balshaw Lane, and a few cancellations to services between Manchester and Blackpool.

 

[P156KWJ]

ESW expected to be in place until 0900 tomorrow morning.

 

[M60lad]

1> According to Tracksy yesterday's 22:20 Blackpool North-Liverpool Lime Street 2C34 has been in Platform 1 at Wigan Northwestern and it's still there now, was this stopped at Wigan last night due to the Signalling Problems or some other reason?

2> Out of interest how does the Emergency Special Workings work that's been implemented at the moment for trains running through Wigan North Western?

 

[Bevan Price]

What are you seeing on RTT that gives that impression? From what I can see the only trains disrupted at Lime St are ones that would have gone to Wigan.

I think I must have made some mistake with RTT earlier -- but several Trans Pennine services in the morning were cancelled.

 

[Rail Quest]

A fascinating video from Ben Elias shows him driving through this section during the disruption. In this, he explains the procedure in detail. Highly recommended.

 

[Bow Fell]

Brilliant video, and nice to see it from the other side!

I hope this highlights, the absolute requirement for clear safety critical communication and why NR / TOC’s thin the service is such circumstances due to the length of time these things can take. The workload and pressure on the signaller is unimaginable and imagine having to go through this procedure without a reduced service! It’s not just talking past signals or the authorisation of emergency special working but imagine doing that and giving line blockages to the S&T and dealing with anything else on the panel at the same time!