Monday's train fiasco

Sat 6 Jul 2013, 09:09

The next set of points west of Charlbury is at Moreton-in-Marsh station. The real problem is with running "wrong line" and the existence of level crossings at Bruern and Ascott-u-Wychwood. There would be no signalling to protect trains, or to stop one in the event of a problem at these level crossings. Such action would also effectively create a single line between Moreton-in-Marsh and Wolvercot Junction, near Oxford.

Fri 5 Jul 2013, 20:21

I am no doubt going to appear really stupid here, but couldn't any of the backed-up trains have been transferred to the other track to get down to Charlbury and then join the single track section as normal, by-passing the stranded train - or are there no sets of points along the line to allow this to happen?

Fri 5 Jul 2013, 10:52 (last edited on Fri 5 Jul 2013, 10:58)

Checking the train log on the internet, I see that the 0730 left Moreton-in-Marsh on time, was 1 minute late passing Ascott-u-Wychwood. It did not leave Charlbury until 1014. As I understand it, someone in a toilet unintentionally activated the emergency brake and a brake air pipe fractured in one of the power cars. The brakes fail safe and could not be released until the pipe was repaired. The following trains were affected:

0749 OXF - time not shown, but was 171 minutes late arriving at Oxford, having left Ascott on time and then was held at the signal between Ascott and Charlbury.

0831 PAD - departed 1109. Was on time at MIM and was held for 120 minutes at Ascott-u-Wychwood before proceeding to Charlbury and being held there to await clearance of the single line ahead.

0914 MIM - Cancelled.

0939 HFD - Cancelled - terminated at Oxford. Not clear why it could not have proceeded as normal unless it was a displaced crew problem.

0941 PAD - departed 1141. Was held at MIM for 67 minutes.

1008 PAD - Cancelled (Started from Oxford).

1106 PAD - 1154. Was held for 13 minutes at Ascott and then for a total of 35 minutes outside, and at, Charlbury.

1208 PAD - 1208 (On time, but, for some reason, was delayed 9 minutes at Wolvercot junction).

1507 PAD - Cancelled. Return working of the cancelled 0939.

Although almost everything else did run to time, there was a knock-on effect in that the 1221 PAD-GMV was 52 minutes late departing and terminated at Worcester FS, allowing it to return 5 minutes late to Didcot at 1548. It arrived at Didcot 2 minutes early.

Also, the 1426 GMV-PAD terminated at Oxford due to lack of a member of train crew being displaced by earlier delays.

So, in summary, we had one train at a stand at Charlbury, another at the signal just outside Charlbury, another at Ascott-u-Wychwood and another at Moreton-in-Marsh.

Thu 4 Jul 2013, 21:45

I had a look at your link, Richard. Thanks. It does bug me, however, that they think the problem was due to Charlbury's single line.

Thu 4 Jul 2013, 16:06 (last edited on Thu 4 Jul 2013, 16:07)

I was travelling to Charlbury from Reading and the 12.52 was announced as being 24 min late. With each succeeding announcement a few more minutes were added but the reason given was always the same: it was "due to an earlier broken down train" tho' they didn't say where. Eventually, when it got to 50 min late I took a Cross Country train to Oxford then came to Charlbury by bus via Witney where I had intended to go from Charlbury to do some shopping. The only disadvantage I suffered was having to carry a heavy rucksack through Witney.And thank you, Gordon Brown, for an OAP bus pass.

But, having been delayed by over an hour the previous Friday by a signalling problem at Redhill, I am seeking compensation from FGW for each malfunction of the service.

Thu 4 Jul 2013, 15:17

Dug around a bit and found this forum explanation, which is illuminating if you can screen out all the usual "he said"/"she said" forum arguments. In brief: passenger pulled emergency alarm, brakes then wouldn't come off again, eventually fixed but FGW Control appear to have been vacillating about whether to let the train go.

Thu 4 Jul 2013, 10:34

Can anyone enlighten me about the outcome of the broken-down 7:30 am train to London on Monday? My husband fell foul when it was still clogging the platform over an hour later, and my friend coming from Oxford couldn't get here at 10 except by taxi. Later, her return train was also cancelled at 3-ish. As far as I can tell, each subsequent train was treated as though the breakdown had just occurred, and neither buses nor taxis were immediately available. A fiasco of unbelievable incompetence. So, who enjoyed normal service on Monday?