The Ticket Collector

Track defect in the Welwyn Area

Between Stevenage and London Kings Cross

Train services between Stevenage and London Kings Cross are being disrupted due to a track defect in the Welwyn area.
Delays can be expected. Only south-bound train services are affected by this problem.

Its that Friday Feeling.

Ok so what the hell was going on today.

Lets see, well the major thing was a signalling problem at Kings Cross. The Signal box was unable to use platforms 7 to 11 due to signalling issues.

We also have had a GNER break down on the approach to Potters Bar with a Techincal Problem, at the moment this is all I know.

Another train broke down in Stevenage station, this was fixed pretty quickly.

This morning speed restrictions were in effect due to Swans on the Line in the Peterborough area, there was a reported person on the track also.

We have had further signalling problems at Darlington, also someone drove into a bridge near Northallerton, this was causing huge delays to GNER services.

Major Changes to FCC/GNER/Hull Trains in April&May

Traveling on the East Coast Mainline on any Saturday or Sunday in April or May? Or traveling over the Easter weekend?

Then please be aware that there will be major changes to normal timetables.

Due to the fact that there are lots and lots of changes and different diversions in place we have decided it is easier to post them all on a seperate page of their own.

These changes will affect First Capital Connect, GNER and Hull Trains. There maybe possible overcrowding on Midland Mainline Services.

http://www.theticketcollector.co.uk/wordpress/gn_changes/

Buses replace trains between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage (via Welwyn Garden City) every Saturday and Sunday between 31 March and 19 May.
On all Saturdays and Sundays, no trains will operate between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage via Welwyn Garden City or between Hertford North and Stevenage. A reduced train service will operate between London and Hertford North, calling at all stations, and between London, Stevenage and stations to the north.
A replacement bus service will operate in both directions between Alexandra Palace and Welwyn Garden City calling at all stations.
Additionally a limited stop bus service will operate to/from Finsbury Park calling at Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Knebworth and Stevenage (and vice versa).
A replacement bus will also operate between Hertford North, Watton at Stone and Stevenage. Trains to/from King’s Lynn will only operate north of Royston (where train connections to/from London will be available).

Major service alterations due to the closure of all lines in the Stevenage area
All lines in the Stevenage area will be closed as follows:
Saturday 21 April: After 1415
Sunday 22 April: All day
Saturday 28 April: After 1415
Sunday 29 April: Until 0915
Saturday 5 May: After 1415
Sunday 6 May: All day
Saturday 12 May: After 1415
Sunday 13 May: Until 0915
Saturday 26 May: After 1515
Sunday 27 May: All day
Bank Holiday Monday 28 May: Until 1200

At these times, services on the Great Northern route will be completely revised.
Great Northern route tickets will also be accepted on the Thameslink route for equivalent journeys on these weekends. Where buses replace trains, journeys times will be significantly increased.

Customers travelling between London and stations Hitchin to Peterborough and stations Hitchin to Foxton, First Capital Connect train services will operate between Peterborough and Hitchin and between Foxton and Hitchin.
Between Hitchin and Luton Airport Parkway a frequent replacement bus service will operate. Connections by First Capital Connect train services will be available between Luton Airport Parkway and London§. In London, First Capital Connect trains will serve St Pancras (Sunday only) King’s Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink (Saturday Only), Blackfriars and London Bridge.

§On Sunday 29 April only, Thameslink route services will only operate north of West Hampstead Thameslink. Jubilee Line connections will be available between West Hampstead and central London.

Customers travelling between London and stations Cambridge to King’s Lynn First Capital Connect train services will operate between King’s Lynn and Cambridge. We advise customers travelling to/from London to use ‘one’ services between Cambridge and London. In London ‘one’ services will serve Tottenham Hale§ (for Victoria Line connections to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street.

§Due to engineering work, on Sunday 6 May only, the interchange between ‘one’ services and the Victoria Line will be at Seven Sisters not Tottenham Hale

Customers travelling between London and Stevenage A rail replacement bus service will operate between Stevenage and
Hertford North. Limited stop First Capital Connect train services will operate between Hertford North and London King’s Cross.

Customers travelling between London and Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North and Knebworth. A rail replacement bus service will operate between Knebworth, Welwyn North, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Cuffley and
between Potters Bar and Cuffley. Limited stop First Capital Connect train services will operate between Cuffley and London King’s Cross.

Customers travelling between London, Finsbury Park and stations New Southgate to Welham Green. Rail replacement buses will operate between Alexandra Palace and Welham Green calling at all stations. However we recommend that customers travelling to/from Welham Green, Brookmans Park and Potters Bar connect at Potters Bar with the Potters Bar - Cuffley bus service (for rail services between Cuffley and London).

Additionally, customers may travel on the Piccadilly line between Cockfosters and London King’s Cross or on the Northern Line between High Barnet and London King’s Cross.

Customers travelling between London and all stations to Hertford North.
A regular rail service will operate between London and Hertford North, calling at all stations.

Major service alterations due to the closure of all lines in the London King’s Cross area over the Easter Weekend, Saturday 7 to Monday 9 April 2007.
From approximately 2200 on Saturday 7 April until approximately 0900 on Monday 9 April all lines in the London King’s Cross area will be closed:
Services on the Great Northern route will be completely revised.

Great Northern route tickets will be accepted on the Thameslink route for equivalent journeys on these weekends. Where buses replace trains, journey times will be significantly increased.

Customers travelling between London and stations Hitchin to Peterborough and stations Hitchin to Foxton.
First Capital Connect train services will operate between Peterborough and Hitchin and between Foxton and Hitchin.
Between Hitchin and Luton Airport Parkway a frequent replacement bus service will operate. Connections by First Capital Connect train services will be available between Luton Airport Parkway and London. In London, First Capital Connect trains will serve St Pancras (Sunday only) King’s Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink (Monday only), Blackfriars and London Bridge.

Customers travelling between London and stations Cambridge to King’s Lynn.
First Capital Connect train services will operate between King’s Lynn and Cambridge. We advise customers travelling to/from London to use ‘one’ services between Cambridge and London. In London ‘one’ services will serve Tottenham Hale (for Victoria Line connections to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street.
Customers travelling between London and stations Hatfield to Stevenage.
A rail replacement bus service will operate between Stevenage, Knebworth, Welwyn North, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and St Albans. First Capital Connect train services will operate between St Albans and London. In London, these trains will serve King’s Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink (Monday only), Blackfriars and London Bridge.

Customers travelling between London and stations Gordon Hill to Watton-at-Stone.
First Capital Connect train services will operate between Gordon Hill and all stations to Watton-at-Stone. Rail replacement buses will operate between Gordon Hill and Oakwood. At Oakwood, Piccadilly Line services will be available to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross. Additionally, customers may travel on ‘one’ Services between Hertford East, Tottenham Hale (for Victoria Line to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street.

Customers travelling between London and stations Finsbury Park to Welham Green and stations Bowes Park to Enfield Chase.
Rail replacement buses will operate between Turnpike Lane, Alexandra Palace and all stations to Welham Green and between Turnpike Lane, Alexandra Palace and all stations to Enfield Chase. At Turnpike Lane, Piccadilly Line services will be available to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross. Additionally, customers may travel on the Piccadilly line between Cockfosters and London King’s Cross, on the Northern Line between High Barnet and London King’s Cross or on ‘one’ Services between Enfield Town, Seven Sisters (for Victoria Line to/from Finsbury Park and London King’s Cross) and Liverpool Street. Customers travelling to/from Harringay and Hornsey should use local bus routes 29 and W3 or Piccadilly Line services.

http://www.theticketcollector.co.uk/wordpress/gn_changes/

Major engineering work on the Great Northern route

Major engineering work will be taking place on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays in April and May.

Services to most destinations will be affected and, where buses replace trains, journey times will be considerably extended.

All day on every Saturday and Sunday between 31 March and 19 May, buses will replace trains between Alexandra Palace and Stevenage via Welwyn Garden City. i.e. the Main East Coast Mainline

Over the Easter weekend, major engineering work will mean that no trains will operate to or from Kings Cross. Rail replacement buses will operate with some journeys being made via the Thameslink route.

On certain weekends, major engineering work will mean that no trains will operate in the Stevenage area. Rail replacement buses will operate with some journeys being made via the Thameslink route.

Huntingdon Problems this morning.

Train services were being disrupted this morning due to a broken down GNER service in the Holme junction area. It was reported that the 0710 Kings Cross to Leeds GNER service had a problem with its pantograph and the safety systems kicked in and downed the Pantograph. The special thunderbird unit was summoned from Peterborough at 0840 to ‘resuce’ the GNER train and it was shunted to Peterborough.
At 0916 Single Line Working was introduced between Connington and Stilton with FCC services terminating at Huntingdon and GNER carrying passengers onwards to Peterborough.

All lines were re-opened at around 1115 at normal line speed.

Its them damn Overheads again.

Between London Kings Cross and StevenageTrain services between London Kings Cross and Stevenage are being disrupted due to overhead wire problems in the Welwyn Garden City area.
Delays can be expected. Only north-bound train services are affected by this problem.

Nice to know that National Rails website says nothing about it isnt it! This information was taken from GNER’s internal delays website. I think there are still problems with the Electrical Supply so passengers for Brookmans Park, Welham Green and Hatfield should travel to Welwyn Garden City and change there for southbound connections.

Edit: I see now that National Rails website has now decided to update us all on the problem: “First Capital Connect services from Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City are unable to call at Brookmans Park, Welham Green, and Hatfield. Passengers for Brookmans Park, Welham Green and Hatfield are advised to travel to Welwyn Garden City and change there for London-bound connections.”

The power on the overhead lines on the fast line away from London keeps tripping out and as such all electric trains are being diverted on to the slow lines, this is resulting in delays of around 10 mins. London Morgate to Welwyn Garden City services are not calling at Brookmans Park, Welham Green, and Hatfield, however in the other direction towards Morgate the services are calling at all stations as booked.

The power supply issues will be fixed by ways of an emergency track posession overnight and everything should be back to normal by around 05:00 tomorrow morning.

Updated: Signallers Strike Action 7th to 9th March 2007

Posted: 08March2007Ok so now we know the full extent of the strike action which is taking place at the moment. You can read the details below as to why the strike is taking place.

GNER services have not really been affected with most of their services starting/finishing at Berwick on Tweed or Newcastle.

Affected services include many First ScotRail services, with all the Scottish Sleeper Services being CANCELLED tonight (Thursday 08 March).

Their will be a service operating between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street which is due to run every 30 minutes for the duration of the dispute. The last train is scheduled to leave Glasgow at 1800, while the last departure from Edinburgh will be at 1745.

Very reduced services are operating between Edinburgh and Fife, Bathgate, North Berwick and Stirling.

Some services from Glasgow will run on reduced timetables, most services have been cancelled until Friday afternoon.

The routes to Whifflet, Paisley Canal, Dumfries and Carlisle, Wemyss Bay and the Cathcart circle are suspended until Friday Evening. There are no services between Aberdeen and Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. Services from Inverness to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Wick, Thurso and Kyle of Lochalsh have also been cancelled.

The other cancelled services include those between Perth and Glasgow and those from Edinburgh to West Calder, Newcraighall and Glasgow via Shotts.

As always TheTicketCollector.co.uk will aim to keep you up to date.

Posted: 05March2007
Supervisory and signalling staff employed by Network Rail have voted for strike action in Scotland from noon on Wednesday 7 March to noon on Friday 9 March 2007.

This means that GNER and First ScotRail services will be affected.

The Overnight Sleeper Services to and From Scotland have been Cancelled.

A limited service will operate on GNER from stations in England to Edinburgh Waverley, GNER services to/from Inverness, Aberdeen and Glasgow Central will not operate during the strike period.

GNER has closed reservations for journeys in Scotland for Wednesday 7th, Thursday 8th and Friday 9th March. So GNER has no need to worry about replacing the printer which never works anyway.

Passengers are advised to contact the Company where they purchased their tickets for further information.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that as a result the union was also in the process of balloting all signal workers for strike action

“Network Rail management in Scotland have shown that they not prepared to negotiate sensibly on a number of issues in dispute but choose instead to ignore the genuine concerns of our members,” said Bob Crow.

“The company has failed to honour an agreement on the introduction of the 35-hour week and attempted at some locations to introduce eight-hour rosters in place of the existing 12-hour turns.

“NR managers have also cancelled safety briefing days and unilaterally sought to alter rosters and have been carrying out rule-book testing in signal boxes contrary to assurances that this would not be done.

“This kind of testing is being used by managers to intimidate and penalize staff and it is causing stress to our members who already undertake very important and difficult jobs.

“It is not too late for the management in Scotland to stop attempting to browbeat staff and to engage constructively with this union,” Bob Crow said.