The Ticket Collector

FCC Cancellations on Monday

Update 1400:
GN Route services are back to a near normal timetable service, and FCC hope to run an as timetabled service tonight.

TL Route services to/from Moorgate, Wimbledon and Sutton are operating as timetabled but are subject to delays. A number of Bedford/Brighton services previously listed as cancelled have been reinstated. FCC aim to run a near normal Bedford/Brighton evening peak service following Network Rail withdrawing speed restrictions on the Brighton Main Line.

The following services have been reinstated.
15:04 Brighton to Bedford
18:38 London Bridge to Brighton
13:10 Bedford to Brighton
13:40 Bedford to Brighton
14:10 Bedford to Brighton
14:40 Bedford to Brighton
15:10 Bedford to Brighton
17:36 Bedford to Brighton
17:00 Bedford to Three Bridges
16:04 Brighton to London Bridge
16:14 Brighton to Bedford
18:03 Brighton to Bedford
15:34 Brighton to Bedford
18:34 Brighton to Bedford
19:34 Brighton to Bedford
20:04 Brighton to Bedford
20:34 Brighton to Bedford

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Due to the severe Weather Warning which has been issued by the Met Office, First Capital Connect services will be running to an emergency timetable from Monday Morning.

Customers are advised not to travel Monday, and if essential to allow up to 30-60 minutes extra for their journeys.

Thameslink Route
The following Bedford to Brighton services will be cancelled:
Services departing Bedford at: 04:50, 05:40, 07:00, 08:04, 08:40, 09:10, 09:40, 10:10, 10:40, 11:10, 11:40, 12:10, 12:40, 13:10, 13:40, 14:10, 14:40, 15:10, 17:36.
The 17:00 Bedford to Three Bridges service and the 18:38 London Bridge to Brighton service will also both be cancelled

The following Brighton to Bedford will be cancelled:
Service departing Brighton at: 07:50, 08:16, 09:00, 09:34, 10:04, 10:34, 11:04, 11:34, 12:04, 12:34, 13:04, 13:34, 14:04, 14:34, 15:04, 15:34, 16:14, 17:23, 18:03, 18:34, 19:34, 20:04, 20:34
The 16:04 Brighton to London Bridge service will also be cancelled.

Please be aware that an Emergency Speed Restriction (due to weather conditions) will be imposed and as such this will cause knock on delays.

Great Northern Route
Services will run to an advertised timetable, but will be subject to delays and short notice cancellations.

Please be aware that an Emergency Speed Restriction (due to weather conditions) will be imposed and as such this will cause knock on delays.

NXEC HST broken down at Sandy

Update: Normal Services have resumed.

We are currently receiving reports that an NXEC HST train has caught fire between Hitchin and Sandy. This has now been confirmed as a MTU engine fire

There were several NXEC cancellations due to this:
10:35 London Kings Cross to Leeds due 12:54
11:10 London Kings Cross to Leeds due 13:41
11:35 London Kings Cross to Leeds due 13:55
12:40 Leeds to London Kings Cross due 15:05
13:40 Leeds to London Kings Cross due 15:58

10:30 London Kings Cross to Aberdeen due 17:38
11:30 London Kings Cross to Newcastle due 14:47
Both started from Peterborough

NXEC takes down the wires at Biggleswade AGAIN.

What was it NX promised when they took over GNER? A new era in train travel?

Well they certainly exceeded expectations today!!

Shortly after 12pm this afternoon reports came through of several sections of the overhead wires on the ECML tripping out.

Another train was sent to investigate and reported that the wires had come down and were wrapped around an NXEC pantograph.

The Notwork Rail overhead line team gave an ETA of 1 hour to arrive to check the lines. Shortly after this the slow lines in both directions were reopened to diesel traffic at 20mph.

NX as per normal decided in their infinite wisdom that everything was hunky dory and perfect until at 13:10 they finally added a message to their website. Though what that message was is anyone’s guess as it was just blank. At 13:15 the blank message turned into something of sense.
At the time of writing this entry the website is still showing the same message timed at 13:15. Nice to see that the people at NXEC know how to update the site.
NX also refused to add extra stops on their diesel services, stating that they would run to the timetable as normal.

Buses were ordered by FCC to take passengers between Stevenage, Hitchin and Peterborough. Services towards Cambridge were not affected at first. However after a while due to the trains being in the wrong places and NXEC trains hogging up the lines other operators services were delayed and then cancelled.

Eventually the go ahead was given to allow electric trains back on the slow lines at a maximum “coasting” speed of 40mph.

Services still had huge delays, due to their being only one line working instead of two and again due to the fact that NXEC trains were hogging up the lines.

Credit must be given to First Hull Trains for having the decency to stop at the little stations on the ECML such as Arlesey when they did not have to and could have run straight through these stations. NXEC could have so easily stopped at these stations but more then likely would have stated “that they would run to the timetable as normal.”

Compensation will be paid out as below.
First Capital Connect Claim Form

• Customers delayed on First Capital Connect services between 30 and 59 minutes will receive compensation of at least 50% of the cost of a single ticket or at least 50% of the cost of either portion of a return ticket (by ‘portion’ we mean either the outward or the return part of a return ticket).
• Customers delayed on First Capital Connect services over 60 will receive compensation of at least 100% of the cost of a single ticket or at least 100% of the cost of either portion of a return ticket (by ‘portion’ we mean either the outward or the return part of a return ticket).
• FCC Claim Form

NXEC Claim Form

• Customers delayed on National Express East Coast services between 30 and 59 minutes will receive compensation of at least 50% of the cost of a single ticket or at least 50% of the cost of either portion of a return ticket (by ‘portion’ we mean either the outward or the return part of a return ticket).
• Customers delayed on National Express East Coast services between 60 and 119 minutes will receive compensation of at least 100% of the cost of a single ticket or at least 100% of the cost of either portion of a return ticket (by ‘portion’ we mean either the outward or the return part of a return ticket).
• Customers delayed on National Express East Coast services for 120 minutes or longer will receive compensation of at least 100% of the cost of a single ticket or at least 100% of the cost of a return ticket (i.e. both ways, not just one way).
• NXEC Claim Form
  

Severe weather warning - Friday 1st and 2nd February.

Severe weather conditions have been forecast by the Met Office for the UK for Friday 1 and Saturday 2 February. The weather warning is valid from 0001 Friday 1st until 0600 Saturday 2nd February.

The Met Office continues to forecast colder weather to spread southwards across the UK during Friday and at first on Saturday giving heavy snow in places. Areas most at risk include Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland from early on Friday, extending to northern and central England and much of Wales on Friday afternoon, and perhaps into southern areas on Friday evening. Northern areas could see accumulations of 10cm of snow, with up to 20cm on higher ground, and blizzard conditions and snow drifts could occur in strong winds. Southern areas could see accumulations of 2 to 5cm of snow by Saturday morning. Disruption to transport and power networks is likely and the public are advised to take extra care. This warning will be updated by 1200 Friday 1st February unless superseded by Flash warnings.

Update on GN route disruption.

Services back to normal from this morning.

22:15
National Express East Coast services are now running in/out of London Kings Cross.

21:50
Services are now running into London Kings Cross, Services continue to be subject to delays and cancelations.

19:05
All services into or out of Moorgate have been cancelled for the rest of the evening.

Services to Welwyn Garden City and Hertford are starting and terminating at Alexandra Palace. People wishing to use these services are advised to take the Piccadilly line to Wood Green underground station and walk to Alexandra Palace station.

Passengers for Cambridge and stations to Kings Lynn are advised to use underground services to London Liverpool Street and then ‘one’ railway services to Cambridge and then catch connecting train services to continue their journey.

Customers for Stevenage, Peterborough, Letchworth, are advised to use underground services to Finsbury Park station for replacement bus services to Stevenage and then shuttle train services to continue their journey.

18:50
Tickets are now being accepted on FCC Thameslink and East Midlands Trains from St. Pancras via reasonable routes.

18:38
Due to a major signalling failure in the Finsbury Park area services are unable to get to Kings Cross or Moorgate. Stopper services (to Hertford North and Welwyn Garden City) are being terminated at Alexandra Palace for an underground/bus connection.

Fast train services are also stopping at Alexandra Palace for connections with the stopper services, with the exception of the 12 Carriage services which will not fit on the platform.

Tickets are being accepted on London Underground, ‘one’ trains from London Liverpool Street and London Buses.

This is affecting Grand Central, First Hull Trains, First Capital Connect and National Express East Coast.

Further information will be posted on here as and when it is available.

Major disruption on FCC tonight - TL&GN

Due to a major signalling failure in the Finsbury Park area Southbound trains are currently unable to reach King’s Cross or Moorgate stations. Services are subject to severe delays, alterations and cancellations.

Train service between St Albans and Bedford has been restored following an earlier signalling failure.Please allow extra time for your journey as there will be ongoing delays throughout the evening. Services are subject to alterations and cancellations.

First Capital Connect tickets will continue to be accepted on FCC Great Northern route services, London Midland trains, South West Trains, Southern trains and London Buses.

Network Rail works commence on East Coast Mainline

Dont even think about trying to travel by rail this christmas!

The East Coast Mainline is completely closed betwen Hitchin, Stevenage and Knebworth. This is due to Network Rail replacing points at Stevenage.

NXEC trains will be terminating at Peterborough with a luxury coach transfer to and from London.
HullTrains mght be running between Hull and Retford with a coach transfer to and from London.
GrandCentral (haha) will not be running any trains until the 27th December (no surprise there then).

First Captial Connect services will berunning between London and Welwyn for bus connections for the North, and also between Peterborough/Cambridge and Hitchin.

Services should get back to normal on the 27th December 2007, that is if Network Rail dont overrun which is rumored to happen according to a member of Network Rail staff we spoke to today.