The Ticket Collector

Notwork Rail overuns again

Ok so its a bank holiday and the weather outside is well stormy to say the least, its raining and some of the Thameslink route is flooded.

But to top it all, as with all bank holidays Notwork Rail has decided to improve the track and completly shut down the line.
However today they decided at the last minute they were going to over run and not give back the line to the signallers at the correct time.

This caused huge nock on delays, and a few services were cancelled, other services were running with up to 1 hours delays.

Overhead wire problem at Farringdon

This problem is now cleared

There are some electrical supply problems in the Farringdon area, this is currently affecting all Thameslink services which use Kings Cross Thameslink, Farringdon, City Thameslink.

Services are being terminated short, and cancelations are expected. Delays of up to 1 hour are likley. FCC tickets are being accepted on reasonable routes using the London Underground.

Estimated time of ‘normal’ train service is 1-2 hours.

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/

Save 20% on most items from station shops.

Thanks to a comment on a fellow bloggers site GNER Commuter, you are able to get 20% off on items from most stores on railway stations.
The Card is called a BITE card and can be ordered from http://www.bitecard.co.uk.

This gives 20% most items from retail outlets on Railway Stations, The site has a list of what accepts the card.

Severe Delays to FCC services tonight.

Final Update: 2156
Information for traveling tomorrow is limited and patchy at the moment. The Hertford loop remains closed due to Overhead Lines needing replacing. Hertford Loop line will remain closed until approx midday.

TL Route is expected to run to a timetabled service.

GN Route is still suffering delays, and the last trains tonight on FCC are as follows:
LAST TRAIN TO CAMBRIDGE LEAVES KINGS CROSS AT 22:30
LAST TRAIN TO PETERBOROUGH LEAVES KINGS CROSS AT 22:40

Next time I have any information will be tommorrow morning so please do check back in the morning.
Update: 1836
FCC are slowly opening up the GN route this evening, but customers are still advised to seek alternative means of travel if they can.

The services FCC are currently aiming to operate are:
One train per hour King’s Cross to Peterborough. (Stopping at Finsbury Park, Stevenage, all stations to Peterborough).
One train per hour King’s Cross to Cambridge (Stopping at Finsbury Park, Stevenage, all stations to Royston, then Cambridge).
Two trains per hour between Welwyn Garden City and Cambridge.
Two trains per hour between Welwyn Garden City and Peterborough.
Moorgate to Bowes Park two trains per hour.
King’s Cross to Bowes Park two trains per hour.
Cambridge to King’s Lynn shuttle operating.

If you can delay your journey on the GN route, pelase do. Your FCC tickets are valid on LUL tubes and trains.

Update: 1730
It is unlikely that FCC will be able to operate any trains for the majority of this evening on the GN route.

FCC are working as hard as possible with Network Rail to open the main line and we may be able to operate something later this evening.

If you can delay your journey on the GN route, pelase do. Your FCC tickets are valid on LUL tubes and trains.
First Capital Connect have decided that there will be no service between Watton at Stone and Bowes Park this evening. The entire Hertford Loop branch is closed due to Overhead Line problems.

Update: 1603
First Capital Connect have now issued an Emergency Statement on their website, timed at 15:54

FCC Emergency Announcement
Last Update: 18/01/2007 15:54:23
Nature of Incident: SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS

First Capital Connect services are badly affected due to the severe weather conditions today, we are working closely with Network Rail to restore services as soon as we can.

There are currently no services operating on the GN route, but we are confident services will be restored in the near future.

On the TL route, there are 2 trains operating per hour:

Bedford - Brighton
Departing Bedford at xx25 and xx57

Brighton - Bedford
Departing Brighton at xx07 xx37

Luton to Sutton: full service

Update: 1542
I have been told that the bits of Huntington Station on the line has now been cleared and services can run as far as Stevenage
It is confirmed that Kings Cross station has had some of its station building fall down, it is not known if this has fallen on a track, taken down overheads, or not.
The Overhead wires at Huntingdon which were flapping loose have now been ‘fixed’.

There are still trees on the line in the New Barnet area, these have taken down the Overheads with them and NR are trying to restore power. ETA 17:00hrs

Leeds to Doncaster on the East Coast Mainline is blocked, at the moment we do not know the cause but belive this is due to Overhead Line problems.
At York a train has gotten its pantograph stuck in one of the side platforms.
The Signal Box which has caught fire and blown up somewhere on the East Coast Main Line remains unconfirmed.

And to top it all the A1 main road is now blocked due to an acident.

15:21
Services are suspended and at a stand due to various operating incidents.

I have edited this blog entry a few times and as such have lost some of the original content I am afraid.