Unusual working heading north now on the ECML.
Heading north on a1 between Darlington and Durham where the two run parallel - it was an electric 3 carriage scotrail.

Edit: www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K98020/2013/05/09/advanced This was it

There's been a few problems on the ECML today. Someone hit by a train in the York area I believe. I got the 16.00 HST back from Kings Cross though, and there were no issues then.

Massive closure/diversion on the ECML today.
Everything diverted via Lincoln, Sleaford and Spalding to Peterbrough.

The Retford, Newark and Grantham section is quiet as a result.

Edit: strange, some stuff is getting through via Retford, Newark and Grantham, but other trains are being diverted...

Punctuality problems on the ECML over the summer and a short article about it from the BBC.

Www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24178232

There was a piece on the lunchtime Look North news about punctuality on the line. There's a bigger report on the 6:30 news if anyone's interested.

Amyway, it said that the three biggest delays this year were caused because of the actual line and the overhead wires. They interviewed a bloke from Network Rail and he said that the line is "worn" and "old", so it makes you wonder if its more beneficial to significantly upgrade the ECML and WCML instead of wasting goodness knows how many billions of pounds on HS2.

(29 Oct 2013, 2:05 pm)Adam wrote There was a piece on the lunchtime Look North news about punctuality on the line. There's a bigger report on the 6:30 news if anyone's interested.

Amyway, it said that the three biggest delays this year were caused because of the actual line and the overhead wires. They interviewed a bloke from Network Rail and he said that the line is "worn" and "old", so it makes you wonder if its more beneficial to significantly upgrade the ECML and WCML instead of wasting goodness knows how many billions of pounds on HS2.

When the ECML was electrified in the late 80's, it was done on the cheap.
20 years on, it regularly fails.

Whether HS2 comes along or not, there needs to be a massive investment into the ECML, just to keep it going.

They really need to look at the capacity too. It's beyond me why they' haven't yet announced reopening the Leamside line. Even if they shoved freight along it.

www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131112/halltext/131112h0001.htm#13111244000001

Text of debate on future of ECML led by local MP Sharon Hodgson.

(29 Oct 2013, 5:34 pm)aureolin wrote They really need to look at the capacity too. It's beyond me why they' haven't yet announced reopening the Leamside line. Even if they shoved freight along it.

Reopening the Leamside line will be a tad more expensive since there is no longer any track.

(13 Nov 2013, 10:00 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Reopening the Leamside line will be a tad more expensive since there is no longer any track.

Would the track not have needed replacing anyway, due to no use in the best part of 25 years...

(14 Nov 2013, 9:16 am)fozzovmurton wrote Would the track not have needed replacing anyway, due to no use in the best part of 25 years...

Apart from the few miles of track that was stolen from Penshaw, the signalling/cabling would have needed replacing too.

I live in hope that it will be re-opened, but like QCS, I think it is doomed to failure because the powers that be, don't live in the real world.

(14 Nov 2013, 12:39 pm)andreos1 wrote Apart from the few miles of track that was stolen from Penshaw, the signalling/cabling would have needed replacing too.

I live in hope that it will be re-opened, but like QCS, I think it is doomed to failure because the powers that be, don't live in the real world.

I agree whole heartedly with the final paragraph. The labour party glove puppets are nearly as far out of this world as the Tory scumbags. What happened to Sharon Hodgson's metro campaign? That appears to have died a death, and she hasn't paid an ounce of notice to QCS. Too wrapped up in the Surestart stuff.

(14 Nov 2013, 12:39 pm)andreos1 wrote Apart from the few miles of track that was stolen from Penshaw, the signalling/cabling would have needed replacing too.

I live in hope that it will be re-opened, but like QCS, I think it is doomed to failure because the powers that be, don't live in the real world.

There was also the problem of landslips and vegetation made parts of it look like a forest, I walked the line from Sulgrave to Penshaw a few years ago with my dog and it was in a very sorry state indeed...

I can certainly see the need for it, even if it is only for freight and the ocassional diversion for the ECML and Durham Coast Services, it would free up paths between Newcastle and Northallerton and Newcastle and Hartlepool by using the Leamside and the Stillington Branch

(14 Nov 2013, 3:38 pm)fozzovmurton wrote There was also the problem of landslips and vegetation made parts of it look like a forest, I walked the line from Sulgrave to Penshaw a few years ago with my dog and it was in a very sorry state indeed...

I can certainly see the need for it, even if it is only for freight and the ocassional diversion for the ECML and Durham Coast Services, it would free up paths between Newcastle and Northallerton and Newcastle and Hartlepool by using the Leamside and the Stillington Branch

The track is the clearest it has been for years these days.
A lot of trees and vegetation were cleared when the lines were removed.

http://www.passengertransport.co.uk/2015...prospects/
New model for ORR applications

http://orr.gov.uk/news-and-media/news-an...-main-line

New services approved.

London - Edinburgh Open Access Service approved with Newcastle and Morpeth named on the stopping list  
Fares look exciting.....

More info on the above and more below
http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/mai...vices.html

VTEC have tweeted about delays near Peterborough, due to a train fire.

They have clarified it isn't one of theirs.

(01 Jun 2016, 3:42 pm)Andreos1 wrote VTEC have tweeted about delays near Peterborough, due to a train fire.

They have clarified it isn't one of theirs.

Tried having a look on the maps earlier but couldn't find an obvious one. All sorted now, normal working resumed.

(01 Jun 2016, 3:42 pm)Andreos1 wrote VTEC have tweeted about delays near Peterborough, due to a train fire.

They have clarified it isn't one of theirs.

(01 Jun 2016, 4:15 pm)northern156 wrote Tried having a look on the maps earlier but couldn't find an obvious one. All sorted now, normal working resumed.

It'll be one of those bloody freight trains no doubt...

(01 Jun 2016, 5:14 pm)Adrian wrote It'll be one of those bloody freight trains no doubt...

Exactly!

Believed to be an East Midlands Trains unit (158 i think based on the location).

(01 Jun 2016, 6:40 pm)S813 FVK wrote Believed to be an East Midlands Trains unit (158 i think based on the location).

Part of me thought it could have been a GC 180. Have you felt the heat of those things in the vestibules and even more so in the toilet? Absolutely ridiculous!

Hope the train and everyone was ok.

(01 Jun 2016, 7:29 pm)8222 wrote Part of me thought it could have been a GC 180. Have you felt the heat of those things in the vestibules and even more so in the toilet? Absolutely ridiculous!

Hope the train and everyone was ok.

Yes, Though it came in very handy when I had one on the 1918 off Kings Cross one very freezing January Evening!

91110 has brought the Overhead wires down around the Retford area - HST services are diverting via Lincoln and Rail Replacement services are running between Retford and Doncaster.

Does anyone know why the electricity was turned off on the ECML last night between Doncaster and Newark? Safety issues were cited on the Virgin app

(06 Jun 2016, 4:11 pm)8222 wrote Does anyone know why the electricity was turned off on the ECML last night between Doncaster and Newark? Safety issues were cited on the Virgin app

Not sure but it could be due to the incident 91110 had the other day around Newark, It brought down the Wires.
So only reason I could think of is NRs Rail Crew is out fixing it, Which requires the OLE to be turned off.

Or it could've been something else

(02 Jun 2016, 12:22 pm)S813 FVK wrote 91110 has brought the Overhead wires down around the Retford area - HST services are diverting via Lincoln and Rail Replacement services are running between Retford and Doncaster.

I fell victim to this on thursday evening with a delay of 25 Minutes on my Train which was due depart Edinburgh at 19:35pm, instead it left at 8pm with a mad scramble to Platform 19 by some 600+ Passengers I would say, over half of which were not supposed be on that train, VTEC rather kindly scrapped all reservations for this journey which meant I lost my seat which paid £17 for, furthermore I spent 2 and a half hours almost standing all the way back to Newcastle, safe to say I will logging a complaint to VTEC when I have the time to do so as it was absolute utter chaos.

(06 Jun 2016, 7:49 pm)Malarkey wrote I fell victim to this on thursday evening with a delay of 25 Minutes on my Train which was due depart Edinburgh at 19:35pm, instead it left at 8pm with a mad scramble to Platform 19 by some 600+ Passengers I would say, over half of which were not supposed be on that train, VTEC rather kindly scrapped all reservations for this journey which meant I lost my seat which paid £17 for, furthermore I spent 2 and a half hours almost standing all the way back to Newcastle, safe to say I will logging a complaint to VTEC when I have the time to do so as it was absolute utter chaos.

What else could they do?  Trains were stuck and they had masses amount of people which needed to travel.

(06 Jun 2016, 7:57 pm)citaro5284 wrote What else could they do?  Trains were stuck and they had masses amount of people which needed to travel.

I understand that was nothing else they could do, but at least prioritising passengers who were booked to be on that train, should of be let on first would of been better, before accommodating those who were supposed be on trains in the hours before and after my train, wouldnt of been as many complaints then would there.