Any news on what the "mainline problems" were that cancelled all
Heathrow Express trains today? I got to the T123 platform about 1155 to
go to T4, to find the platform crowded. We were told that the 1159 train
had been cancelled because of a broken-down train on the main line and the
HE having to be returned to Paddington. At 1204 we were told that the 1214
had left Paddington, the line had been cleared, and the train would arrive
in about 8 minutes. Around 1215 we were told the train had entered the tunnel
and would be there in four minutes. Twenty minutes later, the announcement
came that the train had not, in fact, entered the tunnel, it was blocked
by "mainline problems" and there would be no more trains in either direction
for the foreseeable future.

I skedaddled for the Central Bus station and was 3rd in line for
a 55x bus, but there is only one of each (of three) per hour on Sundays.
I made it that they should come at 01, 21 and 41 past the hour; it was now
1235. By 1250 hordes of American tourists had found the bus-stop too,
with lots of large bags and no idea of the queueing system. I found myself
behind a dozen or so tourists and a couple of tonnes of luggage and no sight
of a bus -- my flight was due to go at 1355... A US lass and I decided to
try for a taxi instead, so we found the taxi rank, and _its_ queue. By
the time we made the head of the queue it stretched way, way back. £20
later I presented myself for priority check-in at T4, and found myself
arriving at Gate 17 some little while after boarding had commenced. I've
never been that close to missing a flight before...

Ironically, I was ready to leave home 20 minutes early (the U3
buses come every 20 minutes on Sunday) but decided not to catch the earlier
bus than I had planned. If I had, I would have been ahead of all the mayhem
and checked-in two hours early. :-/

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Room 40-1-B12, CERN
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

In article ,
Dr Ivan D. Reid wrote:
Any news on what the "mainline problems" were that cancelled all
Heathrow Express trains today?

Signalling Problems between T4 and Hayes according to National Rail
(reported at 08:30). Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays
can be expected until further notice.

David

I travelled from Oxford to Paddington today, which took 2 hours. I
heard from another passenger there had been a suicide on the line at
Southall, but I don't know if that was actually the case.



Dr Ivan D. Reid wrote:
Any news on what the "mainline problems" were that cancelled all
Heathrow Express trains today? I got to the T123 platform about 1155 to
go to T4, to find the platform crowded. We were told that the 1159 train
had been cancelled because of a broken-down train on the main line and the
HE having to be returned to Paddington. At 1204 we were told that the 1214
had left Paddington, the line had been cleared, and the train would arrive
in about 8 minutes. Around 1215 we were told the train had entered the tunnel
and would be there in four minutes. Twenty minutes later, the announcement
came that the train had not, in fact, entered the tunnel, it was blocked
by "mainline problems" and there would be no more trains in either direction
for the foreseeable future.

I skedaddled for the Central Bus station and was 3rd in line for
a 55x bus, but there is only one of each (of three) per hour on Sundays.
I made it that they should come at 01, 21 and 41 past the hour; it was now
1235. By 1250 hordes of American tourists had found the bus-stop too,
with lots of large bags and no idea of the queueing system. I found myself
behind a dozen or so tourists and a couple of tonnes of luggage and no sight
of a bus -- my flight was due to go at 1355... A US lass and I decided to
try for a taxi instead, so we found the taxi rank, and _its_ queue. By
the time we made the head of the queue it stretched way, way back. £20
later I presented myself for priority check-in at T4, and found myself
arriving at Gate 17 some little while after boarding had commenced. I've
never been that close to missing a flight before...

Ironically, I was ready to leave home 20 minutes early (the U3
buses come every 20 minutes on Sunday) but decided not to catch the earlier
bus than I had planned. If I had, I would have been ahead of all the mayhem
and checked-in two hours early. :-/

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Room 40-1-B12, CERN
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

On 19 Jun 2005 14:37:36 -0700, Dubba
wrote in .com:
Dr Ivan D. Reid wrote:
Any news on what the "mainline problems" were that cancelled all
Heathrow Express trains today?[from 1159]

I travelled from Oxford to Paddington today, which took 2 hours. I
heard from another passenger there had been a suicide on the line at
Southall, but I don't know if that was actually the case.

That sounds more plausible than engineering works which were known
well in advance. Thanks. I was afraid it might have been a derailment
due to lines buckling in the heat.

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Room 40-1-B12, CERN

In message , Dr Ivan D. Reid
writes
On 19 Jun 2005 14:37:36 -0700, Dubba
wrote in .com:
Dr Ivan D. Reid wrote:
Any news on what the "mainline problems" were that cancelled all
Heathrow Express trains today?[from 1159]

I travelled from Oxford to Paddington today, which took 2 hours. I
heard from another passenger there had been a suicide on the line at
Southall, but I don't know if that was actually the case.

That sounds more plausible than engineering works which were known
well in advance. Thanks. I was afraid it might have been a derailment
due to lines buckling in the heat.

So that's why all us taxi drivers were so busy! The train problems were
also compounded by air traffic control problems resulting delayed
flights. As they say "it's an ill wind..." :-)

Of course if you take a taxi all the way then the driver has the option
of trying to find an alternative route if the main route is blocked.
With a train there's not usually such an option.

--
Mike Hughes
A Taxi driver licensed for London and Brighton
at home in Tarring, West Sussex, England

"Dr Ivan D. Reid" wrote in message
...
Any news on what the "mainline problems" were that cancelled all
Heathrow Express trains today? I got to the T123 platform about 1155 to
go to T4, to find the platform crowded. We were told that the 1159 train
had been cancelled because of a broken-down train on the main line and the
HE having to be returned to Paddington. At 1204 we were told that the
1214
had left Paddington, the line had been cleared, and the train would arrive
in about 8 minutes. Around 1215 we were told the train had entered the
tunnel
and would be there in four minutes. Twenty minutes later, the
announcement
came that the train had not, in fact, entered the tunnel, it was blocked
by "mainline problems" and there would be no more trains in either
direction
for the foreseeable future.

I skedaddled for the Central Bus station and was 3rd in line for
a 55x bus, but there is only one of each (of three) per hour on Sundays.
I made it that they should come at 01, 21 and 41 past the hour; it was now
1235. By 1250 hordes of American tourists had found the bus-stop too,
with lots of large bags and no idea of the queueing system. I found
myself
behind a dozen or so tourists and a couple of tonnes of luggage and no
sight
of a bus -- my flight was due to go at 1355... A US lass and I decided to
try for a taxi instead, so we found the taxi rank, and _its_ queue. By
the time we made the head of the queue it stretched way, way back. £20
later I presented myself for priority check-in at T4, and found myself
arriving at Gate 17 some little while after boarding had commenced. I've
never been that close to missing a flight before...

Ironically, I was ready to leave home 20 minutes early (the U3
buses come every 20 minutes on Sunday) but decided not to catch the
earlier
bus than I had planned. If I had, I would have been ahead of all the
mayhem
and checked-in two hours early. :-/

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS
Collaboration,
Brunel University. Room 40-1-B12,
CERN
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

why didn`t you get the tube to Hatton cross then get the rail replacement
bus to T4? could have done it in 10 minutes

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 08:57:38 +0100, Robert McCall
wrote in :

why didn`t you get the tube to Hatton cross then get the rail replacement
bus to T4? could have done it in 10 minutes

Unfortunately I don't carry all the alternatives in my head.

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Room 40-1-B12, CERN
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 08:50:56 +0100, Mike Hughes
wrote in :
In message , Dr Ivan D. Reid
writes
On 19 Jun 2005 14:37:36 -0700, Dubba
wrote in .com:
Dr Ivan D. Reid wrote:
Any news on what the "mainline problems" were that cancelled all
Heathrow Express trains today?[from 1159]

I travelled from Oxford to Paddington today, which took 2 hours. I
heard from another passenger there had been a suicide on the line at
Southall, but I don't know if that was actually the case.

That sounds more plausible than engineering works which were known
well in advance. Thanks. I was afraid it might have been a derailment
due to lines buckling in the heat.

So that's why all us taxi drivers were so busy! The train problems were
also compounded by air traffic control problems resulting delayed
flights. As they say "it's an ill wind..." :-)

It took a while for the news to filter through -- all the taxi drivers
were, "Gee, it'll cost you £20. Why don't you take the Heathrow Express
for free?"

Of course if you take a taxi all the way then the driver has the option
of trying to find an alternative route if the main route is blocked.
With a train there's not usually such an option.

I'm not sure if PPARC would wear me putting in a claim for a taxi
to T4 when a U3 gets me to the Central station for 80 p ... They have to
bite the cost for yesterday, though.

--
Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Room 40-1-B12, CERN
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

I travelled from Oxford to Paddington today, which took
2 hours. I heard from another passenger there had
been a suicide on the line at Southall, but I don't know
if that was actually the case.

The incident at Southall occured later in the afternoon and
I believe was cleared from the line quite quickly, so it can't
have caused the problems the OP refers to at Heathrow.

It will have caused delays on the GWML, though.


Matt Ashby
www.mattashby.com

Unfortunately I don't carry all the alternatives in my head.

The tube has been running to heathrow since 1975. How can someone
who has the intelligence to be a doctor be unaware of this fact?

B2003