Serious Signal Failure at Stansted Airport 15 & 16 Feb

0900 till end of day yesterday only about 6 trains ran through to Stansted Airport, today hourly from LivSt, nothing from Cambridge.

Anyone know what has caused such a major/ lengthy failure?

Track circuit failures necessitating pilotman working over the single line on the approach to Stansted Airport.

Flooding in the tunnel caused by a build up of debris in the drainage we were told. Cleared two sacks of it on Friday but the problem persisted. Further work was going to be done over the next few days with the service being thinned out to/from the airport. Another complete block took place last night to finally & hopefully rectify things.

Spoke to soon. Heavy rain and it’s gone again this morning. Pilot working being re-introduced & a maximum of 2tph.

Interestingly Norwich-Stansted Airport services are diverting to/from Bishops Stortford. I cannot honestly remember the last time Bishops Stortford had direct trains to Norwich. Probably pre-electrification in the late 80s. Trains will have to run DOO as Norwich conductors do not sign south of Airport North Junction.

Now the above is getting thwarted too. Audley End tunnels are flooded so job stopped completely.

dk1 said:

Interestingly Norwich-Stansted Airport services are diverting to/from Bishops Stortford. I cannot honestly remember the last time Bishops Stortford had direct trains to Norwich. Probably pre-electrification in the late 80s.

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And that was Sunday's only !!

I used to pretty much camp out on Cambridge station from the mid 80's to 1990 and AFAIA there never was a direct Bishop's Stortford - Norwich service per say. However, on a Sunday morning's the London Liverpool Street - Norwich services used to be diverted via Cambridge and would call at Bishop's Stortford. At a guess this was because the Great Eastern Mainline was closed for engineering work (electrification?).

I have a sneaky suspicion that they stopped before the late 80's, as I can remember the services circa 85/86 but can't remember them in 88 when the wires has come to Cambridge.

I have just checked the GBTTs covering May 1984 until the October 1986/May 1987 issue. There was an 07.xx Bishops Stortford to Norwich/Gt.Yarmouth, the time and destination varied from year to year. There was also an 06.xx Norwich to Liverpool St. via Cambridge but that didn't call at Bishops Stortford after October 1986. I have not looked at any timetables earlier than May 1984.

62484GlenLyon said:

I have just checked the GBTTs covering May 1984 until the October 1986/May 1987 issue. There was an 07.xx Bishops Stortford to Norwich/Gt.Yarmouth, the time and destination varied from year to year. There was also an 06.xx Norwich to Liverpool St. via Cambridge but that didn't call at Bishops Stortford after October 1986. I have not looked at any timetables earlier than May 1984.

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I never knew that, but then again I was on my way to school when it went through Cambridge.

62484GlenLyon said:

I have just checked the GBTTs covering May 1984 until the October 1986/May 1987 issue. There was an 07.xx Bishops Stortford to Norwich/Gt.Yarmouth, the time and destination varied from year to year. There was also an 06.xx Norwich to Liverpool St. via Cambridge but that didn't call at Bishops Stortford after October 1986. I have not looked at any timetables earlier than May 1984.

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Regular London-Norwich via Cambridge trains ended around 1958, barring a couple of services which were primarily mails/parcels.

62484GlenLyon said:

I have just checked the GBTTs covering May 1984 until the October 1986/May 1987 issue. There was an 07.xx Bishops Stortford to Norwich/Gt.Yarmouth, the time and destination varied from year to year. There was also an 06.xx Norwich to Liverpool St. via Cambridge but that didn't call at Bishops Stortford after October 1986. I have not looked at any timetables earlier than May 1984.

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If you’ve got 1981-1983 that may throw up some Liverpool St - Norwich services via Cambridge.

30907 said:

Regular London-Norwich via Cambridge trains ended around 1958, barring a couple of services which were primarily mails/parcels.

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Sorry but that's incorrect. I can remember writing down the carriage numbers of the air con stock (Mk 2 D) on the services which used to come through on a Sunday Morning.* I suggest you check a old timetable because I know they were in the timetable at that time (unfortunately I lost them in a house move years ago).

*Cambridge only used to see Mk 2 stock, hence why I remember the services, plus Cambridge didn't have that many direct services to Norwich, as you normally had to change at Ely !

Edit: I see the Great Eastern mainline was electrified from Ipswich to Norwich between 1985 and 1987. And i think this is why the services ran via Cambridge, as there were regular Sat night Sun mornings (until midday-ish) possessions on the GE to facilitate the electrification.

306024 said:

If you’ve got 1981-1983 that may throw up some Liverpool St - Norwich services via Cambridge.

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Is that Sunday only ? Or Mon-Sat ?

As I used to see the Sundays only Liv St - Norwich services circa 1985/86.

Steve Harris said:

Is that Sunday only ? Or Mon-Sat ?

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Mon-Fri. 09.36 / 13.36 / 18.05 from Liverpool St maybe, can’t recall the balancing workings, or if they ran on Saturdays.

62484GlenLyon said:

I have just checked the GBTTs covering May 1984 until the October 1986/May 1987 issue. There was an 07.xx Bishops Stortford to Norwich/Gt.Yarmouth, the time and destination varied from year to year. There was also an 06.xx Norwich to Liverpool St. via Cambridge but that didn't call at Bishops Stortford after October 1986. I have not looked at any timetables earlier than May 1984.

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Yes remember the 07:xx Stortford to Norwich which was extended to Yarmouth in summer. Also running in 1985 was the 06:43 Norwich-Liverpool St via Cambridge & 18:05 return both of which were SX.