Elizabeth Line - total loss of signalling 26/11

[ChristopherJ]

I'm surprised no one has reported this yet. One of the busiest rail lines in the UK has been closed all afternoon (and still is) and not a dicky bird. If it isn't about TPE cancellations or Northern penalty fares, you seemingly aren't interested.

The Elizabeth Line has had a massive single point failure of the Siemens CBTC signalling system - unable to get train detection in the whole Crossrail Core from Paddington to Abbey Wood. Still closed approaching 15:00.

According to a source within TfL "it's one of the worst signalling failures we've ever seen".

I haven't studied the Crossrail CBTC system, but I'm lead to believe it's structure is radio beacon rather than track circuit/axle counter based?

 

[crablab]

It's been closed since this morning. Bakerloo gate line was chaos.

 

[ijmad]

I haven't studied the Crossrail CBTC system, but I'm lead to believe it's structure is radio beacon rather than track circuit/axle counter based?I

I believe Trainguard MT uses a combination of onboard movement sensors on the trains (wheel rotation counters, inertia sensors, etc.) combined with occasional track balises for recalibration (but not a constant series of them like on ETCS), it then sends positioning information back to the control computers via radio.

No idea which of these parts have failed today and whether it's a hardware or software problem.

Sounds pretty catastrophic whatever has happened.

 

[Horizon22]

There were some issues yesterday with the system but it only partially failed where timetable data wasn’t properly feeding the CIS.

This morning the system totally failed and lost comms with trains and various things like interlocking so was unsafe to run. Was reset on multiple occasions with no success. It sounds like the exact nature of the fault has been hard to ascertain. Probably be closed for the rest of the day with a reduced service from Paddington out on GWML and Liverpool Street out on GEML.

I think TfL are right to call it one of the worst signalling failures they’ve ever seen!

 

[ChristopherJ]

Approaching 17:00 peak and not a single Elizabeth Line train in the whole COS according to Traksy.

TRAKSY.UK

Live train maps and timetables

traksy.uk

TfL are radio silent on the matter (just like their signals), not a mention or apology of the service suspension on Social Media.

This evening is going to be unimaginable. Glad I'm in an Airbnb until tomorrow!

 

[bluegoblin7]

TfL haven't used social media to provide service updates for some years.

Not sure how much clearer the suspension can be, mind.

 

[zebedee104]

That's not even correct information either, is it? There's no service between Paddington and Abbey Wood AND Paddington and Stratford (in the core). Well aware Shenfield trains are going from Liverpool Street mainline.

 

[Class15]

NRE states there is service from Liverpool Street Upper Level, so there seems to be service from LST - Stratford - Shenfield

But it doesn’t mention that they aren’t going to Whitechapel and are using the high level route.

 

[ChristopherJ]

Given this shambles has been ongoing since almost 23:00 yesterday, now affecting two peak periods, I suspect it won't be long until Sadiq posts a grovelling apology on X, similar to the Ladbroke Grove incident.

According to RTT, some of the final late night Elizabeth trains were an hour late through the COS yesterday, then the service shut down completely from 05:00 this morning.

Here's a 24 hour snapshot from Tottenham Court Road.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Tottenham Court Road between 0200 and 0159 on 26/11/2024

Train information at Tottenham Court Road between 0200 and 0159 on 26/11/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[crablab]

There were some issues yesterday with the system but it only partially failed where timetable data wasn’t properly feeding the CIS.

Yeah, I wondered if this was a foreboding...

I think TfL are right to call it one of the worst signalling failures they’ve ever seen!

I hope an incident report will be forthcoming in due course.

 

[THC]

I travel from Chelmsford to Ealing for work a couple of times a week and had the presence of mind to jump on the Central line this morning when changing at Stratford. Just at Paddington on the way back now, about to jump on the H&C. Cost me an extra half an hour this morning and probably double that on the way home.

THC

 

[Horizon22]

That's not even correct information either, is it? There's no service between Paddington and Abbey Wood AND Paddington and Stratford (in the core). Well aware Shenfield trains are going from Liverpool Street mainline.

Very technically it would be "Paddington to Abbey Wood and Stratford". But because of the quirk of their being an additional stop between Stratford and Liverpool Street (Whitechapel) in normal operation but not when running from mainline, this confuses the TfL disruption map.

Some extra trains running from Stratford and Ealing Broadway this evening rush hour to help increase capacity a little.

According to RTT, some of the final late night Elizabeth trains were an hour late through the COS yesterday, then the service shut down completely from 05:00 this morning.

That was a separate trespass incident around Ladbroke Grove and affected GWR too.

 

[SECR263]

Travelled in on Thameslink and Southern caught a Jubilee in morning, now on DLR home. No onboard announcement on trains or Station Liz line is kaput. Not good

 

[Horizon22]

Travelled in on Thameslink and Southern caught a Jubilee in morning, now on DLR home. No onboard announcement on trains or Station Liz line is kaput. Not good

This is always a challenge - most modern PIS on-board trains is automatic with interchange info and another TOC getting a message to every driver about another TOC's disruption is hard enough, let alone that message getting broadcast. It definitely should be better though, just harder to achieve in practice.

 

[BahrainLad]

Just came through Liverpool Street tube and it’s a complete mess, huge queues to get down to the Central line platforms.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Travelled in on Thameslink and Southern caught a Jubilee in morning, now on DLR home. No onboard announcement on trains or Station Liz line is kaput. Not good

I know what you mean, but EL is still operating west of Paddington and east of Liverpool St/Stratford.
So not completely kaput.

 

[Horizon22]

Just came through Liverpool Street tube and it’s a complete mess, huge queues to get down to the Central line platforms.

In some ways it is amazing to think that just less than 3 years ago the central section of the line didn't even exist. Obviously there was still the Covid passenger reduction then.

 

[Malaxa]

Onboard TfL network messaging on EL trains this pm showed "Elizabeth Line - minor delays" lol!

 

[Horizon22]

Onboard TfL network messaging on EL trains this pm showed "Elizabeth Line - minor delays" lol!

There were Minor Delays Liverpool St - Shenfield outside of the peak.

 

[THC]

In some ways it is amazing to think that just less than 3 years ago the central section of the line didn't even exist. Obviously there was still the Covid passenger reduction then.

The alternative passenger flows and footfall seen today (Paddington, Ealing Broadway, Liverpool Street and Stratford) make it obvious how much traffic the Elizabeth line now absorbs in regular service.

THC

 

[GFE]

Rather unfortunate that the Central line is also running on a reduced number of trains

 

[moonie95]

First train 5B82 coming out of Plumstead sidings @ 19:10

 

[Sleepy]

Travelled on central line yesterday for 1st time in years - quite shocked how jaded stations and trains look.

 

[dk1]

Rather unfortunate that the Central line is also running on a reduced number of trains

It never rains and all that.

 

[ChristopherJ]

Just restarted. 9B82 is the first (and only) train in the COS as of 19:20.

 

[Horizon22]

ECS tests happening soon. If everything works, a shuttle (Paddington - Abbey Wood) might be implemented for the last few hours of service.

 

[ThameslinkUser]

First train 5B82 coming out of Plumstead sidings @ 19:10

Currently tracking a 9B82 through the core.

 

[ScotGG]

Rather unfortunate that the Central line is also running on a reduced number of trains

South Eastern's Metro services were also cut after the Lizzie line begun. A tad cosy today

 

[ijmad]

Currently tracking a 9B82 through the core.

If it's the one that is currently stuck between Bond Street and Paddington showing a headcode of **** that doesn't sound hugely promising...

 

[ThameslinkUser]

If it's the one that is currently stuck between Bond Street and Paddington showing a headcode of **** that doesn't sound hugely promising...

That's dodgy NR data. It went into Westbourne Park sdgs as 3A82.