Fast trains on Slow tracks

The points may be frozen at Harrow North Junction so the local line is used. It also happens in Summer when the opposite is true.

Our adverse weather plans are such that when the temperature dips to a certain point, we "abandon" the fast / main lines and concentrate on keeping the local lines de-iced - much easier to manage than trying to keep all 4 lines de-iced.

Chiltern trains continue to use the main lines. It is failure mitigation at Harrow North Junction for the most part - although there have been actual failures this week which have meant we have had no choice but to use the local lines.

The train being terminated at Harrow sounds like a victim of the late running we have been suffering as a result of the weather and due all trains having to share the local lines. Certain normal service recovery points (such as Northwood) have been lost due to the weather (risk of points failing). This means unfortunately the bulk of recovery is done by detraining late running trains at Harrow and reversing via Neasden depot.

Inconvenient to passengers travelling south - we do try to make sure there is another train either alongside or approaching. The alternative is to have huge gaps on the Watford service, with people stood in the cold for much longer north of Harrow.