Rugeley TV-Perry Barr problems Sat 30th Oct

Crossover · 31st October 2010, 00:01

Having got caught up in this yesterday, wondered if anyone can shed any light on what the problems were as there seemed to be conflicting (and confusing) information all over and it seemed to pretty much shaft the entire line for the best part of 12 hours!

Me and a friend were on the Great Escape LM ticket and went from Stafford to Rugeley Trent Valley to get the line into New St. Got there about half 10 to find trains cancelled and NatEx coaches waiting for the onward journey. Pretty sure at that time it had only just happened as the coach driver was moaning about the short notice and also needed the passengers to guide him to Rugeley Town then on towards Hednesford...

We were told a train would be waiting for us at Hednesford to continue onwards. On arrival at Hednesford, indeed there was a Class 170 (semi-fast) to Walsall - people after Bloxwich etc were told to wait for next train (I also think this may have ended up being the last train for numerous hours...) We got to Walsall and then neither the train we changed onto (towards Wolverhampton) nor the one we came in went anywhere for over half an hour (a rescue loco or something went through the non platform line at Walsall and a freight through Platform 1) - we then left it and went for the service buses we were told we could use.

Checking on Facebook (very glad I joined the NRE Disruptions Page earlier in the week now!) I tracked it through the day and services didn't start again until near 10pm. (find it funny how they kept estimating, then estimating 2 hours later...all day!!!)

What was confusing though, was online said there was a signalling problem at Hednesford (which would explain TV to there being problematic) but boards elsewhere said vandalism at Tame Bridge Parkway...
Does anyone know which it was, or was it both combined?
Staff at the time seemed pretty clueless as to what was going on too...
Am I correct in thinking that most of that line in semaphore signalling too?

Hope someone out there can shed some light on it and hopefully you can see what I am trying to get at. Normally I wouldn't ask but having been caught up in it and having such inconsistencies, it has intrigued me somewhat!

WL113 · 1st November 2010, 11:53

This extensive disruption was caused by the theft of signalling cable in the Sandwell Valley area. There was also a fire which caused further damage to the cabling. This vandalism took out all the signaling from Hamstead to Tame Bridge.

31st October 2010, 00:01	#1
Crossover Established Member Join Date: 4 Jun 2009 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 2,800	Rugeley TV-Perry Barr problems Sat 30th Oct Having got caught up in this yesterday, wondered if anyone can shed any light on what the problems were as there seemed to be conflicting (and confusing) information all over and it seemed to pretty much shaft the entire line for the best part of 12 hours! Me and a friend were on the Great Escape LM ticket and went from Stafford to Rugeley Trent Valley to get the line into New St. Got there about half 10 to find trains cancelled and NatEx coaches waiting for the onward journey. Pretty sure at that time it had only just happened as the coach driver was moaning about the short notice and also needed the passengers to guide him to Rugeley Town then on towards Hednesford... We were told a train would be waiting for us at Hednesford to continue onwards. On arrival at Hednesford, indeed there was a Class 170 (semi-fast) to Walsall - people after Bloxwich etc were told to wait for next train (I also think this may have ended up being the last train for numerous hours...) We got to Walsall and then neither the train we changed onto (towards Wolverhampton) nor the one we came in went anywhere for over half an hour (a rescue loco or something went through the non platform line at Walsall and a freight through Platform 1) - we then left it and went for the service buses we were told we could use. Checking on Facebook (very glad I joined the NRE Disruptions Page earlier in the week now!) I tracked it through the day and services didn't start again until near 10pm. (find it funny how they kept estimating, then estimating 2 hours later...all day!!!) What was confusing though, was online said there was a signalling problem at Hednesford (which would explain TV to there being problematic) but boards elsewhere said vandalism at Tame Bridge Parkway... Does anyone know which it was, or was it both combined? Staff at the time seemed pretty clueless as to what was going on too... Am I correct in thinking that most of that line in semaphore signalling too? Hope someone out there can shed some light on it and hopefully you can see what I am trying to get at. Normally I wouldn't ask but having been caught up in it and having such inconsistencies, it has intrigued me somewhat!

1st November 2010, 11:53	#2
WL113 Member Join Date: 9 Jun 2010 Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire Posts: 136	wl This extensive disruption was caused by the theft of signalling cable in the Sandwell Valley area. There was also a fire which caused further damage to the cabling. This vandalism took out all the signaling from Hamstead to Tame Bridge.