Major Disruption At Nottingham Due To Fire (12/01)

[Deafdoggie]

I think there was one in the booking hall at Stoke-on-Trent in 1999 but it was smaller and Stoke-on-Trent is a smaller station in any case.

That was arson, and just before the booking hall refit. Sadly, Nottingham is after the refit.

 

[trainophile]

EMT have issued the following advice

• London St Pancras International - Nottingham: Trains are running between London and East Midlands Parkway
• London St Pancras International - Corby: Because trains and crews are not where they should be, some cancellations may occur.
• Leicester - Nottingham - Lincoln: A limited train shuttle service is running between Loughborough and Leicester only
• Nottingham - Grantham - Skegness: East Midlands Trains are working to run trains between Grantham and Skegness only
• Derby - Crewe: Because trains and crews are not where they should be, some cancellations may occur
• Peterborough - Lincoln - Doncaster: Because trains and crews are not where they should be, some cancellations may occur
• Matlock - Nottingham: East Midlands Trains are working to run trains between Matlock and Derby only
• Nottingham - Mansfield - Worksop: There will be no service on this route today
• Liverpool - Nottingham - Norwich: East Midlands Trains are working to divert trains away from Nottingham between Peterborough and Chesterfield. This diversion means that trains will not call at Grantham, Nottingham and may also be unable to call at Langley Mill, Ilkeston and Alfreton.
• Cardiff Central - Birmingham New Street - Nottingham: Trains are terminating at Derby

I'm booked from Liverpool South Parkway to Grantham next Tuesday. In the event of continuing disruption and the scenario above, will there be any route at all to get to Grantham? I can cancel my hotel up to Sunday so all is not lost (except the train fares - Advances), but it would be good to have a Plan B.

 

[MichaelAMW]

EMT have issued the following advice

• London St Pancras International - Nottingham: Trains are running between London and East Midlands Parkway
• London St Pancras International - Corby: Because trains and crews are not where they should be, some cancellations may occur.
• Leicester - Nottingham - Lincoln: A limited train shuttle service is running between Loughborough and Leicester only
• Nottingham - Grantham - Skegness: East Midlands Trains are working to run trains between Grantham and Skegness only
• Derby - Crewe: Because trains and crews are not where they should be, some cancellations may occur
• Peterborough - Lincoln - Doncaster: Because trains and crews are not where they should be, some cancellations may occur
• Matlock - Nottingham: East Midlands Trains are working to run trains between Matlock and Derby only
• Nottingham - Mansfield - Worksop: There will be no service on this route today
• Liverpool - Nottingham - Norwich: East Midlands Trains are working to divert trains away from Nottingham between Peterborough and Chesterfield. This diversion means that trains will not call at Grantham, Nottingham and may also be unable to call at Langley Mill, Ilkeston and Alfreton.
• Cardiff Central - Birmingham New Street - Nottingham: Trains are terminating at Derby

Updated info at 12.11 says no more service today on:

Leicester - Lincoln
Nottingham - Worksop
Nottingham - Skegness
Liverpool - Norwich
Joint Line

They have depots at Norwich, Lincoln at Boston but I guess it's partly about where there are trains available and where drivers and guards have ended up being stranded.

 

[WideRanger]

Thinking ahead, it sounds as though some service could be resumed by running Skegness services from the eastern bay platform, with access via the most eastern bridge. XC services would only be able to get as far as Beeston, London services could start from Beeston. Obviously the Newark/Worksop services would still be in limbo, and the Liverpool services too.

If there is an extended shutdown for Nottingham station, EMT, XC and Northern will need to do some mid-term diversions.

Matlock and Leicester EMT services run through to Beeston, and then up Lenton triangle and terminating in Bulwell, to connect to the Tram.
Another train shuttling Hucknall to Worksop on the Robin Hood Line. (connection between Bulwell and Hucknall by Tram)
XC Birmingham Trains, and EMT London stoppers terminating in Beeston, and turning in Beeston Sidings.
London Fasts Terminate at East Midlands Parkway.
Liverpool - Norwich divert down the Erewash Valley Line and calling additionally at East Midlands Parkway for connections.
Northern Leeds services terminate at Ilkeston (if possible).
Newark/Lincoln and Skegness out of the Eastern side platforms if allowed.

Rail Replacement buses: Nottingham to East Midlands Parkway, Beeston station to Beeston Tram, Ilkeston to Cinderhill Tram (assuming the Tram is able to run once the fire is out)

Would that work? I'm sure it can't be as simple as that, not least because of the problem of stock being trapped on the wrong side of the station.

 

[LowLevel]

Updated info at 12.11 says no more service today on:

Leicester - Lincoln
Nottingham - Worksop
Nottingham - Skegness
Liverpool - Norwich
Joint Line

They have depots at Norwich, Lincoln at Boston but I guess it's partly about where there are trains available and where drivers and guards have ended up being stranded.

It's all the little things you wouldn't think were crucial but that actually stuff you. Nottingham drivers and guards are involved on all routes except Lincoln - Grimsby/Doncaster and mixed depot working is common.

Among other things is that train crews won't be able to access things like kit bags stored on the station, parking is difficult as well. Revenue equipment you can leave without and take trains non revenue to get them moving but you have to have your kit bag as a driver or guard and the spares will also be on the station. As a depot of 100 odd guards and more than that drivers with a number of stranded trains as well this will have huge knock on effects.

 

[twpsaesneg]

Liverpool - Norwich divert down the Erewash Valley Line and calling additionally at East Midlands Parkway for connections.

1R78 Norwich to Liverpool is as I type between Loughborough and East Mids Parkway, so looks as if they are trying their best!

 

[ChathillMan]

This is really sad. I really like Nottinngham Station. I visit the city 3-4 times a year and I thought Network Rail did a really good job with the full refurb a couple of years ago.

 

[221129]

That's because it's where The Train Line are based.
Factoid: All train company website booking engines are administered by thetrainline.

Wrong.

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

This is really sad. I really like Nottinngham Station. I visit the city 3-4 times a year and I thought Network Rail did a really good job with the full refurb a couple of years ago.

Agreed. But, it's too early to speculate on the level of damage to the main station building. Whilst smoke damage might be extensive, that is at least relatively superficial; it might be a while before we get a clear picture on the extent of actual structural damage.

 

[SWTrainspottin]

Have been advised the concourse at the station has been destroyed.

 

[thenorthern]

On BBC East Midlands Today now they say the fire is now under control, there is no mention of the damage but its been described as "severe".

I would think as soon as the fire is out and the station is declared safe Network Rail will inspect the damage and try do something over the weekend so that some sort of service can operate.

 

[BestWestern]

According to news reports British Transport Police are saying Arson is a possible cause.

That tends to be a pretty standard statement when any other immediately obvious cause isn't found. Hopefully the CCTV recordings will have survived and can be retrieved to provide some assistance.

 

[alistairlees]

That's just not true. Most are Atos nowadays. A small handful are still Thetrainline, including EMT.

That's because it's where The Train Line are based.
Factoid: All train company website booking engines are administered by thetrainline.

Both these statements are very wide of the mark

Worldline provide the FirstGroup ones - GWR, SWR, HT, TPE - and also c2c
Trainline provide ScotRail, Virgin West Coast, Northern, Greater Anglia, GC, XC, ATW, EMT, LNW / WMT
Vix provide VTEC
SilverRail provide Chiltern
Assertis provide Caledonian Sleeper
On Track Retail provide GTR and Southeastern
Heathrow Express have got their own
Merseyrail don't have online booking
LO is part of TfL

Back on topic, I hope that any damage to historic parts of the station is minimised, and that no-one was injured.

 

[nottsnurse]

Well at least East Midlands Parkway is finally proving useful.

 

[robbeech]

I'm booked from Liverpool South Parkway to Grantham next Tuesday. In the event of continuing disruption and the scenario above, will there be any route at all to get to Grantham? I can cancel my hotel up to Sunday so all is not lost (except the train fares - Advances), but it would be good to have a Plan B.

Certainly by then if the station is still closed (which is a possibility) they will be diverting trains around it. I think they are trying to do it today even. It’ll be best to check when you can as services might be delayed or cancelled so if your arrival in Grantham is time critical then definitely look into any revised timetables carefully.
You would be able to claim a refund on any train ticket during this sort of disruption.

Liverpool South Parkway to Grantham on an any permitted ticket is valid via Manchester - Sheffield - Doncaster and down the ECML to Grantham. So it’s worth checking if ticket acceptance is still in place. It certainly would be at the moment.

 

[noddingdonkey]

In the event of continuing disruption and the scenario above, will there be any route at all to get to Grantham? I can cancel my hotel up to Sunday so all is not lost (except the train fares - Advances), but it would be good to have a Plan B.

I imagine with an advance you would still be able to decide not to travel due to the disruption and get a refund. They tend to be pretty accommodating when they job is up the wall.

 

[WatcherZero]

Queens Street has been progressively reopened over the last hour a lane at a time, talk it will soon be used for rail replacement buses.

 

[mushroomchow]

Well at least East Midlands Parkway is finally proving useful.

I can only imagine what a culture shock it is for them to actually have passengers to deal with.

Then again, the Leicester - Lincoln service is terminating at Loughborough like it used to do, despite EMP having the necessary trackwork for a reversal. If it's still easier, almost 10 years after it was built, to get to Nottingham and East Midlands Airport from Loughborough than a station 7 miles closer, that tells you all you need to know about the usefulness of East Midlands Parkway. It's about as useful as a fart in a sandwich.

 

[LowLevel]

I can only imagine what a culture shock it is for them to actually have passengers to deal with.

Then again, the Leicester - Lincoln service is terminating at Loughborough like it used to do, despite EMP having the necessary trackwork for a reversal. If it's still easier, almost 10 years after it was built, to get to Nottingham and East Midlands Airport from Loughborough than a station 7 miles closer, that tells you all you need to know about the usefulness of East Midlands Parkway. It's about as useful as a fart in a sandwich.

The Ivanhoe turns around at Loughborough because turning around at Parkway requires a capacity eating shunt and turning 3 trains an hour there plus running through passenger and freight services is difficult. Thus where possible the local stations retain a service and it keeps the unit self contained and out of the way.

 

[robbeech]

Then again, the Leicester - Lincoln service is terminating at Loughborough like it used to do, despite EMP having the necessary trackwork for a reversal.

<pedant>
Not much from Nottingham calls at Emerson Park.
You perhaps mean EMD
</pedant>

 

[kevjs]

NET now running over the top of the station, but not stopping. Reporter on Radio Nottingham describing how the bulk of the damage is to the bridge between Platform 2 and 4 next to the main building and the new build stuff linking the station to the tram / car parks. Walking past the station (Station Street / Carrington Street) there was no visible damage to the central bridge or main concourse, what you could see of the main bridge was darker than usual (possibly because the lights were off) but otherwise intact

Well at least East Midlands Parkway is finally proving useful.

It was also rather useful during the Nottingham Blockade.

 

[Saint66]

BTP warning football fans that the station is unlikely to be open tomorrow at all.

 

[theageofthetra]

It's all the little things you wouldn't think were crucial but that actually stuff you. Nottingham drivers and guards are involved on all routes except Lincoln - Grimsby/Doncaster and mixed depot working is common.

Among other things is that train crews won't be able to access things like kit bags stored on the station, parking is difficult as well. Revenue equipment you can leave without and take trains non revenue to get them moving but you have to have your kit bag as a driver or guard and the spares will also be on the station. As a depot of 100 odd guards and more than that drivers with a number of stranded trains as well this will have huge knock on effects.

Very good point re Drivers equipment. If their licence, keys etc are in bags they can't drive.

 

[gavin]

BTP advice

Due to the ongoing emergency response to the fire at Nottingham railway station, there are unlikely to be trains running to and from the station tomorrow. Even if some trains are running by tomorrow, there will be an extremely limited service with many delays, cancellations and overcrowding. Rather than taking a chance and heading to the station to pack yourself onto a crowded train, or worse, find that you can’t travel at all, please make alternative travel arrangements in advance. We want everyone to be able to get to the football without the stress of a difficult journey. Please start making alternative travel plans now so that you can enjoy your weekend.

 

[tsr]

Structural checks are underway.

 

[MG11]

It's all the little things you wouldn't think were crucial but that actually stuff you. Nottingham drivers and guards are involved on all routes except Lincoln - Grimsby/Doncaster and mixed depot working is common.

Among other things is that train crews won't be able to access things like kit bags stored on the station, parking is difficult as well. Revenue equipment you can leave without and take trains non revenue to get them moving but you have to have your kit bag as a driver or guard and the spares will also be on the station. As a depot of 100 odd guards and more than that drivers with a number of stranded trains as well this will have huge knock on effects.

Catering trolleys and EPOS equipment might have been damaged as well.

 

[Starmill]

Catering trolleys and EPOS equipment might have been damaged as well.

Somehow I feel like catering may not be a high priority right about now.

 

[Qwerty133]

Catering trolleys and EPOS equipment might have been damaged as well.

may be the case but would not result in any cancellations. 'we are sorry to announce the xx:xx service to London St Pancras has been cancelled. This is due to the overpriced refreshments being too burnt to sell.'

 

[Mugby]

EMT website is giving pretty good details about the disruption.

Cross Country site has fairly good details if you search for them

Northern is showing 'No Problems' if you enter Nottingham - Leeds!

 

[CentralTrainer]

may be the case but would not result in any cancellations. 'we are sorry to announce the xx:xx service to London St Pancras has been cancelled. This is due to the overpriced refreshments being too burnt to sell.'

“Please note we have a wider selection of hot snacks on board today”