Did the liquid mud by any chance come from the adjacent sewage works, which may have been flooded due to the heavy rainfall? If so, it may be rather less pleasant than ordinary mud! However looking on the bright side, if that were the case and it has been boiled by the third rail, at least the germs will have been exterminated.
Or, as NR choose to spell it (archaically) on many of their track-side notices; 'slueing'!
It sounds as if it might be useful, at next resignalling, to provide the arrangement that exists on the recently 4 tracked stretch of the Trent Valley line - make the fast lines bidirectional.
Or go straight to ETCS and make all 4 bidi for a fraction of the cost.
Absolutely - this is the latest example of poor information and the railway just giving up rather than working to provide alternative services over existing rail troutes. More fragmentation 'benefits'.
Make that one train every two hours currently hopefully as the week progresses the box, pilotman and drivers will get into the swing of it so they can deliver 1tph at least.
Surprised it hasn't blown something by now.
I doubt if they'll bother given the excuse of 'Act of God'. That's today's railway mantra - 'if in doubt, give up'.
Line flooded, track circuits down Sway and Brockenhurst area
Is there any particular reason why the eastbound ex-Soton/Pompey semi-fast trains can’t stop at Hook, Winchfield and Fleet if they’re on the unaffected up slow line? For passengers wanting to go west it could just be a case of doubling back at Farnborough (or changing at Basingstoke if heading from the London direction), much better than forcing them to seek alternative transport.
Fair enough if that's the genuine reason. However, even now, there are usually buses and drivers available (between school runs or private hire work) who can turn out at short notice. The issue may not be the severe shortage of drivers as such, more a reluctance by the railway to pay out for emergency bus availability.
Comments upthread suggest that the trains wouldn't have capacity - not to mention the delays into Waterloo on a rather busy route.
That and the Rugby remodelling was an absolute godsend when it was done. Endless possibilities!
it did three been sent on the UF in the last 45mins so hopefully have the stock/crew at Waterloo to get the hourly service back on track
Yet Southeastern have managed to put on replacement buses between Swanley and Rochester today.
A lot of local schools that would need contacting, and most of these companies will be helping out with school runs.
There are driver shortages in Kent. I wonder if someone TOC's use it as an excuse not to bother?
so through workings pulled? thus necessitating two changes to get to London with no connections of course
Yes - no through services.
It's amazing how these plans can be pulled together and resourced now, but it was impossible to do in a similar timeframe when strikes were cancelled...
The delays were massive today so can understand the lack of through trains. Are the Salisbury line trains still going to Reading though?
