Another landslip on the SWML (01/12/23)

[GrahamA]

It'll be a noisy day for the local residents as work gets underway on the bank.

Both the down lines are blocked, but as you can see from the pic they are using the up fast as a down line today.


And on the nearby footbridge that's unsafe, it's still there this morning (Wednesday 6th) but there are many contractors on the northern side of the bridge.

It's really hard to get a good position for pics but in this view through the trees you can just about make out the scaffolding that's been added to the bridge uprights.

 

[Sultan]

Thanks - saves me going up there today to take a look! The landslip area was all dark and quiet last night when I walked to the road bridge at 5.30. No floodlights so I assume no overnight work planned currently.

Unlike the footbridge, where I presume the removal is still scheduled for tonight after business. That'll be fun for the residents (in your photo).

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

This had me wondering at first. In my Woking PW days (1974-84) we called the bridge Holly bank Bridge, after the road on the south.
Pat

 

[Big Jumby 74]

This had me wondering at first. In my Woking PW days (1974-84) we called the bridge Holly bank Bridge

Might be a case of changed traffic priorities perhaps, as Hook Heath Ave (to the South)/St Johns Hill Road (to the North) now form the main through flow for traffic.

 

[deepeetw]

Judging by the video posted by @NetworkRailWssx, there is no certainty that they'll be able to complete the reinforcement in the currently planned closures..... Today was about establishing the rate at which they can work!

https://x.com/NetworkRailWssx/status/1732461949508575461?s=20

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Looks like I'll have to go to Chelsea's WSL game via Winchester and Reading then...joy.

 

[TM1]

From Paul Clifton on Twitter/X a few minutes ago:



The picture appears to show some structural damage to the base of the bridge, with cracks in the brickwork. From this angle it looks like the bridge is slightly leaning too.

View attachment 147721

This is about 1mile away from the landslip, I’m actually working on this project.

Landslip no5 in as many weeks

 

[Kite159]

Looks like I'll have to go to Chelsea's WSL game via Winchester and Reading then...joy.

Just remember there is a more limited XC service between Basingstoke & Reading on Saturday

 

[GrahamA]

Work on banging in the metal plates is progressing today (Saturday 9th). I read somewhere that they estimate they need 170 of them. Given that work started on Wednesday I'm guessing there's still a few days work.

The two down lines are blocked and down trains are using the up fast today. Obviously a reduced service...

Re the unsafe footbridge, I'm not going down that way today but you can see from the road bridge by the slip that the footbridge is still in place, but it seems to be getting some attention.

 

[Ploughman]

I assume by Plates you mean Piles?

 

[ivorytoast28]

Just passed through Woking and the southbound SWML trains are departing from platform 2 while northbound fast London trains are using 4. This would usually be the other way around.
I assume this is due to this?

 

[GrahamA]

I assume by Plates you mean Piles?

Yes, I guess so.

 

[AndrewE]

I assume by Plates you mean Piles?

Sheet piles - which to be fair are more like wiggly plates than they are like piles - which people naturally visualise as cylinders or square-section things!

 

[zwk500]

Just passed through Woking and the southbound SWML trains are departing from platform 2 while northbound fast London trains are using 4. This would usually be the other way around.
I assume this is due to this?

Yes - during the block of the southbound SWML lines, due to the layout of Woking Junction trains towards Basingstoke must use the northbound side, which is leading to northbound Guildford trains being sent through 4 to manage conflicting moves a bit more.

Layout is visible here: https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/swml2

On a point of trivia, this is a situation where a station normally 'paired by direction' is operating as 'paired by use', although it's arguably just a case of having operationally moved the junction from one end of the station to the other.

 

[Ian Hardy]

It looks like Network Rail are preparing for the work to be extended:
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/woking-and-crewkerne-landslips-repairs-progress

While it is still to be confirmed, it is likely that Network Rail’s engineers will return on Friday 22 to Sunday 24 December to continue the repairs, which means two of the four lines will have to close. Network Rail and South Western Railway will announce further details when they become available.

Hopefully ASLEF won't have more industrial action on those dates, so that all the planned services have a chance in actually running (maybe not on time though) unlike yesterday morning.

I gave up as the train that I had planned to catch from Clapham Junction to BSK was cancelled, delaying by 30 minutes meant that my train from HOU to Clapham Junction was also cancelled. Then I looked at later services coming back from BSK to Clapham Junction and there weren't any for about an hour, and I guessed that the ones following that would be full, nearer the time that I would have been catching a train at BSK, SWR journey check confirmed "service full and standing from Winchester" so I probably did the right thing.

Fingers crossed for Saturday 23rd December.

Ian Hardy

 

[Train Boy]

Hopefully ASLEF won't have more industrial action on those dates, so that all the planned services have a chance in actually running (maybe not on time though) unlike yesterday morning.

Having to provide 14 days notice for industrial action, the 22nd and 23rd are past the deadline already and today would be the last day to announce any action for the 24th.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Looks best to avoid this stretch today, looks like the up fast is now closed too, nothing has made its way past today westbound. A couple of London bound trains have run through the area in the last hour or so.

 

[GrahamA]

The unsafe footbridge near the St Johns area of Woking has been removed today. All four running lines were closed earlier, presumably when the central section was being taken down.

Meanwhile, up at the slipped cutting site...

 

[alf]

Seeing the piling picture has made me wonder what happens to rain water landing & running down the earth embankment.
Is it all trapped on the embankment side of the sheet piles or are there holes in the steel to allow the water to run to the trackside drains. I ask because the steel piles look solid & are driven down many feet below ground. There must be somewhere for the rain water to go.

 

[Benjwri]

In general weep holes are drilled into the sheet piles, usually with a filter, which allows water to drain from the soil. If too much accumulates at one time it usually just runs off the surface.

 

[DelW]

As well as the use of weep holes, the clutches between adjacent piles aren't watertight unless special measures are taken to seal them. They won't pass large flows, but they do allow hydrostatic pressure behind the sheets to dissipate over time.

 

[WesternBiker]

With apologies for the photo quality (taken from a Basingstoke-Waterloo service), this was the scene yesterday at lunchtime.

 

[Sultan]

View attachment 148572
With apologies for the photo quality (taken from a Basingstoke-Waterloo service), this was the scene yesterday at lunchtime.

At least the train windows were clean! Is it 1 or 2 lines out today?

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Is it 1 or 2 lines out today?

The blue piping on the temporary fence in the ten foot is evidence that both Down lines are closed. So Down trains are still running via UFL and all Up trains are on the Up slow. I may have reason to walk over the bridge in the next few days, so will try to remember to take my camera. No promises though on latter, such things are not top of my priorities at present.

 

[greaterwest]

Only the Down Slow line is closed, the Down Fast has been open all week.

 

[WesternBiker]

Only the Down Slow line is closed, the Down Fast has been open all week.

Yes, we came back on the down fast, the speed restriction causing a 2 minute delay.

 

[theironroad]

Yes, we came back on the down fast, the speed restriction causing a 2 minute delay.

The speed restriction on down fast (and up slow & fast) was removed when the bridge was removed. Currently no speed restrictions except DS which is closed anyway to normal traffic.

However, as all down trains have to use the DF and Altons ( and possibly basing stoppers) have to be routed from DS at Woking jnc to DF and back to DS just before Brookwood, this inevitably causes slight congestion at certain times. i.e both Weymouth & Alton leave Woking at xx00

 

[Ian Hardy]

It looks like Network Rail are preparing for the work to be extended:
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/woking-and-crewkerne-landslips-repairs-progress

While it is still to be confirmed, it is likely that Network Rail’s engineers will return on Friday 22 to Sunday 24 December to continue the repairs, which means two of the four lines will have to close. Network Rail and South Western Railway will announce further details when they become available.

I have heard that the works will now be Wednesday 27th to Friday 29th December instead but haven't seen anything official yet.

 

[theironroad]

I have heard that the works will now be Wednesday 27th to Friday 29th December instead but haven't seen anything official yet.

Makes a lot more sense. Was a bit aghast when I saw the 22-24 before as they are among the busiest shopping/see lights/late office drinks days and to thin the service wouldn't be great.

 

[WesternBiker]

The speed restriction on down fast (and up slow & fast) was removed when the bridge was removed. Currently no speed restrictions except DS which is closed anyway to normal traffic.

However, as all down trains have to use the DF and Altons ( and possibly basing stoppers) have to be routed from DS at Woking jnc to DF and back to DS just before Brookwood, this inevitably causes slight congestion at certain times. i.e both Weymouth & Alton leave Woking at xx00

Thanks - that makes sense. What are the speed limits on the DS-DF and DF-DS crossovers?