Poor Weather conditions

[YorkshireBear]

What has happened down in the south west? delays between exeter and plymouth due to poor weather conditions? I can't see anything on bbc weather to suggest it is anything but normal rain with light wind?

 

[pemma]

Pacers and leaves on line is a very bad combination and always leads to delays, that's why Northern have extended journey times on a lot of Pacer routes in the Autumn. Sprinters and leaves on the line are slightly better but still affected unless the Sprinters have sanders.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Pacers and leaves on line is a very bad combination and always leads to delays, that's why Northern have extended journey times on a lot of Pacer routes in the Autumn. Sprinters and leaves on the line are slightly better but still affected unless the Sprinters have sanders.

I did think that but then thought usually they put poor rail conditions for that.

 

[Ivo]

Bath has had on-off gusts today. If we can get that kind of thing it is entirely possible for devon to be affected more so, although I can't see how wind alone could cause problems unless speeds were into the 40s at least?

Alternatively, could it be something to do with winds causing tidal problems on the Sea Wall stretch?

 

[sonic2009]

Its mentioned on National Rail Enquiries 'Poor Weather Conditions at Dawlish' so id think the sea wall is the problem.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Alternatively, could it be something to do with winds causing tidal problems on the Sea Wall stretch?

It says between exeter and plymouth so i imagine if there is any wind at all that would be the place.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

It says between exeter and plymouth so i imagine if there is any wind at all that would be the place.

The sea wall is between Exeter and Plymouth

 

[YorkshireBear]

The sea wall is between Exeter and Plymouth

i know.... someone mentioned the problems being the sea wall section so i was saying the delays are between exeter and plymouth so that is the most likely option.

 

[Bedpan]

Ther National Rail website is now specifically mentioning poor weather at Dawlish in the "Cleared distruptions" section. High tide in that area this morning was at about 10.30am or just after, is that when the first notice appeared?

 

[ushawk]

Delays reported on NRE between Southampton and Fareham/Basingstoke due to poor rail conditions in the Swanwick and Winchester areas. Would this also be poor weather conditions, or just leaves on the line ?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Poor weather conditions = leaf mulch and a slippery railhead.

 

[ushawk]

NRE now reporting delays of up to 20 minutes on the whole South West Trains network due to poor rail conditions, in addition to the problems posted earlier. It mentions that trains are having to run at reduced speeds so im guessing its a adhesion problem. Perhaps the Network Rail MPV hasnt been around much in the South West, or conditions have deteriorated quickly.

 

[jopsuk]

Pretty windy this evening- shaking lots of leaves from the trees. Can't exactly run a RHTT ahead of every service!

 

[dk1]

RED day today across Eastern England so expect more of the same.

 

[hello]

and most of the leaves are still on the trees, lets wait for the frostd to kill em all off then the winds to bring em down

 

[Flywaver]

Gald im rest day. A few years back we had two units on the trot slide through Stamford.Both had started braking at Ketton....

 

[jopsuk]

Yikes. I guess that's a rather "puckering" experience as a driver?

Another rail forum has a "guess the location" thread, usually with old photos though often once answered with the "today" shot as well. It is quite striking how little vegetation there was lineside in the 50s/60s if the old photos are anything to go by- far less, and far smaller trees, with much bigger margins. Now, that might not have been the case eveywhere, but I guess much of it was down to the fire risk from steam locos, and it was no doubt a labour intensive job keeping the lineside so clear, but nevertheless, it wouldn't half cause less hassle every autumn if the trees weren't there to drop leaves...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Came across on the St Albans - Watford line this am - poor conditions with 321416 slipping on departure and WSP kicking in on braking. Driver took it very carefully as wet rail and drizzle - leaf fall amended timetable very sensible in these conditions.

 

[Oswyntail]

...l. It is quite striking how little vegetation there was lineside in the 50s/60s if the old photos are anything to go by- far less, and far smaller trees, with much bigger margins. Now, that might not have been the case eveywhere, but I guess much of it was down to the fire risk from steam locos...

If my old stamping grounds were anything to go by, it was the fire risk that kept the vegetation down! Small lineside fires were frequent. taking out the odd bramble patch.
And (not wishing to get all Daily Mail) there was not so much fuss made about cutting down trees

 

[142094]

Plus in those days you had a lot more manpower working on the railway - looking at some pictures the station gardens wouldn't look out of place at a stately home.

One of the other problems of course is that not all trees are on railway land, and leaves get blown around in the wind, so you could have a tree-free railway but still have the same problems.

 

[mralexn]

What has happened down in the south west? delays between exeter and plymouth due to poor weather conditions? I can't see anything on bbc weather to suggest it is anything but normal rain with light wind?

Its just XC being "overdramatic" using any excuse to cancel their servies at the drop of a hat

 

[455driver]

Pretty windy this evening- shaking lots of leaves from the trees. Can't exactly run a RHTT ahead of every service!

We can all be thankful for that, I mainly drive 455s and I hate following them bl##dy things, there are great if you are the second train following them though!

I have been pretty lucky so far this year and only had a few "oh dear" moments where I didnt think the train would stop, pulling away is a different story though.

 

[142094]

Quite ironic at Church Fenton last night - sat on a 158 struggling to get grip and the 20s with the RHTT were sitting in the platform opposite. Hard not to have a laugh.

 

[jopsuk]

We can all be thankful for that, I mainly drive 455s and I hate following them bl##dy things, there are great if you are the second train following them though!

So what's the problem with being first through? Does the treatment work better once it's had a train run over it?

 

[142094]

So what's the problem with being first through? Does the treatment work better once it's had a train run over it?

Might be like when the roads are gritted - better to going along after half an hour so the grit has been crushed and has time to act. Suppose it is the same if sandite or whatever else is being used for the railhead.

 

[driver9000]

We can all be thankful for that, I mainly drive 455s and I hate following them bl##dy things, there are great if you are the second train following them though!

Do 455s have sanders?

Driving 14x DMUs at this time of year can be....lets say....interesting at times.


Being the first train through after the water cannon RHTT has been can mean the rails are clean but wet. Being the second train or other through means the rails have had chance to dry or had a lot of the moisture taken off them by the train in front of you. A similar thing can happen when the cannon passes on the opposite line, the spray can land on the rails of the opposite making them slightly damp meaning they could cause adhesion issues in the right (or wrong) circumstances. If I pass an RHTT that is jetting I will give my brakes a rub just to see if what the rails are like. The water cannon does help clean the railhead but doesn't remove every single piece of muck.