Weather Disruption caused by storm Ciara (February 9th, 10th and 11th)

Murray J · 9 Feb 2020

for EMR, there's currently a tree down at netherfield affecting trains to newark castle. apparently luton station is "unsafe to travel from" due to the roof not being secure. additionally trains from liverpool to norwich are only running between sheffield and ely.
there are also "precarious trees" between basingstoke and micheldever, virgina water and ascot, and staines and windsor and eton riverside.
there's also a fallen tree between elsenham and audley end, affecting GA, a trampoline on the line at chelsfield affecting SE, as well an obstruction at thornton heath affecting southern.

RailUK Forums

jtuk · 9 Feb 2020

Murray J said:
for EMR, there's currently a tree down at netherfield affecting trains to newark castle. apparently luton station is "unsafe to travel from" due to the roof not being secure. additionally trains from liverpool to norwich are only running between sheffield and ely.

The from Sheffield bit which is due to planned engineering works anyway

imagination · 9 Feb 2020

Has the speed restriction been lifted in places? RTT is showing trains doing PAD-RDG in 24 minutes, which is not possible at 50mph.

Horizon22 · 9 Feb 2020

contractador said:
That sounds like a fast response.

As a genuine curiosity woupd anyone be able to describe what happens when a tree is spotted fouling the line. Is there a team the driver or signaller will refer to who then assess and deal the tree in question?

Depends on the size of the tree obviously. Driver would make an assessment as the person on the ground as to whether it's safe to pass and signaller may caution trains. Otherwise it may need the attention of MOMs and/or off-track staff. In the Kent & Sussex area additional teams have been rostered today and are already quite busy by the look of things!

Bald Rick · 9 Feb 2020

contractador said:
That sounds like a fast response.

As a genuine curiosity woupd anyone be able to describe what happens when a tree is spotted fouling the line. Is there a team the driver or signaller will refer to who then assess and deal the tree in question?

Driver calls signaller. Signaller calls control. Control calls response teams, off which there are extra on duty today. Nearest one attends.

Of course if it’s a small tree or branch, the traincrew may shift it themselves.

Antman · 9 Feb 2020

I see that the 10.30 from King's Cross isn't scheduled to get to Edinburgh until 19.04, I'm pretty sure people will only be travelling if necessary.

contractador · 9 Feb 2020

Horizon22 said:
Depends on the size of the tree obviously. Driver would make an assessment as the person on the ground as to whether it's safe to pass and signaller may caution trains. Otherwise it may need the attention of MOMs and/or off-track staff. In the Kent & Sussex area additional teams have been rostered today and are already quite busy by the look of things!

Bald Rick said:
Driver calls signaller. Signaller calls control. Control calls response teams, off which there are extra on duty today. Nearest one attends.

Of course if it’s a small tree or branch, the traincrew may shift it themselves.

Appreciated. Thanks

I'm sure those guys on the ground are in for a busy day.

Grumpy Git · 9 Feb 2020

On the 1H45 195 service from LIV to MIA.

It is definitely sticking to the 50 mph speed limit.

I hope I can get back to LPY when my flight is cancelled.

Wivenswold · 9 Feb 2020

Signal issues at Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport. Possibly not weather-related but it's shredded the service on the GA. Many trees down in the Colchester area.

DelayRepay · 9 Feb 2020

Credit to the rail staff who are out in this... I wouldn't fancy being outside for long today.

I was going away for the weekend but cancelled it due to the predicted weather. Glad I did. I appreciate not everyone has the same flexibility but anyone who chooses to make non essential journeys today must be crazy.

APT618S · 9 Feb 2020

LNER 1Z10 0900 Edinburgh - KGX left Edinburgh 7 min late and has arrived at Newcastle 60mins EARLY against booked time of 1135.
So they must have lifted some speed restrictions.

Grumpy Git · 9 Feb 2020

APT618S said:
LNER 1Z10 0900 Edinburgh - KGX left Edinburgh 7 min late and has arrived at Newcastle 60mins EARLY against booked time of 1135.
So they must have lifted some speed restrictions.

I can only speak for the Liverpool - Manchester region, but the weather (although very wet), is not what I would consider extreme in the slightest. Blustery certainly, but it is February.

It is exceptionally mild however at an almost muggy 13°.

Llanigraham · 9 Feb 2020

Weather Alert for Mid and North Wales has now been upgraded to RED

yorkie · 9 Feb 2020

APT618S said:
LNER 1Z10 0900 Edinburgh - KGX left Edinburgh 7 min late and has arrived at Newcastle 60mins EARLY against booked time of 1135.
So they must have lifted some speed restrictions.

Looks like it's going to sit at NCL for an hour, while the following TPE overtakes. I hope the TPE is a decent length train!

341o2 · 9 Feb 2020

Wivenswold said:
AA Roadwatch starting to show a number of downed trees across the South of the UK. The worst is forecast for this afternoon as some violent squall fronts move South East.

Tomorrow is not looking good either, on the south coast forecast of winds around 50mph for the entire day

Bletchleyite · 9 Feb 2020

DelayRepay said:
Credit to the rail staff who are out in this... I wouldn't fancy being outside for long today.

I was going away for the weekend but cancelled it due to the predicted weather. Glad I did. I appreciate not everyone has the same flexibility but anyone who chooses to make non essential journeys today must be crazy.

The problem with Sunday is that people need to get home from the weekend...the conditions in the Lakes are getting really bad, and roads becoming impassable to the point people are likely to end up trapped in Ambleside if they don't leave soon or may be already.

Funny thing is I had a great day in the hills yesterday in windy but otherwise decent weather! The onset of the storm seems to have been delayed somewhat and picked up overnight.

Bletchleyite · 9 Feb 2020

341o2 said:
Tomorrow is not looking good either, on the south coast forecast of winds around 50mph for the entire day

This is the big issue...most UK storms are for one day/night - this one is going to last 3-4 days. I would predict it will be far, far worse for the Lakes than 2016.

I'm presently sat in the Costa at Lancaster station (if anyone wants to come and say hello

) seeing what's going on...it's the multi-day thing that's an issue, we could easily end up with no service for a week if things are going to be as bad as they look. So I can't quite decide whether to book into a hotel until tomorrow or service bus to Preston and hope everything south of there holds up. Coffee first...

1955LR · 9 Feb 2020

I see TfW is offering ticket acceptance on Monday 10th & Tuesday 11th, for those with tickets for today

Grumpy Git · 9 Feb 2020

Seems like I posted too soon as I approach Manchester Oxford Road all hell has broke loose weather-wise!

Just hope my flight leaves and I escape the inevitable UK travel carnage!

43066 · 9 Feb 2020

Wivenswold said:
Signal issues at Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport. Possibly not weather-related but it's shredded the service on the GA. Many trees down in the Colchester area.

That’s worrying - I’m about to attempt to travel by train from London to Chelmsford. I must be mad.

Tio Terry · 9 Feb 2020

Just a word of appreciation for all the guys and gals out there today trying to keep trains running, did my bit back in 1987 so I know it’s not easy in these kind of conditions. Stay safe!

43096 · 9 Feb 2020

Bald Rick said:
Driver calls signaller. Signaller calls control. Control calls response teams, off which there are extra on duty today. Nearest one attends.

Of course if it’s a small tree or branch, the traincrew may shift it themselves.

Presumably if the tree is blocking the line, it’s hit the red button on the GSM-R before anything else.

brad465 · 9 Feb 2020

Just about every line, mainline and branch, is blocked on Southeastern routes (according to their twitter): Trees down at Selling, Falconwood and Erith, damage at Dartford station has closed that, the classic trampoline blockage at Chelsfield earlier, trees blocking the Chatham mainline at Meopham, perhaps more I've missed.

43066 · 9 Feb 2020

43096 said:
Presumably if the tree is blocking the line, it’s hit the red button on the GSM-R before anything else.

If the obstruction is big enough it’s red button (if there’s time), brake into emergency and walk out of the cab into the passenger saloon.

swt_passenger · 9 Feb 2020

contractador said:
That sounds like a fast response.

As a genuine curiosity woupd anyone be able to describe what happens when a tree is spotted fouling the line. Is there a team the driver or signaller will refer to who then assess and deal the tree in question?

It will vary a lot - at an appropriate size on board staff can fix things as mentioned earlier. I was on an SWT service on the Netley line a few years back and the train crew cleared the line, I think using a saw from the onboard emergency tools. We were only delayed about 20 mins...

danpick · 9 Feb 2020

Edinburgh Waverly station currently closed to passengers arriving at the station for trains due to overcrowding.

APT618S · 9 Feb 2020

yorkie said:
Looks like it's going to sit at NCL for an hour, while the following TPE overtakes. I hope the TPE is a decent length train

It's 5 car 802208, completly wedged with people standing full length of the aisles. People were left on the platform unable to board. Presumably they can join the LNER Azuma.

61653 HTAFC · 9 Feb 2020

GoatSarah said:
Bet they don't.

Manchester City v. West Ham United called off due to the storm...

You are Mystic Meg and I claim my £5!

Saint66 · 9 Feb 2020

Luton platform 1 and 2 are closed due to roof damage - https://twitter.com/13milepost/status/1226469978846748672/photo/1

WelshBluebird · 9 Feb 2020

DelayRepay said:
I appreciate not everyone has the same flexibility but anyone who chooses to make non essential journeys today must be crazy.

The thing is it depends where you are. Here I am in a part of South Wales where the wind and rain or no worse then a pretty normal wet and windy day yet there are no trains running, but in other parts of the country where there are downed trees etc there are trains running. It seems backwards to me but there you go! Anyway the difference in location means if you are travelling from some places it really isn't that bad, so the idea of "must be crazy" isn't really fair. Especially as bus and coach operators are running services in some of the areas the railway isn't too.

Weather Disruption caused by storm Ciara (February 9th, 10th and 11th)

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