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

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Bald Rick

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There is also a tree fouling the return wire very close to the down fast just north of the station. Even though this image was taken around 16:30 the tree is as you would expect still there now.

You’ll note that it looks like this tree has fallen from a property next to the railway.

Perfect example. It has come down from neighbouring property. I hope whoever lives in the property (somewhere between 24-32 Lemsford Road) doesn’t moan about late trains if they have tried to travel today.

Not coincidentally, a large tree fell across Hatfield Road about 200m from this location about 4 hours ago.
 
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Saint66

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Perfect example. It has come down from neighbouring property. I hope whoever lives in the property (somewhere between 24-32 Lemsford Road) doesn’t moan about late trains if they have tried to travel today.

Not coincidentally, a large tree fell across Hatfield Road about 200m from this location about 4 hours ago.

I believe it might be from the car park of the small block of private flats.

A couple of large trees also went over by the Alban Arena this afternoon.
 

Scotrail314209

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Aberdeen to Inverness now closed all day.

the 15:23 Aberdeen to Inverness has hit a tree between Inverurie and Insch.
 

Bald Rick

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Do Network Rail have a legal power to require adjacent landowners to manage their trees?

There is a specific section of the Highways Act 1980 that allows an authority to take action against the owners of overgrowing or dangerous trees - not used often enough - but a power NR might want to seek if they do not already have it.

It does appear falling trees are a big issue this time round.

It’s been an issue for, well, forever. AIUI the powers NR do have relate to trees that pose an immediate danger.
 

Starmill

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Which is not going to be good enough for many who would get the sack for non-attendance at work. People need to be allowed to use the early morning trains if in this position (or as early as any run)
If, with regards to the operator originally nominated at the time of booking, no service runs today, customers can use the first service which runs in the morning if they need to, as this is already provided for by the Advance Ticket Terms & Conditions:
If delays occur while travelling, you will be allowed to take the next available train(s) to complete your journey.
If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or is delayed and you still decide to travel, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed).
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46546.aspx

The operator can ask customers to wait until after midday, or they may continue to provide no service until that time, then of course the advice is accurate. What the operator can not do is operate an early-morning train and turn away those with tickets for yesterday, while there is still physical space to board. To me, this language is sufficient to conclude that if Avanti West Coast were foolish enough to try to charge for a new ticket where a customer was doing that, the charge would be unlawful.
 

jon0844

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Exactly, without interviewing every intending passenger it's impossible to know whether their journey is essential or not.

Seeing a photo of a packed platform at a station today, the large amount of shopping bags (more for things like Sports Direct than Tesco) suggests that at least some trips weren't absolutely essential.
 

dk1

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Extreme side gusts across the Fens this morning. Struck several smaller trees but a very large one struck near Thetford. Thankfully the trunk was across the opposite line. All trains stopped with the REC (Railway Emergency Call) then Line blocked for the next few hours. Both my Stadler & another that had a good clout elsewhere stood up very well with no visible damage.
 

bramling

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Seeing a photo of a packed platform at a station today, the large amount of shopping bags (more for things like Sports Direct than Tesco) suggests that at least some trips weren't absolutely essential.

I daresay most of the people travelling between Cambridge and London today didn't look like essential journeys.
 

Starmill

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If, with regards to the operator originally nominated at the time of booking, no service runs today, customers can use the first service which runs in the morning if they need to, as this is already provided for by the Advance Ticket Terms & Conditions:


https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/46546.aspx

The operator can ask customers to wait until after midday, or they may continue to provide no service until that time, then of course the advice is accurate. What the operator can not do is operate an early-morning train and turn away those with tickets for yesterday, while there is still physical space to board. To me, this language is sufficient to conclude that if Avanti West Coast were foolish enough to try to charge for a new ticket where a customer was doing that, the charge would be unlawful.
Oh yes I almost forgot - tomorrow they should be handing out food and drink to anyone who has had to delay their journey a day:
28.5. If your train is delayed for more than 60 minutes, your Train Company may, in certain circumstances, provide you with meals and refreshments if they are available on the train or in the station, or can reasonably be supplied, and in reasonable relation to the waiting time.
 

Mathew S

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I daresay most of the people travelling between Cambridge and London today didn't look like essential journeys.
The problem is, most people will think that their journey is essential - because to them, it might seem that it is. To many 'I have to get home because I need to be in work tomorrow' (just to pick one from what I'm sure is a long list) is about as essential as it gets.
 

jfollows

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The Manchester Piccadilly Twitter feed posted some photos inluding this one:

View attachment 73660
I assume this is some sort of evacuation? Looks like a class 221and class 390 side-by-side.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailMAN/status/1226517137218572288
Later on it says:
Transferring passengers on to the voyager as overhead wire problems around winsford.
See post #261 and subsequent above.

Wires brought down by Liverpool-Euston Pendolino on the up fast south of Winsford, evacuation in the picture possible onto the up slow rescue unit.
 

Ianno87

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I daresay most of the people travelling between Cambridge and London today didn't look like essential journeys.

Cambridge folk (for some reason) do seem to have a higher expectation than most of just being able to turn up and go without much pre-planning or checking beforehand.

In fairness, with two routes to London of comparable speeds, days which disruption means London cannot be reached at all are exceedingly rare (basically needs two seperate major incidents on both routes *or* a failure on the short common section into Cambridge). So are probably less "switched on" to what total job-stopping disruption looks like.
 

Murray J

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So how many trains have struck trees today? So far I make it one SE 375, a ScotRail HST and 2 GA FLIRTs (presumably 755s.) Anymore that are known about?
 

TrafficEng

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It’s been an issue for, well, forever. AIUI the powers NR do have relate to trees that pose an immediate danger.
Something like this might be more useful then -
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/section/154

Subsection 2 covers the situation where the tree doesn't necessarily overhang or obstruct, but that the condition of the tree poses a risk it might fall onto the road. The danger doesn't have to be immediate, it only needs to be 'likely'.

In the Potters Bar example posted earlier, the growth of ivy is indicative of a possible lack of management (perhaps Spring conditions would reveal the presence of dead branches as well) which might be sufficient (if next to a road) to require the owner to do some crown reduction to minimise the risk of the tree falling, and if it does fall, how far from the centre of the trunk it would reach.

I understand if you are using plant or scaffolding near the railway and there is a risk of it falling onto NR equipment then there are processes that have to be followed. It might be that a similar approach needs to be adopted with trees so anything which has the potential to fall and endanger railway users or cause delays is monitored and managed. I suppose the Twerton incident is also relevant to this.
 

miami

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Avanti have being saying people can't travel before 1200 despite not operating the services today, this has led to people incorrectly being charged cancellation fees and having to buy new extremely expensive tickets

Screenshot 2020-02-09 at 18.34.52.png


LNER are saying that people with TPE only tickets can't travel on LNER services despite TPE not running a service

Screenshot 2020-02-09 at 18.38.39.png


The railway is not covering itself with glory
 

Darandio

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Avanti have being saying people can't travel before 1200 despite not operating the services today, this has led to people incorrectly being charged cancellation fees and having to buy new extremely expensive tickets

They aren't still saying it though, that restriction has been lifted.
 

theironroad

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So how many trains have struck trees today? So far I make it one SE 375, a ScotRail HST and 2 GA FLIRTs (presumably 755s.) Anymore that are known about?

Quite a few on SWR, all currently listed with clearance times as well on SWR Journey Check page.
 

Scotrail314209

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So how many trains have struck trees today? So far I make it one SE 375, a ScotRail HST and 2 GA FLIRTs (presumably 755s.) Anymore that are known about?

A Pendolino might still be stuck near Winsford. Not sure if it’s been moved yet
 

ChiefPlanner

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There is also a tree fouling the return wire very close to the down fast just north of the station. Even though this image was taken around 16:30 the tree is as you would expect still there now.

You’ll note that it looks like this tree has fallen from a property next to the railway.

Know the location very well - (we must be relatively close residents then ?) , it just illustrates the trouble NR has with unwelcome incursions like this. Absolute pain for everyone.
 

Winthorpe

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Later on it says:
Transferring passengers on to the voyager as overhead wire problems around winsford.
See post #261 and subsequent above.

Wires brought down by Liverpool-Euston Pendolino on the up fast south of Winsford, evacuation in the picture possible onto the up slow rescue unit.

Thank you for the further information information.
 

Bald Rick

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So how many trains have struck trees today? So far I make it one SE 375, a ScotRail HST and 2 GA FLIRTs (presumably 755s.) Anymore that are known about?

Not sure about how many trains have struck trees, but there have been dozens of tree on line incidents.
 

Megafuss

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Avanti have being saying people can't travel before 1200 despite not operating the services today, this has led to people incorrectly being charged cancellation fees and having to buy new extremely expensive tickets

View attachment 73672


LNER are saying that people with TPE only tickets can't travel on LNER services despite TPE not running a service

View attachment 73670


The railway is not covering itself with glory

LNER are correct by the way
 

221129

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God knows - had a look and The Trainline are the same.

There's a big issue here with customer comms, quick look at Twitter shows customers ignoring TOC advice because of NRE and Trainline.
What a surprise! Welcome to every day in a frontline railway role. As soon as the words "but the train line says..." come out then I know I'm going to have a frustrating conversation.
 
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