I'm now expecting Boris Johnson to claim to have added an extra 9 km to the rail network in his last days as Prime Minister.
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Weather disruption Sunday 17th July and following few days
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The 21.29 from Gatwick usually hooks up to another unit at Redhill to take it back to Reading. That unit appears to be running empty at 2147 from Redhill as there is presumably no guard available to run it in service.
Planned to have at least one like in either direction open for start of business tomorrow.
Failed Unit
Established Member
Be interesting to compare ECML (closed all day) with WCML tomorrow.
Why is it that necessary? You're saying that things are highly unpredictable. I'm just pointing out that they are in fact not particularly difficult to predict from a general perspective. It's clear that some areas within Network Rail understand that better than others.
Considering only half the trains are running today, I'm surprised there is no guard available. This was a problem last night with train crews on both the 21:29 and 22;29.
I'm happy to accept there is no guard and these things happen. There is a lot of disruption around. It still surprises me though that's all.
As for the 20:48 Hauwardd Heath to London Victoria service, the speed restrictions must have ended as it isn't going too slowly.
My aim is for the 21:52 to Guildford or 21:42 slow service to Guildford, if that is formed of 450 coaching stock.
Surely everyone knew that it was likely to happen, but nobody could tell where or when - hence the sensible move to shut a lot of things because these things were likely to happen.
As many predicted, people travelled in the morning without considering how they might not easily get home.
Once I got to Clapham Junction I found the 21:52 to Guildford cancelled. As my ticket isn't valid via London Waterloo and as far as I'm aware, ticket restrictions remain in place, and the next service to Woking was not until 22;15, I decided to get on a stopping service, the 21:42 alas formed of 455 rolling stock but on time! Amazing.
I didn't have time to ask if they could add in a Clapham Junction stop on another fast service. I just assumed they wouldn't do it and got this one. I didn't want to miss this train only to find they wouldn't and I needed to wait.
I didn't have time to ask if they could add in a Clapham Junction stop on another fast service. I just assumed they wouldn't do it and got this one. I didn't want to miss this train only to find they wouldn't and I needed to wait.
Having read about all the disruption elsewhere on the network, it's pleasing to report that every train between Paignton and Exmouth and vv has run today, none more than 5 minutes late. I may be tempting providence in writing this as there's one more departure from Exmouth to go! Unfortunately the service has two diagrams out of seven with single 150s, which will no doubt have caused some crowding, but this is unlikely to be weather-related.
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Not to get too outside the scope of this thread but it's honestly mind-boggling how some people can look at the disruption of these past two days and confidently say "nah that's not climate change it's normal". MML, ECML and Fen line disrupted, OHLE "exploding" at Bham New Street...anyone can see that the network is not meant for operation under conditions this extreme.
mm333
Member
So far - for tomorrow morning - LNER Journey Check just has 1 full cancellation and 2 services partially cancelled (one of those is the 0539 Sunderland-London which is starting from Newcastle).
The sort of reasons why the “unless absolutely necessary” guidance was put out which some people were deriding last week. Many TOCs and NR have looked at Plan A, B or C and either none have worked or looked feasible.
Just like happened with storm Arwen, the disruption was very real and severe and the weather models correctly predicted the temperature and much of the subsequent disruption. There’s a few too many armchair drivers, signallers and controllers.
I always actively avoid train travel in extreme weather (which is getting more frequent). People don't always have a choice but it would be a real emergency or last resort to get me on a medium to long rail journey yesterday or today. Same when it's strong storms or torrential rail.
I've never known heat like it though. A 5 minute walk to the local shop was bad enough. It's not normal.
It’s a big fire in field next to line, funnily enough saw the pictures from lad that lives near there on a football forum! It’s very very close to a level crossing box at Tempsford
I doubt that many would dispute that climate change is happening, as it so very obviously is. The issue, for some, is that 'climate change' has become a politically loaded term, used to automatically mean 'climate change caused by human activity'. Whether or not you acknowledge that such events are indeed as a result of humans or not, the reality of course is that our planet has periodically undergone dramatic climate change many times in the period of its history that we know about, so in some senses you could argue that it's a reasonable gripe when the term is used to imply reference purely to suggested manmade issues.
Anyway, back to trains!
Busaholic
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I was replying to a post that suggested the people who staff National Rail Enquiries should be aware now as to precisely how things are looking to pan out at each individual TOC and over specific rail routes, and I'm saying that is impossible. Virtually nothing predicted now can be guaranteed. Of course there can be a generalised waffle, but that wasn't what the poster was calling for. Personally, I blame the climate change deniers and the politicians they've chosen to elect for some of the things that have happened today.
I don't want to get into an unrelated argument but I mean it very much is caused by human activity, that's not disputable. But anyway, Shapps has said it would take "decades" to readjust the network for the kind of temperatures we're beginning to see regularly, all the while disruptions like this are getting more common and more extreme. It's just not feasible to continue like nothing's happening.
STKKK46
Member
Well done to XC (and Chiltern) tonight.
Final Reading to Birmingham (1M78) terminated Dorridge where a Chiltern (1R29) was held to allow a connection for passengers on to Birmingham.
XC have also utilised Kings Norton to terminate and start a couple of Bristol services (1Z64, 1Z67).
Also the final Bristol to Birmingham (1M80) will be calling additionally at Worcestershire Parkway and Longbridge before terminating it at Tamworth.
Final Reading to Birmingham (1M78) terminated Dorridge where a Chiltern (1R29) was held to allow a connection for passengers on to Birmingham.
XC have also utilised Kings Norton to terminate and start a couple of Bristol services (1Z64, 1Z67).
Also the final Bristol to Birmingham (1M80) will be calling additionally at Worcestershire Parkway and Longbridge before terminating it at Tamworth.
diffident
Member
XC have used Kings Norton before when there was flooding on the line. It seems a convenient place to turn back. Now they've done it again, I'm thinking whether it is a some form of formal contingency station for XC?
Not sure about the Longbridge stop mind!
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Surprisingly the 21:42 Clapham Junction to Guildford was on time throughout. It had to keep waiting at stations before it departed, it was so on time.
It was fairly warm inside and the breeze at Guildford was welcomed. It wasn't any more uncomfortable than on a standard summers day though, as temperature had dropped by this point. Hence why I choose to travel at this time. It's about judging the risk. The need to use the toilet was a bigger risk for me, as 455s have no loos.
I had hoped to get a 450 stock train, which are being used on some of these services Monday to Friday. They have aircon and more importantly loos. I imagine if this is an off the shelve emergency timetable they wouldn't be incorporated. I haven't checked though.
Good job I didn't go via Woking as 3 trains in row to Guildford cancelled. After a late running one left at 21:51, nothing until 23:27.
May be people could travel via Aldershot. I didn't check how they were performing.
It was fairly warm inside and the breeze at Guildford was welcomed. It wasn't any more uncomfortable than on a standard summers day though, as temperature had dropped by this point. Hence why I choose to travel at this time. It's about judging the risk. The need to use the toilet was a bigger risk for me, as 455s have no loos.
I had hoped to get a 450 stock train, which are being used on some of these services Monday to Friday. They have aircon and more importantly loos. I imagine if this is an off the shelve emergency timetable they wouldn't be incorporated. I haven't checked though.
Good job I didn't go via Woking as 3 trains in row to Guildford cancelled. After a late running one left at 21:51, nothing until 23:27.
May be people could travel via Aldershot. I didn't check how they were performing.
Not great for those heading to Coventry or Birmingham Int’l though.
londonmidland
Established Member
Thameslink are advertising that services to/from Bedford and St. Pancras will not resume until at least 10:00 tomorrow. They are advising passengers DO NOT TRAVEL on this route tomorrow.
STKKK46
Member
It must be. It makes sense for them to use Kings Norton.
As for Longbridge, I’m told it’s to connect with the Number 45 bus to Birmingham.
Excellent work by XC.
boiledbeans2
Member
Deleted, my mistake
Must be quite a bit of damage to the infrastructure.
STKKK46
Member
Admittedly not, however one would assume something would have been put in place at Leamington and Dorridge for the passengers for Coventry and International respectively.
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