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Danger UXB! Plymouth to Liskeard and Gunnislake cancellations 23/02/24

johntea

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You can tell it must be a slow news day Friday over at the BBC because they have 'breaking news' and live updates of the thing as their top story!

Unusual perhaps but not the first and unlikely to be the last unexploded bomb found, the way the media are going on about it you would think doomsday is upon us!
 
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Horizon22

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You can tell it must be a slow news day Friday over at the BBC because they have 'breaking news' and live updates of the thing as their top story!

Unusual perhaps but not the first and unlikely to be the last unexploded bomb found, the way the media are going on about it you would think doomsday is upon us!

I did find it odd it was a breaking and live news update story!
 

VP185

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GWR website states:

“Rail replacement transport has been requested however, many operators are already booked assisting with the evacuation, therefore at this time no replacement transport is available.
More information will be provided as we have it”
 

richw

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Yes if was excluded. I don't know, but the communications had said it was.
The required route is 100% not in the exclusion. GWR have now updated to reflect any spare capacity has been requested by the military
 

Trackman

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I saw earlier it was the first use of the government emergency alert system.
Thing was, it went off in the middle of night for some people, so I'm led to believe.
I have no citation, but I'm sure if you google it will show up.
 

geoffk

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You can tell it must be a slow news day Friday over at the BBC because they have 'breaking news' and live updates of the thing as their top story!

Unusual perhaps but not the first and unlikely to be the last unexploded bomb found, the way the media are going on about it you would think doomsday is upon us!
There was one found near Exeter University 3 years ago.
 

irish_rail

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I did find it odd it was a breaking and live news update story!
Too be fair 1000s of Plymothians have been told to evacuate the affected area (mainly around Keyham). There is a large build up of big container ships moored off Torbay at present , unable to carry on their journeys, presumably awaiting the bomb to be detonated out at sea. Plymouth Station was extremely busy this afternoon with stranded travellers. It is quite a big deal.

I saw earlier it was the first use of the government emergency alert system.
Thing was, it went off in the middle of night for some people, so I'm led to believe.
I have no citation, but I'm sure if you google it will show up.
Yes the government emergency txt alarm system was used and did work.
 

800001

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Too be fair 1000s of Plymothians have been told to evacuate the affected area (mainly around Keyham). There is a large build up of big container ships moored off Torbay at present , unable to carry on their journeys, presumably awaiting the bomb to be detonated out at sea. Plymouth Station was extremely busy this afternoon with stranded travellers. It is quite a big deal.


Yes the government emergency txt alarm system was used and did work.
Yet on the news people still moaning about being evacuated saying how ridiculous the situation is, they wouldn’t be saying that if it detonated while it was being moved.
 

pompeyfan

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I believe the bomb was actually found late afternoon on Tuesday, but the armed forces and local stakehokders didn’t want to rush into anything.

When dredging work was ongoing in Portsmouth Harbour, they were blasting the pier at the same time. I think there was 3 big ones in 3 months.

I remember the Exeter one too, only about 2 years ago.
 

stuartl

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I saw earlier it was the first use of the government emergency alert system.
Thing was, it went off in the middle of night for some people, so I'm led to believe.
I have no citation, but I'm sure if you google it will show up.
It was sent around noon, the person woke up by it was a night shift worker.
 

sor

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It was sent around noon, the person woke up by it was a night shift worker.
and rather helpfully the govt keeps records of exactly when

https://www.gov.uk/alerts/23-feb-2024 - 12:06pm to 5:58pm. The phone would stop showing the alert after the user has acknowledged it, but by keeping it running for 6 hours it means it would be received by any phone that enters "Plymouth" (probably including Saltash and Ivybridge) yesterday afternoon.
 

plymothian

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I saw earlier it was the first use of the government emergency alert system.
Thing was, it went off in the middle of night for some people, so I'm led to believe.
I have no citation, but I'm sure if you google it will show up.
It was sent around noon, the person woke up by it was a night shift worker.

I received mine at 17.31 despite being in Plymouth all day. So rather useless.
 

dangie

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Yet on the news people still moaning about being evacuated saying how ridiculous the situation is, they wouldn’t be saying that if it detonated while it was being moved.
One woman interviewed said ‘It’s not fair……’
I believe the bomb was actually found late afternoon on Tuesday, but the armed forces and local stakehokders didn’t want to rush into anything.
I suppose after lying there undisturbed for 80+ years another hour or two wouldn’t make much difference.
 

swt_passenger

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The one interviewed in the pub? I genuinely laughed at the telly when she said that -- some people eh!
And so much of the “stating the obvious” vox pop. Local corner shop keeper quoted “it’s not been very busy today”… o_O
 

Busaholic

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I remember the Exeter one too, only about 2 years ago.
That one didn't go strictly according to plan, with damage to some properties nearby, so I'm sure that will have been a factor in the decision making.
 

Ediswan

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Also, in Exeter, the bomb was in an open area, room to build an earth wall. In Plymouth, it was very close to houses.
 

Hadders

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Just to update on my journey to Penzance

I was on the 12:03 from Paddington which terminated at Plymouth. Government phone alert went off as soon as the train hit the outskirts of Plymouth - made a right racket in the carriage! Waited for a bit at Plymouth station, staff doing a good job - giving out hot drinks and snacks to people.

I took a walk into the city centre to get some food and waited to see what happened. The first train towards Penzance looked likely to be the 17:46 which was a 5 car class IET that had come from Cardiff. Got back to the station and a set swap had been arranged so the 17:46 so it would be a 9-car train west of Plymouth. Good thinking from GWR.

Staff let passegers on to the train, we had to wait for the train from Cardiff (which was running late) to arrive and passengers change train. We finally departed at 18:07. Inevitably the train picked up quite a lot of delay, one of the issues seemed to be the length of time taken at stations with short platforms as people had to walk through the train to alight at most stations. Finally arrived at Penzance at 20:21.
 

johntea

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Seems like another ‘wartime bomb near the railway’ incident is now taking place on the line between Leeds and Skipton!
 

800001

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Seems like another ‘wartime bomb near the railway’ incident is now taking place on the line between Leeds and Skipton!
It was a projectile that was not live and was removed from the scene.
Normal working resumed at 12:17.
Initially it was been treat as a live WWII bomb.
 

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