Birmingham-Cheltenham disruption Mon 31Jul

[crosscity]

66750 hauling 6V70 the 03:02 Small Heath to Swindon freight stopped at Spetchley near Worcestershire Parkway at about 5am and has not moved since then.
Needless to say this has caused a lot of disruption on direct trains from Birmingham to Cheltenham with a diversion via Droitwich and Worcester.

Northbound trains are still using the direct route, but are severely delayed because of the late arrival of southbound trains forming the return journeys.

What has happened to 66750/6V70 that it cannot be rescued and the line cleared after such a long time being stuck?

 

[RGM654]

At least it had the decency to break down where a diversionary route exists.

 

[alastair]

66750 hauling 6V70 the 03:02 Small Heath to Swindon freight stopped at Spetchley near Worcestershire Parkway at about 5am and has not moved since then.
Needless to say this has caused a lot of disruption on direct trains from Birmingham to Cheltenham with a diversion via Droitwich and Worcester.

Northbound trains are still using the direct route, but are severely delayed because of the late arrival of southbound trains forming the return journeys.

What has happened to 66750/6V70 that it cannot be rescued and the line cleared after such a long time being stuck?

Just been announced by the guard on my northbound XC train just departed Exeter as "a derailment" (along with dire warning of possible "extensive delays"), would agree must be more than a breakdown to have sat there that long. anyone got any further info? Thanks

 

[zwk500]

It may be entirely coincidental, but on Traksy the berth 6V70 has stopped in is marked 'HABD'.

If the train had derailed I wouldn't have thought opposing traffic would be allowed past.

 

[hexagon789]

It may be entirely coincidental, but on Traksy the berth 6V70 has stopped in is marked 'HABD'.

If the train had derailed I wouldn't have thought opposing traffic would be allowed past.

HABD stands for 'Hot Axle Box Detector' so perhaps a hot or seized axle or bearing? Sufficiently bad that it can't be moved but possibly no derailment?

 

[Meglos]

If the train had derailed I wouldn't have thought opposing traffic would be allowed past.

If the train had derailed towards the other track, then the spacing could be too narrow to alow the use of the 2nd track

 

[Surreytraveller]

It may be entirely coincidental, but on Traksy the berth 6V70 has stopped in is marked 'HABD'.

If the train had derailed I wouldn't have thought opposing traffic would be allowed past.

Depends upon whether its fouling the other track or not, or whether the other line needs to be blocked for fitters etc
It may have been decided for the train to remain in situ until skates or whatever can be fitted

 

[zwk500]

HABD stands for 'Hot Axle Box Detector' so perhaps a hot or seized axle or bearing? Sufficiently bad that it can't be moved but possibly no derailment?

This is my thinking.

Depends upon whether its fouling the other track or not, or whether the other line needs to be blocked for fitters etc
It may have been decided for the train to remain in situ until skates or whatever can be fitted

It's not impossible but I'd have been very surprised if a derailement, even towards the cess, did not require a line block. Especially after clearing stuck traffic.

 

[Surreytraveller]

This is my thinking.

It's not impossible but I'd have been very surprised if a derailement, even towards the cess, did not require a line block. Especially after clearing stuck traffic.

I don't believe its a derailment

 

[Zerothebrake!]

Severe wheel flats on the train requiring skates to be fitted and Abbotswood loop is still out of use?

 

[alastair]

Severe wheel flats on the train requiring skates to be fitted and Abbotswood loop is still out of use?

Thanks everyone for feedback.

 

[John Palmer]

Cross Country's 1V54 Edinburgh-Plymouth got as far as Stoke Works Jn before reversing and returning to Birmingham, being then cancelled. If the obstruction was known about at 0500, why was the decision to return to Birmingham made so late? Wife has managed to obtain a seat on 1V58, despite its overcrowding, currently approaching Longbridge, and presumably will be routed via Worcester.

Have been told announcement was made on 1V54 that driver's paperwork was not in order, suggesting to me that he did not sign for the route through Worcester.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Latest is the wheel skates will be fitted around 8pm and then hopefully they clear the affected area shortly after that.

 

[Zerothebrake!]

Plymouth XC Driver covering Bristol XC turn without diversionary route knowledge via Droitwich.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Latest is the wheel skates will be fitted around 8pm and then hopefully they clear the affected area shortly after that.

Take a while. I believe a skate move is 20mph max, 5mph over points. Unless they dump the offending wagons somewhere

 

[sonic2009]

Latest is the wheel skates will be fitted around 8pm and then hopefully they clear the affected area shortly after that.

Running to Gloucester (Barnwood) would be the neareast place to dump it?

 

[12LDA28C]

Latest is the wheel skates will be fitted around 8pm and then hopefully they clear the affected area shortly after that.

Wheelskates coming from various locations (Didcot, Toton and Wigan) which is adding to the delay.

 

[The exile]

Crosscountry website says “There is no disruption to our services” Blatent lie!

 

[Class172]

It's probably quite fortuitous that a number of services between Droitwich and Worcester appear to have been cancelled today, which allows the extra diverted services to be dealt with a little easier.

 

[GC class B1]

It's probably quite fortuitous that a number of services between Droitwich and Worcester appear to have been cancelled today, which allows the extra diverted services to be dealt with a little easier.

Where they cancelled because of the disruption?

 

[800001]

Cross Country's 1V54 Edinburgh-Plymouth got as far as Stoke Works Jn before reversing and returning to Birmingham, being then cancelled. If the obstruction was known about at 0500, why was the decision to return to Birmingham made so late? Wife has managed to obtain a seat on 1V58, despite its overcrowding, currently approaching Longbridge, and presumably will be routed via Worcester.

Have been told announcement was made on 1V54 that driver's paperwork was not in order, suggesting to me that he did not sign for the route through Worcester.

1V54 stopped out of course at Stoke Works and only at this point advised they did not sign via Worcester.

Regards the faulty train, driver observed sparks from rear of train and stopped.
Up on investigation 8 wheels need skating, reason not moved at slow speed was due to potential derailment risk.

As the wheel skate team come from Wigan there is now a delay as one team books off, and now awaiting the next team to book on and travel to site.

 

[voyagerdude220]

1V54 stopped out of course at Stoke Works and only at this point advised they did not sign via Worcester.

Just out of curiosity, do you think this would be a failure by Cross Country (Assuming Driver was aware before departing Birmingham of the need to divert), or Network Rail for sending the train on its way without checking the train crew sign the diversion?

 

[Ridercross]

Where they cancelled because of the disruption?

Not the cancellations on the Snow Hill services, they were cancelled because of staff shortages. Overtime ban I expect...

 

[bleeder4]

The XC network has been a bit of a mess today, it's fair to say. I got caught up in it all travelling back from Devon. Using Cheltenham Spa as an example, there were at least 35 cancelled services today. Most trains were rammed, as they each had passengers from at least 3 different trains on. There was very nearly fisticuffs on one of the ones I was on. Full and standing all down the aisles and someone somehow manages to negotiate their way down the aisle to try and claim their reserved seat. Person sitting in it holds their ground and says that seat reservations don't apply if the train is so busy, it's everyone for themself! No idea if that's true or not but it caused a "heated" discussion, shall I say. Second train I was on was also rammed but had a second 4 car Voyager coupled to the back with hundreds of empty seats, but it had to be left completely empty as there was only 1 member of the train crew apparently and they were in the front Voyager, although I never saw them.

 

[ABB125]

As the wheel skate team come from Wigan there is now a delay as one team books off, and now awaiting the next team to book on and travel to site.

Is there really only one wheelskate team in the whole country? Surely this is something that it would be better to have more staff trained in at other locations?

 

[Class172]

Is there really only one wheelskate team in the whole country? Surely this is something that it would be better to have more staff trained in at other locations?

This previous post suggests a couple more locations:

Wheelskates coming from various locations (Didcot, Toton and Wigan) which is adding to the delay.

 

[Denis103]

It looks like the train was moved to the loop at Ashchurch. There's also a DB 66 on a skate in Gloucester yard.

 

[Whistler40145]

Obviously the Didcot team was unavailable or is it that Network Rail never go for the nearest team?

 

[800001]

Obviously the Didcot team was unavailable or is it that Network Rail never go for the nearest team?

Network rail won’t choose where the team come from, that will be down to DB or which ever company they approach to do the skating.

 

[Western Sunset]

I think the problem of resourcing wheel skates and the length of time taken to deploy them, has been raised on a number of occasions before on RailUKforums. Looks like "lessons will be learnt" never are...