Brighton Trespasses - Trains At A Standstill (12/08)

[Deepgreen]

At least two trespass incidents have brought the railways around Brighton to a halt, with the power off. Trains caught up include the Hastings DMU on a tour, which is stuck near Newhaven, running an hour late already!

 

[zwk500]

The tour appears to have cancelled it's Brighton visit and is being sent back to London via Plumpton. Power appears to have been restored as 9T50 has just departed on OTT, but trains on the East Coastway are not being released, 2G47 at Lewes is even being shunted back into Platform 4.

 

[Deepgreen]

The tour appears to have cancelled it's Brighton visit and is being sent back to London via Plumpton. Power appears to have been restored as 9T50 has just departed on OTT, but trains on the East Coastway are not being released, 2G47 at Lewes is even being shunted back into Platform 4.

Yes - lucky 1001 got caught up where it did and has been able to by-pass the chaos.

 

[zwk500]

Yes - lucky 1001 got caught up where it did and has been able to by-pass the chaos.

Well, the worst of it - it's still 30-odd down, but will presumably have less in front of it now for the run up the Quarry line.

Edit: not getting better for the Brighton line:

[Image of Open Train Times screenshot showing 'Pax In' interposed on signal berths in Clayton Tunnel.]

 

[TrainGeekUK]

Not good for the 30odd thousand emptying the AMEX heading towards Lewes/Brighton either.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Looks like 1A48 has been through the tunnel to examine

 

[zwk500]

Not good for the 30odd thousand emptying the AMEX heading towards Lewes/Brighton either.

Not very, no. Although given the game finished around 5pm hopefully a fair amount of people will have got as far as Lewes or Brighton before the power went off. Mind you, having attended games there myself, there will still be a substantial number of people there getting caught up in all this.

 

[Deepgreen]

1001 was advertised as being 'top and tailed' for its 'Newhaven Nonsense' tour today, but that was changed to just the seven car unit a while back. However, even that didn't occur, with just the basic six car unit running, seen here at Earlswood, 29 minutes late.

Well, the worst of it - it's still 30-odd down, but will presumably have less in front of it now for the run up the Quarry line.

Edit: not getting better for the Brighton line:
View attachment 140857
[Image of Open Train Times screenshot showing 'Pax In' interposed on signal berths in Clayton Tunnel.]

The NRE site states that the trespassing incidents were at Brighton and Preston Park stations. Was one incident actually in Clayton Tunnel?

 

[Surreytraveller]

1001 was advertised as being 'top and tailed' for its 'Newhaven Nonsense' tour today, but that was changed to just the seven car unit a while back. However, even that didn't occur, with just the basic six car unit running, seen here at Earlswood, 29 minutes late.
View attachment 140871


The NRE site states that the trespassing incidents were at Brighton and Preston Park stations. Was one incident actually in Clayton Tunnel?

I think the Brighton and Preston Park incidents were the same incident, and there were other incidents on top

 

[zwk500]

The NRE site states that the trespassing incidents were at Brighton and Preston Park stations. Was one incident actually in Clayton Tunnel?

I don't know, I'm afraid, I don't have access to incident logs. I can only go on the public information.

 

[Royal351]

The tour appears to have cancelled it's Brighton visit and is being sent back to London via Plumpton. Power appears to have been restored as 9T50 has just departed on OTT, but trains on the East Coastway are not being released, 2G47 at Lewes is even being shunted back into Platform 4.

Nah 2G47 was in Lewes the whole time, problem was that cause of the football it was an 8 car and was hanging over the points outside Lewes station. That's what was holding the Tour up. Physically couldn't get it over the junction.

Plan was to shunt it (2G47) out of Lewes towards Brighton then back on itself towards TLW13. Turn back on itself again and get into the Plat5.

 

[DavyCrocket]

There were either two or three trespass incidents. Staff reported the first was at London Road. Then trains started again but were held again at Preston Park. Unsure if that was the site of the trespass as later on, the driver of that train said that a child (young teens) was found in Clayton Tunnel. Over a 90 minute delay.

As usual for GTR, the information provided to staff was terrible.

 

[Surreytraveller]

As usual for GTR, the information provided to staff was terrible.

But there's a whole army of staff in the ROC to dish out information

 

[Haywain]

Although given the game finished around 5pm hopefully a fair amount of people will have got as far as Lewes or Brighton before the power went off. Mind you, having attended games there myself, there will still be a substantial number of people there getting caught up in all this.

The first affected train from Falmer towards Brighton was the 1659, which got heavily delayed around London Road, and the 1706 to Eastbourne got away OK. After that the boards showed everything as delayed or cancelled. As a result buses were heaving and I can tell you it's a blooming long walk back to Brighton station!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As a result buses were heaving and I can tell you it's a blooming long walk back to Brighton station!

That's a fair old schlep. Just under four miles.

 

[Haywain]

That's a fair old schlep. Just under four miles.

Indeed. On the bright side, my step count for yesterday will cover the entire weekend!

 

[zwk500]

The first affected train from Falmer towards Brighton was the 1659, which got heavily delayed around London Road, and the 1706 to Eastbourne got away OK. After that the boards showed everything as delayed or cancelled. As a result buses were heaving and I can tell you it's a blooming long walk back to Brighton station!

Yes, I don't envy that one! I'd probably have just resigned myself to finding a perch at the bar.

 

[Haywain]

Yes, I don't envy that one! I'd probably have just resigned myself to finding a perch at the bar.

By the time it became clear what was going on, it was too late to go back to the ground (against the flow of people) and find a bar, and there's nothing near the ground.

 

[zwk500]

By the time it became clear what was going on, it was too late to go back to the ground (against the flow of people) and find a bar, and there's nothing near the ground.

Ah, fair enough. Happened at just the wrong time then!

 

[Urban Gateline]

But there's a whole army of staff in the ROC to dish out information

Not really, when I worked in a ROC in Info Control, we were single staffed on weekends, covering 2 or 3 areas/desks, so during disruption it can be hard.

 

[Haywain]

Apologies if anyone was upset by my failure to state my information sources.

Having been caught up in it, I didn't see any problem with what you've posted. At the time my primary information sources were my wife (sitting at home) and a good friend who was on the railtour, both of whom were able to tell me more than the railway could.

 

[infobleep]

Not really, when I worked in a ROC in Info Control, we were single staffed on weekends, covering 2 or 3 areas/desks, so during disruption it can be hard.

Why are less people needed on a Saurday? Less trains?

 

[Urban Gateline]

Why are less people needed on a Saurday? Less trains?

Good question, one I don't know the answer to! In my mind it stems from the ancient rostering behind the Railway which was largely Mon-Fri focus and less cover on weekends to give staff more weekends off.

 

[Deepgreen]

Having been caught up in it, I didn't see any problem with what you've posted. At the time my primary information sources were my wife (sitting at home) and a good friend who was on the railtour, both of whom were able to tell me more than the railway could.

As is so depressingly often the case.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Good question, one I don't know the answer to! In my mind it stems from the ancient rostering behind the Railway which was largely Mon-Fri focus and less cover on weekends to give staff more weekends off.

More likely no senior management about, so information provision at the weekends doesn't matter, as those senior managers don't realise people travel at weekends (or if they do, weekend travellers don't matter)

 

[infobleep]

More likely no senior management about, so information provision at the weekends doesn't matter, as those senior managers don't realise people travel at weekends (or if they do, weekend travellers don't matter)

Well, given leisure travel has increased and is doing well then they surely do matter.

They certainly were considered enough to not run any trains south of Three Bridges recently, save to Barnham.

 

[Deepgreen]

Well, given leisure travel has increased and is doing well then they surely do matter.

They certainly were considered enough to not run any trains south of Three Bridges recently, save to Barnham.

What made Barnham so special to be singled out?

 

[paul1609]

What made Barnham so special to be singled out?

It's the main traincrew depot for the West Coastway.

 

[Deepgreen]

It's the main traincrew depot for the West Coastway.

So trains were not stopping anywhere south of Three Bridges but there? Wow.

 

[paul1609]

So trains were not stopping anywhere south of Three Bridges but there? Wow.

I don't know the circumstances of the disruption but it's also the main interchange between London services (via Three Bridges) and Coastway Services for West Sussex/Portsmouth. If there were no other train services there is a 30 min interval bus service (Stagecoach 500) outside that links Littlehampton with Chichester.
If the Brighton Mainline is blocked south of Three Bridges, Barnham is a good location to serve if you want to minimise inconvience to passengers.