Broken Rail, Grantham. 21/09/15

[gimmea50anyday]

East Coast Mainline services are currently at a standstill due to a broken rail north of Grantham.

Currently the line is closed and nothing can run between Doncaster and Grantham. This will cause significant disruption to East Coast and Hull Trains services.

The current plan is EC will run 2 tph per direction with other services turned back as necessary

 

[Groningen]

What is a standarill?

A lot of Twitter messages. Trains from Leeds and London KX have been cancelled.

Emergency engineering works between Newark North Gate and Grantham causing disruption to journeys between Doncaster and Grantham.
Some Virgin Trains East Coast trains are running between Doncaster and Grantham. Passengers should travel on the train closest to their booked train if it is cancelled. Hull Trains are unable to run between Doncaster and Grantham.

Alternative travel options:
First Hull Trains passengers may use:
Virgin Trains East Coast between Doncaster and Grantham.
East Midlands trains between Sheffield and London Kings Cross.
Northern and CrossCountry trains between Doncaster and Sheffield.
Great Northern services via any reasonable route.

Virgin Trains East Coast passengers may use:
CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, Great Northern, Grand Central and TransPennine Express services via any reasonable route.
Virgin Trains services between London Euston and Edinburgh
This is expected to continue until 12:30

 

[najaB]

East Coast Mainline services are currently at a standarill due to a broken rail north of Grantham.

Currently the line is closed and nothing can run between Doncaster and Grantham. This will cause significant disruption to East Coast and Hull Trains services.

I would have thought that single-line working could be implemented to let some trains through, or is it in a location where there wouldn't be enough room to safely work with the other line live?

 

[Quakkerillo]

Pretty sure 'standstill' was meant.
Although now there's (limited) movement going on.

 

[Red Dragon]

I'm on the 0945 from Leeds to Kings Cross. We are terminating at Donny and then I guess they have put on a 2tph shuttle via Lincoln - we'll see !
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Waitng patiently on platform 1 at Donny no train movements and more importantly no announcements !

 

[gavin]

Picture of the damaged rail

 

[Retorus]

Is that a flaming trident?

 

[wensley]

2tph via SLW between Claypole and Newark South Jn.
20mph ESR to be imposed over the Down Main once re-opened, estimate 1300.

 

[455driver]

Looks like a broken IBJ, don't hear about them going very often.

 

[ainsworth74]

What is an IBJ?

 

[455driver]

What is an IBJ?

I thought I would join in with the acronyms (such as stations) that people like to use so they appear all superior!

Oh it's Insulated Block Joint, it separates 2 track circuits from each other.

 

[No Fault Found]

There seems to be a lot of standing around going on in that picture and not much work going on

 

[455driver]

There seems to be a lot of standing around going on in that picture and not much work going on

It looks like the 6 bolts holding the joint together have just been burned off, would you fancy touching it?

 

[gavin]

Broken rail joint and sleeper is the problem

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Lines are now reopen delays expected till around 15:00 whilst services recover

 

[gimmea50anyday]

I would have thought that single-line working could be implemented to let some trains through, or is it in a location where there wouldn't be enough room to safely work with the other line live?

The following line i posted did state what the plan was, however at the time of posting that hadnt yet been implemented

 

[Groningen]

Problem still not (fully) solved. > Delays of up to 30 minutes through Grantham expected until 16:00.

 

[misterredmist]

Daft question...... how is a breech in the rail discovered in the first place ?

 

[Donny Dave]

Daft question...... how is a breech in the rail discovered in the first place ?

1 of 2 ways, I assume ....

First one is that the track cuircuits in the signalbox controlling the area show as occupied when the route is clear, or ...

A driver reports a rough ride at a certain location. In both cases (big assumption here), the next train will then be cautioned through the affected area and told to report back to the signaller.

 

[455driver]

1 of 2 ways, I assume ....

First one is that the track cuircuits in the signalbox controlling the area show as occupied when the route is clear, or ...

Not in this case because a block joint is supposed to stop the track circuit current jumping the gap.

A driver reports a rough ride at a certain location. In both cases (big assumption here), the next train will then be cautioned through the affected area and told to report back to the signaller.

most likely a driver reported a bump (yep we even know which bits of track give us a jolt) and anything unusual will get reported.

Another possibility is NR staff found it during a track walk.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Virgin Trains East Coast passengers may use:
CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, Great Northern, Grand Central and TransPennine Express services via any reasonable route.
Virgin Trains services between London Euston and Edinburgh
This is expected to continue until 12:30

The supposed rebranding of VTEC doesn't seem to have taken effect...

 

[AndyPJG]

Broken rail joint and sleeper is the problem

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Lines are now reopen delays expected till around 15:00 whilst services recover

Looks like the joint was broken a while, judging by the indented rail end and consequential broken sleeper from the impact loadings?

 

[wensley]

Most likely a driver reported a bump.

Corect! Trains cautioned until P/Way on site ... I would imagine their opening phrase was akin to 'oh dear'

 

[455driver]

Corect! Trains cautioned until P/Way on site ... I would imagine their opening phrase was akin to 'oh dear'

I would have thought it would have been about 'more than three waterways'!

Think about it!

That sleeper has been hammered to within an inch of its life!

 

[wensley]

I would have thought it would have been about 'more than three waterways'!

Think about it!

That sleeper has been hammered to within an inch of its life!

Very good!!! My response was far from polite when the confirmation landed in my inbox

 

[455driver]

Very good!!! My response was far from polite when the confirmation landed in my inbox

I can well imagine, when was the last time an IBJ let go in this way, I have never heard of one?

 

[Bald Rick]

I can well imagine, when was the last time an IBJ let go in this way, I have never heard of one?

I've known it happen a couple of times a year.

 

[455driver]

I've known it happen a couple of times a year.

Thanks for the info.
They are quite substantial bits of kit as well.

 

[wensley]

Thanks for the info.
They are quite substantial bits of kit as well.

They are. I also remember infrequent breaks, the sleeper was a surprise though!
The resulting chaos did excuse me from a mountain of paperwork however ... Silver linings and all that

 

[thenorthern]

Did an Edinburgh to Kings Cross train make an additional stop at Grantham today to cover for the disruption?

A friend of mine was there and he said they did although it was crammed but RTT is showing it as a stop that dosen't allow passengers to board.

 

[wensley]

Did an Edinburgh to Kings Cross train make an additional stop at Grantham today to cover for the disruption?

A friend of mine was there and he said they did although it was crammed but RTT is showing it as a stop that dosen't allow passengers to board.

There were SSOs put on all manner of trains today so it's a definite possibility.