Derailment at Fratton Depot

[Horizon22]

There has been a derailment at Fratton depot this morning - an 10-car 444 depot shunt move has derailed over a set of points and one of the sets has derailed. This is likely to cause considerable disruption to both SWR and GWR who have a number of Turbos blocked in.

SWR on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SW_Help/status/1423111030423629824?

We've received reports of a problem in the depot at Fratton. Some lines are blocked and fewer trains are able to run. Trains may be cancelled, delayed or changed. More information: https://bit.ly/3f9DCBM

 

[ls2270]

It was a 10 car formed of 444010 and 008. One coach of 008 derailed.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Oh dear. Always unpleasant to hear of a derailment. Hopefully everyone involved is okay, and not too much damage caused.

 

[pompeyfan]

Sadly a lot of the stock off Fratton depot appears to end up going to a whole range of the network, as a result expect far reaching disruption and cancellations. GWR are reporting having 13 coaches trapped on the fuel point, and with ongoing issues with Fratton East end exit no way to get them off the shed.

 

[_toommm_]

There’s a photo of it here on Twitter incase anyone is interested:

https://twitter.com/robangus/status/1423169166945701892?s=21

 

[158747]

Looks like maybe the points were moved under the train during the shunt move. Possibly the wrong points moved in error as in a similar incident here in November 1999.

 

[Beebman]

Two photos tweeted by Paul Clifton from BBC South Today which were sent to him:
https://twitter.com/PaulCliftonBBC/status/1423212808402083841

 

[Stigy]

Sadly a lot of the stock off Fratton depot appears to end up going to a whole range of the network, as a result expect far reaching disruption and cancellations. GWR are reporting having 13 coaches trapped on the fuel point, and with ongoing issues with Fratton East end exit no way to get them off the shed.

Split between the fuel point and reception road I assume as a) there’s not room for 13 vehicles on the fuel point and b) you can only fuel two 3 cars on the fuel road without moving one to the reception road.

Either way this will have basically cancelled all morning services for GWR since the only entrance/exit from the depot appears blocked?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is that going to be a train entering the depot? Last coach stayed on the “back road”, and all others headed through the wash road?

So did it happen at the end of yesterday’s service in the early hours, or during some sort of shunt move later during the night and hence not on RTT?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Is that going to be a train entering the depot? Last coach stayed on the “back road”, and all others headed through the wash road?

So did it happen at the end of yesterday’s service in the early hours, or during some sort of shunt move later during the night and hence not on RTT?

The OP said it was a shunt move

 

[swt_passenger]

The OP said it was a shunt move

Yes I saw that after posting. So does “shunt move” mean it was definitely an internal depot move, from one siding fo another, or might it include a move from for example Portsmouth & Southsea DCS?

 

[Intermodal]

Don't think that is meant to happen.

 

[Javelin_55]

As far as I'm aware, the train was heading on to the wash road from the back road, the points moved beneath the last car diverting it to Reception no. 1 but given that it was still attached, it's ended up derailed between the two.

It had no headcode and appears to have been an internal move during the night.

 

[swt_passenger]

As far as I'm aware, the train was heading on to the wash road from the back road, the points moved beneath the last car diverting it to Reception no. 1 but given that it was still attached, it's ended up derailed between the two.

It had no headcode and appears to have been an internal move during the night.

Thanks for that, it’s just what I was thinking before my earlier questions.

 

[Horizon22]

Yes I saw that after posting. So does “shunt move” mean it was definitely an internal depot move, from one siding fo another, or might it include a move from for example Portsmouth & Southsea DCS?

Yes an internal shunt move with the next move I believe to be an ECS move on the mainline infrastructure.

 

[Crossover]

An interesting photo appeared on Facebook this morning showing a near identical derailment in the 1990’s (I don’t think a login will be required to see the post)

EDIT: also ignore that the link shows in Arabic - it isn’t actually so!

Rail Thing - Rails Around Portsmouth | 1990s & 2021 almost the same place | Facebook

1990s & 2021 almost the same place . 444008 + an UID 444 involved in a derailment at Fratton around 01.30 am .. My Pics

www.facebook.com

 

[pompeyfan]

Looks like SWR are cancelling the same trains as yesterday, any idea why all the 10 and 12 car services aren’t being split down to provide more services?

 

[Horizon22]

There do appear to be a few shortforms, but I think fundamentally there's about 20 units trapped so there would still be cancellations.

 

[2192]

I thought rolling stock depots had two ways in/out for just such emergencies. Is Fratton an exception?

 

[ls2270]

Fratton normally would have two exits, however the London/east end exit is currently out of use due to building work!

 

[Carlisle]

An interesting photo appeared on Facebook this morning showing a near identical derailment in the 1990’s

Yes, the reality of depots having some rather dated hand points & sidings in less than perfect condition probably hasn’t changed significantly over many years aside perhaps from recent new build locations.

 

[swt_passenger]

Fratton normally would have two exits, however the London/east end exit is currently out of use due to building work!

Even then most of the depot is still only accessed through the one route through the carriage washer, the east end exit would only help with the sidings parallel to the main lines, and the DMU fuelling road.

 

[pompeyfan]

I’m pretty sure the points that appear to have caused the issues are controlled by the ground frame operator next to the carriage wash. It’s an old leaver frame.

As mentioned there is only one real way for most of the train shed to exit the depot, there are a few roads that can be exited using the cattle dock but I would assume the whole depot would have been under isolation anyway until the 3rd rail was checked.

 

[Taunton]

How can this be into a second day? The railway has always had low speed derailments from time to time in depots/sidings, which were typically picked up by the local depot's crew in a few hours. Split the points? Uncouple, remove the vehicles still on the rails, get the jacks in, done. Push all into a handy siding for checking later. PW crew fixes any damaged fastenings etc.

Nowadays it seems it's a complete crew in immaculate Hi-viz, all standing round, just saying "Ooooh, nasty".

 

[zwk500]

How can this be into a second day? The railway has always had low speed derailments from time to time in depots/sidings, which were typically picked up by the local depot's crew in a few hours. Split the points? Uncouple, remove the vehicles still on the rails, get the jacks in, done. Push all into a handy siding for checking later. PW crew fixes any damaged fastenings etc.

Nowadays it seems it's a complete crew in immaculate Hi-viz, all standing round, just saying "Ooooh, nasty".

The train was re-railed shortly after 15:00 yesterday, the issue has been finding spares for all the bits of pointwork (including sleepers) that have been damaged by the derailment.

 

[dk1]

The train was re-railed shortly after 15:00 yesterday, the issue has been finding spares for all the bits of pointwork (including sleepers) that have been damaged by the derailment.

Quite understandable.

 

[Horizon22]

The train was re-railed shortly after 15:00 yesterday, the issue has been finding spares for all the bits of pointwork (including sleepers) that have been damaged by the derailment.

Compounded with the unfortunate fact that the other entrance is out of use.

 

[zwk500]

Compounded with the unfortunate fact that the other entrance is out of use.

As has been mentioned, because of where the derailment happened a lot of stock would have been trapped regardless of the other entrance.

 

[Horizon22]

As has been mentioned, because of where the derailment happened a lot of stock would have been trapped regardless of the other entrance.

Thats true, I think GWR might have been able to get out their Turbos but alas it was quite a critical set of points damaged.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Unit has now been put back on the rails and most of the damage to the infrastructure repaired.

BBC report