Disruption At Runcorn (06/02)

[AK1982]

Can anyone shed any light on the disruption at Runcorn this evening especially southbound.

Just left the station now and saw an empty London northwestern service on platform 1 blocking the line towards London.

 

[sd0733]

Can anyone shed any light on the disruption at Runcorn this evening especially southbound.

Just left the station now and saw an empty London northwestern service on platform 1 blocking the line towards London.

The overhead wires are down in the Hartford area. No trains can run from Weaver Junction to Crewe

 

[AK1982]

Thanks.

I did notice Liverpool bound services were ok so is this just southbound disruption?

What will be the plan for the stranded Birmingham service?

 

[sd0733]

Thanks.

I did notice Liverpool bound services were ok so is this just southbound disruption?

What will be the plan for the stranded Birmingham service?

The last Liverpool train that ran through was the 12:36bhm-liverpool.
VT are running to Liverpool but with some terminated at Crewe. Any southbound that run are diverting via Manchester on the southbound Liverpool and Scottish services, one being 13:47 Liverpool to Euston which is running around 137 minutes late
There are 2 350s at Lime Street too, so the one at Runcorn will probably continue ecs to Crewe at some point.

 

[AK1982]

Looks like the 17.47 line street to Euston is running via Runcorn.

Do you know what time the stranded train left Runcorn and it’s destination?

 

[AndyW33]

Looks like the unit trapped at Runcorn returned ECS to Lime Street as 5L80. 1A60 17:47 Liverpool-Euston is now approaching Runcorn, so it looks like the line is now usable again. Birmingham services look like resuming from Liverpool at 18:34 using the two units that have been stabled in Lime Street all afternoon.

 

[AK1982]

That’s great thanks.

Just on the stranded unit when I saw it was on the London bound platform - how would it have got onto the other line to head to Liverpool?

Is there a point further down it can turn around?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

From RTT, I think one VT Scotland service (9M54) went via Middlewich - presumably a Voyager.

 

[dk1]

All sorted now according to Twitter but I'd expect some level of disruption till the end of the day.

 

[AndyW33]

That’s great thanks.

Just on the stranded unit when I saw it was on the London bound platform - how would it have got onto the other line to head to Liverpool?

Is there a point further down it can turn around?

There's a crossover just beyond Runcorn station, then there's Halton Junction, and finally another crossover at Sutton Weaver. I don't know the exact length of line that had to be isolated while the wires were fixed.

 

[sd0733]

Looks like the unit trapped at Runcorn returned ECS to Lime Street as 5L80. 1A60 17:47 Liverpool-Euston is now approaching Runcorn, so it looks like the line is now usable again. Birmingham services look like resuming from Liverpool at 18:34 using the two units that have been stabled in Lime Street all afternoon.

Yes that's correct, the 18:34 running as a pair (239 which has been there all afternoon and 232 which was originally 1L79 and ran empty back from Acton Bridge to Liverpool.

 

[Skie]

A 390 went through Oxford Road at about 16:30 today.

 

[Fleetwood Boy]

So do Virgin drivers sign all these diversionary routes around Manchester?

 

[AndyW33]

So do Virgin drivers sign all these diversionary routes around Manchester?

Some Virgin drivers sign some of the routes. The Chat Moss/Rainhill electrified line is a regular diversion during planned engineering work as it allows trains from the south to reach Liverpool when they can't go via Runcorn, to avoid the Warrington area on Anglo-Scottish trains, and to move ECS between Edge Hill and Longsight depots. It is less used to access Manchester from the south because there are two routes in daily use already. Middlewich, being non-electrified, is much less likely and I wonder if a route conductor was used?

 

[weastebusdepot]

Any southbound that run are diverting via Manchester on the southbound Liverpool and Scottish services, one being 13:47 Liverpool to Euston which is running around 137 minutes late

If that was 1A40, it got as far as the line blockage then reversed back north and went via Earlestown and the diversion route just behind 1A45 to Crewe. Noticed when it passed through Eccles that first class was now at the 'wrong' end.

 

[AK1982]

Were any units in the wrong position overnight as a result of this disruption?
And would this of caused issues today?

 

[Class 170101]

From RTT, I think one VT Scotland service (9M54) went via Middlewich - presumably a Voyager.

Thats an unusual one for Virgin. Didn't know they signed that chord. Does it ever see regular use as a diversionary route for particular blocks?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Thats an unusual one for Virgin. Didn't know they signed that chord. Does it ever see regular use as a diversionary route for particular blocks?

I'd be surprised if 9M54 was a Super Voyager, as it left Edinburgh formed of a Pendolino and there aren't many Super Voyager workings going northbound to swap with at that time of day in the Preston/Warrington area, 221115 on the 11:43 Euston to Glasgow was terminated at Crewe (not sure why, when the northbound line was open).

I think the only diversions yesterday were Wigan/Warrington-Manchester-Crewe.

 

[PHILIPE]

Were any units in the wrong position overnight as a result of this disruption?
And would this of caused issues today?

If trains were heavily delayed and unable to reach their destinations in time to take up their normal working then they would be. They would probably balance themselves out overnight.

 

[class303]

If that was 1A40, it got as far as the line blockage then reversed back north and went via Earlestown and the diversion route just behind 1A45 to Crewe. Noticed when it passed through Eccles that first class was now at the 'wrong' end.

I was on this train. It also called additionally at Warrington Bank Quay. Glad they made the diversion, can't stand replacement buses. Delay repay applied for.

 

[Taunton]

Just as an indication of how far such disruption spreads, I got to Birmingham International at about 1610 for the next service back to London Euston, as they are every 20 minutes. The 1620 was just announced as "cancelled" without reason, so all waited another 20 minutes until 1640, which is a double Voyager, arriving with significant standees, and departing with (in my car, even towards the rear) about 40 standees in one coach alone. All the way to London.

The 1620 is through from Glasgow, although very few passengers on this last section will be from beyond the problem point, and it provides a service at a time of high demand back from Birmingham to London. It's great fun when you have an Anytime to have to stand (including standing waiting at International, and the late arrival at Euston) for two hours. I may be Old School, but I did notice a fair number of women standing as well for this time, while plenty of the younger men in the coach enjoyed their seats.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Thats an unusual one for Virgin. Didn't know they signed that chord. Does it ever see regular use as a diversionary route for particular blocks?

Virgin have had spells in the fairly recent past when Holyhead services have diverted via Middlewich and Delamere, when the direct route to Chester has been closed.
I've been on one of them. Obviously only works for Voyagers.
ATW/TfW never divert that way, they just bustitute.​

I'd be surprised if 9M54 was a Super Voyager, as it left Edinburgh formed of a Pendolino and there aren't many Super Voyager workings going northbound to swap with at that time of day in the Preston/Warrington area, 221115 on the 11:43 Euston to Glasgow was terminated at Crewe (not sure why, when the northbound line was open).
I think the only diversions yesterday were Wigan/Warrington-Manchester-Crewe.

You may well be right, but I'm just going on the times on RTT which had it timed up to Hartford Jn at 1437 (39L), then reappearing at Crewe North Jn at 1558 (121L).
It also skipped the Birmingham loop later on, to claw back some time.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y82428/2019/02/06/advanced

PS Now I can see that it reversed back from Hartford Jn via Warrington BQ and went via Manchester.
RTT shows the last passing time which overwrites the first pass, giving the impression the train is going backwards (which it was, really!).

 

[Deafdoggie]

Thats an unusual one for Virgin. Didn't know they signed that chord. Does it ever see regular use as a diversionary route for particular blocks?

Middlewich is used as a diversion for the Chester line when blocked for engineering. So there will be some Virgin drivers with route knowledge.

 

[Class 170101]

Middlewich is used as a diversion for the Chester line when blocked for engineering. So there will be some Virgin drivers with route knowledge.

Middlewich I know they have as I have been on a train thats done it. The bit I am asking about is between Hartford CLC Jn and Hartford LNW Jn.