Disruption from flooding after rain on 4 January 2024

[Dan G]

Continuing from the Henk thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/storm-henk-travel-disruption-02-01-24.260356/

GWR lines are closed due to flooding between Swindon and Bristol Parkway (flooding near Chipping Sudbury) and between Reading and Taunton (track underwater at Newbury!)

Also a landslip on the South Western Main Line between Winchester and Micheldever.

 

[Three-Nine]

On the West of England for SWR, no service today between Yeovil Junction and Exeter due to the land slip at Crewkerne, that may well be the case for a while (as in, days) until its cleared up.

 

[lachlan]

Currently every second London-Bristol train is cancelled

 

[alholmes]

ECML Down Slow still blocked through Arlesey due to landslip, with 20 mph emergency speed restriction on Down Fast.

 

[Bill EWS]

Got caught up in the chaos at Reading yesterday evening traveling from Twyford to Didcot. It took two hours to get home having stood in a massive que for taxis. However, overall they did an excellent job of getting people onto the taxis and calling out for passengers all going to the same destinations into one taxi instead of drifts and drabs of perhaps just one person a time. The taxis too did a good job in turning up in great numbers for the duration. I shared with three other people which kept the cost of the taxi down to a reasonable price. There was still a bit of a que behind me but you could see the end therefore, hopefully most, if not all of the que was dealt with within three hours. There was a fair bit of heavy flooding to get through between Wallingford and Didcot and the journey was taken at a steady speed.

 

[Meerkat]

Got caught up in the chaos at Reading yesterday evening traveling from Twyford to Didcot. It took two hours to get home having stood in a massive que for taxis. However, overall they did an excellent job of getting people onto the taxis and calling out for passengers all going to the same destinations into one taxi instead of drifts and drabs of perhaps just one person a time. The taxis too did a good job in turning up in great numbers for the duration. I shared with three other people which kept the cost of the taxi down to a reasonable price. There was still a bit of a que behind me but you could see the end therefore, hopefully most, if not all of the que was dealt with within three hours. There was a fair bit of heavy flooding to get through between Wallingford and Didcot and the journey was taken at a steady speed.

If you share a taxi how do you split paying the fare, and how do you all get refunded?

 

[Llanigraham]

If you share a taxi how do you split paying the fare, and how do you all get refunded?

When that used to happen from Shrewsbury, down the Cambrian, the bill went straight to the train company. I would suspect the same at Reading.

 

[Julia]

If you share a taxi how do you split paying the fare, and how do you all get refunded?

Last time it happened to me, there was a station manager grouping up people heading to similar places, and writing chits for the taxi company to reclaim the costs directly rather than getting the passengers to pay. Saved a lot of hassle.

 

[Meerkat]

When that used to happen from Shrewsbury, down the Cambrian, the bill went straight to the train company. I would suspect the same at Reading.

Last time it happened to me, there was a station manager grouping up people heading to similar places, and writing chits for the taxi company to reclaim the costs directly rather than getting the passengers to pay. Saved a lot of hassle.

Thanks - does the taxi have to go to a station or is it allowed to drop people home?

 

[Snow1964]

Still lots of cancellations and delays on GWR.

Rivers are very high, this is River Avon at Bradford on Avon viaduct. Trains are running on this line now. Normally you can walk on a raised footpath under it, but river is currently 1.8m higher than normal.

 

[Kite159]

If the line via Newbury remains flooded will the planned engineering works in the Swindon area get postponed as the diversionary route won't be available? (Ie the London - Bristol/Swansea trains are going via Newbury on Sunday)

 

[notverydeep]

Thanks - does the taxi have to go to a station or is it allowed to drop people home?

In my experience (usually Stevenage to Welwyn Garden City courtesy of GTR) they will take you to the station, though if you want to be dropped off on the direct route (without the driver needing to deviate), they will usually be OK with that. If you are the last person to be dropped off (say if the taxi is doing a couple of stations) it is sometimes possible to be taken to your door if you ask the driver. I suspect that this is dependent on them not having to take any more time to do this than would be the case with the station drop off...

 

[WolvertonWorks]

Grandson was travelling back from Plymouth to Uni in London yesterday afternoon on an advance ticket for the 16:15 PLY-PAD.

It appears train got as far as Taunton where it was cancelled. Seems he then got a train to Bristol and then a coach from Bristol to Victoria Coach station and got back to his Hall near Angel just after midnight.

I think he's learnt some valuable lessons about travel from that experience.

 

[midland1]

In my experience (usually Stevenage to Welwyn Garden City courtesy of GTR) they will take you to the station, though if you want to be dropped off on the direct route (without the driver needing to deviate), they will usually be OK with that. If you are the last person to be dropped off (say if the taxi is doing a couple of stations) it is sometimes possible to be taken to your door if you ask the driver. I suspect that this is dependent on them not having to take any more time to do this than would be the case with the station drop off...

The taxi could carry on to the station to pick up people going the other way

 

[Llanigraham]

Thanks - does the taxi have to go to a station or is it allowed to drop people home?

Officially to the station, but................................
I was certainly dropped at my home town, some 8 miles from the station as he was going to be driving past it anyway, and I was the only one in the taxi going to that station, all the others were going further down the line.

 

[endecotp]

The taxi could carry on to the station to pick up people going the other way

Only if the stations are close enough together for the taxi to be in the same licensing area, I suspect. For longer distances I fear the taxi won't legally be allowed to pick up in the destination city and will have to return empty. Anyone know for sure?

 

[notverydeep]

The taxi could carry on to the station to pick up people going the other way

Yes absolutely, you can always ask the driver to go somewhere different, but they certainly won't always be happy to do this if it isn't convenient for where they need to go next and you are not the direct customer.

Officially to the station, but................................
I was certainly dropped at my home town, some 8 miles from the station as he was going to be driving past it anyway, and I was the only one in the taxi going to that station, all the others were going further down the line.

I would have thought they could do a return trip if booked in advance (by the TOC). I believe that GTR have an agreement with specific taxi companies for this type of thing, so assume that these jobs count as 'private hire' (that is like a mini-cab) rather than a 'taxi' journey that was 'hailed', even if the vehicle is licenced as a taxi. As an aside, you can even 'private hire' licenced (London) black cabs, as my disabled Father in Law used to do to be conveyed in a wheel chair. TOCs probably don't pay the meter fare, even if the meter is running, but are likely to have previously agreed rates with taxi / mini-cab operators.

 

[Dan G]

Aiui there are three landslips causing restrictions at the moment;

–at Arlesey, apparently not near Peterborough
–between Yeovil Junction and Axminster
–at Maidstone East

We also have flooding

–between Gloucester and Lydney
–between Swindon and Bristol Parkway
–Reading and Taunton

Does anyone know anymore about what happened at Pangbourne last night?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Trains from Vic to Ashford via Maidstone diverting via Sevenoaks and Tonbridge but appear to be returning via Maidstone East. Can anyone confirm?

 

[greyman42]

ECML Down Slow still blocked through Arlesey due to landslip, with 20 mph emergency speed restriction on Down Fast.

Is this what caused LNER services to switch to the up slow on Thursday afternoon?

 

[Carbean]

Aiui there are three landslips causing restrictions at the moment;

–at Arlesey, near Peterborough
–between Yeovil Junction and Axminster
–at Maidstone East

We also have flooding

–between Gloucester and Lydney
–between Swindon and Bristol Parkway
–Reading and Taunton

Does anyone know anymore about what happened at Pangbourne last night?

At Pangbourne (according to Oxford News), an 18 year old male died on the track and a 56 year old female was discovered in a car with stab wounds. Police believe deaths are related.

 

[davews]

At Pangbourne (according to Oxford News), an 18 year old male died on the track and a 56 year old female was discovered in a car with stab wounds. Police believe deaths are related.

Mentioned on LBC News this evening. Seems they found the woman with stab wounds first then the chap on the rail line. Nasty.

 

[FGW_DID]

Does anyone know anymore about what happened at Pangbourne last night?

Thames Valley Police have launched a murder investigation:

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/thames-valley/news/2024/january/01-01-2024/murder-investigation-launched--pangbourne

Our Major Crime Unit has launched a murder investigation following the death of a woman in Pangbourne yesterday.

The murder has also been linked to the death of a man on the railway track near Pangbourne.

We are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with either death and there is no wider threat to the public.

Anyone with information about the deaths should 101 or make a report on our website, quoting reference number 43240005369.

More ➡️ https://orlo.uk/md6Wp

 

[BJames]

If you share a taxi how do you split paying the fare, and how do you all get refunded?

On Twitter, someone asked SWR whether all 4 of us can claim for part of the journey each - SWR's response was that only one person could claim the full value of the journey back. Would be expensive for e.g. Waterloo to Bournemouth...

 

[Phil R]

Trains from Vic to Ashford via Maidstone diverting via Sevenoaks and Tonbridge but appear to be returning via Maidstone East. Can anyone confirm?

Landslip at ME affecting the down line only.

 

[Meerkat]

On Twitter, someone asked SWR whether all 4 of us can claim for part of the journey each - SWR's response was that only one person could claim the full value of the journey back. Would be expensive for e.g. Waterloo to Bournemouth...

Blimey….baggsie not paying!

 

[flitwickbeds]

–at Arlesey, near Peterborough

Nowhere near Peterborough!

 

[Taunton]

Continuing from the Henk thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/storm-henk-travel-disruption-02-01-24.260356/

GWR lines are closed due to flooding between Swindon and Bristol Parkway (flooding near Chipping Sudbury)

Chipping Sodbury tunnel has flooded every major rainstorm ever since it was built. Steam locos used to plough through, but not now ...

 

[Dan G]

At Pangbourne (according to Oxford News), an 18 year old male died on the track and a 56 year old female was discovered in a car with stab wounds. Police believe deaths are related.

Thames Valley Police have launched a murder investigation:

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/thames-valley/news/2024/january/01-01-2024/murder-investigation-launched--pangbourne

Good grief. Terribly sad.

 

[Oxfordblues]

Chipping Sodbury tunnel has flooded every major rainstorm ever since it was built. Steam locos used to plough through, but not now ...

At Swindon we used to call it "Sodding Chipbury" for that reason!