ECML Durham wires down 25th May

[55002]

Shambolic at Durham at the moment. It's supposedly single line working between Durham and Chester-le-Street yet in the past hour 8 trains included 3 freights have gone North but absolutely nothing seems to be running Southbound. The one member of platform staff on duty ran away and hid about an hour ago and hasn't been seen since so no one knows what's going on

The 2 southbound probably be on the move in next 10-15 mins I suspect

 

[ginsterman]

Apparently kids (in the looses sense of the word) put a pair of concrete blocks on the line, when the loco hit the blocks it went up and took the wires out.

 

[Class 317]

Shambolic at Durham at the moment. It's supposedly single line working between Durham and Chester-le-Street yet in the past hour 8 trains included 3 freights have gone North but absolutely nothing seems to be running Southbound. The one member of platform staff on duty ran away and hid about an hour ago and hasn't been seen since so no one knows what's going on

We felt the same going north!
I think they are fighting trains

 

[800001]

Surprised they running the 2 freights through instead of letting 1E20 and 21 through..

The 2 freights the drivers are literally about to run out of hours, hence they needed to run.

 

[SouthStand]

The 2 freights the drivers are literally about to run out of hours, hence they needed to run.

Who would tell the signalmen? The drivers or their company?

 

[FGWHST43009]

Something happened around 1144 near Chester-le-Street. I was on an Azuma from Newcastle to Durham and we stopped with a suspected object strike. Driver inspected the train, train continued on to London. Disruption still ongoing so got the bus back to Newcastle

 

[55002]

The 2 freights the drivers are literally about to run out of hours, hence they needed to run.

Ahh that makes sense

 

[CaptainHaddock]

The 2 southbound probably be on the move in next 10-15 mins I suspect

Yes, you were right. Finally left Durham 2 hours late.

 

[TPO]

Shambolic at Durham at the moment. It's supposedly single line working between Durham and Chester-le-Street yet in the past hour 8 trains included 3 freights have gone North but absolutely nothing seems to be running Southbound. The one member of platform staff on duty ran away and hid about an hour ago and hasn't been seen since so no one knows what's going on

During single line working they try to "flight" trains going in the same direction i.e. several in one direction then several in the other direction with the Pilot riding through on the last train of each flight. Overall it maximises throughput. Sounds like that is what was happening.

TPO

 

[danbarjon]

Something happened around 1144 near Chester-le-Street. I was on an Azuma from Newcastle to Durham and we stopped with a suspected object strike. Driver inspected the train, train continued on to London. Disruption still ongoing so got the bus back to Newcastle

I was on the same train, we were at the front and felt the impact it was definitely a decent sized object as the whole of Coach M shook. The service managed to escape with only a 20 minute delay, however I think the damage behind was different. I was wondering though as to if it was our train that either paid a part of the damage or caused it.

 

[800001]

During single line working they try to "flight" trains going in the same direction i.e. several in one direction then several in the other direction with the Pilot riding through on the last train of each flight. Overall it maximises throughput. Sounds like that is what was happening.

TPO

no pilot needed for this as they used signalled bi-directional working.

If it was pilot working, surely that is one in one direction then one the opposite way etc?

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

I was on the same train, we were at the front and felt the impact it was definitely a decent sized object as the whole of Coach M shook. The service managed to escape with only a 20 minute delay, however I think the damage behind was different. I was wondering though as to if it was our train that either paid a part of the damage or caused it.

Probably caused it as it was the last train through the area and previous ones were fine

 

[danbarjon]

Probably caused it as it was the last train through the area and previous ones were fine

It has been racking my brains trying to figure out what the object could have been as I thought maybe an animal but the family member I travelled with thought it would be an object thrown off the road bridge we went under a second before impact.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

It has been racking my brains trying to figure out what the object could have been as I thought maybe an animal but the family member I travelled with thought it would be an object thrown off the road bridge we went under a second before impact.

Apparently kids (in the looses sense of the word) put a pair of concrete blocks on the line, when the loco hit the blocks it went up and took the wires out.

 

[danbarjon]

Ah right, thanks. That explains a lot about the impacts and then the emergency stop (or anyone onboard will know there wasn't much emphasis on the emergency bit).

 

[800001]

There is a large mark on the damaged OHL mast where the concrete struck it after the train hit it.

 

[TPO]

no pilot needed for this as they used signalled bi-directional working.

If it was pilot working, surely that is one in one direction then one the opposite way etc?

No, they can and will flight trains during Single Line Working (SLW)with a pilot.

The trains going through in the same direction each get issued with a SLW ticket by the Pilot. Then the Pilot rides the last train in that direction through the single line section so they are in the correct position for trains going the other way. (The ticket is issued even when the Pilot is riding through).

Of course, if you have bidirectional signalling it makes it all much easier.

TPO

 

[800001]

No, they can and will flight trains during Single Line Working (SLW)with a pilot.

The trains going through in the same direction each get issued with a SLW ticket by the Pilot. Then the Pilot rides the last train in that direction through the single line section so they are in the correct position for trains going the other way. (The ticket is issued even when the Pilot is riding through).

Of course, if you have bidirectional signalling it makes it all much easier.

TPO

Learn something new every day

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'm on 12:00 Kings X to Inverness to Aviemore.

OP's train eventually made it to Aviemore at around 2219, a mere 175 mins down.

 

[LMS 4F]

I was on the 1903 from KX to Wakefield and the wires problem was being blamed on our train being over crowded. I would have thought it had more to do with it being a five car train. Despite this after Newark it was half full.
The previous Leeds train left on time at 1733 and was a longer set so who knows.
First time on Avanti seats for a while, still stiff this morning.