Edinburgh Derailment

[MCR247]

Probably, sorry it is a bit out of my local area so I was going by what I could remember

 

[PaulLothian]

Platforms 3 and 4 at Haymarket are in use for through trains to Waverley. The pictures clearly show the westbound of the northern pair of tracks in Princes Street gardens is the one most affected.

 

[Wildrover]

the Guard on the 14.00 KGX to ABN is stopping at Haymarket, He came through the train as the PA is not working, well done to him as this train is packed to the gunnels if one can stay that of a train.

 

[90019]

There are currently 2 tracks running.
I assume they're going to move it overnight?

I got a couple of photos, but my camera battery ran out, so no closer ones.

 

[Eng274]

Haymarket p1 and 2 are the lines that are blocked off.

The line which isn't blocked does allow access through for TPE, VT, EC and SR services (albeit bottlenecked through 3 and 4). Platforms 1 and 2 at Haymarket cannot go to Slateford line unless they take an unusual route via Haymarket West Junction. 1 and 2 AFAICS were for the stopped-short services, and there were replacement buses in operation at Waverley too.

Mercifully the Edin - Glasgow shuttles were doubled up when I used them, and called at all stops (Haymarket, Edinburgh park, Linlithgow, Polmont, Falkirk high, Croy) and were naturally very busy. On the way back into Edinburgh, I overheard the Haymarket announcer really stressing that all Glasgow passengers board the next 334 service via Bathgate, rather than just waiting on the slowed-down express.

I passed the derailment earlier this afernoon, the rear carriage is noticeably ajar from the middle carriage, couldn't see if it was inner or outer bogie or both that had came off the rails.

It is taking a while, but it's better that its done properly, and the cause established before risking it happen again if it is a serious track defect that caused this one.

EDIT: 90019's picture seems to show the inner bogie off the rails

 

[michael769]

From Scotrails twitter:

NR is removing the derailed train tonight so no trains in/out Waverley from west/north after 2100 hrs. Buses betw. Edb Wav and Haymarket

I wonder what the chances of getting the line repaired and cleared overnight is? I'm more optimisting for the evening rush hour than the morning one.

I have to say that Scotrail for the most part did a fine job. As I mentioned earlier I was bussed into work today with no real issues. On the way home there were enough staff in Haymarket to provide assistance in directing us to the coaches, and they seemed to be well briefed and organised.

At Livingston South the station was well staffed, and the staff were working hard to get accurate information and hep folks get onto the train, The good efforts were marred when an ECS train stopped failed to open it's doors and then drive off, followed by a PA announcement apologising and admitting that they had no idea why it failed to stop, and reporting the next train would be in about 30mins". To their credit the onsite staff called up and after some discussion finally ascertained that a train was due within a few minutes (part of me wonders how much of that was down to their highting that there were 100 or so dismayed people on the platform..

So overall a qualified well done Scotrail, but qualified with an improvement needed in terms of getting accurate and timely information to front line staff.

One thing it has highlighted for me is that despite no significant waits for to get on buses or trains my journey took almost 3 times longer than normal - which highlights just how good the railways are at moving folks around on normal days.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It has been confirmed that some disruption will continue tomorrow:

From NRE:

Friday 29 July 2011
An amended service is expected to operate again. Full details will be published here when available.

EDIT: Scotrail have posted details at http://www.scotrail.co.uk/edinburghderailment. So some extra trains tomorrow and back to normal on Saturday.

 

[me123]

No problem And, sorry to hear that. Anyone in a similar position can be assured of the support of myself and others (in terms of writing letters, and contacting appropriate people/organisations in a constructive way). I am keen to dispell the myth that a combination of tickets erodes our rights in respect of connections etc. Obviously the mininum connection times must be adhered to. For the record, anyone with connections at Edinburgh Waverley at this time is advised that the minimum connection time according to NRES at [stn]EDB[/stn] is 10 minutes. Providing that time is allowed, it's a valid connection (so me123 is fine).

I was fine this morning. I checked online, and there was supposed to be bustitutions from Bathgate-Edinburgh, so I took the train 30 mins earlier than intended from Coatbridge, but our train got through with a minimal delay. So I was on the 08:00 SB service fine On the way home, the services via Airdrie and Bathgate were all showing as cancelled on NRE, so I asked the guard if I could stay on to Motherwell and travel to Coatbridge Central. He said that made sense.

Really bad luck for Scotrail, once again. What a crap place to have a train derail. The busiest stretch of track in Scotland, and nearly impossible to get to the derailed train to remove it! I think they have handled it better this time from what I've seen, but my experience today trying to get info on the Airdrie-Bathgate trains was rubbish. No two people had the same story. One minute we're being bustituted, next we're going through. I was even advised to go via Glasgow this morning (which, mercifully, I ignored - I don't think the E-G would have been much fun this morning at half capacity!). But, in all fairness, the staff on Scotrail (and East Coast - even including some staff in Newcastle!) today were really helpful - once again, the main problem was getting the info to the front line staff.

 

[Blindtraveler]

and the website at times too - didnt know the scotrail aberdeen runs were calling additionally at the likes of inverkeithing, kirkaldy etc until the announcement at EDB - 20 mins down at ABD and thanks to roadworks a teight connection onto the Orkney bound Northlink Ferry. No mention of this online

 

[NightatLaira]

Waverley is not a scheduled passenger stop for any portion of the highland sleeper, just is for the Edinburgh portion of the lowland sleeper, which I'd guess is likely to terminate at Haymarket instead,

Loads and loads of people use it as an evening service down from the west highlands, and it appears as a route on National Rail - that's official as far as I'm concerned. I've even reserved tickets from Fort William to Edinburgh before, this year in fact.

 

[Liam]

Loads and loads of people use it as an evening service down from the west highlands, and it appears as a route on National Rail - that's official as far as I'm concerned. I've even reserved tickets from Fort William to Edinburgh before, this year in fact.

It's in the Glasgow-North West Highlands timetable also.

 

[me123]

The West Highland sleeper allows passengers to board and alight at Edinburgh. Passengers to/from Inverness, Aberdeen and London may not use Edinburgh.

 

[Bill EWS]

I traveled back on the 07.52 Aberdeen to Kings Cross on Thursday. It was interesting traveling over the south circular at Edinburgh as I had not gone that way before. It is rather a bleak and uninteresting route compared to the mainline but it was interesting seeing Arthur's Seat and Sailsbury Crag from a different angle and joining the mainline at Portobello Junction.

It was stated that this would add a half hour to the journey but it turned out as 20 minutes and the turn-round time at Edinburgh was in excellent time. After a slow start southwards we probably were a good half hour late reaching Newcastle but the run to York was good. The worst time loss was between Hitching and Kings Cross where we arrived between 45-50 minutes late.

As luck had it there was only a small que at the Underground ticket office and a Hammersmith train arrived as I reached the platform. Equally quickly, I walked down the stairs to Platform 9 at Paddington station and got onto the 16.15 Weston Super Mare train with a couple of minutes to spare. I usually catch the 15.40.

All went well until we crossed over to the Down Relief at Ruscombe and the train crawled all the way to Reading. I say crawled but the train kept up a steady 30 miles an hour most of the way without stopping. By the time we departed from Reading and crossed to the Down Main at Reading West Junction we arrived 15 minutes late at Didcot. I was able to check the 30 mph running as it was showing on TV screen of the seat ahead of me. The train was packed and I had to stand from Paddington to Didcot.

Considering the divergence at Edinburough, the slow run from Hitching to Kings Cross and the delay at Reading that was still pretty good over-all timing for the 500 + miles rom Aberdeen to Didcot. I had no complaints, except for the very uncomfortable seat on the 07.50! Perhaps I would have faired better if I had had to stand throughout that journey also! I can still feel the affect of that terrible seat.

 

[Bon Accord]

Does anyone know how the unit was rerailed? Did the knitting have to come down?

It does strike me as slightly ironic that had this happened 40 years ago a breakdown crane would have been summoned from Haymarket/St Margarets and the unit would have been rerailed within 2-3 hours, with full working restored a few hours after that.

 

[Bittern]

Was in Edinburgh yesterday and trains running as normal. Only the 14:55 to Glasgow Central was cancelled at first but they then cancelled the 15:07 to Milngavie due to camera problems on the 334.

 

[matchmaker]

Preliminary RAIB report blames "heavily worn" points, apparently.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-14417697

Dear me, NR!

Edit to add - report at http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/current_investigations_register/110727_edinburgh_waverley.cfm

 

[Hydro]

Someone's S/053 records will be getting a grilling!

 

[michael769]

Does anyone know how the unit was rerailed? Did the knitting have to come down?

The Scotsman news report said they used jacks to get it back on the tracks and then drove it off to Haymarket depot.

Network Rail will not be looking forwards to this report coming out methinks!