GWML closed (14/10) Newton Abbot - Dawlish

[plymothian]

A collapsed culvert is causing a sinkhole to develop in the 4ft (currently 4 sleepers in length) of the up main at Newton Abbot all lines are blocked.

 

[tiptoptaff]

A 4ft hole has appeared in the 6ft near Teignmouth, believed to be a collapsed culvert. Likely to remain closed all day. Services terminating at Newton Abbot and Dawlish Warren respectively. Shuttle service operating on the Paignton branch.

Looe branch suspended due to lack of units, which are trapped Exeter side of the blockage, and less units than normal available in Cornwall due to the resignalling blockade.

 

[221129]

XC at the moment has been decimated with a significant amount of units stranded in Plymouth at the start of service.

 

[HOOVER29]

A 4ft hole has appeared in the 6ft near Teignmouth, believed to be a collapsed culvert. Likely to remain closed all day. Services terminating at Newton Abbot and Dawlish Warren respectively. Shuttle service operating on the Paignton branch.

The 6 foot is the gap between the two tracks at this location yes?
Soz but not up on Railway terms

 

[MarkyT]

The 6 foot is the gap between the two tracks at this location yes?

Correct

 

[dk1]

A collapsed culvert is causing a sinkhole to develop in the 4ft (currently 4 sleepers in length) of the up main at Newton Abbot all lines are blocked.

Just seen that the lines are blocked. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[route:oxford]

XC at the moment has been decimated with a significant amount of units stranded in Plymouth at the start of service.

A single unit being out of action on XC is significant.

How many are stuck down there?

 

[221129]

A single unit being out of action on XC is significant.

How many are stuck down there?

6 or 7 Voyagers and a HST I believe

 

[HOOVER29]

Also a collapsed culvert is a drain?
If so what would’ve caused that to collapse, just passing trains or something else?
If it’s trains then then that’s no surprise giving the weight involved.
Does the pounding of the sea at the location do any damage?
Is it a concrete box or like road drains ie concrete pipes.
Soz but I know the principles behind drains on the highways but the railway is another matter.

 

[infobleep]

Well done to the person or persons who spotted this. The weather is awful out their so would that have played a significant part or would it just be the straw that broke the camels back?

There is a picture of the sink hole here:
https://twitter.com/CrossCountryUK/status/1051379300765749248?s=09

I would usually quote but as it's not my photo I didn't want to copy it.

It's interesting to compare Twitter announcements on the issue from Cross Country and Great Western Railway. Cross Country trains put their first tweet out about an hour ago and included that picture and a cause of the problem.

Great Western Railway put their first tweet out about 3 hours ago and said it was urgent repairs but didn't include a photo or reason a for the repairs and still haven't.

Given Cross Country trains Twitter account is 24 hours, I wonder why the delay. There was someone there as they responded to other tweets.

So Great Western Railway did well to tweet three hours ago but at some point really should share the picture as it highlights well the issue. Cross Country could have done with being able to tweet earlier but at least have explained the reason why well.

 

[gord]

Network Rail are having a tough Autumn so far, and conditions today aren't much better out there. I'm due to use that line on Wednesday so hopefully they can have it up and running by then.

 

[30907]

Also a collapsed culvert is a drain?
If so what would’ve caused that to collapse, just passing trains or something else?
If it’s trains then then that’s no surprise giving the weight involved.
Does the pounding of the sea at the location do any damage?
Is it a concrete box or like road drains ie concrete pipes.
Soz but I know the principles behind drains on the highways but the railway is another matter.

A culvert usually carries a stream under the railway, could be brick, stone, concrete...
Immediate cause likely to be weather related, but rain rather than sea from the location. NR are calling it flood damage.
BTW is this one culvert or two, anyone know?

 

[jopsuk]

A culvert is any pipe-type channel for a stream, drain, river etc, be it made of concrete, brick, etc and be it circular or box shape. Essentially the difference is that a "Bridge" would have a "natural" bed to it.

 

[HOOVER29]

According to Twitter it’s a culvert for the river Teign.
Also says it has nothing to do with the railway.
Ahem, but clearly it has.

 

[gord]

The latest rainfall radar has the heavy rain just clearing Cornwall now, so it should clear Devon soon, which will help the workers on site enormously I should think.

The weather for the week ahead is looking much calmer as well, hopefully will give Network Rail a fighting chance of getting this sorted before the Monday morning rush.

 

[jopsuk]

Another, daylight, picture

 

[duncananderson]

Not much fun at Newton Abbott. In the hour I've been in the bus queue only two buses have gone and it's not made much dent to the queue.

GWR staff on the ground here are doing a good job, and the passengers generally are in reasonable spirits.

But whoever is responsible for sourcing buses isn't doing very well.

 

[221129]

Not much fun at Newton Abbott. In the hour I've been in the bus queue only two buses have gone and it's not made much dent to the queue.

GWR staff on the ground here are doing a good job, and the passengers generally are in reasonable spirits.

But whoever is responsible for sourcing buses isn't doing very well.

It's a miracle they have been able to sort any buses at all on a Sunday in this poor weather.

 

[221129]

The pictures don't do it justice either, the hole is about 15-20ft deep and 8ft in diameter at the present time.

 

[Robertj21a]

It's a miracle they have been able to sort any buses at all on a Sunday in this poor weather.

May not be too many drivers who are sober, within drivers hours - and willing - to work on what is probably their rest day.

 

[221129]

May not be too many drivers who are sober, within drivers hours - and willing - to work on what is probably their rest day.

Also a lot of companies in this area have a lot of schools work in the morning.

 

[221129]

May not be too many drivers who are sober, within drivers hours - and willing - to work on what is probably their rest day.

There is also a lot of Rail replacement work up in Bristol with a lot of the usual operators already being used up there as well.

 

[gord]

The pictures don't do it justice either, the hole is about 15-20ft deep and 8ft in diameter at the present time.

My goodness, that's quite serious then. Maybe it can't be done in time for tomorrow morning then...maybe at best a temporary fix and speed restrictions but that is a substantial hole. Not looking too good.

Network Rail did a good job getting the line through the Lake District open yesterday, this looks like a greater challenge so will be interested in further updates.

 

[221129]

My goodness, that's quite serious then. Maybe it can't be done in time for tomorrow morning then...maybe at best a temporary fix and speed restrictions but that is a substantial hole. Not looking too good.

Network Rail did a good job getting the line through the Lake District open yesterday, this looks like a greater challenge so will be interested in further updates.

Depending on the fix it'll either be today or tomorrow for reopening the line.

 

[gord]

At least (according to the rainfall radar), it's dried up in the southwest now. That's got to be a massive help.

Mother Nature has thrown everything it's got at the railways this year, powdery snow (and lots of it), a prolonged heatwave and now some deep low pressures in the Autumn.

These engineers who are out there repairing our railway have done, and are doing, an incredible job. If there's any justice, the UK will have a quiet, dry and average winter this year. I fear I may be in cloud cuckoo land though...

 

[duncananderson]

There is also a lot of Rail replacement work up in Bristol with a lot of the usual operators already being used up there as well.

The bus I ended up on came up from Truro so shows how far the call had gone out. But at the current rate of progress it's going to take a while to shift the backlog of passengers. Let's hope things can improve later as drivers sober up and so on.

Unfortunately for me the bus missed 12:51 from Exeter by a few minutes, and then there's a gap of an hour before the next London train. So I'll be looking at a delay of about 2 hours 40 mins.

Could be worse, but yes, let's hope some sort of repairs can be done before peak time tomorrow.

 

[gord]

Ticket acceptance has just been extended for tomorrow. So that may ease the pressure later on if there are any passengers who are able to wait it out. Not so for people trying to get home who need to be at work in the morning. Sunday is an awkward day to ask passengers to wait.

Will be interesting to see how the sleepers get on tonight as well.

 

[PHILIPE]

The bus I ended up on came up from Truro so shows how far the call had gone out. But at the current rate of progress it's going to take a while to shift the backlog of passengers. Let's hope things can improve later as drivers sober up and so on.

Unfortunately for me the bus missed 12:51 from Exeter by a few minutes, and then there's a gap of an hour before the next London train. So I'll be looking at a delay of about 2 hours 40 mins.

Could be worse, but yes, let's hope some sort of repairs can be done before peak time tomorrow.

The further remoteness of buses from the areas in which they are working, the more chance of some sightseeing tours round locations such as industrial estates. Mind you, this frequently happens with pre-planned coaches according to some Twitter posts.

 

[Spamcan81]

There is also a lot of Rail replacement work up in Bristol with a lot of the usual operators already being used up there as well.

If only somebody had constructed a railway from Exeter to Plymouth via Okehampton.

 

[reddragon]

There are lots of SW culverts under that tracks that are knackered, especially the original brick ones.

Track tamping is the biggest cause of deterioration, followed by poor track drainage. Western have a good drainage team though, so they won't try to just fill the hole with concrete at least!