Hooton - Chester closed due to flooding

[RichardAsh1981]

On Wednesday there was a lot of very heavy rainfall, and Merseyrail services on the Chester and Ellesmere Port lines ceased around 2pm (rather rough on those who had travelled to work - Merseyrail channels simply said "check our website/app" and then showed normal service).

Since the there has been a series of potential re-opening dates/times, all of which have been missed (Thursday morning, Thursday 2pm), and a very unsatisfactory rail replacement bus service (not shown in journey planner and Merseyrail refuse to give out any form of timetable for it at all!). Thursday had a "do not travel" notice (despite being a dry, sunny day!) and many cancellations on the service to Hooton which was running.
Merseyrail's website now says

Chester line:

Due to heavy rain flooding near the railway at Hooton, the Chester line is disrupted.

A rail replacement bus service is in operation between Chester & Hooton. Disruption is expected to continue into tomorrow (Friday 18 October).

Network rail says (ambiguously):

Buses replace trains between Hooton and Chester until the end of the day
Incident reported: 16 Oct 2024 at 14:56
Incident cleared: 18 Oct 2024 at 00:12

The announcements at stations over the PA blame "Severe flooding in the Capenhurst area" - which would be largely news to the inhabitants (I work there) because the village is unaffected, with roads having drained long since.
I'm now wondering if I will be able to get to work tomorrow or not.

This has become almost normal whenever heavy rain occurs, and makes a mockery of the modal switch from road to rail, when rail gives up and goes home when it rains! It has been going on since at least 2023 (thread here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/flooding-in-the-hooton-area.253713/) and I think much longer, although less often since Network Rail started using a "temporary" diesel pump at Hooton to move water around ...

Is fixing the drains properly now an impossibility?

 

[sansyy]

If I were you I’d just Uber. That’s what I do whenever they’re cancelled. Two weeks ago had to Uber home and also had to Uber there and back the day after. Normal for Merseyrail

 

[jamesst]

Easily the worst area on the Merseyrail network for suffering from flooding.
The line just past hooton south junction is the worst. Its low lying and when the surrounding fields and streams are saturated there's literally nowhere for the water to drain.
This then causes the signalling to be affected leading to the service suspension.
Short of throwing millions at the problem I'm not sure what Network Rail can do.

 

[RichardAsh1981]

Talking to very helpful station staff this morning (when the Merseyrail App and Website showed trains to Capenhurst but there were none), it seems the problem is at Ledsham, where the railway is in quite a deep cutting. Apparently a pump brought in to try and remove water was vandalised last night, which has made things worse (and there is more rain forecast tonight).

 

[M28361M]

Apparently a pump brought in to try and remove water was vandalised last night, which has made things worse (and there is more rain forecast tonight).

There is now a press release about this on the Network Rail website:

Trains between Chester and Hooton are unable to run after a drainage pump was sabotaged in Ledsham, Ellesmere Port.

Network Rail workers attending the scene of flooding in the area were shocked to discover the drainage pump had been disabled by vandals, who have cut the wires to the pump’s control panel.

Unable to repair the damage to the two-tonne machine on site, engineers must install a new pump, costing the taxpayer an estimated £30K.

The pump is essential to the drainage of the track in the area, which is susceptible to flooding.

Services between Chester and Hooton have not been running today as recent rainfall has flooded the track, which is now completely submerged in places.

Phil James, Network Rail’s North West route director, said: “I am disgusted by this senseless act of vandalism, which has caused rail disruption for our passengers, and increased the busy workload of our front line teams during a period of very heavy rainfall.
“We are working to install a new drainage pump as soon as possible to clear the water and get passengers on the move between Chester and Hooton again.
“A report has been made to the British Transport Police who are investigating this criminal act.”

A new pump is being delivered and installed. Once it is up and running, engineers expect the flooding to resolve. Following inspections and any further repairs needed to the railway, the line will reopen between Chester and Hooton.

Passengers are advised to check the Merseyrail or National Rail website and app to plan journeys until the issue is resolved.

The area around Hooton has long had issues with flooding, the pumps installed there a few years ago have not cured the issue entirely, but do seem to help get rid of the water more quickly enabling a faster resumption of services.

 

[RichardAsh1981]

Evidently things have improved better than expected, as trains are now advertised at Capenhurst - although the Merseyrail App still has a banner about replacement buses.

I wonder why Merseyrail have not seen fit to pass any of this on?

 

[73001]

First train left Chester at about 1545hrs. I drive one of the rail replacement buses and was the last one from Hooton to Chester. We were then stood down at around 1700hrs. Apparently there is some dispute between one of the landowners alongside the line and Network Rail which is making a more permanent solution very difficult.

Since the there has been a series of potential re-opening dates/times, all of which have been missed (Thursday morning, Thursday 2pm), and a very unsatisfactory rail replacement bus service (not shown in journey planner and Merseyrail refuse to give out any form of timetable for it at all!). Thursday had a "do not travel" notice (despite being a dry, sunny day!) and many cancellations on the service to Hooton which was running.

Is the lack of information about the RR buses the issue or something else? We were running every 30 minutes today, taking about 30 minutes each way. I think Merseyrail are reluctant to put out a timetable as traffic conditions and availability of buses can affect running.

 

[Pacef8]

I would add the several thoudand houses being built around ledsham which will surely increase run off as well. The culvert is next to the bridge and new transformer site at capenhurst on denhall lane . Very well fenced off btw.

 

[RichardAsh1981]

Is the lack of information about the RR buses the issue or something else? We were running every 30 minutes today, taking about 30 minutes each way.

This is literally more information than anyone at Merseyrail seems to have been willing to give out! Either on the website or on the X account (where the question was asked and non-answered).

At least it would have given some idea of how long you might have to wait for a bus, and how long it might take to get there (which I heard passengers this morning asking the driver). At Capenhurst there are of course no staff to ask.

 

[markymark2000]

Is the lack of information about the RR buses the issue or something else? We were running every 30 minutes today, taking about 30 minutes each way. I think Merseyrail are reluctant to put out a timetable as traffic conditions and availability of buses can affect running.

It's not just a Merseyrail thing, most of the train operators are really bad at unplanned rail replacement buses. Not sure if they still do it but Cross Country seemed to be a good one for putting unplanned buses into the railway database so that passengers could plan their journey (rather than everything just showing up 'cancelled', it would show bus services as well/instead).

I will say though, irrespective of information given by Merseyrail, I have always found Arriva Merseyside Rail Replacement drivers to be quite helpful and know what is going on (rough frequency, rough journey times, knowing the stop locations). By comparison to some firms brought in by the travel solutions style companies and you get 'I know what I am doing, I know nothing else. I get there when I get there and I will drop you somewhere near the station'

 

[73001]

It's been revealed by Network Rail that the pumps installed to keep the line open were deliberately sabotaged just prior to the heavy rain in the area. The damage was irreparable so a new pump (£30,000) had to be sourced and installed which is why it took over 2 days.

 

[skyhigh]

It's been revealed by Network Rail that the pumps installed to keep the line open were deliberately sabotaged just prior to the heavy rain in the area. The damage was irreparable so a new pump (£30,000) had to be sourced and installed which is why it took over 2 days.

As said in post 5 on Friday.

 

[73001]

As said in post 5 on Friday.

My apologies, I did read it all but then went away and forgot before I commented. Old age etc etc

 

[Old Yard Dog]

As reported in this week's Ellesmere Port Standard

 

[Pacef8]

If they keep building more and more housing in the area between Hooton and capenhurst then the problem is not going to go away.

 

[sansyy]

If they keep building more and more housing in the area between Hooton and capenhurst then the problem is not going to go away.

Spot on the problem is just going to get worse as there is lots of room for housing developments and they wont stop