Is the section of gwml beteen Paddington and reading the worst maintained line in the country?

[londonmidland]

Not sure where on the GWML this was taken, however this was the result of wet beds, according to the poster. This was taken yesterday -

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Not sure where on the GWML this was taken, however this was the result of wet beds, according to the poster. This was taken yesterday - View attachment 147319

Thats a crossing by the looks of it. Not good that the bearer has disintegrated which is an indication of a longer running issue. Mtce would have been aware of it so it may already have had a TSR to manage it and it just didnt last the course.

 

[FGW_DID]

Not sure where on the GWML this was taken, however this was the result of wet beds, according to the poster. This was taken yesterday - View attachment 147319

Bourton between Didcot & Swindon.

 

[Horizon22]

I know maintenance has to be done, but was it really necessary to close both the Heathrow Express and Liz Line, AND the Piccadilly Line, into Heathrow T5, all together this weekend, so it goes from three train routes to zero? Is there some lack of co-ordination here? Can't see it being some works embracing both, as the T5 stations are quite separated. The airlines at Terminal 5 must be hacked off.

Well the first two are linked obviously; the whole of the rail infrastructure is shut. Although closing the Piccadilly line to T5 (you could still get to T2/3 and 4) wasn't ideal but no NR and LU engineering schedules will rarely align.

Bourton between Didcot & Swindon.

There's also a cracked crossing near Slough, and multiple reports of rough rides on different lines between Reading and Hayes.

Wet beds has always been an issue on this section of the GWML but it just seems to be left mostly unresolved; the issue outside Paddington with a whole line out has been about 2 weeks.

 

[FGW_DID]

There is yes but that photo is of the broken rail at Bourton.

 

[Dr Hoo]

From December's Modern Railways it is very clear that both Andrew Haines at Network Rail and the Head of the ORR are well aware of the issues on the Western in terms of the Control Period 7 settlement. Hopefully things will now happen. In some cases mere 'maintenance' may not be enough and renewal down to track base may be needed.

 

[Annetts key]

As well as the recent reduction in maintenance and maintenance staff under Modernising Maintenance, Network Rail has plans to reduce the number of staff from the High Output organisation. It’s also suspected that some of the plant and equipment will be sold off.

If they go ahead with these plans, this will mean a reduction in track renewal work. Contractors may be hired in to do some of the work, but even so, the reduction in the budget for this work is not good. Plus some contractors in the past have not done a very good job.

 

[Horizon22]

As well as the recent reduction in maintenance and maintenance staff under Modernising Maintenance, Network Rail has plans to reduce the number of staff from the High Output organisation. It’s also suspected that some of the plant and equipment will be sold off.

If they go ahead with these plans, this will mean a reduction in track renewal work. Contractors may be hired in to do some of the work, but even so, the reduction in the budget for this work is not good. Plus some contractors in the past have not done a very good job.

Whilst this is true generally, there's no particular reason the Thames Valley area of the GWML should be so particularly badly affected.

 

[londonmidland]

From National Rail Enquiries:

Description​

Urgent repairs to the track taking place overnight between Reading and London Paddington means some trains will be cancelled or revised tomorrow, Monday 27 November.

Disruption is expected until 10:00 on Monday 27 November.

Additional information:

Engineers will attend to the broken rail tonight and make repairs overnight. The lines are expected to be closed until approximately 08:00 on Monday morning. As trains and crew will be out of position, a normal timetable will take some time to be restored, therefore disruption is expected until mid-morning.

 

[Benjwri]

Whilst this is true generally, there's no particular reason the Thames Valley area of the GWML should be so particularly badly affected.

Is it not perhaps worth questioning whether the wet bed issue is maybe more a question of geography, rather than lacking maintenance (Although I'm sure this contributes). The GWML is one of a few rail lines in the country which follows a river valley for a long time period, and the valley of a large river at that. It's also a line which has seen relatively little alteration in alignment since opening, which was chosen far before drainage was understood. This Autumn is rivalling the wettest on record, but unusually the rain has been very spread out, and rather than short term flooding we've seen a very high water table for the entire period, which won't have helped the drainage from the ballast, on a route which in some places is very, very renowned for its terrible drainage, and is currently seeing more traffic in many places than it has at any other point. Combined with a warmer period turning into a very sudden freeze overnight, which will have worsened the state of the rails and ground in terms of harness and brittleness. I wouldn't say it is hugely surprising that we're seeing such a huge amount of wet beds, and would say that it is something which will be rather hard to fix if we continue to see rapidly changing, wet conditions in future.

 

[gabrielhj07]

Not sure where on the GWML this was taken, however this was the result of wet beds, according to the poster. This was taken yesterday - View attachment 147319

Would the sleeper have failed some time before the rail in this case?

 

[EdChap]

According to an article in Metro newspaper on my news feed, there are problems for any train trying to get to Heathrow this morning. What puzzled me was this comment.

Severe delays are riddling trains between Paddington and Hayes and Hurlington, TfL says, with good service on the rest of the line.

Any ideas?

 

[Horizon22]

According to an article in Metro newspaper on my news feed, there are problems for any train trying to get to Heathrow this morning. What puzzled me was this comment.



Any ideas?

That has two typos in almost as many lines so it’s hard to know!

The extension of ETCS has had a few issues though.

 

[Taunton]

Is it not perhaps worth questioning whether the wet bed issue is maybe more a question of geography, rather than lacking maintenance (Although I'm sure this contributes). The GWML is one of a few rail lines in the country which follows a river valley for a long time period, and the valley of a large river at that. It's also a line which has seen relatively little alteration in alignment since opening ... I wouldn't say it is hugely surprising that we're seeing such a huge amount of wet beds, and would say that it is something which will be rather hard to fix if we continue to see rapidly changing, wet conditions in future.

As I described above, when HST service started and through the 1970s-80s the line was renowned for being like a billiard table, with permanent way issues almost unknown. The Western Region CCE of the era took, quite rightly, a lot of credit for this in various articles that followed on. And this was all through rain and snow, as NORMAL in a winter.

Looking at the current weather readings in London, the moving annual average rain to date, at today, is pretty much spot on what is normal. We've had 634mm (25 inches) of rain in the last 365 days. 600mm (24 inches) is the London annual average over the last 100 or so years, so nothing oddball.

 

[Deepgreen]

There is yes but that photo is of the broken rail at Bourton.

Broken rail, frog and sleeper - wow.

That has two typos in almost as many lines so it’s hard to know!

The extension of ETCS has had a few issues though.

The line IS riddled with delays . "Hurlington" may be a reference to being thrown off one's feet (or motion sickness)!

 

[The Planner]

As I described above, when HST service started and through the 1970s-80s the line was renowned for being like a billiard table, with permanent way issues almost unknown. The Western Region CCE of the era took, quite rightly, a lot of credit for this in various articles that followed on. And this was all through rain and snow, as NORMAL in a winter.

Looking at the current weather readings in London, the moving annual average rain to date, at today, is pretty much spot on what is normal. We've had 634mm (25 inches) of rain in the last 365 days. 600mm (24 inches) is the London annual average over the last 100 or so years, so nothing oddball.

How many trains per hour compared to now? how much work done whilst trains were running?

 

[Merle Haggard]

Not sure where on the GWML this was taken, however this was the result of wet beds, according to the poster. This was taken yesterday - View attachment 147319

Forgive my ignorance - but should there be separate rails with a fishplate to join them that's failed? Or is it a fracture? From the rounding of the end of the left hand running rail it looks like it's been springing up and being hammered by wheels hitting it - was that at line speed?

The Hither Green derailment happened with a similar situation - eventually, after continual hammering, a triangular piece of rail (length of rail head down to web) at the running-on side broke away under a train with catastrophic results.

 

[Horizon22]

Broken rail, frog and sleeper - wow.


The line IS riddled with delays . "Hurlington" may be a reference to being thrown off one's feet (or motion sickness)!

Haha perhaps.

Something appears to have gone wrong with the ETCS update over the weekend, Heathrow Express have barely run a service this morning.

 

[Benjwri]

As I described above, when HST service started and through the 1970s-80s the line was renowned for being like a billiard table, with permanent way issues almost unknown. The Western Region CCE of the era took, quite rightly, a lot of credit for this in various articles that followed on. And this was all through rain and snow, as NORMAL in a winter.

Looking at the current weather readings in London, the moving annual average rain to date, at today, is pretty much spot on what is normal. We've had 634mm (25 inches) of rain in the last 365 days. 600mm (24 inches) is the London annual average over the last 100 or so years, so nothing oddball.

The current groundwater conditions are not ‘normal’ for this time of year. I’m quoting an environment agency report here for a similar area of London which is public, but I’m not sure where as I’m accessing from a closed system. The levels of rainfall this autumn have not been normal. In November the rainfall was 138% of the long term average, and 343% of the long term effective rainfall average. The groundwater in the area has been assessed as ‘exceptionally high’ by the environment agency.

As I mention it’s also not all about groundwater, the ground under the railway is in effect a foundation. Far more trains passing over it than the period you mention, which are a different weight. Added to increased weight of equipment like the OHLE etc will have have an impact. Previous winters have been cold, but the sudden change was unusual, normally it gets colder over a period of weeks, and this will have meant the ground conditions were significantly different between the last and fairly trains of the days passing over, meaning the track may not have settled with the changing conditions.

 

[Taunton]

It's easy to give percentage differences over as short as a month. If the annual average in London is 24 inches, that's 2 inches a month. If the November rain was 138% of long term, that's ... 2.76 inches. Another three-quarters of one inch of rain than average for the month. And I can't see an extra three-quarters of one inch of rain being something to wreck the rail service (it's been disrupted again all day today).

Now I know we are just playing with figures here, but choosing figures like 138% without the full context just makes it look worse than it is.

 

[Benjwri]

It's easy to give percentage differences over as short as a month. If the annual average in London is 24 inches, that's 2 inches a month. If the November rain was 138% of long term, that's ... 2.76 inches. Another three-quarters of one inch of rain than average for the month. And I can't see an extra three-quarters of one inch of rain being something to wreck the rail service (it's been disrupted again all day today).

Now I know we are just playing with figures here, but choosing figures like 138% without the full context just makes it look worse than it is.

Which is correct from just that figure you have picked, however that ignores that they come from an environment agency report, about concerning groundwater levels.

Not to mention the actual figure which matters for foundation conditions is effective rainfall. Which includes evaporated water through evapotranspiration, giving an idea of actual ‘wetness’ of the ground. This is as mentioned in the report, over 300%, and was over 200% in October.

This is quite a long report from October. I can’t find the November update in a form I can post publicly on here, which was posted part way through because of the levels, but gives an idea of rainfall and groundwater levels. Most notably river levels in the area are described as ‘notably high’, and the effective rainfall in the Berkshire area was greater than 400% of the average for October. The groundwater in the London area (Onyl one point is measured for these reports, to the south, was ‘exceptionally high’, and through November has strayed further away from the expected trans for this time of year.

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Is this a case similar to the GEML where a few years ago infrastructure failures were common due to trying to keep old infrastructure going, now having been through what felt like never ending weekend closures for track and ohle replacement there a few infrastructure failures now and a reliable service. Infrastructure designed for 10tph handling 20tph will wear quicker and fail more often

 

[Deepgreen]

The modern railway operates in a very different environment than the Victorian one, or even the 1960s one. Train weights, speeds and frequencies are higher, other equipment adds weight and the basic infrastructure is just plain older. Maintenance of gulleys, drains, etc., may (only may) have fallen, leading to less ability to deal with extremes of weather. Last year the intense dry heat of the summer will have caused the ground to dry out abnormally, while this year it has been the opposite - a cool, wetter summer followed by a very wet autumn. Ground stability problems could only increase. Then there is the railway operating system - it is massively more complex now and, and a result, much more delicate and subject to failures. This includes signalling, power supplies and rolling stock. In summary, the railway today is a hugely more fragile beast than in times past. It will therefore fall over much more often (and can be brought back to life much less easily in many cases owing to changes in working regimes).

 

[12LDA28C]

The line from Paddington to Reading seemed pretty smooth when I traversed it on Saturday, warmly ensconced in my 1st class compo in a Mark 1 coach. Lovely.

 

[Deepgreen]

The line from Paddington to Reading seemed pretty smooth when I traversed it on Saturday, warmly ensconced in my 1st class compo in a Mark 1 coach. Lovely.

Were you on this, by any chance?

 

[Benjwri]

Tweet with a statement from Network Rail on the subject from Paul Clifton, and some images:

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "The 200+ miles of track between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway is one of the busiest railway corridors in the country, running more trains than ever before with the full opening of the Elizabeth line.


"We proactively inspect all our track assets - with our measuring train scanning the track every month and teams going out to all key assets to inspect at least every 14 days.


"In the last week we've had three incidents:

1. broken rail at Iver last Tuesday - due to corrosion at the base of the rail. A contributing factor was a 'wet bed' where the ballast can become clogged after heavy rain. With the broken rail free to move up and down, damage was caused to the sleeper. Repairs were carried out and this stretch of track is due for renewal at Christmas.
2. a cracked crossing at Slough at Sunday - this was found during a recent run of our inspection train. A speed restriction was put in place until successful repairs were carried out on Sunday night.
3. a cracked rail at Bourton on Saturday - repairs have also been carried out to a cracked rail between Swindon and Didcot. An investigation is currently taking place into the cause.

"Safety is our highest priority and in each of these issues, as soon as they were reported we put in emergency speed restrictions. We have strategic spares to replace track when this happens. We don't believe this is a trend problem, but we'll be doing additional inspections to continue running a safe railway for customers."

 

[12LDA28C]

Were you on this, by any chance?

I was on the return in the afternoon, Class 47-hauled. Nice shot.

 

[aw1972]

BBC Berkshire has a news item quoting an "anonymous rail worker".

A railway worker has warned of a "danger to life" after cracked tracks were discovered on a heavily-used train line.
Damaged rails were found in three areas of the Great Western line in the space of one week, including in Slough.
The other cracks were discovered in Bourton, near Swindon, and Iver in Buckinghamshire.
Network Rail said investigations were under way and safety was its "highest priority".

Rail worker warns of 'danger to life' cracked tracks on Great Western line

The damaged rails are found at three locations on one of the busiest train lines in the country.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[mikeb42]

The line from Paddington to Reading seemed pretty smooth when I traversed it on Saturday, warmly ensconced in my 1st class compo in a Mark 1 coach. Lovely.

Very civilised no doubt, but how fast was it going? Pootling along at 80mph in a vehicle made primarily of springs is one thing.

Traversing the same stretch at 125 in the wrong coach of the wrong IET on the wrong day (they seem remarkably variable) feels like a case for pulling the handle and calling your family to say goodbye in whatever time you have left.

The only times I've ever seriously considered pulling the handle during decades of rail travel have been along there in the last few years - more than once. Admittedly most of that seems to be the diabolical ride of the trains themselves. Having survived a number of such journeys unharmed I pay less attention now to violent lurching and shaking and banging noises. Something isn't right though.

This is on the BBC Berkshire news pages.

Rail worker warns of 'danger to life' cracked tracks on Great Western line

The damaged rails are found at three locations on one of the busiest train lines in the country.

www.bbc.co.uk

Presumably the pic of the one at Iver with the bogie of a ?wagon sat above it is after the engineers have been working in way that's made it worse and then loaded it to do some testing or something? If not and that's the state it was in with trains running over it at speed, surely a major disaster has been avoided by nothing more than luck?

Either way, it does nothing to alleviate my earlier layperson's concern that the rate of inconsequential failures (so far) along there reflects a real increase in risk.

 

[Pete_uk]

Yes, that looks like a derailment waiting to happen.