Issues North of Newcastle - Plessey Viaduct - 09/10 (onwards)

[Killingworth]

I'm guessing that that's because Lumo trains are only 5-cars so they can call at Morpeth in both directions without any problems because of the position of the crossover within Morpeth station.

That looks right, although it's clearly not as simple as that. CrossCountry are stopping one or two southbound services at Morpeth, presumably by allowing boarding of only one unit of a two unit train. TransPennine are also stopping one today, see RT for details; https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:MPT/to/gb-nr:NCL/2023-10-31/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=pax-calls&order=actual

The replacement buses didn't look well used when I was up there last week.

 

[najaB]

That looks right, although it's clearly not as simple as that. CrossCountry are stopping one or two southbound services at Morpeth, presumably by allowing boarding of only one unit of a two unit train.

Any idea if that's with the trailing unit on the crossover, or with the leading unit off the end of the platform? Unusual either way, I guess.

 

[ModernRailways]

That looks right, although it's clearly not as simple as that. CrossCountry are stopping one or two southbound services at Morpeth, presumably by allowing boarding of only one unit of a two unit train. TransPennine are also stopping one today, see RT for details; https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:MPT/to/gb-nr:NCL/2023-10-31/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=pax-calls&order=actual

The replacement buses didn't look well used when I was up there last week.

How does this work for the Voyagers which are in 8/9/10 car formations? I was also of the belief that Voyagers have SDO but that it cannot be used and so carriages that are not platformed would need locked out, but you couldn't then have passengers travelling within those carriages in case of emergency. So are XC ferrying units on the back which are locked out - opening up at Newcastle, maybe?

 

[BRX]

An interesting write-up on this here from a structural engineer who specialises in arched masonry structures -

153. Plessey Viaduct — Bill Harvey Associates Limited

Over the weekend of 7-8 October 2023, a section of wing and spandrel wall collapsed at Plessey Viaduct. This is a very serious issue, and it seems reasonable to devote the overdue September Bridge of the Month newsletter to it.

www.billharveyassociates.com

He outlines concerns that NR are rushing into doing repairs without taking time to properly understand what caused the collapse.

3) Evidence collection is fundamental and must take priority over re-opening the railway or and planning repairs.

Just as in forensic science in criminal investigation, evidence collection is fundamental. Part of this is time critical: there is evidence that will be destroyed as soon as any sort of clean up or repair begins. Collecting this evidence must take priority over everything else except immediate safety.

4) Responsibility for investigation, and especially evidence collection, must lie outside the infrastructure operator.

An investigation by the same organisation responsible for everything that led up to the incident is fundamentally unserious. The lack of casualties this time does not change that. The conflicts of interest are clear and insurmountable; that during evidence collection is only the most acute.

 

[a_c_skinner]

An interesting write-up on this here from a structural engineer who specialises in arched masonry structures -

153. Plessey Viaduct — Bill Harvey Associates Limited

Over the weekend of 7-8 October 2023, a section of wing and spandrel wall collapsed at Plessey Viaduct. This is a very serious issue, and it seems reasonable to devote the overdue September Bridge of the Month newsletter to it.

www.billharveyassociates.com

He outlines concerns that NR are rushing into doing repairs without taking time to properly understand what caused the collapse.

I'm left, having read that with all the insight of a non-engineer, fearing that the viaduct will be handed back still in a slightly dubious state. I can't say why and I'm sure this is irrational but it doesn't seem to have been a perfect structure for some time.

 

[30907]

I'm left, having read that with all the insight of a non-engineer, fearing that the viaduct will be handed back still in a slightly dubious state. I can't say why and I'm sure this is irrational but it doesn't seem to have been a perfect structure for some time.

You may be right, and it may well be that NR are working on a longer-term solution and this is a short(ish)-term fix (an option that wasn't open at Nuneham!).

 

[800001]

NWR still reporting work is progressing well, with it still planned to be completed by 5th November.

 

[IanXC]

How does this work for the Voyagers which are in 8/9/10 car formations? I was also of the belief that Voyagers have SDO but that it cannot be used and so carriages that are not platformed would need locked out, but you couldn't then have passengers travelling within those carriages in case of emergency. So are XC ferrying units on the back which are locked out - opening up at Newcastle, maybe?

The CrossCountry services calling at Morpeth southbound are those formed of 4 or 5 cars. Nothing longer can call.

 

[Killingworth]

The CrossCountry services calling at Morpeth southbound are those formed of 4 or 5 cars. Nothing longer can call.

RTT must have got incorrect data on the day I quoted where two Xc trains showed with 2 specific units. Today they show a 2 unit Lumo stopping so that's presumably also an error. See; https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C18036/2023-11-02/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[Falcon1200]

At present just two southbound Cross Country trains call at Morpeth, 1V52 0701 Edinburgh-Plymouth and 1M00 1807 Edinburgh-Birmingham New Street. So far this week 1V52 has been a single set each day, however 1M00 is shown as 9-cars on Monday, 8 on Tuesday and 8 again today!

 

[ainsworth74]

RTT must have got incorrect data on the day I quoted where two Xc trains showed with 2 specific units. Today they show a 2 unit Lumo stopping so that's presumably also an error. See; https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C18036/2023-11-02/detailed#allox_id=0

Almost certainly set swaps have occurred, those will occasionally end up causing confusion somewhere in the data feeds that power RTT. It's why you'll occasionally see 18-car LNER services. It absolutely isn't two 9-car Azumas working together it's one having been swapped for the other. I think on one memorable occasion RTT was showing a 225 set and Azuma working together when it was as set swap.

 

[ModernRailways]

Almost certainly set swaps have occurred, those will occasionally end up causing confusion somewhere in the data feeds that power RTT. It's why you'll occasionally see 18-car LNER services. It absolutely isn't two 9-car Azumas working together it's one having been swapped for the other. I think on one memorable occasion RTT was showing a 225 set and Azuma working together when it was as set swap.

1M00 was (and almost always is) an 8 or 9 car set. The data wasn’t incorrect.

 

[ainsworth74]

1M00 was (and almost always is) an 8 or 9 car set. The data wasn’t incorrect.

And others? Such as that Lumo 10-car? I don't dispute that there are 8/9 car XC formations but equally there times that the data is wrong!

 

[Tom]

Lumo do now run 10 car formations as a matter of course on expected busy days, so I would expect that to be right too. They're admittedly both allocated to diagram LN3 but it looks like it was an active decision at around 0130 this morning.

 

[ainsworth74]

Fair play!

 

[swt_passenger]

At present just two southbound Cross Country trains call at Morpeth, 1V52 0701 Edinburgh-Plymouth and 1M00 1807 Edinburgh-Birmingham New Street. So far this week 1V52 has been a single set each day, however 1M00 is shown as 9-cars on Monday, 8 on Tuesday and 8 again today!

Todays 1M00 is now (1409) showing as a single 4 car (220021) - so perhaps it’s a case of them adding the normally intended stock automatically then fixing it later in the day.

 

[ModernRailways]

And others? Such as that Lumo 10-car? I don't dispute that there are 8/9 car XC formations but equally there times that the data is wrong!

I'm not disputing that it can be wrong, but that it was correct on this occasion and so wondered how XC operated this service calling at Morpeth with two sets.
I presumed it would be the case that they would lock the back set out, with no passengers until Newcastle allowed to enter the rear set, if it is unlocked at Newcastle.

 

[TheLancsNinja]

Just passed over on the southbound Chathill Flyer - plenty of activity but the Up line has now been fully reinstated; there's a lot of scaffolding still in place but the ballast and track are down.

 

[Swanley 59]

Just passed over on the southbound Chathill Flyer - plenty of activity but the Up line has now been fully reinstated; there's a lot of scaffolding still in place but the ballast and track are down.

That's good to hear. I see that the National Rail website has been updated to say that the disruption will now last until the end of day Sunday, Nov 5, which is very good news indeed.

 

[800001]

Work complete ahead of schedule, and from start of service Saturday 4th November, services will run as booked on the Up line.

LNER services will still depart Edinburgh at the earlier times, and services that originally booked to call there will have Morpeth stops added back in.

There maybe extended dwell of up to 12 minutes at Newcastle on Up services that arrive early at Newcastle.



UPDATE 04/11/23
Line handed back at 05:30.

 

[43095john]

Opened this morning, Lumos 1E80 being the first service to use the Up Line in 22 days

 

[Annetts key]

Assuming it’s a track circuited area, presumably the signallers have been having ‘fun’ running traffic under the rusty rails rules. Given the weather over the last three weeks, the rust layer may take a while to wear through before the trains reliably operate every track circuit.

And well done to all the workers for getting the work done ahead of schedule, especially given the poor weather that we’ve had.

I hope the relevant management have found a way to reward them.

 

[sjm77]

running traffic under the rusty rails rules

Please can you elaborate? I had no idea such rules exist!

 

[800001]

Assuming it’s a track circuited area, presumably the signallers have been having ‘fun’ running traffic under the rusty rails rules. Given the weather over the last three weeks, the rust layer may take a while to wear through before the trains reliably operate every track circuit.

And well done to all the workers for getting the work done ahead of schedule, especially given the poor weather that we’ve had.

I hope the relevant management have found a way to reward them.

I presume they had a tamper go over when they rerailed then viaduct? That has to get to/from site? Presumably over the ‘rusty’ rails?

 

[merry]

Please can you elaborate? I had no idea such rules exist!

Given the engineering traffic moving in and out, might not have been too bad. The first train(s) will have been run through under the rusty rails procedure (approximates to "not permit a following train until the train in question has been seen to activate and clear each circuit in sequence"). Once demonstrated operating correctly, back to normal working.

 

[Annetts key]

Please can you elaborate? I had no idea such rules exist!

See this post (#22).

 

[snowball]

Press release with video

Normal train service resumes as Network Rail completes repair work to Plessey Viaduct

Trains services between Newcastle and Scotland have returned to normality after Network Rail completed its repair work to Plessey Viaduct near Morpeth.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Trains services between Newcastle and Scotland have returned to normality after Network Rail completed its repair work to Plessey Viaduct near Morpeth.

For the last month, engineers have been working to repair damage to the parapet wall on the viaduct which was discovered during planned engineering work to renew the track in October.

Network Rail teams have installed pre-cast concrete units to the structure and have carried out steel underpinning which has strengthened the parapet on the more than 170-year-old structure.

Engineers have also installed 200 metres of new track across the viaduct, as well as ballast, the stones which support the rails.

The work has been completed on time despite teams on site having to battle the elements and adverse conditions brought by Storm Babet. New ways of working were found to make sure the work was delivered safely.

Whilst the structural integrity of the viaduct remained unaffected by the damage, train services on the East Coast Main Line had to be reduced, with only one of the two lines over the viaduct open and a speed restriction in place during the work.

However, the completed work has seen the reintroduction of a full train service for passengers.

 

[swt_passenger]

The pictures raise more questions. Presumably by ‘completes repair work’ they really mean ‘enough is now done to reopen to traffic’? Surely the exterior facing stonework will still have to be replaced, if only to maintain its grade II listing?

Do they have a long term plan to fix the rest of the viaduct, presumably 80% of it is still susceptible to the same failure mode.

 

[BRX]

Interesting claim, "the structural integrity of the viaduct remained unaffected by the damage". Are they saying the repairs they have carried out are purely cosmetic?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Interesting claim, "the structural integrity of the viaduct remained unaffected by the damage". Are they saying the repairs they have carried out are purely cosmetic?

What they are saying is the vertical ability of the viaduct to support what was above was never compromised.

Or at least I think that's what they are saying.