Low-speed, empty stock derailment at Bletchley (26/06)

[Benjwri]

If the railway can't actually run its timetable and everybody is travelling for free, makes you think.
(I've enjoyed a fair few cheap journeys over the years courtesy of the purely imaginary teimetable)

You can’t exactly expect the railway to ‘run its timetable’ given such a major incident like this. Capacity is halved, it’s surprising as much as is running is if you had contingency for an incident like this built into the timetable nothing would go anywhere.

 

[MidlandRail]

Has the train been removed?

 

[Annetts key]

1Z99 is still showing on the signalling maps, so assuming the unit hasn't been cleared yet? Is the extent of the damage to the track known in full yet?

The track - It's all a bit bendy. As shown in the attached photo. Which shows part of the train still present and between it and the person that took the photo, the rails through the points are bent/distorted due to the forces imparted from the derailment. The switch diamonds/elbows are likely also in need of repair work (out of view).

 

[MidlandRail]

I imagine it will be moved overnight?

The track - It's all a bit bendy. As shown in the attached photo. Which shows part of the train still present and between it and the person that took the photo, the rails through the points are bent/distorted due to the forces imparted from the derailment. The switch diamonds/elbows are likely also in need of repair work (out of view).
View attachment 182773

 

[apinnard]

Also a driver that happily posted their journeys on YouTube…. Hopefully they have reviewed this after such a serious incident where they were regularly speeding.

He’s no longer a driver. He became a guard recently.

 

[Falcon1200]

But of course it’s possible that if they fail in some way what you describe might be possible.

Not failure - see below!

The smaller the crossing angles, the longer the gap in the running surface necessary for the flange to pass through. Wheels drop further into longer gaps, creating impact damage, increasing wear to wheel and crossing, and causing a nasty jolt onboard.

Agree that is a reason for switch diamonds, but so is the risk of wheels taking the wrong path; In the Haymarket East Junction incident I alluded to above, a train making an unsignalled move, therefore without the route correctly set, was diverted at switch diamonds onto the wrong line. It didn't derail - Until it was moved to clear the line whereupon it did! Was the move at Bletchley also an unsignalled move?

 

[NSEWonderer]

New plan or even back to the old plan, no skates, move south tomorrow morning after 0900

Interesting. Hoping it works out as planned but I also do hope that they've got the skates on standby, incase.

 

[zwk500]

A possibly tangential question.
Much is made of the passenger number and revenue figures.
How is delay repay factored into these?
I imagine many trevellers will have had free or much reduced fairs over the past few days.

If the railway can't actually run its timetable and everybody is travelling for free, makes you think.
(I've enjoyed a fair few cheap journeys over the years courtesy of the purely imaginary teimetable)

Delay repay is counted as compensation rather than a refund so does not affect the revenue figures directly. Passenger numbers and revenue are indirectly affected by disruption in how it causes people to either not travel or to change travel habits to avoid the worst of it.

Government does publish the amount of Delay Repay paid: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ing-companies-passengers-charter-compensation
The total in 2023/24 was £138m, of which LNER, GWR and Avanti together paid just shy of £95m. There's other compensation also paid above delay repay (such as taxis to get people home if stranded) that probably isn't covered.

For context, in 2023-24:
Passenger numbers: 1.612b
Passsenger-km: 60.2b
Passenger ticket Revenue: £10.336b
(ORR data)

So delay repay from the rail industry was worth approximately 1% of ticket revenue.

 

[Annetts key]

Was the move at Bletchley also an unsignalled move?

Based on what we know, yes. Because there is apparently no signalling route provided for the move that occurred. Therefore, if the driver was verbally authorised to proceed, the switch diamonds/elbows cannot have been set correctly for this move.

It's not the first time that a signaller has failed to ensure that all the points in the route that a train has been authorised to take have been set correctly.

 

[MarkyT]

Based on what we know, yes. Because there is apparently no signalling route provided for the move that occurred. Therefore, if the driver was verbally authorised to proceed, the switch diamonds/elbows cannot have been set correctly for this move.

It's not the first time that a signaller has failed to ensure that all the points in the route that a train has been authorised to take have been set correctly.

Signallers should have route cards available, check lists that detail the point numbers required to be set in specific positions for a particular move from signal to signal when the normal route setting methods fail to work, but these are only prepared for routes that exist in the interlocking. If the intended move has no signalling route then a route card for it will not exist.

 

[zwk500]

We are getting dangerously close to treading on the toes of the investigating authorities, I fear.

 

[rheingold103]

If the intended move has no signalling route then a route card for it will not exist.

(Deleted)

 

[Silverlinky]

The unit is now on Bletchley relief Road 2 having moved there under its own power.

 

[Robin Edwards]

BBC Look East showed the said derailed 350 whilst indicating it was a freight train

 

[MarkyT]

We are getting dangerously close to treading on the toes of the investigating authorities, I fear.

Yes I agree. We need to let them get on with their task. Maybe suggest moderators pause this thread until any more official updates?

 

[Jimini]

Everything via. Weedon seems to be going UF > US at Hanslope at the moment, which is adding to the congestion in the general area.

 

[rogercov]

I'm guessing that 0Z37 is the rescue loco returning to Leicester (currently between Bletchley and Bedford).

 

[sh24]

I'm guessing that 0Z37 is the rescue loco returning to Leicester (currently between Bletchley and Bedfoed).

It is 37901 and made a fine sight and sound a couple of minutes across through Wellingborough.

 

[Cowley]

We are getting dangerously close to treading on the toes of the investigating authorities, I fear.

Yes I agree. We need to let them get on with their task. Maybe suggest moderators pause this thread until any more official updates?

Yes. This probably is a good place to put hold on things for the time being.

Thanks everyone. We’ll reopen it when there’s further updates.