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Major delays on the ECML due to a broken rail at Grantham (29/04)
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Blindtraveler
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What? Wires not down again?
Seriously though bad luck especialy this weekend
Seriously though bad luck especialy this weekend
theironroad
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Major delays this afternoon due to a broken rail at Grantham services where possibly are diverting via Lincoln
Nice clear pic, but doesn't look good. wouldn't fancy travelling over that at 125mph.
To make matters worse all ECML Anglo Scottish services will already be very busy due to the entire WCML being shut north of Preston.
Thats an insulated block joint which are made up off site (with about 20ft of rail at either end) and then welded into place.
The joints are bonded together with some seriously strong glue so wont be easy to get apart to be able to clamp the gap up either, that is not going to be an easy or quick fix.
Oh dear. And with the Settle-Carlisle back open again as well. VTWC needs to learn how to divert again.
Its nothing short of a disgrace. Not only is the entire WCML shut north of Lancaster (I don't recall ever seeing both Lancaster - Carlisle AND Carlisle-Glasgow shut at the same time in BR days) but there is zero effort in attempting to divert via the G&SW and S&C this despite survey after survey showing that passengers would rather travel on a diverted train rather than a bus. I'd like to see DfT build in a requirement to all franchises that where a suitable diversionary route exists the TOC must divert and keep RBB's to an absolute minimum.
Class 170101
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I did that Diversion with West Coast some years back, I had the coach (and possibly the train to myself from Glasgow to Preston (apart from crew).
Wilts Wanderer
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Not to say that I don't agree with you in this instance, but that's a commercial / operational decision best left to the TOCs. There's enough micro-management as it is!
edwin_m
Veteran Member
It's a broken insulated rail joint - you can see the insulation on the right hand face of the rail gap and the bolts/fishplate will also be insulated. I think these are all pre-manufactured and bonded with glue, so it's not just a question of replacing the fishplates, and I don't think they can even be clamped. Any repair has to preserve the electrical insulation or the signalling won't work.
They will need to bring in a new joint, complete with a few metres of rail each side, cut out the same length from the existing rail and weld it in both ends (or clamp for a temporary repair under speed restriction). So actually much more of a problem than a break in a plain piece of rail.
QueensCurve
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Major delays this afternoon due to a broken rail at Grantham services where possibly are diverting via Lincoln
Is that Jointed rail on a primary route or an IBJ?
Got caught up on this earlier when me and my son were out on a day ticket, took 1S12 from Northallerton to Newcastle which was 86 down at that point.
On the way back, took 1E18 from Newcastle to Darlington and that had to run at a reduced speed due to a broken window in the Quiet Coach.
When it rains it pours I guess.......
On the way back, took 1E18 from Newcastle to Darlington and that had to run at a reduced speed due to a broken window in the Quiet Coach.
When it rains it pours I guess.......
SpacePhoenix
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Would it have been discovered by an anomaly with the track circuits or by a driver reporting an unusual sound and/or vibration/motion?
This is straight after other major delays last night/early this morning that I was caught up in. The 1935 Edinburgh-Kings Cross (which I boarded at York) got held up outside Doncaster due to cable theft. It eventually got into Doncaster at 0023, 103 minutes late. Interestingly, by the time we got to Kings Cross we were only 69 minutes late. I was left wondering how this had been achieved. Had the train been scheduled to take a diversionary route which was then cancelled to help it get back on track?
I was just glad that I wasn't on the northbound 2100 Kings Cross-Newcastle which got terminated at Doncaster for the same reason. I wonder what they did for all the passengers? It would have been a lot to find coaches to all stations to Newcastle for at that time of night-or did they all have to wait for the 2352 to Newcastle? If so, I'm not sure what was gained by cancelling the service.
I was just glad that I wasn't on the northbound 2100 Kings Cross-Newcastle which got terminated at Doncaster for the same reason. I wonder what they did for all the passengers? It would have been a lot to find coaches to all stations to Newcastle for at that time of night-or did they all have to wait for the 2352 to Newcastle? If so, I'm not sure what was gained by cancelling the service.
There's a fair bit of pathing/engineering allowance in the timetable south of Peterborough which means that this service is regularly 20 minutes early into Kings Cross.
Gemz91
Member
Got stuck at Newark yesterday morning during this disruption for what seemed like an eternity. Ended up sharing a taxi with 5 others up to Leeds as all the north bound trains were getting progressively more late, then just showing "delayed" with no estimated time of arrival.
Stampy
Member
I went to Bishop Stortford on the train from Peterborough yesterday - and the departure board was FULL of delayed trains, with staff milling around looking absolutely CLUELESS as to what was going on...
There was no suggestion of how to travel SOUTH or NORTH of Peterborough - until 1 train finally turned up late, and there was (the usual) last minute "push and shove" session from Platform's 1 to 3 as people scrambled to get on the train.
VTEC could have "advised" passengers to get the GN trains SOUTH to London - and advised passengers for the NORTH to go via either Leicester or Nottingham...
Peterborough is always a problem when the ECML is severely disrupted simply due to all the east/west services that disgorge ever more passengers with nowhere to go.
Darbs
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I've done a few of these! Disc cut off the MGL pins then with a wedge and a hammer remove the broken plates. Use scrapers and if possible a welders needle Hun to clean of the insulation and git a pair of Benkler 6 hole Insukated plates and an end post, give the joint a good pack and run trains! Last one I did was St Anne's near Bristol, two hours later and normal working resumed.
I caught the 1054 from Retford yesterday which was only a few minutes late and was actually held up by the 60103 rather than the broken rail which I believe was on the upside.
They then did some wrong line running which held up both directions so I was very lucky although the train I was on was as full as I'd ever known a rake of mk4. The Hull trains service to Kings cross terminated at Retford in Platform 2 so an interesting use of the crossover just north of the station.
I returned via Sheffield but things had started to return to normal by late afternoon.
They then did some wrong line running which held up both directions so I was very lucky although the train I was on was as full as I'd ever known a rake of mk4. The Hull trains service to Kings cross terminated at Retford in Platform 2 so an interesting use of the crossover just north of the station.
I returned via Sheffield but things had started to return to normal by late afternoon.
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