Merseyrail Disruption: 18/01/15

[andymcl74]

So Merseyrail had quite a nightmare today, with services suspended on 5 of the 8 lines, and a limited service running on a further line. Apparently ice forming on the third rail meant trains could not draw power, leaving them stranded.

So, I have a few questions following this:

1) Do Merseyrail have any system in place which allows stranded trains to be recovered? I've only ever seen them being recovered by other EMUs, but if the third rail is out of action what happens? Abandon them and manual evacuation?

2) What can be done to stop this from happening? I understand Network Rail have their MPV which treats the track itself, but can anything be done to the third rail?

Obviously many were incredibly displeased at the disruption (it is January, after all, and this weather was forecast), so could more have been done?


(I'm not complaining though, it did give me chance to capture a rather rare sighting of an 18-car EMU! (Three 6-car units - one was a failed unit at Rock Ferry, then assisting unit coupled to another unit to perform a test run.))

[youtube]qSNzGt1-0b8[/youtube]

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

I see the Liverpool Echo has now picked up on the story of the 18 car EMU and used your video.

Don't see any credit for you though!! I would be on to them!

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/watch-biggest-merseyrail-train-ever-8468958

 

[andymcl74]

I see the Liverpool Echo has now picked up on the story of the 18 car EMU and used your video.

Don't see any credit for you though!! I would be on to them!

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/watch-biggest-merseyrail-train-ever-8468958

Haha thanks for the heads up, it's fine though I'm mentioned somewhere round the middle of the article. The only bit I don't like is uploading it through their own server and using their video player - I'd love to know the stats!

It was quite a sight! I originally thought 'should I just take photos?' then decided to take a video instead - a decision I was glad I made once I saw how long it was!

 

[Elecman]

On the southern they have started getting 3rd rail heaters at strategic locations to stop the 3rd rail icing up

 

[21C101]

Don't they run de icer trains on Merseyrail to treat the third rail in this sort of weather?

 

[andymcl74]

Don't they run de icer trains on Merseyrail to treat the third rail in this sort of weather?

I think it's only the Network Rail train which only treats the actual track, i.e. the two running rails

Not aware of anything that treats the third rail as well

 

[73001]

Don't they run de icer trains on Merseyrail to treat the third rail in this sort of weather?

I think this was one of the rare occasions were we got rain followed by freezing conditions and hail. This tends to wash any antifreeze off if there is any. There were several accidents around the area as the roads were treacherous too.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just as a matter of interest, how many motor cars can be controlled from the front cab? I know with DMUs it's normally 6. Does this apply in this case too?

 

[STANDISH]

The good news out of this cold weather was that the two front units of this convoy formed a charter train ,when they returned to Hooton. Branch Line Society ran 750V Tracker Railtour around the Mersey Network. It started very late !!! but was back on time at about 19.48pm at Hooton. The excellent news was that it raised nearly £20,000 for the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity. A big thanks to the Merseyrail staff for giving their free time and efforts and making sure that this trip ran today.

 

[andymcl74]

That sounds excellent! Great to hear it rose so much money

Glad it got sorted after such disruption too!

 

[Bertie the bus]

I think this was one of the rare occasions were we got rain followed by freezing conditions and hail. This tends to wash any antifreeze off if there is any. There were several accidents around the area as the roads were treacherous too.

I’m afraid that is just the usual rail forum excuse for p### poor performance by the railway.

The weather wasn’t exceptional and as has already been stated was forecast. As for the roads, well a few hundred middle aged/old men managed to navigate them safely to get to Hooton for the tour so the Highway’s Agency did a far better job than Network Rail. Also looking on RTT there is nothing showing for a de-icer so if it did run it ran under the radar.

 

[fowler9]

The weather on Merseyside was a bit odd the last twenty four hours or so. I suspect it will have been hard to treat the rails in an appropriate manner. I was working yesterday, on the way in to work the sky was that clear and sunny I could see two planes from Paris to Montreal quite clearly even though they were at 35000 feet. A few hours later the skies looked ready to have a big dump of snow. Instead it switched between sleet and hail. There was a huge amount of sleet later on which froze really quickly. The roads and pavements were treacherous at half ten this morning on my way back to work. Not surprised the railways struggled.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I’m afraid that is just the usual rail forum excuse for p### poor performance by the railway.

The weather wasn’t exceptional and as has already been stated was forecast. As for the roads, well a few hundred middle aged/old men managed to navigate them safely to get to Hooton for the tour so the Highway’s Agency did a far better job than Network Rail. Also looking on RTT there is nothing showing for a de-icer so if it did run it ran under the radar.

My bus service was up the wall this morning, I was nearly late. No where appeared to have been gritted. The weather wasn't exceptional but in my part of Merseyside it was a little odd.

 

[Saint66]

I’m afraid that is just the usual rail forum excuse for p### poor performance by the railway.

The weather wasn’t exceptional and as has already been stated was forecast. As for the roads, well a few hundred middle aged/old men managed to navigate them safely to get to Hooton for the tour so the Highway’s Agency did a far better job than Network Rail. Also looking on RTT there is nothing showing for a de-icer so if it did run it ran under the radar.

Nah, this is the usual rail forum post that blames the rail industry for something they cannot control.

 

[TDK]

Nah, this is the usual rail forum post that blames the rail industry for something they cannot control.

we used to run de-icing trains and ghost trains formed of 4 emu's to clear ice of the conductor rail on the Southern however it is such a rare occurrence that I doubt MR would fund anything like this

 

[table38]

Just as a matter of interest, how many motor cars can be controlled from the front cab? I know with DMUs it's normally 6. Does this apply in this case too?

I'm not an expert, but judging from the motor noise and arcing from the last set, I'd say they were all powered? Here's a dodgy mobile-phone video of them at Hooton:

[youtube]nsi-TEc7PEc[/youtube]

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think it's only the Network Rail train which only treats the actual track, i.e. the two running rails

Not aware of anything that treats the third rail as well

I thought, possibly wrongly, the Network Rail units used on Merseyside were adapted to also treat the third rail. Prior to that a Class 501 set, and another pair of Class 501 trailers with a 73 sandwiched between them, used to do this job. We used to hate it when going to school as a kid on a freezing morning when we saw one, which we used to know as the "old greaser[1]", coming round the corner towards Aughton Park, as it almost inevitably meant a cancellation so longer standing in the cold (no proper PIS back then!).

[1] Though obviously sticking Sandite down is quite the opposite of "greasing"!

Neil

 

[Old Yard Dog]

I’m afraid that is just the usual rail forum excuse for p### poor performance by the railway.

The weather wasn’t exceptional and as has already been stated was forecast. As for the roads, well a few hundred middle aged/old men managed to navigate them safely to get to Hooton for the tour so the Highway’s Agency did a far better job than Network Rail. Also looking on RTT there is nothing showing for a de-icer so if it did run it ran under the radar.

On the contrary. Cheshire West and Chester council had not gritted the A41 (from the south - the link north to M53 J5 looked better) or Hooton Road, which were both very icy as was the station car park.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Nah, this is the usual rail forum post that blames the rail industry for something they cannot control.

It’s amazing how much you can do little about when you don’t even bother trying. If we had 24hr hazy sunshine and the temperature remained between 5C and 20C permanently then I’m sure the railway could run a fairly reasonable service. Strangely that isn’t the case in this country so it should come up with solutions, not excuses.

 

[andymcl74]

I'm not an expert, but judging from the motor noise and arcing from the last set, I'd say they were all powered? Here's a dodgy mobile-phone video of them at Hooton:

[youtube]nsi-TEc7PEc[/youtube]

Love the video! Was quite a sight wasn't it?

I'd imagine they were all powered, yes - I think they all are usually
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I thought, possibly wrongly, the Network Rail units used on Merseyside were adapted to also treat the third rail.

Not sure, although according to Wikipedia the only variants are prototypes/production units/overhead wire units (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_MPV#Variants)

 

[Y961 XBU]

I was in Liverpool Central when all this was going on, very poory organised, Rail Replacement pulled of at least an hour before Trains started running again!

 

[Bigfoot]

MPVs used on the southern region treat the third rail. They essentially lay antifreeze with brushes onto the top of the juice rail.

 

[Olaf]

we used to run de-icing trains and ghost trains formed of 4 emu's to clear ice of the conductor rail on the Southern however it is such a rare occurrence that I doubt MR would fund anything like this

I think, going back 30 years or so, MR had two sandite units. They used them, along with ghost trains, to keep the lines reasonably clear. However, I recall the weather being typically colder in the 60s and 70s than it was this year.

 

[jamesst]

MPVs used on the southern region treat the third rail. They essentially lay antifreeze with brushes onto the top of the juice rail.

Yep they also do on the Merseyrail network.