Merseyrail Not Operating on Friday

[Llandudno]

Merseyrail have just announced on Facebook that they will not be operating any services at all on Friday 8 January owing to a bad weather forecast.

According to the BBC Weather app, temperatures are due to drop to Zero degrees and there may be a couple of hours of snow.

Surely in 2021 we must be capable of running a service in these conditions, the forecast is hardly severe? Do similar third rail systems in Moscow and the limes suspend services a day in advance if there is a little snow forecast.

Merseyrail are suggesting that commuters use the ferries, let’s hope the Mersey doesn’t freeze over!

Seriously though, I hope that there aren’t any Key Workers due to administer Covid vaccinations relying on using Merseyrail to get to work tomorrow.

 

[birchesgreen]

Heard it all now, not operating because of a weather forecast.

 

[Crossover]

Backed up by their own website:

Due to forecasted adverse weather conditions affecting the railway, Merseyrail is not expecting to be able to run a train service tomorrow, Friday 8 January.


Customers are strongly advised to make alternative travel arrangements. Rail replacement buses will not be in operation due to the scale of disruption. Rail season tickets will be accepted by Arriva, Stagecoach and Mersey Ferries


If conditions improve, attempts will be made to run services and passengers are advised to check @merseyrail on Twitter and the website regularly before travelling to a station.


Andy Heath, Managing Director, said: “We have been working hard over the last few weeks to prepare the network for adverse winter weather conditions, covering the rail with anti-ice and running trains throughout the night to keep the lines clear.


“Through previous experiences when, following the anti-icing, we incur a combination of snow, sleet or rain fall on our electrified third rail as is forecasted, this can result in a new layer of ice which electricity cannot pass through and trains are unable to operate.


“As a result of this, we believe it is highly likely that trains will not operate on Friday. We hope that this advance notice will give passengers enough time to make alternative travel arrangements.


“We will be continuously working with Network Rail to run services as soon as is safely possible and apologise for any inconvenience this will cause our passengers.”

Third rail specifically being highligted as a problem

 

[Bow Fell]

11 units out of service (in addition to usual maintenance) following last weeks disruption, with shoegear (shoes ripped/cut off) and flash damage, I suspect the TOC and Stadler don’t want even more.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Snow has caused units to end up welded to the third rail before.

To be fair, they aren't saying they won't operate, they are saying they don't think they will be able to operate.

 

[stuart100100]

It's raining here at the moment. Presumably going to freeze overnight again it the temperature drops

 

[Bow Fell]

Snow has caused units to end up welded to the third rail before.

To be fair, they aren't saying they won't operate, they are saying they don't think they will be able to operate.

I imagine if the forecast doesn’t turn out, as, errrm, forecasted, services will be start to be reintroduced subject to MPV treatment and route proving trains along all lines of route first.

Otherwise, trains trapped with passengers (key workers) on requiring evacuation, in the current pandemic, not a good look either.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I imagine if the forecast doesn’t turn out, as, errrm, forecasted, services will be reintroduced subject to MPV treatment and route proving trains along all lines of route first.

Agreed, I think that's basically what they've said.

 

[WatcherZero]

Was someone at Merseyrail watching The Day After Tommorow and confused it for a weather forecast?

 

[Horizon22]

That seems rather extreme - in London & SE which is heavily 3rd rail a service normally runs in snow & ice albeit reduced to core frequencies and routes normally.

 

[185]

Comments on the Echo FB page, some consider it another poor excuse for, quote, 'Part-timeyrail' to avoid running.

 

[Class83]

At the very least surely they could run a Hamilton Square-Loop Shuttle rather than directing people to the ferry. Maybe even a couple of extra underground stops on the Birkenhead side? But it does seem really to be a case of too much effort with too few passengers, rather than some Siberian weather forecast.

 

[37424]

So we want people to abandon the car for more use of Public Transport in the future, I think will take some time to think about that one.

 

[bramling]

That seems rather extreme - in London & SE which is heavily 3rd rail a service normally runs in snow & ice albeit reduced to core frequencies and routes normally.

Is part of the trouble that Merseyrail is running a reduced frequency? One of the biggest things with winter weather is to keep things moving as far as possible, the moment gaps develop when the job sits still is when issues start to multiply.

It will be interesting to see how some of the rural London DC routes fare, like for example places in Kent where the frequency is low.

 

[the sniper]

Am I missing something, the weather forecast doesn't seem that bad for Merseyside now? I know the forecast has improved since yesterday.

 

[Class83]

Is part of the trouble that Merseyrail is running a reduced frequency? One of the biggest things with winter weather is to keep things moving as far as possible, the moment gaps develop when the job sits still is when issues start to multiply.

It will be interesting to see how some of the rural London DC routes fare, like for example places in Kent where the frequency is low.

This is true, the best thing they could probably do is run a more frequent service. Are the new trains fitted with better deicing kit or do they still rely on a separate de-icing train. Much like in Scotland/Pennines, it's probably better to fit every train with a mini-plough, then let the snow build up, close the line and have to send out double 37s with a large plough.

 

[Spandau]

I am not sure Merseyrail are trying very hard. The start of last Sunday’s service was put back by three hours because it got down to -1deg.

 

[nedchester]

It's pathetic.

My son is a key worker who uses ME to get to Chester. I'll have to drive and if it is snowing take more risks.

The railway is a joke.

 

[bramling]

It's pathetic.

My son is a key worker who uses ME to get to Chester. I'll have to drive and if it is snowing take more risks.

The railway is a joke.

It isn’t a great shout. Part of the rationale for the railway keeping running is providing that service to key workers, and if it can’t manage that reliably then there’s certainly questions to answer.

However, by the same token we don’t know what specific issues are going on behind the scenes. If they don’t have the staff then they don’t have the staff.

 

[Bow Fell]

This is true, the best thing they could probably do is run a more frequent service. Are the new trains fitted with better deicing kit or do they still rely on a separate de-icing train. Much like in Scotland/Pennines, it's probably better to fit every train with a mini-plough, then let the snow build up, close the line and have to send out double 37s with a large plough.

It looks like this could be a contributing factor. Last week, early services ran ECS to check the condition of the line, with no issues, in between that, 30 minutes or so, the first passenger service running there was a sudden heavy sleet/hail shower, which caused the units to be stranded in the Maghull area, and evacuation of passengers required. Both units suffered shoegear damage. Last week there a unit on the Ellesmere Port stranded for over 8 hours because the ice on the third rail was so thick.

As I mentioned, upthread, 11 units suffered shoegear and flash damage last week (one so badly it’s by no means a short-term repair) which led to numerous short formations (not ideal in the current pandemic) I suspect Stadler (who are responsible for the 507/8 maintenance) have also said, they don’t want any more.

 

[urbophile]

The southeast often has colder weather in winter than Merseyside. These are not extreme conditions. I suspect a combination of a less frequent service, staff absences and many fewer passengers, thanks to Covid, has made it not worth the risk. It will be interesting to see how the third-rail areas in the south manage.

 

[Ianno87]

It isn’t a great shout. Part of the rationale for the railway keeping running is providing that service to key workers, and if it can’t manage that reliably then there’s certainly questions to answer.

However, by the same token we don’t know what specific issues are going on behind the scenes. If they don’t have the staff then they don’t have the staff.

I guess there's a logic that they don't want the start of service to be disrupted to the extent that the entire day ends up destroyed, especially when it comes to then getting people home at the end of it.

 

[bramling]

I guess there's a logic that they don't want the start of service to be disrupted to the extent that the entire day ends up destroyed, especially when it comes to then getting people home at the end of it.

The trouble is that start of service can often be quite busy, especially at the moment, though whether that’s the case in the Merseyrail area is another matter.

I can see why there might be operational challenges, but equally I can fully see why people needing to use the service will be peeved, especially if it means they have to take their chances on icy roads.

One would at least be expecting Merseyrail to make some attempt to prioritise a core service on less outlying parts of their network, especially the cross-river service.

 

[ThameslinkUser]

It will be interesting to see how the third-rail areas in the south manage.

The South East has the benefit of many Snow and Ice Treatment Trains.

 

[Mogz]

Surely they could just run from Birkenhead Park and Central, round the loop and back again?

 

[nedchester]

The South East has the benefit of many Snow and Ice Treatment Trains.

And why not Merseyrail?

 

[73001]

The southeast often has colder weather in winter than Merseyside. These are not extreme conditions. I suspect a combination of a less frequent service, staff absences and many fewer passengers, thanks to Covid, has made it not worth the risk. It will be interesting to see how the third-rail areas in the south manage.

I suspect that is part of the problem. Temperatures moving up and down around freezing allow rain to fall and then it freezes on the rails. If it was colder and stayed colder we'd get snow or hail or nothing. The temperate air blowing in off the sea causes these problems which the colder continental air down south doesn't do.

 

[birchesgreen]

And why not Merseyrail?

Merseyside often has milder weather compared to many parts of the UK, something to do with the Irish Sea maybe?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Merseyside often has milder weather compared to many parts of the UK, something to do with the Irish Sea maybe?

I don't know how scientific it is, but the view locally always used to be that anything extreme coming in over the Atlantic dumped on Ireland instead, meaning Merseyside and West Lancashire tended to lack weather extremes usually experienced by the South East.

 

[Bald Rick]

And why not Merseyrail?

They do.