Possible disruption due to snow (weekend of 9-10 December)

[londonmidland]

With snow forecast over the next couple of days, especially on Sunday, I thought it would be a good idea to make a thread.

Currently, it looks like North Wales and the Midlands will be the most likely affected areas, with up to 20 cm of snow on high ground.

Some snow possible for other areas too.

Met Office weather warnings:
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings

 

[gavin]

Could be snow issues as early as tomorrow for some locations 10 to 20cm for parts of Scotland and 5cm to 10cm in parts of the Midlands

https://twitter.com/bbcweather/status/938813373843689472

 

[DarloRich]

there wont be 10-20 cm of snow anywhere except the highlands and on the very tops of the Pennines etc.

 

[snowball]

There's already a snow disruption thread here (admittedly not tied to any specific weather forecasts):

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/snow-and-what-happens-if-it-comes.156954/page-4#post-3211502

 

[gavin]

Amber snow warnings issued for

• East Midlands
• East of England
• London & South East England
• North West England
• Wales
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire & Humber
  
  

  Between 04:00 Sun 10th and 18:00 Sun 10th
  A spell of heavy snow is likely over parts of Wales, the Midlands and parts of Northern England on Sunday. Road, rail and air travel delays are likely, as well as stranding of vehicles and public transport cancellations. There is a good chance that some rural communities could become cut off.

  
  https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings#?date=2017-12-10

 

[73001]

The 507/8s don't do well in the snow and with it staying below freezing and snowing overnight (supposedly) it could be fun on Sunday morning across Merseyrail.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

The 507/8s don't do well in the snow and with it staying below freezing and snowing overnight (supposedly) it could be fun on Sunday morning across Merseyrail.

Trouble making contact with the juice rail?

 

[73001]

Trouble making contact with the juice rail?

...particularly when it's freezing as well. A layer of ice/compacted snow is hard to shift from the third rail. It could be one of those 'perfect storms' in terms of the problems it causes.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The 507/8s don't do well in the snow and with it staying below freezing and snowing overnight (supposedly) it could be fun on Sunday morning across Merseyrail.

The answer would be (in my case , years ago) - never let a single unit out if you can -or at least for the first few trains - led unit acts as ice-breaker , back unit provides traction ..

Maybe too old school to worry about issues like lease mileage accumulation or extra EC4T (in other words - electricity consumption bills)

 

[trainophile]

Is this the only thread about the current snow disruption? Major problems here in the West Midlands/South Wales area today.

 

[Dan08]

Class 43 on the ECML this afternoon at Hadley Wood

 

[Mintona]

Had about 6-7 inches in the Forest of Dean overnight and today. I’m off to bed as I have to drive a very early train into London tomorrow, provided I can get to work ok!

 

[trainophile]

If trains are cancelled tomorrow due to snow is it allowed to go via a different route with a different operator to the same destination on an Advance ticket?

I think I know the answer, but wondered whether they might be inclined to suspend restrictions at a time of major weather disruption.

 

[theageofthetra]

Had about 6-7 inches in the Forest of Dean overnight and today. I’m off to bed as I have to drive a very early train into London tomorrow, provided I can get to work ok!

Fnar Fnar

 

[RailAleFan]

@nationalrailenq been busy tweeting all day with #UKSnow

 

[jon0844]

Is there a big difference to TOC policies on clearing platforms?

Great Northern had staff on full platform clearing and Killfrosting and clearing pathways and steps etc.

But I travelled to Cheshunt from Tottenham Hale and nothing. Sure the covered parts of TOM were clear but not the path to the tube, or the exposed parts of the platform.

I got the Hertford East service and every stop to Cheshunt, the platforms were full of slushy snow/ice and one person slipped when boarding at one station but regained balance and avoided falling down the gap.

At Cheshunt nothing was cleared at all either, including the area to the gateline and at the front, which has a ramp and was very slippery. There was one member of staff at the gate and in the ticket office, but clearly GA doesn't require staff to do clearing which seems mad.

 

[Polarbear]

It appears the Midlands has been affected quite a bit. I travelled from Bache to London earlier & the West Coast was struggling a bit, though most services were running. My 221 wasn't particularly fast going down & was almost an hour late into Euston.

Chiltern are cancelling quite a few trains this evening, and the Met is completely snookered due to power supply problems (blamed on the snow).

Oops!

 

[DarloRich]

i find it surprising that so little snow creates such large problems. My journey form Leeds to MK today was fun!

 

[Polarbear]

i find it surprising that so little snow creates such large problems. My journey form Leeds to MK today was fun!

I agree. Yes, it's the most snow I've seen for a few years, but for the most part, the covering was around 3-4 inches at most. Granted, some parts of Wales have seen significant dumpings, but nothing on the scale of the 2010 freeze (or 1963, 1947 etc.).

That said, I get the Impression that the Chiltern's copped for a good dump of snow. Bicester village closed at mid-day.

Not sure modern day stock exchange is up to the task either.

 

[DarloRich]

I agree. Yes, it's the most snow I've seen for a few years, but for the most part, the covering was around 3-4 inches at most. Granted, some parts of Wales have seen significant dumpings, but nothing on the scale of the 2010 freeze (or 1963, 1947 etc.).

That said, I get the Impression that the Chiltern's copped for a good dump of snow. Bicester village closed at mid-day.

Not sure modern day stock exchange is up to the task either.

it was mostly crew displacement and thinned out services that caused problems. All lines open with snow barely covering sleeper levels in most places.

 

[PHILIPE]

Services suspended from around lunchtime on the Cotswold Line, between Newport and Hereford later Shrewsbury. Heart of Wales line north of Llandovery.

 

[gavin]

London Midland hope to run a near normal service tomorrow but this is subject to no further heavy snow in the midlands overnight and de-icing trains getting to work

 

[Failed Unit]

It will be the first time some of the new rolling stock has encountered snow. Let’s see how the IEPs and 700s cope. Snow is a nice test for electrical systems.

 

[SquireBev]

London Midland hope to run a near normal service tomorrow

I'd be very impressed if they did!

 

[trainophile]

Last Updated:10/12/2017 19:25
Hereford:
The Station is now closed till start of service Monday 11 December 2017 due to suspension of service on all routes due to severe weather conditions.
No alternative transport is available.
For passengers unable to travel tickets dated 10th December 2017 will be accepted Monday 11th December 2017.

 

[DarloRich]

Tamworth station about 1700 tonight

 

[A Challenge]

There have been some good photos but unfortunately I'm on the wrong side of London for any snow!

 

[Pseudonym]

Disappointingly at some 940 feet above sea level near Huddersfield we have had barely half an inch of snow

 

[Jamesrob637]

Tamworth station about 1700 tonight

Looks more like a Swiss station!

 

[Alfie1014]

Had 3-4 inches down here on the Essex coast this morning. The 09:32 Liv St to Clacton got stuck between Wivenhoe and Alresford for the best part of 2 hours this morning as the weight of the snow had brought branches down on to the OLE. The West Anglia Route has been disrupted most of the day and is still blocked north of Stansted Mountfitchet.