Salisbury to Romsey blocked by a land slip.

[ainsworth74]

Let's leave the off-topic chat about routes there thank you. This thread is about the landslip which has caused disruption to services in the area. Please ensure future posts address that subject only.

Thank you!

 

[JN114]

Chichester and Fareham have run this week, on the normal route according to RTT, along with a few trains between Westbury and Eastleigh/Southampton and some intermodal trains. Has the slip been fixed enough for freight to pass or is it not as bad as first thought?

The slip only affects one line (Salisbury-bound off the top of my head) - Single Line Working is in operation over the remaining good line, however Network Rail (not for want of trying) haven’t been able to commit to reliably staffing it for the x continuous hours a day a semblance of a passenger service would require; hence why the Romsey Rounders are curtailed to Romsey and why GWR are only running the Brightons east of Salisbury, and only as a Brighton - Portsmouth shuttle.

 

[RichT54]

THERE is "no timescale for repair" after the Salisbury railway landslip, according to Network Rail Wessex.

Commuters were warned that they could face two months of travel disruption after a landslide blocked a railway line between Romsey and Salisbury on Tuesday February 18.

The incident meant that the railway needs "substantial repair work" and this is expected to take up to two months to fix.

Now, rail chiefs are saying there is "no timescale for repair at present", but have ensured residents that they are doing everything they can.

A spokesperson on the Network Rail Wessex twitter account said: "We apologise to those affected by the landslip that has closed the line between Salisbury and Dean. Our geotechnical team are on site analysing and planning the repair. Unfortunately, the field next to the site remains flooded.

"This is preventing us accessing the site with heavy machinery. We have no timescales for repair at present, but are doing everything we can to get the line reopened to passenger trains as quickly as possible. We will share any updates as soon as they are available."

As previously reported, replacement busses have been arranged, running between Romsey and Southampton, calling at Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh, as well as between Salisbury and Southampton, calling at Redbridge and Milbrook.

https://www.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/...salisbury-landslip-incident-says-rail-chiefs/

 

[baza585]

Can some of the rail professionals on here please explain why SWR are unable to find crew to run ANY trains on the Romsey loop route. To my mind they would have had crew rostered for 3 units for the full day; what has happened to those crew? Hugely frustrating; even one unit running every 2 hours would provide me with some sort of service.......

 

[pompeyfan]

Usually I would imagine crew would do a Salisbury - Romsey and return, then an Exeter/Yeovil/London etc. It may we be that taxis to Romsey wouldn’t get there in time, or more than likely the return would eat into the break and mean it’s not within T&Cs, and eventually cause the next working to be late.

the above isn’t exhaustive and I agree doesn’t fully explain the situation or soften the blow, but I hope it explains the potential reasoning behind such decisions.

 

[Matt Taylor]

It's because there is a general shortage of crew across several depots-particularly guards, the focus is on keeping the Waterloo to Exeter route fully crewed when things are tight plus Salisbury is the only depot with route knowledge of both routes from Southampton to Romsey.

 

[baza585]

Thanks guys for the insight; really helpful. Just frustrating that freight still appears per RTT to be using the one line, whilst no passenger services are running. I note that a loop service is running today and Sunday, and promise of something next week. Bizarre prioritisation. Realise it's a difficult situation but impression is that SWR sadly haven't covered themselves in glory this week.

 

[jayah]

A regular service between Swindon and Salisbury to link with the Romsey service isn’t possible without doubling the Melksham line. All previous reports have carefully ignored the multitude of freight traffic which uses this line and holds at Thingley Junction awaiting paths onto the Box route.

The line is at near capacity and that is why you have the current irregular pattern passenger service as it’s the best that can be fitted round long standing freight traffic. Double the line and it becomes possible but that’s actually quite expensive....

It doesn't need doubling, just a loop to pass two trains without blocking up either Bradford or Thingley Jns.

 

[jayah]

Hopefully one day we will finally get a sensible DMU service through a Westbury.

SWR Pompey - Bristol limited stop
GWR Swindon - Southampton - Romsey
GWR Weymouth/Westbury - Cardiff

If I recall correctly, these suggestions are regularly made including by former SWT management to the DfT.

You would cover all major flows with best stock allocation.

I would have thought Frome should be a more pressing case for a better service, but it looks like these luminaries don't understand why Filton is important while lumping Wales into the too difficult category.

In that part of the world, high-speed means any service that is faster than the age of steam, so perhaps they would be better employed thinking about how to speed up the West Coastway or starting a Waterloo to Newquay service?

 

[Wychwood93]

The South Today piece earlier this morning indicated that some 136 x 13m piles would be sunk in and then linked by boring through the bank and inserting a bar (or whatever the techy term might be) to link through and provide stability. This to be done by the end of March, when the line would be open for traffic. The longer term solution will take a while longer - River Bourne water levels go down, ground firm enough for temp roadway and heavy kit arrives to yield a solution. It will, by the look of it, take time.

 

[swt_passenger]

The South Today piece earlier this morning indicated that some 136 x 13m piles would be sunk in and then linked by boring through the bank and inserting a bar (or whatever the techy term might be) to link through and provide stability. This to be done by the end of March, when the line would be open for traffic. The longer term solution will take a while longer - River Bourne water levels go down, ground firm enough for temp roadway and heavy kit arrives to yield a solution. It will, by the look of it, take time.

There’s a section of a hundred yards or more about half a mile south of Eastleigh on the Botley line, where they reinforced an embankment with some major work, even though it was done without a significant closure it still took many months of TSRs. It basically consists of a massive piled box structure either side of the embankment, and almost as high as the embankment. It’s easily visible on Google satellite view, there’s an underbridge part way along...

 

[pompeyfan]

Appears a great Western 158 is travelling back to Portsmouth as 3N78 of all headcodes. The turbos have been missing for the previous few days.

Any idea what’s going on?

 

[387star]

Appears a great Western 158 is travelling back to Portsmouth as 3N78 of all headcodes. The turbos have been missing for the previous few days.

Any idea what’s going on?

Both Turbos broke down

 

[Classic109E]

Local news seems to be saying the line will re-open by the end of March, but NR still says 30 April. Does anyone know which is correct?

 

[robertha]

Local news seems to be saying the line will re-open by the end of March, but NR still says 30 April. Does anyone know which is correct?

Network Rail wessex still says end of March as of yesterday.
Pictures also at https://twitter.com/NetworkRailWssx/status/1237792275763204096?s=20

 

[swt_passenger]

Local news seems to be saying the line will re-open by the end of March, but NR still says 30 April. Does anyone know which is correct?

Could it be the difference between the temporary piling work to get it open for end of March, and the full repair that NR are explaining will happen afterwards?
Network Rail say:

• Landslip close to Salisbury closed the line between Salisbury and Romsey on 18 February
• Interim fix devised by engineers will enable the line to be reopened by the end of March
• Longer-term solution to rebuild the embankment will be delivered once local flooding subsides and heavy machinery can reach the area

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/news/...reopen-at-the-end-of-march-following-landslip

However National Rail enquires do say:

A landslip has damaged part of the railway between Salisbury and Romsey resulting in all lines being closed. From an initial inspection, Network Rail engineers have observed that the embankment has slipped, leaving the track unsupported over approximately 20 metres, making it unsafe to run trains.

We don't expect the line to reopen before Thursday 30 April as extensive repairs will be required to reopen the line.

It’s not at all unusual for the latter site not to be regularly updated.

 

[Classic109E]

March it is then - great news. Thanks

 

[Randomer]

Is anyone else having issues getting information about the rail replacement services being ran due to this?

Looking at travelling on Sunday NRE doesn't show any changes to get a replacement bus at Salisbury (or a timetable change) but does have a note saying rail replacement buses are running. NRE doesn't make it clear if tickets routed via Salisbury are valid via Reading for a Cardiff to Southampton journey.

GWR site has no details when you click through on more information.

Have tried contacting GWR on Twitter but no reply so far.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Is anyone else having issues getting information about the rail replacement services being ran due to this?

Looking at travelling on Sunday NRE doesn't show any changes to get a replacement bus at Salisbury (or a timetable change) but does have a note saying rail replacement buses are running. NRE doesn't make it clear if tickets routed via Salisbury are valid via Reading for a Cardiff to Southampton journey.

GWR site has no details when you click through on more information.

Have tried contacting GWR on Twitter but no reply so far.

I can confirm there is rail replacement on Sunday between Salisbury and Southampton, and also a fast Salisbury - Fareham Express.

At work we have a vehicle out on rail replacement, I was down to do it but someone else is driving instead, which confirms there is rail replacements.

Also we have a coach out on Saturday as well.

 

[cossie4i]

Should be open Thursday according to the Pilotman this morning when I navigated the SLW.

 

[Stigy]

Should be open Thursday according to the Pilotman this morning when I navigated the SLW.

Should have been today when I spoke to him last week in the same circumstances...he said they were on target for the 23rd but they’d been rostered all this week “just in case”

 

[EvoIV]

Trains running through normally today. Not sure when single line working was lifted, I think it was still in place yesterday.

I suspect the Salisbury MOMs will be glad to have a break from piloting duties and continually shuttling up and down the A36.

 

[moley]

Reopened this morning. GWR running today, SWR from Monday.

 

[cossie4i]

Trains running through normally today. Not sure when single line working was lifted, I think it was still in place yesterday.

I suspect the Salisbury MOMs will be glad to have a break from piloting duties and continually shuttling up and down the A36.

It was still in operation yesterday afternoon, I went through around 1320.

 

[Wychwood93]

Trains have continued to run normally and there is still quite a lot of activity to add the final touches.

 

[swt_passenger]

Trains have continued to run normally and there is still quite a lot of activity to add the final touches.

I think, going back to the March announcements, that they got trains running by means of a temporary fix with steel piles, and they were not going to start a permanent solution until water levels subsided. I think there’s more to what’s been going on than “final touches” - although there’s very little info on NR’s website.

It looks like there’s been little or no media coverage since late March, (for fairly obvious reasons).

 

[BrianW]

Maybe such works will get more attention shortly ...

 

[Nammer]

Romsey - Salisbury line closures scheduled for weekends of 12/13 Sept, 3/4 Oct, 10/11 Oct, 17/18 Oct according to SWR engineering works page

 

[swt_passenger]

Romsey - Salisbury line closures scheduled for weekends of 12/13 Sept, 3/4 Oct, 10/11 Oct, 17/18 Oct according to SWR engineering works page

Is that definitely related to this problem though?

 

[trolleyman]

It’s quite normal for weekend engineering work Salisbury - Southampton September - November