Southeastern Snow Disruption - 11/12

[George109]

Seems like Southeastern aren't having much luck tonight because of the heavy snow and ice, with no replacement buses or taxis.
No trains from London Bridge, Hastings line is blocked at Tonbridge and quite a few trains are heavily delayed & apparently some metro trains are stranded in the snow according to Twitter (not sure for how long) - like this one 2N40 stuck outside Hither Green for 80 minutes and counting
Do you think this is likely to be a repeat of the Lewisham incident a few years ago?

2N40 also has no onboard toilets, apparently there has already been one attempt of self evacuation according to Twitter.

Driver has come out to try to find who has attempted to open a door and get out. There is zero response from @se_railway, zero. They’re not even responding to him. It has been like this for the last 30 years,

 

[Class 466]

Seems like Southeastern aren't having much luck tonight because of the heavy snow and ice, with no replacement buses or taxis.
No trains from London Bridge, Hastings line is blocked at Tonbridge and quite a few trains are heavily delayed & apparently some metro trains are stranded in the snow according to Twitter (not sure for how long) - like this one 2N40 stuck outside Hither Green for 80 minutes and counting
Do you think this is likely to be a repeat of the Lewisham incident a few years ago?

2N40 also has no onboard toilets, apparently there has already been one attempt of self evacuation according to Twitter.

Definitely not going to be a repeat. pretty much all the trains (bar this one) are in stations. Today on the whole has proved that no amount of preperation or heating of third rail (worked well, again ) is going to stop snow and ice being a big issue.

 

[philosopher]

Definitely not going to be a repeat. pretty much all the trains (bar this one) are in stations. Today on the whole has proved that no amount of preperation or heating of third rail (worked well, again ) is going to stop snow and ice being a big issue.

At 10:00 pm on Sunday there are not that many passengers travelling anyway.

 

[DarloRich]

Is it snow blocking the tracks or ice on the conductor rails causing the issue

 

[Class 466]

Is it snow blocking the tracks or ice on the conductor rails causing the issue

All third rail icing - started out this morning on coastal routes after sleet/freezing rain passed overnight and then this afternoon/evening pretty much everywhere else on the network.

 

[DarloRich]

All third rail icing - started out this morning on coastal routes after sleet/freezing rain passed overnight and then this afternoon/evening pretty much everywhere else on the network.

thanks - thought so. Was concern that there had been a deluge of snow on the south coast on reading the headline!

 

[bramling]

Is it snow blocking the tracks or ice on the conductor rails causing the issue

Bit of both I’d imagine, not so much snow blocking tracks but can certainly cause issues with points and the like. What tends to happen is one thing stops the job, then whilst everything is stopped the con rails ice over and the whole pack of cards comes falling down. Parts of LU seem to have suffered thus this evening as well. Tomorrow morning is going to be very rocky indeed I suspect.

The other issue is that by the look of it temperatures aren’t forecast to surpass freezing until late morning. That is going to cause chaos on roads, so will impact on staff availability.

 

[Alanko]

All third rail icing - started out this morning on coastal routes after sleet/freezing rain passed overnight and then this afternoon/evening pretty much everywhere else on the network.

Time to stick a 73, 31 or any other spare traction on the front, like back in the '80s?

 

[brad465]

Time to stick a 73, 31 or any other spare traction on the front, like back in the '80s?

Are there even many of those available?

 

[George109]

I have about 1-2 inches of snow here in SE London, hasn't really got above freezing all day. I believe there is an event happening at the O2 that finished at 11

 

[ExRes]

Time to stick a 73, 31 or any other spare traction on the front, like back in the '80s?

What are they going to pull? thanks to the brilliant 'progress' with couplers they can't couple up to modern units

 

[the sniper]

Got to point out, it's not just the railway... The first traffic cam I clicked on (M25 J25-24) out of curiosity is attached and the Google Maps traffic map is like doomsday, not seen it quite like that!

 

[PringlePopper1]

At 10:00 pm on Sunday there are not that many passengers travelling anyway.

Yeah, the 110 pax or so currently sleeping in a berthed networker in the bay at Tonbridge may disagree!

 

[BluePenguin]

Yeah, the 110 pax or so currently sleeping in a berthed networker in the bay at Tonbridge may disagree!

Is that even allowed?

 

[PringlePopper1]

Is that even allowed?

Well I’d rather be in there than stuck out on a platform in 2 degree weather, no taxis available nor hotels so what choice is there?

 

[BluePenguin]

Well I’d rather be in there than stuck out on a platform in 2 degree weather, no taxis available nor hotels so what choice is there?

Well, point taken. Whenever I have been stranded I have usually had someone available to collect me. Not everyone has friends and family available to rescue them, although even those that do may struggle in bad weather.

Sunday is the quietest day for hotels so I would like to think that hotels are the best option, even as a last resort

 

[PringlePopper1]

I agree, I’d like to think if it was me I’d be able to catch a lift, ironically I am stuck here as a member of train crew and the firm can’t source any cabs so it seems it’s heads down tonight and hope for some form of a service in the AM

 

[BluePenguin]

I agree, I’d like to think if it was me I’d be able to catch a lift, ironically I am stuck here as a member of train crew and the firm can’t source any cabs so it seems it’s heads down tonight and hope for some form of a service in the AM

I am terribly sorry to hear that. I hope you manage to get some rest and get home as soon as you can. Thoughts to you and the others

 

[PringlePopper1]

I am terribly sorry to hear that. I hope you manage to get some rest and get home as soon as you can. Thoughts to you and the others

Thanks mate, we’re in high spirits so I’m sure we’ll be alright eventually

 

[MCR247]

Thanks mate, we’re in high spirits so I’m sure we’ll be alright eventually

what is the temperature like onboard?

 

[PringlePopper1]

what is the temperature like onboard?

The networker must be about 20/22, really toastie which is well handy. Thank god the heatings working and there’s a line light that’s for sure!

 

[MCR247]

The networker must be about 20/22, really toastie which is well handy. Thank god the heatings working and there’s a line light that’s for sure!

Well that’s something. Hope you manage to get some sleep!

 

[the sniper]

Sounds more appealing then being amongst the thousands spending the night on the M25 between Junctions 23 and 27!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

@PringlePopper1 I'd want compensation for that on top of the delay repay. I'm more than happy to accept it's not the TOC's fault that the snow fell, but the contracted obligation of the ticket to get you from A to B has not been fulfilled by close of service, and a hotel has not been provided, and therefore I'd be writing in.

 

[MrB]

SE issuing do not travel advice for this morning

 

[dk1]

Something to tell the grandchildren lol

 

[trainmania100]

Great to see the SITTs are working well. Haven't had a single loco hauled SITT down my way yet, stuck trains this morning on southern west coastway and problems to Hastings.

Surely should have sent out a wave of SITTs when the snow started and through the night surely

Understand that doesn't help with lineside equipment but my understanding they were heated for this sort of thing

 

[Edsmith]

Well, point taken. Whenever I have been stranded I have usually had someone available to collect me. Not everyone has friends and family available to rescue them, although even those that do may struggle in bad weather.

Sunday is the quietest day for hotels so I would like to think that hotels are the best option, even as a last resort

I think the problem would have been actually getting to hotels so bad were the roads, many people stuck in cars overnight. Staying on the train would have undoubtedly been the safest option.

 

[dk1]

I think the problem would have been actually getting to hotels so bad were the roads, many people stuck in cars overnight. Staying on the train would have undoubtedly been the safest option.

Those stuck in cars would be very envious of those on a train with the luxury of toilet facilities too. Those rail passengers don’t know how lucky they are.

 

[ExRes]

@PringlePopper1 I'd want compensation for that on top of the delay repay. I'm more than happy to accept it's not the TOC's fault that the snow fell, but the contracted obligation of the ticket to get you from A to B has not been fulfilled by close of service, and a hotel has not been provided, and therefore I'd be writing in.

Yes, what a disgraceful situation that the TOC doesn't have a fleet of four wheel drive vehicles and trained drivers on hand at every station