Storm Babet disruption - Friday 20/10

[Jozhua]

Pick up from where?

I can see the inbound working for the 2005 is just passing St Albans on its way to St Pancras, although I imagine the concourse might be very chaotic...

Edit: Seems the inbound working for the 2034, if you're unable to get the 2005, is expected into St Pancras at 2031 according to RTT.

Thanks for the heads up - I've opted for Tamworth in the end via London NorthWestern Railway

 

[Magdalia]

Water up to knee level by the railway line around Shepreth Branch Junction (Cambridge) , get ready for delays on both routes into London.

Currently at London Kings Cross - Great Northern are the only services departing.

eg. The Met Office declared a 56-hour yellow warning for Cambridgeshire on Tuesday (when the total rainfall here was forecast to be just 8mm here over the whole storm!) - they then withdrew that warning entirely as the forecast evolved, and only late yesterday put back a yellow warning for today. (In the end I'm not sure how much rain we've had, but it is about as wet as I can remember around here, certainly more than 8mm!)

And yet Ely southwards seems to be running fine. Even the line to Kings Lynn seems to be working well, and that's usually the first thing to fall over when the weather gets a bit rubbish.

Here in Hertfordshire there hasn’t been much rain at all, though looking at the radar we seem to have very much dodged a bullet, as we’ve been very slightly west of the rain area all day, which doesn’t seem to have moved much at all.

Looks like the rain has now stopped in Cambridge, and should be stopping here within the hour.

I am normally very cautious about travelling when there is high risk of disruption, but I had an appointment in London today.

I did travel, having looked carefully at the weather forecast and the warnings. Cambridge was right on the southern edge of one of the yellow warnings, which proved to be spot on.

I only experienced very minor disruption. This morning some Cambridge/Brighton Thameslink trains were cancelled, not weather related, and, as usual with a drop of rain, Cambridge buses were complete chaos.

When I started my journey home, the sun was shining in London, and I even managed to complete my journey after getting off the train in what appears to have been a brief dry spell in Cambridge.

As for the standing water around Shepreth Branch Junction, this is a common feature when rainfall is heavy and the clay soil is saturated, but it is not a significant risk for the trains. However, if we get more heavy rain this winter then it is going to be fun for those working on the Cambridge South construction site.

 

[AMD]

Yes 4S43 is too long for those loops except Penrith but by the time it reached there and with the nearest passenger train still quite a distance behind it the decision was made to make run for it to get to Kingmoor where the locos could be swapped. It's now stuck south of Lockerbie due to the trees falling onto the line. It's initial failure was due to an ADD activation just south of Oxenholme.

So 4S43 had a damaged pan on the front loco (presumably an 88) which meant it lost power. A report I read stated that the one remaining loco could only reach 5mph up Shap. The rescue loco, once attached, meant that the train was able to continue at line speed so problem solved.

 

[55002]

There’s a tree down,looking at the signal maps at Carlton on Trent north of Newark. Most trains have passed Newark now as not a lot running on ECML today so shouldn’t affect too many trains

 

[Killingworth]

Observed from Dore, the River Sheaf peaked at 2.25m at 1.45pm, the previous highest recorded being 1.78m on 25 June 2007. The restaurant at the bottom of the car park was flooded about 10am.

Amazingly almost all TPE and Nothern services to and from Manchester have run. Nothing from EMR on the route since about 11.30.

 

[Tezza1978]

At Euston to get the 2110 to WBQ -absolutely no sign of it, the 2033 (train before mine) was cancelled also although still showing in RTT

When (if??) it shows up its likely to be utterly rammed....

 

[Darandio]

At Euston to get the 2110 to WBQ -absolutely no sign of it, the 2033 (train b4 mine) was cancelled also although still showing in RTT

When (if??) it shows up its likely to be utterly rammed....

It's running nearly an hour late on the inbound service.

 

[Tezza1978]

It's running nearly an hour late on the inbound service.

Oh joy. Looks like I will be getting home at 1am then!

 

[Howardh]

I was delayed, not because of the weather but because the windscreen was cracked and we were disembarked at Stoke onto a following X-country from Bournemouth which had been delayed by the weather. I'm claiming delay repay off Avanti, do they e-mail you when the refund is given, or do you just have to wait for it to appear in your bank?

 

[Darandio]

Oh joy. Looks like I will be getting home at 1am then!

Well it should be approaching right now. I suppose it depends how quick they turn around!

 

[96tommy]

Tree down between Retford and Newark. All lines blocked.

 

[liamf656]

Derby to Long Eaton is closed into tomorrow due to landslips on both the main route and the diversion route via Castle Donington. The Derby to Matlock route is also expected to stay closed

 

[800001]

There’s a tree down,looking at the signal maps at Carlton on Trent north of Newark. Most trains have passed Newark now as not a lot running on ECML today so shouldn’t affect too many trains

1S32 needs to pass there which is full and standing for Edinburgh.

 

[Darandio]

1S32 needs to pass there which is full and standing for Edinburgh.

Looks like they've managed to clear a path.

 

[londonmidland]

1S32 needs to pass there which is full and standing for Edinburgh.

Looks like 1D29 has gotten through the affected area okay so 1S32 should follow.

 

[Martin_1981]

What about Birmingham to Cheltenham? My mum is travelling from Leicester to Exeter via Birmingham NS tomorrow morning? Is that likely to still be closed?

 

[startingaparty]

Avanti advising nothing going north until at least 12pm tomorrow.

 

[snowball]

Avanti advising nothing going north until at least 12pm tomorrow.

Is that noon or midnight?

 

[DaveB10780]

Yes 4S43 is too long for those loops except Penrith but by the time it reached there and with the nearest passenger train still quite a distance behind it the decision was made to make run for it to get to Kingmoor where the locos could be swapped. It's now stuck south of Lockerbie due to the trees falling onto the line. It's initial failure was due to an ADD activation just south of Oxenholme.

So 4S43 had a damaged pan on the front loco (presumably an 88) which meant it lost power. A report I read stated that the one remaining loco could only reach 5mph up Shap. The rescue loco, once attached, meant that the train was able to continue at line speed so problem solved.

The passenger trains were a long way behind because they were held at Preston Station for a long time so that is planned distance. If the passenger trains had been allowed to depart earlier so they were closer and the freight pushed into the loop life would have been a lot smoother for many people. It still seems a pretty bad call to let it continue and there is no real compensation available. Secondly I am still to get information about what really went on at Carlisle but daughter and a few others were left with "can't go anywhere North or South", no buses or taxis (fair enough with the weather I suppose).

 

[800001]

Looks like 1D29 has gotten through the affected area okay so 1S32 should follow.

Like now blocked Leeds to Doncaster, flooding at Adwick.

1D29 diverting via Hambleton.
1A52 setting back to Leeds, set swap then divert via Hambleton.

 

[driver9000]

The passenger trains were a long way behind because they were held at Preston Station for a long time so that is planned distance. If the passenger trains had been allowed to depart earlier so they were closer and the freight pushed into the loop life would have been a lot smoother for many people. It still seems a pretty bad call to let it continue and there is no real compensation available. Secondly I am still to get information about what really went on at Carlisle but daughter and a few others were left with "can't go anywhere North or South", no buses or taxis (fair enough with the weather I suppose).

The train directly behind 4S43 had been held at Oxenholme with another 2 held at Lancaster. By the time 4S43 passed Penrith the Avanti behind it was passing Lambrigg. If it hadn't stalled again near Shap Summit things would have been moving much sooner.

 

[dk1]

Examined line in various places Norwich to Ely & return tonight. You’d hardly of known it had been raining.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Is that noon or midnight?

Usually "12pm" means noon/1200h. Midnight/0000h would be 12am. Not sure if such use is strictly incorrect, but I agree it's slightly archaic and open to being misunderstood. The railway should really stick to the 24hr clock IMO.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Just before Mexborough station from Doncaster there appeared to be a huge lake, but then to my surprise the train crossed the Don, at a higher level than normal but not overflowing, then the canal. Presumably the overflow floodplain scheme is doing its job, though I don’t know how much longer it can hold out.

At Sheffield, manual announcements said that the advice was not to travel at all.

Line now flooded at Mexborough. Probably from about 23.00 Friday.

 

[AndrewE]

Usually "12pm" means noon/1200h. Midnight/0000h would be 12am. Not sure if such use is strictly incorrect, but I agree it's slightly archaic and open to being misunderstood. The railway should really stick to the 24hr clock IMO.

12pm has no meaning at all, apart from possibly midnight, as p.m. means "after noon." 24-hour clock should be used, but if people can't subtract 12 then they should only use "12 noon" and "12 midnight" - but in the latter case you can't be certain which day they are talking about.

 

[sprinterguy]

Avanti advising nothing going north until at least 12pm tomorrow.

Though it appears that Avanti services out of Euston have been running largely to schedule since the start of service this morning.

 

[AndrewE]

Though it appears that Avanti services out of Euston have been running largely to schedule since the start of service this morning.

That's all right then. Pity that Network rail are saying

Severe weather caused by Storm Babet is causing disruption to a number of routes.
As a result, trains between Preston and Glasgow Central / Edinburgh may be delayed by up to 60 minutes, cancelled or revised to terminate / start back at Preston.
Disruption is expeed until 12:00.

so it's not so good outside the south-east.

edit - actually RTT (for Preston) are showing the first 2 nortbound anglo-scottish trains as running, just the first 2 Glasgow Eustons cancelled
a) "This service was cancelled due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS)." and
b) "This service was cancelled due to the train operator's request (TB)."
Otherwise it's looking better than it often does!

 

[Annetts key]

So, in some places, given the amount of rain fall, some flooding was inevitable. But I wonder how much flooding of the railway was due partly or wholly due to lack of maintenance to the railway lineside drainage system.

I know from past experience that it’s not unknown for catch-pits (brick or concrete chambers with metal grills for top covers that drainage pipes connect to) to fill up with either ballast or mud (some of which may then get into the connecting pipes). Hence hindering the flow of water.

Similarly, surface drainage channels also become clogged up with various debris, be it ballast, tree leaves and branches, vegetation, mud or other stuff.

And of course various trees have fallen and caused problems. When were these trees last inspected/examined (if on railway land or near the boundary)?

During the changes in 2011 (known as 2B/C), Network Rail reduced the number of maintenance staff. The RMT union has previously raised the issue of the relevant department (Off-Track) as being under resourced. In some areas, the company did acknowledge this, and said that they would review the situation. And later on, some additional funding and in some cases, some additional posts were created.

However, with Modernising Maintenance that has come in recently, the maintenance budget has been cut and so have the number of maintenance posts. Although it’s far too early to tell if these recent changes have been a contributing factor.

Moderators, if this post is not appropriate to this topic, can you please move it to the appropriate topic.

 

[Bald Rick]

Avanti advising nothing going north until at least 12pm tomorrow.

I must be dreaming then, having seen various Pendolinos heading north this morning.

 

[sprinterguy]

That's all right then. Pity that Network rail are saying

so it's not so good outside the south-east.
edit - actually RTT (for Preston) are showing the first 2 norhhbound anglo-scottish trains as running, just the first 2 Glasgow Eustons cancelled
a) "This service was cancelled due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS)." and
b) "This service was cancelled due to the train operator's request (TB)."
Otherwise it's lookinhg better than it often does!

Indeed. The first southbound train from Carlisle (06:23 to Manchester) departed 39 minutes late, but appears to have actually made up 12 minutes of time en route by Bolton. The first northbound service, 04:57 Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow, lost a maximum of 8 minutes at Beattock but arrived at destination on time. The first northbound Avanti, 05:20 Wolverhampton to Glasgow, is currently no more than 6 minutes late at Beattock. The following 06:03 Manchester Airport - Edinburgh left origin 16 minutes late, but has pulled that back to 10 minutes late approaching Lockerbie.

The first few southbound Avanti services from Glasgow and Edinburgh don't appear to be running, though, as you note. Presumably insufficient stock finishing at the North end of the route last night.