Storm Henk travel disruption 02/01/24

[leytongabriel]

SE was certainly falling apart this morning. At London Bridge they were telling us about signalling problems, at New Cross it was congestion ahead, at Hither Green it was a faulty train in front, at Orpington an obstruction and at Tonbridge delays were reported to be due to a lineside fire. Not bad for one morning on one train!

Coming back I was on a Hastings train that ran into a bit of a tree north of Battle. Have to say the train crew were great - hats off to the guys. Took about 5 hours to Tonbridge ( including replacement bus) where there was then another 50m wait for a connecting train to London.

But I couldn't help noticing that it seemed to be due to poor Network Rail management of the site. The trees at the top of the embankment had been cut down or coppiced a long time ago and had regrown very tall spindly stems hanging over the embankment just waiting to be blown down. Cutting down trees in this way demands that they are cut again at regular intervals . Otherwise you get tall straggly vunerable stems as happened here.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

SE was certainly falling apart this morning. At London Bridge they were telling us about signalling problems, at New Cross it was congestion ahead, at Hither Green it was a faulty train in front, at Orpington an obstruction and at Tonbridge delays were reported to be due to a lineside fire. Not bad for one morning on one train!

Coming back I was on a Hastings train that ran into a bit of a tree north of Battle. Have to say the train crew were great - hats off to the guys. Took about 5 hours to Tonbridge ( including replacement bus) where there was then another 50m wait for a connecting train to London.

But I couldn't help noticing that it seemed to be due to poor Network Rail management of the site. The trees at the top of the embankment had been cut down or coppiced a long time ago and had regrown very tall spindly stems hanging over the embankment just waiting to be blown down. Cutting down trees in this way demands that they are cut again at regular intervals . Otherwise you get tall straggly vunerable stems as happened here.

Only next door GTR have performed reasonable well on the Brighton Line but to be fair to NR they've been dealing with trees reasonable well even if the Buddleia has been allowed to run riot.

 

[Recessio]

Only next door GTR have performed reasonable well on the Brighton Line but to be fair to NR they've been dealing with trees reasonable well even if the Buddleia has been allowed to run riot.

Indeed I travelled on the Brighton line today and thought they did an admirable job despite the circumstances (speed restrictions due to wind, and person hit by a train at Purley). Train got terminated early at Gatwick, but then another Victoria service was along in three minutes.

Given this storm seemed to catch everyone unawares, GTR and NR seemed to do a good job today keeping things going, at least in my neck of the woods.

 

[Horizon22]

Oh my days mate. Glad you and everyone are okay. Just goes to show how quickly everything can change.



Been a while since I’ve known it deteriorate so fast. They can’t be everywhere which so many people don’t seem to grasp.

Indeed. There must have been 20+ tree / debris / flooding reports within maybe a 30-60 minute period from around 1500-1630 on London & SE routes

 

[Bayum]

Just saw a TikTok video posted on the Basingstoke Gazette website showing a XC Voyager with front end damage after hitting a tree, suspect it is 1M54.

https://www.basingstokegazette.co.u...qzvbTcNNNdooZwwlx38FRTlpensNpL_U0SAJBLkhqinXM

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G24868/2024-01-02/detailed

Doesn’t look bad considering.

 

[Busaholic]

The Met Office weather station at Exeter Airport recorded the highest gust in its history (83 mph) earlier today. This is exceptional weather.

According to David Braine, BBC SW meteorologist, yesterday was windiest day in the region since 1990.

 

[MikeWM]

1T46 still apparently stuck south of Ely. GN now saying on Twitter that the train was damaged 'when the overhead lines came down in the storm' - hmm, unless it was *considerably* windier just 2 or 3 miles south of here, there was nothing unusual about the conditions around here (unlike the very strong gusts seen elsewhere) so I'm not sure that's entirely accurate.

Either way, looks like continuing severe disruption for the morning peak. Another WFH day for me then...

 

[TheDavibob]

1T46 still apparently stuck south of Ely. GN now saying on Twitter that the train was damaged 'when the overhead lines came down in the storm' - hmm, unless it was *considerably* windier just 2 or 3 miles south of here, there was nothing unusual about the conditions around here (unlike the very strong gusts seen elsewhere) so I'm not sure that's entirely accurate.

Either way, looks like continuing severe disruption for the morning peak. Another WFH day for me then...

It was brutally windy, albeit briefly, in Cambridge - I'm not sure how Ely managed to avoid it. That said, I may have a different tolerance for wind levels...

 

[arb]

1T46 still apparently stuck south of Ely.

There is now a 1Z99 which I assume is rescuing the broken train. Journey planners are suggesting the first Ely to Cambridge service will be Greater Anglia's 0728 to Liverpool Street, and then a small number of further cancellations, with a full service from 1000.

 

[davews]

Well I guess some of you had a storm yesterday. Just a bit breezy here in Bracknell and although it rained most of the day it was just showers, nothing torrential. I see from Sandhurst Weather station that I monitor the maximum gust yesterday was 43mph, daily rain 5mm. I remember 1987 and other storms around that time with my fence panels blowing around the garden as if they were bits of paper. Certainly had nothing like that this winter. So why were trees falling left right and centre?
I see SWR essential gave up last night, nothing west of Staines from late afternoon till end of service.

 

[Snow1964]

Currently in England and Wales

1 severe flood warning (Rive Nene at Billing aquadome)
330 flood warnings
363 flood alerts

Flood alerts and warnings - GOV.UK

Check your risk of flooding. View the latest flood warnings and alerts, get a flood forecast for the next 5 days, and check the latest river, sea, groundwater and rainfall levels.

check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk

However does look like dry, but colder weather will be here by Friday afternoon, and for all next week so frost and ice might become a problem instead.

 

[dk1]

The first train has just arrived at Stowmarket on the down with the first up train expected through shortly. Norwich to Ely all open but still issues between there and Cambridge.

Yesterday’s 4E43 (under the blazing tree) is now heading to Doncaster but running 768 minutes late.

 

[JR4489]

1T46 still apparently stuck south of Ely. GN now saying on Twitter that the train was damaged 'when the overhead lines came down in the storm' - hmm, unless it was *considerably* windier just 2 or 3 miles south of here, there was nothing unusual about the conditions around here (unlike the very strong gusts seen elsewhere) so I'm not sure that's entirely accurate.

Either way, looks like continuing severe disruption for the morning peak. Another WFH day for me then...

Sitting on 1T46 yesterday while waiting to be rescued I could feel the train being buffeted by the wind. Initially the report was that 'the overheads have tripped out' but after the driver did an external inspection of the pantograph we were told there was 'significant damage to the overhead wires' and the train was unable to move. I'm now on the late-running 0759 (which I think was originally supposed to be the 0728) ELY-LST and passed 1T46/1Z99 which had no thunderbird on the front so it must have moved under its own power.

 

[urpert]

Currently in England and Wales

1 severe flood warning (Rive Nene at Billing aquadome)
330 flood warnings
363 flood alerts

Flood alerts and warnings - GOV.UK

Check your risk of flooding. View the latest flood warnings and alerts, get a flood forecast for the next 5 days, and check the latest river, sea, groundwater and rainfall levels.

check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk

However does look like dry, but colder weather will be here by Friday afternoon, and for all next week so frost and ice might become a problem instead.

I'm in South Lincs and the road outside my house is completely underwater. I hate to think what it's like further east onto the Fens.

 

[dk1]

All lines reopened Cambridge to Ely. Better morning than I expected this way.

 

[LAX54]

You know it's a tad windier than normal when you see that an Apache helicopter has been blown over in the wind
Middle Wallop Hampshire

 

[MikeWM]

It was brutally windy, albeit briefly, in Cambridge - I'm not sure how Ely managed to avoid it. That said, I may have a different tolerance for wind levels...

It didn't seem notable here, though admittedly from the comfort of *inside* my own home! I see the Cambridge computer lab weather station reported gusts of nearly 60mph briefly:

https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/weather/daily-graph?2024-01-02

but the Ely-and-about stations on weather underground (admittedly not super-accurate on such things) don't seem to report anything getting to over about 35mph gusts.

So maybe the extreme wind was quite localised, or maybe I'm just getting used to gusty winds :-/

Sitting on 1T46 yesterday while waiting to be rescued I could feel the train being buffeted by the wind. Initially the report was that 'the overheads have tripped out' but after the driver did an external inspection of the pantograph we were told there was 'significant damage to the overhead wires' and the train was unable to move. I'm now on the late-running 0759 (which I think was originally supposed to be the 0728) ELY-LST and passed 1T46/1Z99 which had no thunderbird on the front so it must have moved under its own power.

Better luck with today's journey Looks like GN have started running again now too, 1018 off Ely seems to be the first train that has gone south.

 

[TheDavibob]

So maybe the extreme wind was quite localised, or maybe I'm just getting used to gusty winds :-/

It was windier here (Cambridge) than it has been all winter. I can happily believe it hit 60mph gusts here.

I walked home rather than cycle into a headwind, and colleagues reported very gusty commutes. They weren't running double-decker bus replacements Cambridge North - Ely due to the wind.

The weather warning was for a thin straight line across the country so it being super localised wouldn't suprise me.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Sounds like flooding North (between Bristol Parkway and Yate), South (between Bristol Temple Meads and Weston Super Mare) and East (between Bristol Parkway and Swindon) of Bristol now. Not a fun day to be travelling, or working for GWR / NR!

 

[londonmidland]

Something to consider is despite the rain not falling from the sky, river levels will continue to rise as they ‘lag’ behind. A lot of run off water will be spilling off nearby fields, as well as water flowing down from further upstream, from the hills and mountains.

 

[arb]

So maybe the extreme wind was quite localised, or maybe I'm just getting used to gusty winds :-/

A colleague left the office (in Cambridge) early at about 1600 yesterday, saying they wanted to miss the worst of the wind that was now being forecasted, and was laughed at by the rest of us in the room.

Thirty minutes later, the building was rattling. I chose to leave not long after that and it was not a pleasant journey to the station! I somewhat fortuitously travelled to Ely on the slightly delayed 1705, which turned out to be the last train to make it through to Ely all night.

No problems for me this morning, though I did deliberately choose to avoid Great Northern (travelled on the 0931 Greater Anglia).

 

[dk1]

755406 has got a nice hole and the remains of a tree sticking out one end.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

Sounds like flooding North (between Bristol Parkway and Yate), South (between Bristol Temple Meads and Weston Super Mare) and East (between Bristol Parkway and Swindon) of Bristol now. Not a fun day to be travelling, or working for GWR / NR!

And now west too, up line closed from Severn Tunnel to Patchway due to flooding at Patchway Tunnel.

 

[infobleep]

It was chaos today. Going north I was talked past a red and cautioned through the first flood - correctly as water was significant but well below railhead - then, when clear of the first, went blasting through a similar flood at 110mph linespeed, which obviously hadn’t been reported . Luckily no harm done. Our main route was entirely closed soon after.

Heading back south was sent via the diversion, which was also mostly knackered due to flooding (and the half mile crawl ensued). Arrived back in London two hours late, and encountered a few of our northern crews wondering how they would get home.

I was wondering if drivers would be driving at line speed given the wind.

Drivers are based at Reading, roads are also flooded it’s just not operationally feasible.

Fair enough. So what happened to the trains east of Guildford, given some were stuck there.

Indeed I travelled on the Brighton line today and thought they did an admirable job despite the circumstances (speed restrictions due to wind, and person hit by a train at Purley). Train got terminated early at Gatwick, but then another Victoria service was along in three minutes.

Given this storm seemed to catch everyone unawares, GTR and NR seemed to do a good job today keeping things going, at least in my neck of the woods.

Did anywhere else have speed restrictions yesterday?

The BBC are now providing live online coverage of yesterday's storm.

BBC News - Storm Henk: Man killed by falling tree as Storm Henk disruption continues - BBC News

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-67871002

Yesterday only the West Midlands and Nottingham regions were providing live online updates.

 

[12LDA28C]

NR simply don't learn. The usual spots flooding and nearby jungles collapsing with trees.

Yep. NR is responsible for the composition of the soil and drainage capacity on the line, surrounding public land, adjacent rivers and canals, farmer's fields and everywhere else, of course. Whilst all trees in the vicinity of the railway should be removed if they pose a threat, this is never going to happen.

It was chaos today. Going north I was talked past a red and cautioned through the first flood - correctly as water was significant but well below railhead - then, when clear of the first, went blasting through a similar flood at 110mph linespeed, which obviously hadn’t been reported . Luckily no harm done. Our main route was entirely closed soon after.

Heading back south was sent via the diversion, which was also mostly knackered due to flooding (and the half mile crawl ensued). Arrived back in London two hours late, and encountered a few of our northern crews wondering how they would get home.

Of course the Rule Book allows for trains to run at line speed until flooding reaches the bottom of the railhead so there would have been no need for cautioning at that point. I assume you were talked past the red so that you could examine the line and report back the situation to the signaller?

I was wondering if drivers would be driving at line speed given the wind.

Drivers would indeed be driving at line speed unless a blanket speed restriction (often 50mph) was imposed by NR, which was the case on some routes yesterday but not all.

 

[MikeWM]

Thirty minutes later, the building was rattling.

Our office has various infrastructure issues as it is - will be interesting to see if I go in tomorrow if it sustained any damage!

No problems for me this morning, though I did deliberately choose to avoid Great Northern (travelled on the 0931 Greater Anglia).

GN's recovery today doesn't seem too be too bad once it (eventually) got started, for once.

 

[12LDA28C]

Flooding between Leamington and Warwick due to the Avon bursting its banks. Line closed until further notice. RRBs shuttling Leamington - Warwick Parkway.

 

[londonmidland]

The Met Office have issued a yellow
weather warning for heavy rain for the South of England, for tomorrow.

Initially, this was only due to affect the far SE, however weather models have shifted the heavy rain further north, putting more areas in the warning zone.

Still some uncertainty on the track of this rain.

A spell of rain is expected to move northeast across southern and eastern parts of England on Thursday, clearing during Thursday night. The track of the heaviest rainfall remains very uncertain, but there is a chance of 20-30 mm falling in 6-9 hours across a portion of the warning area, with a few places perhaps seeing 40-50 mm. Impacts are more likely due to the current very wet ground across the region.

 

[infobleep]

Yep. NR is responsible for the composition of the soil and drainage capacity on the line, surrounding public land, adjacent rivers and canals, farmer's fields and everywhere else, of course. Whilst all trees in the vicinity of the railway should be removed if they pose a threat, this is never going to happen.



Of course the Rule Book allows for trains to run at line speed until flooding reaches the bottom of the railhead so there would have been no need for cautioning at that point. I assume you were talked past the red so that you could examine the line and report back the situation to the signaller?



Drivers would indeed be driving at line speed unless a blanket speed restriction (often 50mph) was imposed by NR, which was the case on some routes yesterday but not all.

I don't remember reading about any kine speed restrictions on SWR but there might have e been. Nothing on thr North Downs Line either.

 

[Ethan1852]

Almost got stuck in Oakham yesterday. Had to wait for a train for 3 hours. However, I have to give credit to Cross Country (Never thought I would say that). Trains still attempting to run the full route even if over 2 hours late. Staff were very helpful and kept us informed whilst on the train. Also came round with delay slips you could fill out to hopefully get your money back and provide feedback on. It was a very slow 5 MPH for a lot of the way between Oakham and Melton due to the flooding.

However, no attempt by EMR to get me home so had to pay for a bus for the remainder of my journey. This isn't the first time either. Missed a train by 5-10 minutes and then they cancelled all the rest. Was told to get alternative transport so I did. Then passed the rail station at home to find the trains still running and calling at my local station albeit very late.