Train sets trapped in Devon and Cornwall

[DarloRich]

If were talking Wagons as is railway engineering wagons then most of them would currently be on the Exeter side due to Whiteball. If were talking Wagons road wise then quite possibly not many.

Freight wise I wouldn't worry too much, sadly because there's little that could already be lost to road transport already - how would you get several thousand tonnes of sand into London for example, or several thousand tonnes of either powered or clay slurry up to Irvine either? Or come to think of it CWRR down to Cornwall? Yes Sleepers and Ballast can go by road but it wouldn't be as easy and is unlikely to be lost. There is potential for future railfreight into Devon & Cornwall but nothing set in stone just yet. Just about the only freight that will be lost albeit probably temporarily will be the fuel tanks to St Blazey, but that could be temporarily tacked onto the Long Rock & Laira lorries (as DB now own the tanks, then it'll probably make a return when the sea walls rebuilt).

The Logs however could in theory go by road, but would it be worth it? When the first lot of Log Traffic ran, they originally roaded logs over from both areas around Dartmoor and East Devon to Teigngrace, so as I said in one of my posts above there's little stopping Colas from using Riverside Yard in Exeter as a base and roading the logs to there.

he means heavy haul road wagons like Heanors or Alleys ( i think)

 

[Busterfridge]

The following units are currently trapped between Penzance and Newton Abbot:

Class 150: 150122, 150125, 150129, 150130, 150131, 150202 and 150219
Class 153: 153305, 153329, 153369, 153372, 153377
Class 220: 220013, 220014
Class 221: 221127, 221134

How many hst sets are trapped ?

 

[RichmondCommu]

he means heavy haul road wagons like Heanors or Alleys ( i think)

Correct!
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If were talking Wagons as is railway engineering wagons then most of them would currently be on the Exeter side due to Whiteball. If were talking Wagons road wise then quite possibly not many.

Wagons as in road trailers! If there are only a few it would surely be a huge task to move fourty odd rail vehicles.

 

[ainsworth74]

Wagons as in road trailers! If there are only a few it would surely be a huge task to move fourty odd rail vehicles.

I'm not sure they'd want to move all the vehicles though. XC will probably want at least two of their Voyagers back (assuming they can't get out of running some services between Penzance and Plymouth) so that could be eight to ten vehicles. FGW might want a few 150s back so figure another eight so perhaps sixteen loads in total.

Assuming that they can use Laira to do maintenance that should be it I'd have thought. Otherwise it might be a small shuttle of 150s/153s between Laira and Exeter but again that's probably only going to be a few movements each way.

Now I'm not saying that FGW/XC will be able to get on the phone tonight and russle up sixteen wagons. But I think give a week or so we could see several units on the move.

 

[brad465]

I'm not sure they'd want to move all the vehicles though. XC will probably want at least two of their Voyagers back (assuming they can't get out of running some services between Penzance and Plymouth) so that could be eight to ten vehicles. FGW might want a few 150s back so figure another eight so perhaps sixteen loads in total.

Now I'm not saying that FGW/XC will be able to get on the phone tonight and russle up sixteen wagons. But I think give a week or so we could see several units on the move.

Be quite a nice spot if you see them while being shifted. If there is a XC HST down there (unlikely but possible) would XC want that back?

 

[Cliveblackpool]

They still have to run a comprehensive service between Penzance, Plymouth Newton Abbot, and Paignton.
Plus all the branches, where probably all the 153's, plus some 150's are normally used.
Time taken to repair damage depends on how much more battering the weather is going to give, versus any extra cash the job is given. Eg a hefty input from DfT (lol) (Days weeks? - not a chance. Several Months? Can we have a poll! )
If it wasn't for the railway, those houses at Dawlish would otherwise be demolished.
If I remember rightly, there were large wire crates full of stones in front of the seawall to absorb the impact from the waves. The sea must have washed them away.

 

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

Assuming that there are 40 odd vehicles that need to be transferred by road how long is that likely to take?

Not a safe assumption, as ainsworth74 has said. Given that services are terminating at Exeter instead of Plymouth or Penzance, you don't need as many sets as normal to sustain the service east/north of Exeter.

 

[221129]

The following units are currently trapped between Penzance and Newton Abbot:

Class 150: 150122, 150125, 150129, 150130, 150131, 150202 and 150219
Class 153: 153305, 153329, 153369, 153372, 153377
Class 220: 220013, 220014
Class 221: 221127, 221134

150130 has hit a tree somewhere. (Word from a PZ driver)
150122 Is on the Exmouth Branch apparently...

 

[PHILIPE]

I notice that some posters are deviating from the "Trains Trapped" topic onto items which are more appropiate for the "Weather Disruption" thread.

 

[richw]

150130 has hit a tree somewhere. (Word from a PZ driver)
150122 Is on the Exmouth Branch apparently...

150130 I guess is the one they spoke of on local radio hitting a tree between liskeard and Bodmin yesterday?

 

[westv]

Do many people use the rail route into Cornwall?

 

[brad465]

Do many people use the rail route into Cornwall?

At this time of the year, not a great deal compared to other parts of the country, but still an important connection to the rest of the UK.

Had this happened later on towards the summer then there would be more serious woes in terms of passenger numbers

 

[CockneySparrow]

I imagine FGW will carry out a large Low Loader operation over the coming weeks in order to ensure that the correct amount of sets are either side, and maintenance facilities are set up at Laira for DMUs in the short term.

XC may end also doing a low load operation in order to change Voyager Sets around. It could get interesting on the A38 Devon Expressway in the coming weeks

I would imagine Laira would be able to do DMU work quite easily, believe they used to do DMU pre privatisation although stock has changed over the years I can't see it being a problem today, the only issue I see would be capacity not infrastructure and personel would be put up in bed and breakfasts from another depot if their expertise is needed

 

[IanXC]

150130 has hit a tree somewhere. (Word from a PZ driver)

Any sign of the extent of the damage? I guess that's one for Laira in their current position!

 

[richw]

I would imagine Laira would be able to do DMU work quite easily, believe they used to do DMU pre privatisation although stock has changed over the years I can't see it being a problem today, the only issue I see would be capacity not infrastructure and personel would be put up in bed and breakfasts from another depot if their expertise is needed

The DMUs down here are all pre privatisation stock barring the xc units, so probably not that much changed for them.

 

[brillopad]

Freight traffic West of Exeter is sparse to begin with, and mail stopped being transported into Devon and Cornwall at least a decade ago. Nor am I aware of any regular intermodal traffic that would typically convey any "consumer items".

There's the weekly log run up from Newton Abbot, not sure if any china clay leaves Cornwall these days but of course in the other direction there is the fuel train for Penzance.

 

[ValleyLines142]

How many hst sets are trapped ?

Either two or four. I heard a source saying four, but can't remember if that's four power cars (i.e. two sets) or four sets, and one of the sleeper stock is trapped too.

 

[CC 72100]

4 complete sounds more plausible to me - one or two spare at Laira, 2 'in action' at the time?

 

[ValleyLines142]

4 complete sounds more plausible to me - one or two spare at Laira, 2 'in action' at the time?

AH, here we are, post #13 of this thread:

I think I read elsewhere that the there are 4 HSTs + 1 spare power car, some units and a 57 plus seated coaches from the sleeper

That would answer it, then.

 

[crewmeal]

Diesel for the south west can be supplied by tankers surely.

 

[Rich McLean]

Diesel for the south west can be supplied by tankers surely.

It has been for a while

 

[Crossover]

No 143's stuck on the wrong side then? Or don't they run them down that way anymore (sorry, I may be way behind the times here...)?

 

[455driver]

There's the weekly log run up from Newton Abbot, not sure if any china clay leaves Cornwall these days but of course in the other direction there is the fuel train for Penzance.

The log train is monthly at best, one (small) china clays trains a week at the most, the fuel train stopped running a month or so ago!

Apart from that you are correct!
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No 143's stuck on the wrong side then? Or don't they run them down that way anymore (sorry, I may be way behind the times here...)?

They run to Paignton every day and there were 2 stuck the wrong side but they were swapped for the 2x153s yesterday when the up line was opened up for a few trains at low tide, the 153s have much higher fuel capacity (and Plymouth HS crews sign them) than the 143s so are a better bet on the wrong side of the blockage.

 

[IanXC]

They run to Paignton every day and there were 2 stuck the wrong side but they were swapped for the 2x153s yesterday when the up line was opened up for a few trains at low tide, the 153s have much higher fuel capacity (and Plymouth HS crews sign them) than the 143s so are a better bet on the wrong side of the blockage.

I wonder how much opportunity for moving stock from one side to the other there was? Suggests the currently trapped stock could have been a decision specifically made rather than chance?

 

[Rich McLean]

I'm guessing some kind of bridge structure would be most appropriate?

I imagine a short term solution would be to build the wall first back to what it was, then fill the void with concrete and ballast on top, with drainage channels . At the same time, building a supporting wall (providing the house doesn't come down) and repairing the gaping hole in the road above.

A bridge won't take care of protecting the land behind

 

[455driver]

Hopefully that part of Devon has seen the worst of the weather and the damage won't get worst.

The storm on Friday is expected to be as bad as if not worse than yesterdays.

I wonder how much opportunity for moving stock from one side to the other there was? Suggests the currently trapped stock could have been a decision specifically made rather than chance?

There were at least 3 trains run, one ECS each way and a 150 as an Exeter to Plymouth service, then the tide started to come in.

 

[Hardcastle]

Reversals need not be a problem in this age cabs at both ends its not like there is a loco run round needed.

 

[Goatboy]

Do we know what the problem is between Plymouth and Newton Abbot? Services have been running today between Plymouth and Penzance but every single service to Newton Abbot was cancelled.

 

[Rich McLean]

Do we know what the problem is between Plymouth and Newton Abbot? Services have been running today between Plymouth and Penzance but every single service to Newton Abbot was cancelled.

Signaling is completely wiped out from Totnes to Dawlish Warren, including the Paignton Branch. It will need to be re-signaled in effect

 

[infobleep]

No (unless you have some TBMs going spare).
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There is a picture of the same thing happening in Brunel's time, so it's not exactly a surprise.

How long would of/did it take to fix the problem in Brunel's time?