Train sets trapped in Devon and Cornwall

[Goatboy]

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

Wow, is that all because of Dawlish or just seperate problems?

 

[Rich McLean]

Wow, is that all because of Dawlish or just seperate problems?

The signalling is controlled from Exeter PSB. Cables run from there, along the length of the route as far as Paignton and Totnes, where control changes to Plymouth PSB. This includes point work as well. The storm took out the cabling.

When it gets repaired is anyone's guess

 

[RichmondCommu]

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

I would have thought that capacity wouldn't be too much of an issue assuming that there won't be the normal number of HST's being maintained at Laira every evening.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

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.

Nope, that no longer runs. However China Clay (or it's bi-products) still leaves Cornwall for I think Aberdeen.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There would be benefits to the withered arm getting its hand back !.

If (when) electrification extends beyond Exeter I can see an inland route being more useful as it would avoid the salt spray (vs 25kVAC). It would hopefully avoid high winds as well. I seem to recall from other threads that the trains that regularly pass through/along Dawlish suffer from more corrosion as salt water is bad for metal and they regularly get sprayed.

Oh really? Who knew?

 

[bnsf734]

Owen Patterson is off the case now, they have brought in the heavy artillery now - with Eric Pickles replacing him! Hopefully with his wellies.

Been looking at Real Time Trains. Penzance appears to have provided 3 HST, 1Voyager and 2 DMU this morning.

 

[ainsworth74]

So what services are actually running down there now? HSTs, Voyagers and 150s shuttling between Plymouth and Penzance as well as the branchline services?

 

[Bluejuice]

The weather is not looking up for a few days in Cornwall yet. As far as I am aware, FGW are running a limited service still and placing updates online frequently.

 

[richw]

So what services are actually running down there now? HSTs, Voyagers and 150s shuttling between Plymouth and Penzance as well as the branchline services?

All services are running between Penzance and Plymouth barring one early morning service in each direction

 

[brad465]

I would imagine any train capable of 125mph which is trapped would, if they had feelings, be deprived and wishing for use to such potential for a long time to come (unless of course many are taken out by road as commonly discussed)

 

[D1009]

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

Surely the cables simply need restoring and rerouting round the damaged parts of p way. That's hardly resignalling?

 

[gshevlin]

The big problem in all of this may be the age of the whole Dawlish sea wall fortifications. They date from when the line was built, and they may be ineffective relative to modern fortifications. My fear is that the broken piece of sea wall will be kludged, and then when the next big storm comes along, another old section will be trashed...wash, rinse, spend money, repeat.

 

[brad465]

The big problem in all of this may be the age of the whole Dawlish sea wall fortifications. They date from when the line was built, and they may be ineffective relative to modern fortifications. My fear is that the broken piece of sea wall will be kludged, and then when the next big storm comes along, another old section will be trashed...wash, rinse, spend money, repeat.

Or if they could fortify the whole stretch with modern defenses that could work. Obviously new fortifications may have to be built in-front of the old to keep the line running when it reopens, or just have engineering works every weekend, which would be much less popular.

 

[Goatboy]

Or if they could fortify the whole stretch with modern defenses that could work. Obviously new fortifications may have to be built in-front of the old to keep the line running when it reopens, or just have engineering works every weekend, which would be much less popular.

The South West has engineering works pretty much half the year anyway, last year and now this year even before the Dawlish issue it was scheduled for buses replacing trains between Bristol and Gloucester or Taunton and Plymouth, etc. For quite a long period of time if you live in the South West and travel by train at the weekend you might as well save a pile of cash and go National Express

 

[PHILIPE]

The administrators have split the West Country problems separately from the Main Disruption Thread. The Dawlish ones have been split into three sub-sections and posters are still posting in the wrong. This thread is for "Trains Stranded" with another thread for the Seawall.

 

[Erniescooper]

All services are running between Penzance and Plymouth barring one early morning service in each direction

A pair of 153's has been operating a limited service between Paignton
and Newton Abbot and I understand all the branches are open .

 

[Hardcastle]

There is a e-petition regarding reopening the Okehampton route on going at the moment if anyone cares to sign it.

 

[RochdalePioneers]

A pair of 153's has been operating a limited service between Paignton
and Newton Abbot and I understand all the branches are open .

Albeit the service was caped at Torre not long ago due to a "traction fault"....

Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk 2

 

[headshot119]

153361+153370 working 2Z73 have failed. Back to buses apparently.

 

[D1009]

A pair of 153's has been operating a limited service between Paignton
and Newton Abbot and I understand all the branches are open .

Does that mean signalling has been restored, or did they run under some sort of one train operation?

 

[PHILIPE]

No. The signalling problem is between Newton Abbot and Plymouth

 

[D1009]

No. The signalling problem is between Newton Abbot and Plymouth

Thanks for that clarification, as Rich McLean's post#62 gave me the impression all the signalling had been taken out because of the sea wall breach.

 

[CockneySparrow]

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

From here

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laira_Traction_Maintenance_Depot

It states that as recent as 2007 Laira had allocation of 150s and 153s, so yeah no problem at all in maintaining them again

 

[455driver]

No. The signalling problem is between Newton Abbot and Plymouth

How did they sort out the signalling at Newton Abbott bearing in mind it is signalled from Exeter and all the cables are on the beach at Dawlish?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Owen Patterson is off the case now, they have brought in the heavy artillery now - with Eric Pickles replacing him! Hopefully with his wellies.

Simples then, lie him down in the gap and put some track panels over the top.

 

[LateThanNever]

Simples then, lie him down in the gap and put some track panels over the top.

Love it! Any Yorkshireman would be proud of you!
He's actually quite a bright bloke...

 

[TEW]

How did they sort out the signalling at Newton Abbott bearing in mind it is signalled from Exeter and all the cables are on the beach at Dawlish?

FGW had stated that it was a limited service on the Paignton branch due to signalling problems so I'm presuming the ordinary signalling arrangements weren't in place. The 153s had been stabled at Teignmouth since it all kicked off.

 

[andypops]

From here

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laira_Traction_Maintenance_Depot

It states that as recent as 2007 Laira had allocation of 150s and 153s, so yeah no problem at all in maintaining them again

Ah, Wikipedia. That reliable source....

Have you seen this...?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2...ad-online-is-true/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0


The wiki citation is untraceable, unless you happen to have a copy of a particular publication from 2008.


And RE the Teigngrace timber traffic, reports are that it ended (relatively) recently. Search is our friend:
http://railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=91971

So I would be surprised if Colas have a locomotive stuck south of the blockade.

 

[Goatboy]

Ah, Wikipedia. That reliable source....

Have you seen this...?
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2...ad-online-is-true/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Whether or it's true or not I really don't think that maintaining a few DMU's at a large traction depot is going to be at all problematic. Probably the only thing Laira could be said to be truely missing is the staff with knowledge of the units and they are 40 miles up the road, no big deal.

 

[bnsf734]

According to posts on the SWGEN yahoo site the following vehicles are west of Dawlish:

4 HST sets containing the power cars below

43005, 43018, 43042, 43093, 43094, 43127, 43177, 43183

2 Voyagers - 220014 & 221134

57602 & Sleeper Stock.

4x 150/1 - 150125, 150129, 150130, 150131.
2x 150/2 - 150202, 150219.
7x 153 - 153305, 153329, 153361, 153369, 153370, 153372, 153377.

There is also 66006 mentioned as being trapped.

 

[chrisncal]

According to posts on the SWGEN yahoo site the following vehicles are west of Dawlish:

4 HST sets containing the power cars below

43005, 43018, 43042, 43093, 43094, 43127, 43177, 43183

2 Voyagers - 220014 & 221134

57602 & Sleeper Stock.

4x 150/1 - 150125, 150129, 150130, 150131.
2x 150/2 - 150202, 150219.
7x 153 - 153305, 153329, 153361, 153369, 153370, 153372, 153377.

There is also 66006 mentioned as being trapped.

66006 has been working the China Clay trips to Fowey Docks, and Exeter Riverside (on to ADJ and Bescot) for some weeks. Other than occasional sand and mixed freight there are NO other freight workings. Moorswater Lafarge and the Fawley fuel runs stopped last year; road transport.

Additionally, 60096 is stored at BZ.

Various sources, including link below, suggest Voyagers 220014 and 221127 present too

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/newspage---latest-news-reports-and-photographs.html

 

[louis97]

No. The signalling problem is between Newton Abbot and Plymouth

It included the Paignton branch too as this is in part controlled by Exeter. Pilot man single line working was in operation on the down line on the branch. However the last train to operate under it failed at Torre. As a result the line was suspended just as the signalling started to work again.