UK Storms

[Wivenswold]

A bit of a crossover from another hobby but with severe weather possible Sunday night into Monday I thought a thread to discuss how the rail network is coping would be a good idea.

At present this storm is not a done deal. We'll only know what sort of monster we're dealing with when it starts to form in the mid-Atlantic at about 1200hrs on Saturday. It could be a non-event but it also has the potential to be the worst storm since 87. And with the trees in full leaf and rooted in wet soil, I envisage obstructions as being the big problem in the South East on Monday morning.

Any memories of the big storms of 87 and 90 would also be appreciated. I worked at Basildon Booking Office in 1990 when the Burns Day Storm hit. The LTS and GE were out of action due to OHL damage and I had to get 3 buses home to East London. Scary journey that was.

 

[Rich McLean]

For starters several lines in just this one area are likely to be shut

Cowley Bridge Jn is likely to get flooded.

Dawlish Sea Wall line is also likely to be shut

 

[Wivenswold]

If this comes off I'd hate to be on the Dawlish sea wall stretch. Luckily the sea tides are in decline at the moment but it could still be nasty.

I suspect most TOCs will run an emergency timetable just in case on Monday.

 

[michael769]

Wind brings with it the risk of trees falling onto the line and a train hitting one. This can mean that emergency speed restrictions need to go in place, which causes major disruption and cancellations.

During the big November 2011 storm in Scotland a reduced frequency emergency timetable was announced . If conditions are bad enough then you can get issues with the OHL and blocked lines. Beyond that it can become near impossible to run trains. The May 2011 storm in Scotland led to virtually all services out of Edinburgh being cancelled during the evening peak.

The big one for Scotland was January 2012 when a sting jet developed and predicted 90mph winds became 130 mph. It took 2 days before an effective service could be run as crews were hampered by further gales.

 

[Temple Meads]

For starters several lines in just this one area are likely to be shut

Cowley Bridge Jn is likely to get flooded.

Dawlish Sea Wall line is also likely to be shut

Various parts of the Barnstaple branch are also liable to flooding.

Dawlish could be "interesting" on Monday morning

 

[jopsuk]

The storm I've been worst affected by was the start of January 2012. This led to all rail services in Scotland stopping for a time, and all cross border ones cancelled for pretty much the entire day. AT the same time Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick airports all shut, the A74(M), A1 and A68 were all formally shut and general driving advice from the police was "Don't". Not "only essential journies", it was an out-an-out "STAY INDOORS"

 

[starrymarkb]

Dawlish is sheltered from most storms which come from the South West. Easterly or South Easterly winds are the ones that cause problems

 

[Rapidash]

Yeah, should be fun getting around on monday. I summon thee, oh mighty X46!

 

[jon0844]

I know the storm isn't guaranteed yet and might only hit the south west, but I believe the ECML wires are on standby to fall down any minute.

 

[tsr]

I know the storm isn't guaranteed yet and might only hit the south west, but I believe the ECML wires are on standby to fall down any minute.

If I need to cough over the next few days, I will try to face the other way, just in case it worsens the overall impact.

 

[Caertroia]

I know the storm isn't guaranteed yet and might only hit the south west, but I believe the ECML wires are on standby to fall down any minute.

On Friday 16 October 1987 we were booked to travel up the ECML to Yorkshire from Kings Cross at about 10.00 - but the Great Storm, a few hours before, meant that all services were cancelled (including suburban services to get into Kings Cross).

British Rail (remember them?) managed to get everything running the next day virtually normally. And as it was Saturday the weekend first service - £2 a seat, or was it £5? - was operating. Though that didn't stop a BR conductor from pocketing a hefty tip from a couple of American tourists, sitting opposite us, whose seats in ordinary first class were no longer reserved.

The train ran to time as far as I remember, and so did the return journey on Sunday.

Wonder if Network Rail and East Coast would manage to achieve that 26 years later?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Wonder if Network Rail and East Coast would manage to achieve that 26 years later?

Did the wires come down? If the wires don't come down then i imagine they will manage it just fine. It is only when the wires come down that there is a problem. And i believe it was only electrified in part at that time too and the 91s certainly weren't in regular passenger service so i would say the situation is different.

 

[philjo]

I think 1987 was when the GN electric trains started to run as far as Peterborough (i.e. the 317s) - the Inter City services were all HSTs.

The met Office has updated the storm warning - the amber warning area for high winds on Monday has now moved further north so covers anywhere south of a line between Lincolnshire & Pembrokeshire.

 

[Trainfan344]

Oh dear, Luckily I am using the trains tomorrow so shouldn't be too badly affected.

 

[SETCommuter]

For those of us in the Southeastern region, I doubt we'll see any difference in service whatsoever...

 

[noblergt]

I've got an advance booked from Huddersfield to Alton via the ECML on Monday, I'm mentally preparing for the worst.

 

[Flamingo]

Oh dear, working Sunday late shift!

 

[Sleepy]

Greater Anglia have got a fleet of buses ordered on standby across the region Monday morning.

 

[transportphoto]

I am in the unfortunate position of being scheduled to be crossing the Solent on Monday for a week away!

 

[tsr]

Southern & FCC are advising that they are working with NR to determine any alterations that may be needed. I guess that's all they can tell the public (with any certainty) for now...

 

[jon0844]

I am in the unfortunate position of being scheduled to be crossing the Solent on Monday for a week away!

If it's windy enough, I might be too - from my house!

 

[Temple Meads]

I am in the unfortunate position of being scheduled to be crossing the Solent on Monday for a week away!

Good luck with that

 

[ModernRailways]

For those of us in the Southeastern region, I doubt we'll see any difference in service whatsoever...

It may clear the track of those pesky leaves. So dare I say it you may get a better service.

 

[anthony263]

Poor me is going to be out delivering shopping to customers between 12-9pm on monday.
Looks like the heating in the van will be spening most of the time switched on.

 

[jopsuk]

I am in the unfortunate position of being scheduled to be crossing the Solent on Monday for a week away!

Reckon you're going to have a lucky escape, pretty good chance the ferries will be off!


Brittany Ferries have already started cancelling Sunday night sailings.

 

[transportphoto]

Reckon you're going to have a lucky escape, pretty good chance the ferries will be off!


Brittany Ferries have already started cancelling Sunday night sailings.

I wouldn't exactly call it a lucky escape given how much money has been spent on the holiday :P

 

[philjo]

Probably a coincidence with the timing but there have been a gang of orange jackets clearing most of the trees from the steep embankment between the 2 Welwyn tunnels in the last couple of days. This was one of the areas where branches would tend to fall onto the overheads below in windy weather or heavy snow. A lot of tree clearing has also taken place recently at Hhitchin and near Potters Bar.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

On Friday 16 October 1987 we were booked to travel up the ECML to Yorkshire from Kings Cross at about 10.00 - but the Great Storm, a few hours before, meant that all services were cancelled (including suburban services to get into Kings Cross).

That of course ties in with the infamous Michael Fish statement during his weather forecast on Thursday 15th October 1987 when he was at pains to reassure everyone that there would not be a hurricane affecting Britain.

 

[cuccir]

Of course he was technically correct - a hurricane is the name of a tropical storm.

 

[Lrd]

I am in the unfortunate position of being scheduled to be crossing the Solent on Monday for a week away!

It's good fun when we're pitching and rolling all over the place, I've missed it after a very calm summer.