Weather disruption Sunday 17th July and following few days

[M&NEJ]

I wonder if the wind has tipped things over the edge. In Herts the wind picked up the evening. Anything happily sagging in the day would then start to move. Not sure if the same happened in the North West.

Hardly a breath of wind last night so I doubt that brought the wires down at Hest Bank. Avanti ran some late services including a pendolino northbound, late last night; then there was a brace of freights came through around 01:30 (RTT). After that, nothing. Just the engineer in me thinking now: if the OHLE expanded OK in the heat of yesterday, could something go wrong (e.g. seize up) when it contracts again at night?

 

[Pinus contorta]

I wonder if the wind has tipped things over the edge. In Herts the wind picked up the evening. Anything happily sagging in the day would then start to move. Not sure if the same happened in the North West.

That stretch there at Hest Bank changes over to headspans on the level crossing to facilitate the single line to Bare Lane. Could have something to do with it.

 

[Haywain]

Anyone know what is wrong with the ECML. I see fire damage at Sandy but I assume many other issues exist to prevent Cambridge - London and Hertford loop opening.

Damage to signalling cables caused by the fire. I'm guessing that with signalling controlled from York...

 

[londonmidland]

Just a heads up there is the potential for more disruption today, due to thunderstorms breaking out in South Eastern, Eastern, Central and Northern areas later on.

Lightning will be an additional risk. Particularly in parts of the South.

 

[SammyJ]

out of curiosity, how is the 10:52 Edinburgh to Euston running when a majority of the other trains heading that way are being cancelled?

 

[Pdf]

out of curiosity, how is the 10:52 Edinburgh to Euston running when a majority of the other trains heading that way are being cancelled?

Probably terminating at Carlisle. Seems to be par for the course right now.

Avanti Twitter reps seem to think there are replacement busses to Preston, but no sign of them at Penrith.
Never mind, it seems to have made it past Carlisle... Good sign for those of us waiting.

Realtime Trains | 9M52 0852 Edinburgh to London Euston | 20/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 9M52 0852 departure from Edinburgh to London Euston on 20/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Silver Cobra]

A small number of Thameslink services are beginning to run between Peterborough and Kings Cross, but still no movement for Cambridge/Ely/Kings Lynn or metro services from Moorgate to Stevenage/Welwyn Garden City.

Service Updates

Check here for any disruptions to Thameslink train services affecting your journey.

www.thameslinkrailway.com

A very small number of trains will also now run between London Kings Cross and Peterborough, but we strongly advise that you do not travel on this route until later today.

There will be no Thameslink trains on following routes until at least late morning:

- Welwyn Garden City and Moorgate (Great Northern Metro)
- Stevenage and Moorgate (Great Northern Metro)
- Services at Kings Lynn, Ely, Cambridge and to / from London

 

[Haywain]

A small number of Thameslink services are beginning to run between Peterborough and Kings Cross, but still no movement for Cambridge/Ely/Kings Lynn or metro services from Moorgate to Stevenage/Welwyn Garden City.

I believe a lot of GN staff live in Peterborough, so they will probably follow.

 

[Snow1964]

I just lifted this from National Rail Enquires EMR section, hope this helps in a small way (don't shoot the messenger please)
Intercity Services:

There will be an hourly service between Sheffield and Leicester in both directions until 10:00.

There will be no train service from Nottingham to London St Pancras International in both directions until 10:00.

By a coincidence DfT have today published the updated East Midlands Franchise agreement, and there is a section on publishing emergency timetables on page 171

2A 150Communicating Emergency Timetables
2A.1 Subject to
(a) any 4, 5
(i) (ii)
(iii) (iv)
(v)
paragraph 2A.3, the Franchisee shall publish:
amendments to the Timetable made pursuant to paragraphs 3, or 6 of Schedule 1.2 as soon as reasonably practicable:
at each Station, by displaying the relevant information on information displays;
at each Franchisee Access Station, by providing to the operator of each such station the departure and arrival times of the Passenger Services that call at each such station and the principal Connections to any other transport services relevant to each such station in the same forms as are specified in paragraph (i);
on the Franchisee’s website;
via the Franchisee’s social media accounts (through which the Franchisee shall in any event publish any such amendments to the Timetable no later than two (2) hours following agreement of such amendments); and
via any other direct means of communication with passengers available to the Franchisee, including but not limited to email and/or text messaging services; and
(b) as far and as soon as is reasonably practicable, any emergency timetables of other Train Operator’s where the railway passenger services of such other Train Operator are scheduled to call or in respect of which Connections to such other Train Operators railway passenger services can be made from that Station:
(i) at each Station, by displaying the relevant information on information displays; and
(ii) on the Franchisee’s website

So basically only get 2 hours to include it on their website, and must include it on the station displays, and include main connections.

Did they actually do this ?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1090104/abellio-east-midlands-rail-contract.pdf

 

[304033]

New Street seems to have resolved wire issues.
Cross city south has first pax services going down the line now.
Cross city north has 5L00 heading towards Lichfield now... Seemed to pause for ages at Sutton Coldfield.

 

[Walter Whigham]

Probably terminating at Carlisle. Seems to be par for the course right now.

Avanti Twitter reps seem to think there are replacement busses to Preston, but no sign of them at Penrith.
Never mind, it seems to have made it past Carlisle... Good sign for those of us waiting.

Realtime Trains | 9M52 0852 Edinburgh to London Euston | 20/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 9M52 0852 departure from Edinburgh to London Euston on 20/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The initial query was about the 10.52 ex Edinburgh which has not left yet.

 

[Pdf]

The initial query was about the 10.52 ex Edinburgh which has not left yet.

I see. I saw the 08:52 going through Penrith, so it appears they've got the WCML open again.

 

[MP393]

The initial query was about the 10.52 ex Edinburgh which has not left yet.

I would take a guess is that the line is open to diesel traction only? The 08:52 is Voyagers, not sure what the 10:52 is but if it’s a Pendo then that could be why it’s not left.

 

[modernrail]

Individual events cannot really just be attributed to man made climate change, events like these happen all the time around the world. At lot of people over the last few days on social media have played down the summer of 1976, and whilst it wasn't quite as hot as the last two days it did last a long time. Those of us around who remember people having to queue in the streets for water will tell you it was quite some event.

That's not to say man made climate change isn't real, it most certainly is. But these are not entirely unprecedented events by any means, what we do have to worry about is if they become the norm. And given that mankind has been setting the scene for millennia not just a couple of hundred years, we will have to face the realisation that a reversal will likely take decades, maybe centuries to have a full effect and as such we need plan & build infrastructure that will better deal with things like this.

Is has never been over 40 degrees in the UK before. In what way is that not unprecedented. What is the precedent? If it is not unprecedented there must be a precedent.

How are we meant to fund that cost? It is not just new infrastructure, it is all existing infrastructure.

As for the 1976 brigade I just wish they would decide whether it was something worth bleating on about for the last 35 years ‘oooooo this is nothing I remember the summer of 1976 I do’ , or something completely un-noteworthy, ‘we just got on with it, even though it was hotter that than today even though it was loads cooler actually but hell it went on’

 

[Walter Whigham]

I would take a guess is that the line is open to diesel traction only? The 08:52 is Voyagers, not sure what the 10:52 is but if it’s a Pendo then that could be why it’s not left.

The 10.52 is a Pendo - still sitting at Waverley.

 

[sonic2009]

I would take a guess is that the line is open to diesel traction only? The 08:52 is Voyagers, not sure what the 10:52 is but if it’s a Pendo then that could be why it’s not left.

This could be the case, but possibly an issue around Carstairs/Lockerbie. TPE Glasgow - Carlisle 1Z94 has been sat at Lockerbie since 1013

* On the move now 76L leaving Lockerbie

9M54 1052 Edinburgh - London Euston now left 36L

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Lancaster appears to be open to electric traction to the north: there's a TP 397 due to start there for Glasgow at 1220.

Realtime Trains | 1S51 1316½ Carlisle to Glasgow Central | 20/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 1S51 1316½ departure from Carlisle to Glasgow Central on 20/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Edit: but no sign on RTT at 1300 of such a train actually operating...

9M52 (2xVoyager) has left Oxenholme so will be running to at least Lancaster.

Both LNER and GN have run single trains past the ECML problems at Sandy, but were heavily delayed en route.

 

[Wolfie]

It's funny how 1976 was clearly bad, but now it is being played down by many to make it sound like this 40 degree incident was no big deal. History being rewritten to make it sound like everyone carried on as normal in 1976 and it was all part of better times before anyone dared tell you what you should or shouldn't do. A total fantasy.

I saw someone running a hose pipe and pouring it down the drain on Facebook this morning as a 'f u' to the water company asking people to limit their use of water.

Back on topic, there are proving trains out on the ECML specifically to test the overhead wiring, so hopefully all goes well.

Re your second para what an utter moron. One can but hope he has a water meter.....

 

[sonic2009]

Lancaster appears to be open to electric traction to the north: there's a TP 397 due to start there for Glasgow at 1220.

Realtime Trains | 1S51 1316½ Carlisle to Glasgow Central | 20/07/2022

Real-time train running information for 1S51 1316½ departure from Carlisle to Glasgow Central on 20/07/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

9M52 (2xVoyager) has left Oxenholme so will be running to at least Lancaster.

9S44 London Euston - Edinburgh has come through from Preston towards Lancaster, and appears to be the first EMU through to Lancaster. When checking OpenTrainTimes maps of Lancaster there appears to be the word EXAM in some of the signal blocks, so suspect the driver of 9S44 has been asked to check?

9S44 11car 390 has departed Lancaster 101L
9M52 2 x 221 has also departed Lancaster for Preston so that to me appears that the issues in the Lancaster area have been fixed/sorted.

 

[liamf656]

EMR have issued a do not travel message for services in and out of London as the service itself has completely fallen apart. They expect it to be back to normal by 14:00 but this is already pushed back from 12:00 and 10:00 earlier

 

[SCDR_WMR]

New Street is now back open from the South Tunnel, Stour lines still blocked but at least some services are resuming.
Services from Wolves are going via Portobello (Heath Town)/Grand Junction so limited as New St don't sign that way

Crewe platform 1 is still Out of Passenger Use, platform 6 still in need of urgent repair also.

 

[sonic2009]

New Street is now back open from the South Tunnel, Stour lines still blocked but at least some services are resuming.
Services from Wolves are going via Portobello (Heath Town)/Grand Junction so limited as New St don't sign that way

Crewe platform 1 is still Out of Passenger Use, platform 6 still in need of urgent repair also.

Don't think P6 can be shut at least not if P1 is shut. Otherwise you would have some conflicting moves getting the Cardiff - Manchester into P5 as the Northern services are terminating on P5 - hopefully they can sort P6 out at night.

 

[Haywain]

platform 6 still in need of urgent repair also.

Platform 6 appears to be in use.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Platform 6 appears to be in use.

Yes it is in use, not sure if it's taking 8/12 car units though as the damage is near the buffer stops on platform 7. Damage is quite bad and section around 20m in length cordoned off currently.

Don't think P6 can be shut at least not if P1 is shut. Otherwise you would have some conflicting moves getting the Cardiff - Manchester into P5 as the Northern services are terminating on P5 - hopefully they can sort P6 out at night.

Yes still in use, think it will take a few days to sort out though. Hopefully they are working on a temporary fix at least

 

[6Gman]

Network Rail tweeting that, due to the heat the rail network expanded by 9km today.

https://twitter.com/networkrail/status/1549409910693285888?s=20&t=yQ02DTt7W0KLNJG1Cos8_g

Somebody tweeted that GW are adding 1 minute to Paddington - Temple Meads to allow for this.

It's also why Temple Meads is built on a curve so it can bend to accommodate the extra length of the tracks.

 

[malc-c]

Just spent best part of the morning sorting out travel between Stevenage and Newcastle as my wife was due to travel via Lumo this lunchtime. Fingers crossed services are resolved by this time tomorrow or it will be another rinse and repeat....

Not griping, when the infrastructure was put in place no one would predict the UK would be hitting 40c+ in the summer months. Hopefully moving forward, given that the "experts" are saying this is likely to be the norm given global warming, steps can be made so that the infrastructure can withstand these extremes. Granted nothing could be done to prevent the fire, and the damage that caused, but maybe take onboard the systems other overseas operators in countries implement where 40c is the norm

 

[Trainfan2019]

New Street is now back open from the South Tunnel, Stour lines still blocked but at least some services are resuming.
Services from Wolves are going via Portobello (Heath Town)/Grand Junction so limited as New St don't sign that way

Crewe platform 1 is still Out of Passenger Use, platform 6 still in need of urgent repair also.

What's happened with platforms 1 and 6 at Crewe? Is it heat related? Thanks.

 

[crosscity]

New Street seems to have resolved wire issues.
Cross city south has first pax services going down the line now.
Cross city north has 5L00 heading towards Lichfield now... Seemed to pause for ages at Sutton Coldfield.

... and

New Street is now back open from the South Tunnel, Stour lines still blocked but at least some services are resuming.
Services from Wolves are going via Portobello (Heath Town)/Grand Junction so limited as New St don't sign that way

Crewe platform 1 is still Out of Passenger Use, platform 6 still in need of urgent repair also.

... and 1V50 the 0606 Edinburgh-Plymouth HST called at New St about 25 minutes late.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

What's happened with platforms 1 and 6 at Crewe? Is it heat related? Thanks.

Yeah, platform 6 the platform has buckled upwards by around a foot in a section right by the narrow part where platform 7 starts. The section goes from the edge paving to the lampposts.

Platform 1, one of the main supporting columns has deformed and is tilting about halfway up by about 10-15° and has snapped the metal surround off from the base.

Will get photos when this afternoon when I finish

 

[Haywain]

Hopefully moving forward, given that the "experts" are saying this is likely to be the norm given global warming, steps can be made so that the infrastructure can withstand these extremes. Granted nothing could be done to prevent the fire, and the damage that caused, but maybe take onboard the systems other overseas operators in countries implement where 40c is the norm

The problem with that is that rails are stressed for a temperature range, and if the upper temperatures are increased, the lower ones have to be increased too, so you lose resilience in winter instead. Countries where 40is 'normal tend to have warmer winters than we do.