Great Western Coffee Shop

Robin Gisby of Network Rail - interview video at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26115261

"A week or two" before the railway line re-opens over the Somerset Levels

Time to consider an elevated section of track in a viaduct across the levels? All in the name of economic resilience? Isn't there some EU fund we could tap into?

Hi, wabbit, if there is an EU fund available, I bet the road transport lobby will snap it up to get the A303 widened, as seen  elsewhere on the forum, they're already jumping up and down, thinking the disruption caused by the flooding is as good excuse as any to bag any available money for road improvements!  Sorry Mods, slightly off-topic there, and not ONE JOT cynical!

Whose going to remind Graham?  Only one 'e' in Bridgwater!  ;D

All sorted and the extra superfluous "e" has been sent floating off down the River Parrett.

 ;D ;D

Perhaps trainer could put the superfluous 'e' where it belongs ....on the end of Mr Ellis' Christian name for instance ?? :o ::) ;D

Can't speak about estimates, but I can give an idea of the current state of the line. This aerial photo was taken by a former schoolteacher of mine earlier today, 18th February 2014, showing the flooded railway line near Fordgate between Bridgwater (to the north) and Taunton:

(http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bignosemac/1614512_10152262097896241_1468468700_o_zps03723690.jpg)
Picture credit: Peter Kirk posted here with permission

Should that water level drop within the next few days and the line and signalling isn't too badly damaged then Network Rail's estimate on reopening, made on the 10th of February, may just about be right. Fingers crossed.

EDIT: To add. I'm told by my erstwhile Physics teacher that's he's spoken with Network Rail's helicopter crew, who've been flying out of Exeter Airport, and they've said, for that particular embankment to flood, the water level is around 20 feet above the surrounding land.

Also, to ask those with knowledge of the signalling in this area. Will there be any issues with operating longer block sections if the line can reopen while the signalling is still being repaired? I ask because this location is right on the boundary between the signalling areas controlled by Bristol and Exeter.

Erm ... actually, Graham Ellis has adopted the username 'grahame' here - it's not his real first-name.  :P

I took pity on an "e" that had fallen out of "Bridgewater" and needed a rescue home  ;D

No - really - on another forum, "graham" was already taken so I added the "e" of "Ellis" and it became a standard user name.

Cynthia, I share your pessimism! However, there are some of the right noises coming out of central and local govt. The word "resilience" even got a mention!

From JourneyCheck

Misplaced optimism from NR on the 10th February it would seem.

Hmm ... that's one heck of a lot of water to shift out of the area, by whatever means (pumping, dredging or even natural drainage / evaporation, on a good day!).  ::)

I get very confused when the news reports talk of removing "tonnes" of water.  To me water comes (or goes) in gallons or litres....

Personally, I'm looking forward to these particular pumps starting work:


 :P

 I will add that the only noises I note coming from gov't are those that issue forth from whoopy cushions, or the human equivalent!  ::)

Moderator note:

At this point an interesting discussion developed about the various units used to measure amounts of water.

As this is not unique to the flooding in the Bridgwater area it has been moved here http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13617.0 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13617.0)

is now [Journey check]

The saviour for me is that XC are running three trains a day between Bristol and Exeter via Westbury.    It is just a shame, but understandable, that they don't call at Bath or Westbury - but I'd still rather be on a train than a bus even if it means going to Bristol.

From the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-26351261?

There have been other pictures of rusty rails caused by lack of passing traffic due to line closures.  However all the ones I have seen are near areas of salt water.

This is the up line at Cogload Junction near Taunton where the line through Bridgwater diverges.  As you can nearly a month of disuse has left its mark.

(http://www.mbob.co.uk/rforum/cogload.jpg)

Reports on Twitter suggest that NR engineers have carried out inspections and repairs are underway. No reopening date as yet.

Further info received on the nature of the repairs currently being undertaken - ballast repairs initially, signal testing then needed to identify repairs to restore full signalling.

Repairs have been completed on the northbound line this morning.  Trains going south are still being stopped at one signal to be talked past at danger.