Great Western Coffee Shop

FGW is preparing travellers for more flooding disruption by posting this on their website:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=2122

Good work from FGW. They may not be able to stop the flooding but at least they are letting everyone know in advance that there could be disruption based on the upcoming forecast.

Its not looking promising........
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=19573928

I have to go to the office tomorrow

As my season has expired and I'm away next week Im PAYG for tomorrow - seriously thinking of using Virgin into Euston - more likely to get me there and back me thinks

Latest from the Oxford area (links below.)
http://oxfordmail.net/display.var.1974496.0.floods_protection_brought_in.php

http://oxfordmail.net/display.var.1974467.0.floods_sandbags_available.php

http://oxfordmail.net/display.var.1974126.0.floods_100_city_homes_at_risk.php

Bradford on Avon is battening down the hatches as the river Avon threatens to flood the town centre (link below.)
http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/display.var.1970606.0.town_braced_for_more_floods.php

Was told by the guard on my train home from Oxford this evening that we were lucky it had got that far, as the tracks at Kennington, just south of Oxford, are disappearing beneath the waves (the River Thames really), so Mookiemoo, you may well be right to think about going on Virgin tomorrow.

A Network Rail test train, which I saw (DRS 37s topping and tailing three Mk2 coaches) is shuttling up and down between Oxford and Didcot to monitor the water levels.

Kennington is notorious for flooding. Line was closed there for a week last July and was also blocked for several days in 2002 or 2003.

DEcided

Going to go FGW as I need to bring my bike home (I never leave it over the weekend).

If I cant get home, ticket will be valid on chiltern or virgin (happened last July) so I will come back that way and leave the bike in the office

If I buy a chiltern/virgin ticket then I cant get bike home (it doesnt fit into their disabled spaces and its too late to book it on)

From the FGW website:

Friday 18th January

Heavy rain remains forecast today, and as a result flooding may occur later in the day. There is a risk that this could affect train services, especially later in the evening.

Didcot - Oxford. Water levels on the River Thames are rising rapidly, creating a high risk of flooding and disruption the line between Didcot and Oxford.


From:   http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=2122


Hope they have some replacement buses on standby!!!!!!!

More on Oxford-Didcot in this willc article link below.
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.1977548.0.flooding_threat_to_rail_link.php

From the FGW website :

Line problem in the Chipping Sodbury area.
Train services between Bristol Parkway and Swindon are being disrupted due to standing water in the Chipping Sodbury area.Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays of up to 25 minutes can be expected.

All XX15 services from London Paddington to Cardiff Central and the XX55 Cardiff Central and London Paddington are cancelled. All XX45 services from London Paddington to Swansea will call additionally at Didcot Parkway and will be delayed by approximately 15 minutes on arrival at Bristol Parkway. All XX29 services from Swansea to London Paddington will call at Patchway NOT Bristol Parkway and will then be diverted. On arrival at Swindon, these services will be approximately 25 minutes late. Road transport is in operation between Bristol Parkway and Patchway Stations.


Further willc article link.
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.1979713.0.flooding_close_call_for_rail_link.php

A landslide at Chipping Sodbury due to weeks of heavy rain is likely to cause two days of main line cancellations on trains from Bristol Parkway to London (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=243687&home=yes&more_nodeId1=242222&contentPK=19655301

After the incident at 11.15am today, First Great Western offered advice for passengers wanting to travel to the capital.

An hourly service will continue to run from Patchway station, with a bus link being set up from the car park at Parkway.

More in this willc article link.
http://oxfordmail.net/display.var.1991416.0.landslip_disrupts_rail_services.php

Further willc article related to this.
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2017078.0.get_on_track_to_end_floods.php