Great Western Coffee Shop

The line is closed between Bradford-on-Avon and Westbury and Melksham and Westbury, due to a lineside fire at Trowbridge, and is anticipated to be closed for 24 hours. Limited replacement transport is being sourced.

See: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/LiveUpdateItem.aspx?id=34893 and http://nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/safb685638ea4738bcbeabac868aa432/details.html

Looks like Cardiff - Bristol and Westbury - Portsmouth

And an interesting 1722 BTM to Westbury via (but not calling at) Taunton.  Unfortunately it left about 8 minutes late and was checked behind an already late running 1718 BTM to Weston so would not have been a quick journey.

5 coaches though, 158(3) and 150.  Again, at least there is some attempt on the part of FGW to provide a service under difficult circumstances, which we wouldn't have seen 2 years ago.

Been along time since a Cardiff-Portsmouth service has run via Taunton. Last time that scheduled services went this route was in the early 90s on Sundays whilst engineering work was carried out in the Bath Spa area. Some went via Bristol Parkway/Swindon others went via Taunton.

Some of the stopping trains are terminating at Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge too. Good thing I got the bus back from Frome!

"Update at 20:20 - The line between Trowbridge and Westbury is closed due to a line-side fire in the Trowbridge area. It is anticipated that the line will remain closed untill 12:00 on Thursday. There will be a limited train service between Bath Spa and Trowbridge. There will also be limited road replacement transport."

(From the FGW website)

So, nothing about the main line from Melksham to Westbury then?  :P

23:16 BTM to Frome (last service this way i believe) was completely cancelled this evening... not even ran as far as Bradford-on-avon.

Latest from FGW:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/LiveUpdateList.aspx

Line problem between Bradford-On-Avon and Westbury.
Train services between Bradford-On-Avon and Westbury are being disrupted due to a line-side fire.Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays can be expected.

The line is closed between Trowbridge and Westbury. Current estimates from the emergency services are that the line will re-open at 12:00 today Thursday 11th September. The train service is currently suspended between Bradford-on-Avon and Westbury. There is limited road replacement transport operating between Bradford-on-Avon and Westbury. South West Trains are accepting First Great Western tickets via all reasonable routes.

Interesting last couple of journey's, last night it was a case of getting to BTM on the first available train and seeing what happens there. Went to catch the 19.09 from Filton but that was reported running something like 30 minutes late so it gave me enough time to nip down to the George. I'm not sure what service I finally caught but it terminated at BTM. It was interesting to see Trowbridge listed as a destination on the departure boards, we finally left at approx 20.00, all non Trowbridge passengers had to leave at BoA where there were shuttle buses to Westbury, we caried on and took the crossover at Bradfor Junction and arrived at Platform 1 from the wrong direction.

This morning there were certainly plenty of alternatives buses available, there were 6 there when I arrived at 08.15, and there were obviously others currently doing the BoA shuttle already running.

The fire was in a scrap yard and the brigade had discovered what were beleived to be acetelyne cylinders, straight away and exclusion zone.

Well done to FGW for doing what they did under difficult circumstances.

According to the FGW website, train services have now resumed between Bradford-on-Avon and Westbury, but cannot call at Trowbridge in both directions until this afternoon. There is limited road replacement transport operating between Bradford-on-Avon and Westbury in both directions calling at Trowbridge.

UPDATE : Trains are now calling at Trowbridge in both directions.

'The Voice of Reason' is clearly a complete idiot, the last thing I want to do is be passing within 200m of a very hot acetylene cylinder.

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/trowbridgenews/display.var.2444673.0.railway_will_remain_closed_until_midday.php

Just Google acetylene cylinder explosion, some graphic viewing to be found. The actions of the Fire Brigade are an industry wide agreed safety measure, not just an arbitary scare tactic that this numpty seems to think.

I don't blame the regulations regarding exclusion zones (so long as they are applied sensibly).  Delaying a few trains is preferable to having people blown up.

BUT - acylene cylinders to seem to be resonsible for a huge number of delays and I do wonder if there isn't some way around this.   Just like bridge strikes it makes me cross that this is a factor that the rail industry have no control over but which costs them dearly.  It might be sensible to tighten up the rules concerning the use and storage of gas cylinders.  If they were stored in "bunkers" and if a single smal cylinder containg less gas was removed for use then wouldn't the risk be minimised.  Or perhaps if NR were able to recover the full costs of gas cylinder and bridge strike delays from the people responsible their insurers might start demanding action to reduce the risk.   

I thought I had read some months ago that NR was working with the Fire Services to find a way to minimise the risk and reopen lines quicker. Though I can't remember any more than that.

Related links.
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=21425163

http://oldfieldparktrains.blogspot.com/2008/09/bad-week.html

While I had a spare moment or two I had a look around tinternet for anything on the rules regarding acetylene cylinders and came across some interesting info from the British Compressed Gas Association and details of the work of the Cylinders in Fire National Stakeholders Group who would appear to be those responsible for providing guidance on managing the risks, which includes Network Rail among many others.

http://www.bcga.co.uk/

It's an interesting comparison (and yes, I know they weren't oxyacetylene cylinders!) but the basic incompatibility of train carriages and gas cylinders is described fairly dramatically here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3374.0  :(

Last week we had gas cylinders explode following a fire in bath and shoot a huge distance narrowly avoiding, buildings, pedestrians, roads and the railway.  I think that this demonstrates conclusively theat exclusion zones are needed.

My point above still stands though.  Gas cylinders should should be stored more safely and perhaps kept away from important infrastructure.  The Bath fire was started by a gas burner used to melt pitch on a roof, but 4 cylinders ended up exploding.  Surely a proper risk assessment would have resulted in only a single cylinder (the one being used) being on the roof and the otehr ones being locked safely away until needed?