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Title: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: Chris from Nailsea on December 03, 2009, 18:31:06 From the Maidenhead Advertiser (http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/article-13967-injured-swan-disrupts-slough-windsor-line/):
Quote A swan on the Windsor to Slough railway line is causing havoc this afternoon. One of the Queen's flock loose on the line has left commuters stranded at the two stations after trains between the towns have been cancelled. The first trains to be affected were the 15:40 Windsor-Slough, and the 15:50 Slough-Windsor. It is thought carriages are still stationary. Commuter Ben Smith, of Windsor, said: "I am on my way home in a taxi, which First Great Western is paying for. There is a queue building up of about 100 people waiting for cabs at Slough station." UPDATE: ^ A First Great Western spokesman confirmed at 5pm that services were back up and running after RSPB workers rescued a swan with a broken wing from the line. Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: inspector_blakey on December 03, 2009, 18:42:49 F. F. S.!
Surely a bit of an over-reaction? Or does the queen's fleet of swans have special legal protection? Couldn't trains have been cautioned past it, unless it was actually lying across the running line itself...? Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: Chris from Nailsea on December 03, 2009, 19:42:35 Or does the queen's fleet of swans have special legal protection? Erm ... yes, actually: see http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A9115139 :-X Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: inspector_blakey on December 03, 2009, 20:22:01 Hmm. Doesn't say anything about not running them over with a Turbo ;)
On reflection, I wonder if the royals will divert a few quid from the caviar budget to compensate Network Rail and FGW for the delay minutes occasioned. ;D Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: grahame on January 14, 2017, 18:17:36 More trouble with swans - this time reported by The Metro (http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/13/swan-holds-up-train-by-waddling-on-the-track-for-two-miles-6380202/) near Teddington:
Quote A South West Trains service from Teddington was forced to crawl along behind a stubborn swan waddling on the tracks – for two miles. Footage shows the swan sauntering with the train just a metre behind, following the bird extremely slowly as it pulled into Kingston Upon Thames station. Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: Oxonhutch on January 15, 2017, 12:29:34 I have heard it said that without a suitable stretch of water, swans are unable to get airborne.
Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: bobm on January 15, 2017, 16:54:55 Luckily the swan walked in four foot bearing in mind the third rail....
Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: Chris from Nailsea on January 15, 2017, 21:18:58 I have heard it said that without a suitable stretch of water, swans are unable to get airborne. Yes, swans do need a fair length of runway, so to speak, as they combine running along the water surface with flapping their wings in the air to get airborne. It sounds rather ungainly - and indeed it is, if you watch them actually doing it. ::) Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: hoover50 on June 15, 2017, 15:31:49 I have heard from several people that trains between Thatcham and Theale were delayed / cancelled by stubborn swans on the line at Midgham first thing this morning :o
Some of the trains affected were: 1K71 0518 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington (via Newbury) ended up being 1 hour late into Padd 1A72 0605 Frome to London Paddington ended up being 43mins late into Padd Title: Re: Swans on the railway causing delays, and their protected status (merged topic) Post by: eightf48544 on June 15, 2017, 17:14:19 Bring back steam. Cylinder drain cocks are very good at clearing animals from the line harmlessly.
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