Mass disruption due to flooding - December 2012

[whole diary]

[thetrout]

What is contingency plan 3 ? (not certain if this is a serious remark or a joke, but I enlightening in either event)

See my post on another thread (Major delays/cancellations, Paddington to Reading 20/12/2012) where there is a file attached - Network Rail/FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s 'Contingency Plan Three'.

(It's a .pdf document so may not be viewable on some devices)

^^ - What he said

[Chris from Nailsea]

The rail network in the west is really having a bad time of it this winter. Should we blame the Mayans? 

Well, there's no need to go on about it, like it was the end of the world or something... 

[EBrown]

I'm more interested in 1C32. Delayed for 100 minutes at Chippenham after a (operating incident) door came open en route. I assume someone will have to investigate that?

[bobm]

Not helped by the fact the entry was made on Journeycheck after midnight so the system thinks it is tonight's 21:45 which is going to be affected so it is still there....

[thetrout]

1 hour 58 minutes after bobm posted that and it's still there now...

[ReWind]

From FGW^▸ (First Great Western):

Flooding is expected to disrupt services in between Taunton, Exeter St Davids, Plymouth and Penzance from the start of service on Saturday 22nd December until further notice.

Services operating between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads towards Exeter St Davids, Plymouth and Penzance will terminate at either Taunton or Tiverton Parkway in both directions.

Services due to operate through to/from Penzance will start/terminate at Exeter St Davids.

Limited road replacement transport will be in operation between Tiverton Parkway, Taunton and Exeter St Davids in both directions.

Customers with non-essential travel plans are advised to make alternative arrangements for their travel.

Tickets will be valid on alternative days.

--------------

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/disruption

[Ollie]

1 hour 58 minutes after bobm posted that and it's still there now...

Should be changed now as 1C32 is cancelled!

[thetrout]

1 hour 58 minutes after bobm posted that and it's still there now...

Should be changed now as 1C32 is cancelled!

Yes, Has been changed. Saw that just now Thanks if you sorted it!

[EBrown]

Yes, Has been changed. Saw that just now Thanks if you sorted it!

I did tell Serco this morning but they don't really like me so I didn't get a response.

[Ollie]

1 hour 58 minutes after bobm posted that and it's still there now...

Should be changed now as 1C32 is cancelled!

Yes, Has been changed. Saw that just now Thanks if you sorted it!

Wasn't me, not sure when it changed, might have been spotted earlier, if not would have been when the cancellation message came through.

[bobm]

Well the predicted flooding has occured.  I assume it is Cowley Bridge again.

I notice the down sleeper is now over two hours late.  I assume the closure came early enough for it to be sent via Yeovil.  Perhaps the up sleeper went that way too.

Closure of the line couldn't really happen on a worse day what with the Christmas getaway (me included).

My Christmas wish?  Be nice to the staff out there - I'm sure they'll be doing their best!

[BerkshireBugsy]

My Christmas wish?  Be nice to the staff out there - I'm sure they'll be doing their best!

I second this..I know sometimes it gets frustrating when we haven't got a clue what is going on the lack of information isn't normally down to people on the front line.

[grahame]

Well the predicted flooding has occured.  I assume it is Cowley Bridge again.

Closure of the line couldn't really happen on a worse day what with the Christmas getaway (me included).

Good luck with your journey, Bob ... and keep us posted with the situation on the ground.  Saturday is usually the quietest day on the forum, but I expect we'll be busier that usual today - much of it being guests searching for updates.

[bobm]

Thanks.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) now reporting the line closed between Taunton and Plymouth because of flooding and landlips....

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Christmas getaway faces rain disruption

Rail passengers and motorists are facing further disruption due to signalling failures on the rail networks and continued wet weather.

A severe flood warning is in place in Helston, Cornwall, where 190 residents have been advised to leave their homes.

First Great Western says rail problems are so severe in the south west of England that they are advising passengers not to travel.

Heavy rain forecast for Saturday is likely to flood roads in many areas. In total, the Environment Agency has issued more than 100 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and more than 280 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, for England and Wales. In Scotland, 12 flood alerts and 16 flood warnings have been issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa), with Tayside currently the worst affected area.

The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings for heavy rain in south west England, Yorkshire and Humbershire, Wales, central Scotland and the Grampians for Saturday and into Sunday morning.

A rest centre has been opened for residents in Helston forced to leave their homes by the rising waters of the River Cober, Cornwall Council has said, although only about five people used it. There are reports of more than 50 properties being flooded in Cornwall, five of which are in Helston.

The Environment Agency said widespread flooding of properties was "imminent" and issued a severe flood warning - its highest level, meaning there is a danger to life - for St Johns Road, St Johns Close, Coronation Park and Loe Pool in the town.

David Owens of Cornwall Council said the level of the river is "still continuing to rise, still continuing to be of concern".

Fire crews in Dorset used an inflatable boat to rescue two motorists stuck in standing water near Christchurch on Friday night. One man had been stuck in his car for five hours, and a woman and child were also rescued from a car on the West Stafford bypass near Dorchester.

Fire crews have attended about 70 flood-related incidents across Cornwall since 00:00 GMT on Saturday, and surface water on the roads is causing dangerous driving conditions for motorists. The council confirmed the A39 at Perranarworthal was closed due to flooding, with some minor routes in the county currently impassable.

On the rail network, the Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect rail services were suspended overnight after signalling problems on the Great Western mainline near Hayes and Harlington. However, following overnight repair work, a full service to and from London Paddington was restored early on Saturday morning.

Train operators have advised passengers to check the National Rail Enquiries website before travelling.

In other rail developments:
- Flooding is causing disruption near Rhoose Cardiff International Airport
- In the West Country, rail services are suspended between Exeter St Davids and Taunton due to flooding. Replacement buses are in operation but Network Rail are warning journey times could be increased by up to an hour. Poor road conditions mean that buses are not able to run on many routes
- A landslip at Glazebrook near Manchester on Friday afternoon has disrupted rail services between Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington. A reduced service is expected to continue until further notice
- A lineside fire has damaged electrical equipment and caused signalling problems at Preston Park near Brighton, with disruption expected to continue until Sunday. Rail services, including services to and from Gatwick airport, are able to run but at a reduced frequency

Elsewhere on the roads, the A38 eastbound near Plymouth is closed due to flooding and in northern England, the wet weather has forced the closure of the A19 in both directions near Stockton-on-Tees. And the M60 in Greater Manchester has a slip road closed because of flooding at junction 11.

With motorists taking to the roads before Christmas, Miranda Schunke from breakdown service Green Flag said she was expecting roads in the Midlands and London to be the busiest over the weekend. "The M4 and M5 corridor where they meet, that will be busy as people try and head down to Devon and Cornwall. Obviously there's flooding potential there as well so you need to be careful. As people try and get out of London, the M40, the M4 and M3 are also going to be very busy," she added.

(My highlighting: CfN.)