Severe Storm Predicted Sunday 27th / Monday 28th October 2013

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

The Met Office don't issue joke alerts, so its definitely real.

Although on 15-16 October 1987, Michael Fish told us not to worry, as there wasn't a hurricane on the way. Telling us it would just be a bit windy, with the worst of it over Spain and France. 

There are a couple of videos on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) News website that explain how this was got wrong - the computer they had then was nowhere near as powerful as those these days, nor was it fed with anything like the data that is available now.

All that linked with a change in direction a couple of hours *after* Fish's broadcast (remember he was on a lunchtime the day before!). Fish's forecast was correct at the time he made it.

[bobm]

From FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Website

Current weather forecasts indicate that there will be severe adverse weather, overnight from Sunday 27th October until mid-day on Monday 28th October. As well as rain, very strong wind speeds have been projected.

It is our key priority to run a safe railway, therefore there may be a requirement to run trains at reduced speeds for all or part of the journey.

If you are travelling with First Great Western later this evening or tomorrow morning, we would ask that you allow for an extended journey time, and that you check for current train running information on our JourneyCheck pages before starting your journey.
 
Further details of how journeys will be affected will be available later this afternoon once the weather forecasts have been updated. We will make this information available through our website once the situation becomes clearer.

Please follow us on Twitter @FGW for real time updates and your questions answered.

[ChrisB]

Might be 'interesting' on the sleepers tonight....

[AMLAG]

At least FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't yet have to worry too much about  o/h electric wires etc.!

[ChrisB]

There's been a livecam set up overlooking the sea & rails @ Dawlish

http://www.livestream.com/rcdawlish

And a tree is down already in Pangbourne cutting power to over 1,000 dwellings.

[bobm]

There's been a livecam set up overlooking the sea & rails @ Dawlish

http://www.livestream.com/rcdawlish

Indeed - it has been discussed here - http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11409.0

[bobm]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) reporting advice and changes from both SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and Southern

South West Trains has advised people not to travel. It said it would operate a "significantly reduced timetable" and some trains would run at reduced speeds.

Southern said its services - including the Gatwick Express - might not start until 9am or 10am on Monday, a move designed to "give Network Rail the chance to clear the tracks". It will also run fewer trains than usual.

[ChrisB]

SWT^▸ (South West Trains) "Majority of services not expected to run until at least 0800"

[JayMac]

At least FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't yet have to worry too much about  o/h electric wires etc.!

Should wires come down between Paddington and Airport Junction then FGW can be affected quite badly.

[bobm]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are saying on Twitter that the down sleeper will only run as far as Plymouth.   Nothing on Journeycheck as yet.

[anthony215]

Perhaps FGW^▸ (First Great Western) plan to bus the passengers to Exeter and get them to London using the other sleeper set coming from London  which could be terminated at Exeter St Davids if the line through Dawlish is closed.

Although Network could perhaps say no to any trains running until daylight if the weather down the south west is pretty bad

[bobm]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) accepting tickets dated for tomorrow (Monday) today for people wanting to travel earlier.

[ChrisB]

Looks as though FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are having a big pow-wow at 1700 re tomorrow, according to their tweets

james linley (@jameslinley1)

27/10/2013 15:29

@Burtshire @FGW @D_isforDanger All plans being discussed at 1700. Suggest peeps check FGW.co.uk after 1800

James Linley runs the ICC^▸ (Integrated Control Centre) public info feeds

[Brucey]

South West Trains have announced no service on any routes before 0800, then an amended "snow plan" timetable for the rest of the day with a network-wide 50mph speed limit: http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/alerts.aspx

[bobm]

James Linley runs the ICC^▸ (Integrated Control Centre) public info feeds

ICC?