Weather disruption caused in 2014, and how to prevent it happening again - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

bignosemac, looking at the times of your posts, I wonder if / when you sleep!

Candle both ends, FT,N. 4 hours kip last night, then up early doors to get to Dawlish for the reopening - luckily missing Dave taking credit for Network Rail's Herculean efforts. Then the Pullman from Newton Abbot to Reading, where a  mussels starter and a veal chop main course were partaken. Half hour or so at Reading and then down to Penzance in time to catch the first Sleeper service for two months up to London. Just turning in for the night in my berth as I type. Home to Bristol later this morning where I'll probably have a super siesta.

Dirty work, but someone's got to do it...

[TonyK]

Prime Minister arrived at Dawlish on the 07:06 from Paddington, which made a special stop.

Hopefully he travelled standard class (or paid for his own journey) as that's what politicians are required to do these days.

I can confirm that he travelled in first class! The rest is anyone's guess!

I think we can allow "Dave" the distinction between travel as a party politician serving party needs, and travel as Prime Minister, promoting a newly reopened Devon and Cornwall.

[RichardB]

If you're quick, you can still catch last night's BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Spotlight programme on the BBC i player

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03zhsjs/Spotlight_04_04_2014/

Partly presented from Dawlish station -  lots of good stuff. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks for posting that link, Richard - as you say, great stuff there! 

[TonyK]

I'm in Devon, so saw it last night. As CfN says, it contains some interesting stuff. I didn't realise the old line was used in the way it was.

[trainer]

There only seems to be a 24 hour window to watch this excellent material, so don't waste time if you want to catch the late evening broadcast.  It's already too late for the main 18:30 version - as I just discovered  .

[SandTEngineer]

.........and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) were handing out these at Plymouth station yesterday morning (no such goodies from Arriva XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))  ):


Image (c)2014 SandTEngineer

[bobm]

Cake was very much in evidence on Friday.  I was offered some at Dawlish and Newton Abbot as well as aboard the sleeper.

On arriving in my berth I found cake plus the printed card below



Complimentary champagne was also offered on the Pullman service.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) really went out of their way on the first day to "hit the ground running" and welcome everyone back.  It was almost like meeting old friends again.

[TaplowGreen]

Without wishing to demean the undoubted joy of wine and cake, lets hope the lessons are learned and NR^» (Network Rail - home page) & the relevant TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) concentrate on creating more robust infrastructure and services which respond to customer need..........people have very short memories and I for one don't want my travel plans knackered for months on end yet again.......and personally I'd sooner have pint of Doom Bar and a pasty! 

[bobm]

I do agree with you TaplowGreen - and this from someone who spent the early hours of Christmas Eve in a taxi after the Up Sleeper was terminated at Exeter due to flooding and has had to re-arrange meetings in the South West to fit in with the revised rail/bus schedules.

I suspect a few things have been learned during the re-building of the sea wall.  Clearly the engineers working at the site knew what they were doing but I suspect they will have gained some extra knowledge for future incidents elsewhere.

PS - had the Doom Bar too - at the pub opposite the station! 

[bobm]

Here is the first up Night Riviera at Penzance this evening preparing for the first departure for 8 weeks

..and here it is at Paddington after its night's work was done

[JayMac]

... with 57604 Pendennis Castle at t'other end ready to take the stock back to Old Oak Common:

[LiskeardRich]

... with 57604 Pendennis Castle at t'other end ready to take the stock back to Old Oak Common:

A bit different to how it arrived into Penzance, it reversed itself in at near walking pace with a man at the back window of the last coach looking out!

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Storm-hit Dawlish rail line compensation payout revealed

Compensation of up to ^16m will be paid to train and freight operators following the destruction of the main railway line at Dawlish in the south-west of England.

Network Rail said the money would be paid because services could not run through Dawlish in Devon due to the damage caused by storms.

The track, which reopened on 4 April, was damaged in early February.

Network Rail said the figure was based on an assessment of "lost revenue".

A spokesman from Network Rail, which runs and maintains Britain's rail infrastructure, said the total was between ^15-16m. He said: "Normally, train operators pay Network Rail for the right to use the track. If they can't do that we have to compensate them."

First Great Western said the final compensation figure was "under discussion". A spokesman said: "We recognise the figure and it is specific to Dawlish, but it is only one part of ongoing discussions with Network Rail.

"Discussions about compensation and additional costs to the business because of the closure of lines at Dawlish, Penzance, the Somerset Levels and Maidenhead are still ongoing and no decision has been made yet. We're working with other operators and Network Rail to understand the full costs."

First Great Western said the compensation for Dawlish would cover the additional replacement buses, and moving staff and trains to other locations following the disruption. It added the money would also help pay for the 25% discount on tickets which was introduced for passengers intending to pass through Dawlish when the line was closed.

Last year, Network Rail announced it paid about ^12.5m in compensation to train and freight operators after railway line flooding - described as the worst in a decade - closed the mainline near Exeter for 11 days in November and December 2012.

The figures, it said, could not be compared because Dawlish had been a "long-term issue" and compensation was subsequently calculated differently.

[SandTEngineer]

Noted today that the temporary signalling arrangements between both Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren and Twyford and Maidenhead had both been restored to normal working over the weekend (26/27 April 2014).