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

[whole diary]

[insider]

Information from contact in control is that last night the Down Main was tamped through the affected area,which allowed the track level to be raised by 65mm, resulting in the track being clear of water, this has however imposed a EROS^▸ (Emergency Restriction Of Speed) of 60mph. However the signalling is still broken.....but as I write this post the S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) are on site replacing transformers as water levels have dropped around some location cabinets.....already slough panel are reporting that track circuits are going clear...

hopefully after testing (could take a while though) perhaps some good news.............

[ChrisB]

From BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Reporter Paul Clifton's tweets....

Paul Clifton (@PaulCliftonBBC)

13/02/2014 21:23
Engineers considering closing Great Western entirely at Maidenhead to repair flood damage. Tomorrow 1 in 5 trains will run, speed limit 5mph

13/02/2014 21:24
First Great Western running 1 in 5 trains through flood damage Maidenhead on Fri. Next week hope to double it to 2 in 5. @FGW^▸ (First Great Western)

Then said that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) had told him the problem "was worse than Dawlish" - I guess in terms of fixing it.

[thetrout]

I saw those tweets yesterday

The heavens have well and truly opened in Southend-on-Sea...! Sat in Ladyfriend Trouts house and the water is literally crashing down on the Conservatory!!

[insider]

Saturdays Train Plan In Summary.

ACTUAL PLAN NOW ATTACHED!!!!

Thames Valley Branch Lines as booked.

RDG^‡(resolve)-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-RDG stoppers half hourly

OXF^» (Oxford - next trains)-RDG-OXF stoppers half hourly

PAD-OXF-PAD fast cancelled

PAD-SWA^» (Swansea - next trains)-PAD hourly PAD-EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)-PAD hourly

PAD-Cheltenham-PAD start/terminate Swindon

PAD-BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))-PAD normal service all call at Slough

PAD-WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains)/GMV/HFD^» (Hereford - next trains)-PAD start/terminate OXF

[Electric train]

There's a lineslip north of Banbury now too. Not (yet) on the tracks....but threatening & NR^» (Network Rail - home page) have closed the lines until full inspection.

Land slip near Horbury Tunnel single line working and a 20 mph speed restriction

[bobm]

Problems between Penzance and St Erth.  High tide due in an hour with strong winds behind it.

Also a points problem affecting services the London bound Main line on the approach to Reading.  All trains on the relief line.

[SDS]

There's just been a report on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) South Today about the Maidenhead issue saying that signals would be 'removed' as a short-term solution, but as the Environment Agency reckon it'll take 2 months for the waters to subside then NR^» (Network Rail - home page) would have to completely close the line for some time to replace the signalling equipment. Mark Hopwood was then interviewed - he confirmed that after this weekend there would be 'one long signalling section' to allow trains to run faster but he wouldn't comment on the line closure possibility, indeed he seemed to me to be suggesting that it might be doubtful it would have to happen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03tw9hm/South_Today_13_02_2014/

[insider]

Sunday's Train plan will run as advertised through the Thames Valley as planned engineering has already reduced services anyway.

Delays will still occur and services will be amended train by train as required.



Network Rail are looking at emergency possession this evening on relief lines from 2215 -0515, if staff can be found for TBW^▸ (Temporary Block Working) over main lines. So they can move some of the 650volt power supply cables.

IF this goes ahead, late night services between PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) & RDG^‡(resolve) tonight will be severely disrupted and delayed.

[ChrisB]

From an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) sent to Customer Panel Members, updates from yesterdays

To clarify, Rover and Ranger products are excluded from these ticket/time easements.

CrossCountry have confirmed they will accept FGW GroupSave on their services between Penzance and Newton Abbot ONLY.  This will continue until further notice, whilst Dawlish is closed

[stuving]

I'm beginning to think the groundwater problem between Maidenhead and Ruscombe, like some other recent floods and storm damage, isn't entirely unprecedented. Looking at the map (OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) Explorer sheet 159 and its neighbours) you can see clear signs that a lot of groundwater flows under the railway at all times, so what we're seeing now is that flow exceeding the available capacity of the ground. That ground is mainly chalk, so its capacity for flowing water will be high. However, the water table at its lowest is 5-10 m below the track (which may be enough in normal times).

To the north of the railway the ground rises up the flank of Knowl Hill and Ashley Hill, and there are no streams visible to take water away east or west. To the south, the slope levels off in the area around the Walthams, which does drain east and west. A lot of the watercourses are artificial, so this was pretty marshy before they were cut. There are also some suggestive names here too (Mire Lane, Windsor Ait, ...).

The shoulder of Knowl hill nearest the line (Weycoks Hill) has a drain cut round it, but no outfall is shown. There is a hedge line where a drain would run to flow under the track as a buried drain. That could well haven been done as part of the railway construction, or widening. There's signs of recent ground works beside the line at that point, too.

As I said before, there are standard methods of diverting groundwater so it can be removed. However, designing and  digging two miles or so of drains is hardly quick and easy, and either uses land outside the railway boundary or has to fit round all the railway equipment, cables etc. I wonder whether the idea of closing the line is to get in some big machines and dig a substantial drain along the cess (rather than to raise the track, as the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) reported last night).

[ChrisB]

Meanwhile, on the Thames, @FGW^▸ (First Great Western) make emergency plans

[Timmer]

IF Network Rail do decide to completely close the line for two weeks then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) could use the Reading works diversions via Banbury for Bristol/South Wales services and WoE services into Waterloo. I admit not easy to do during normal weekday running competing for track space with Chiltern and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) but neither will busing thousands of passengers between Reading and Paddington.

[Pb_devon]

ChrisB,
Where is it & what is it??

[Electric train]

IF Network Rail do decide to completely close the line for two weeks then FGW^▸ (First Great Western) could use the Reading works diversions via Banbury for Bristol/South Wales services and WoE services into Waterloo. I admit not easy to do during normal weekday running competing for track space with Chiltern and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) but neither will busing thousands of passengers between Reading and Paddington.

The total closure of the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) I would suggest will not happen, there would have to be a major increase in threat, the wrath of the Home Sec and all the other local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s including Dave from West Oxfordshire would know no bounds not to mention that of the passengers.

More likely are early shut downs in the evening and a late starts in the morning and weekends to allow Network Rail to move assets, some of the track has already been raise according to insider.

What may happen is the re-signalling to Thames Valley Regional Control Centre and abolition of Slough PSB^▸ (Power Signal Box) might get accelerated or even just extending the Didcot area East pasted the affected area, even this will take several months

[bobm]

Services now being suspended between Plymouth and Penzance due to the weather with no bus replacement because of the state of the roads.