Freight derailment east Somerset junction 20/3/17

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

The technical term for that is 'splitting the points'.....

[JayMac]

Out of interest (and please forgive my lack of knowledge) how are derailments usually caused? Not asking anyone to speculate on this one, just interested.

A multitude of possible causes. Track/points/trackbed failure, axle/bogie/wheel failure, driver error, signaller error, hitting obstruction/animals, deliberate/accidental third party act...

Some recent derailments:

https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/derailment-at-knaresborough (signaller error)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/derailment-near-angerstein-junction (bogie/suspension poor maintenance)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/derailment-at-godmersham-kent (hit cattle)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/derailment-at-washwood-heath-west-junction (combination of track and rolling stock faults)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/derailment-of-an-empty-passenger-train-at-paddington-station (driver error)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/freight-train-derailment-near-gloucester (track fault - cyclic top)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/derailment-of-a-freight-train-at-barrow-upon-soar-leicestershire (trackbed fault - embankment failed)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/derailment-at-bletchley-junction-bletchley (speed)
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/accident-at-falls-of-cruachan-argyll (hit obstruction)

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Splitting the facing points to the Branch Loop may indeed be a possible cause, but I'm not convinced that NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s 4 photos support this assertion any more than, for example, a track or wagon defect.  As BNM says, best to wait ....

[bobm]

In the meantime thanks to bignosemac for taking the time to research that list which shows the many factors which have to be discounted before arriving at the correct one.

[bradshaw]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Journey Check; line not opening until 25th March.

Looking at the photos and track diagram all points traversed seem to be trailing points, not facing, for a train going to Westbury. There is a facing point further up the line out of sight.
The photos show the signal allowing entry to the branch and the ground signal from down main to branch.

[grahame]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Journey Check; line not opening until 25th March.

... at one minute to midnight, so not really until 26th

[Thatcham Crossing]

Tickets booked online last night (National Rail) for 2 family members Newbury-Exeter and return on Sat (25th). Down on the 0859 ex-Newbury, back on 1802 ex-Exeter. I didn't know the booking was being done until I found the confirmation print-out.

Will this even run, or be diverted?

[TaplowGreen]

Tickets booked online last night (National Rail) for 2 family members Newbury-Exeter and return on Sat (25th). Down on the 0859 ex-Newbury, back on 1802 ex-Exeter. I didn't know the booking was being done until I found the confirmation print-out.

Will this even run, or be diverted?

Worth tweeting GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) help I'd say?

[Tim]

Splitting the facing points to the Branch Loop may indeed be a possible cause, but I'm not convinced that NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s 4 photos support this assertion any more than, for example, a track or wagon defect.  As BNM says, best to wait ....

and of course AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) splitting the points is caused by the points moving with a train on them and you can imagine various causes of that including signalling error and mechanical failure.  And then various causes of those causes.

I expect that they will figure it out fairly soon, but as BNM says best to wait.

[stuving]

Splitting the facing points to the Branch Loop may indeed be a possible cause, but I'm not convinced that NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s 4 photos support this assertion any more than, for example, a track or wagon defect.  As BNM says, best to wait ....

and of course AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) splitting the points is caused by the points moving with a train on them and you can imagine various causes of that including signalling error and mechanical failure.  And then various causes of those causes.

I expect that they will figure it out fairly soon, but as BNM says best to wait.

Having had a longer look at those pictures, it does look like the front and back of the train were both planning to join the Up Westbury directly (at points 943A). It was the bit in the middle that had other ideas, and tore up the same bit of track that had to be relaid after the last time. But since one of those stone wagons (very good, for breaking up sleepers) is shown derailed both ways there is no obvious explanation.

[ChrisB]

Tickets booked online last night (National Rail) for 2 family members Newbury-Exeter and return on Sat (25th). Down on the 0859 ex-Newbury, back on 1802 ex-Exeter. I didn't know the booking was being done until I found the confirmation print-out.

National Rail website doesn't book tickets, does it? I thought you got redirected to a TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) site?

[eightf48544]

Imagine your tickets will be valid via Reading and Bristol. I would start out earlier from Newbury.

If not they ought to be!

[PhilWakely]

Tickets booked online last night (National Rail) for 2 family members Newbury-Exeter and return on Sat (25th). Down on the 0859 ex-Newbury, back on 1802 ex-Exeter. I didn't know the booking was being done until I found the confirmation print-out.

Imagine your tickets will be valid via Reading and Bristol. I would start out earlier from Newbury.

If not they ought to be!

This is what gwr.com currently says....

Disruption between Taunton, Westbury and Weymouth

Disruption between Taunton, Westbury and Weymouth

Due to a derailed freight train, services between Taunton and Westbury, and Weymouth and Westbury are being delayed or cancelled, and replacement buses are running on some routes.

Disruption is expected until at least until Saturday 25th March.

Several de-railed wagons are still full of stone and sand, and engineers advise that a great deal of preparatory work has to be carried out prior to them being moved or scrapped on-site.

What is the impact on customers?

No GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services are currently able to operate between Frome and Castle Cary.

Customers travelling on GWR High Speed services between London/Reading – Pewsey – Westbury – Castle Cary – Taunton – Devon/Cornwall will find that services are diverted away from the direct route via Castle Cary, normally resulting in extended journey times.  Fast services will generally divert via Swindon and Bristol, slower services will generally operate via Pewsey and then divert via Trowbridge and Bristol.  Some services will call additionally at Trowbridge.

Customers travelling on GWR local services between Bristol – Westbury – Frome – Castle Cary – Yeovil – Weymouth will find that Westbound services from the Bristol/Westbury direction will generally terminate at Frome. Customers at Frome for stations to Weymouth are to travel to Castle Cary by coach.

Customers travelling on local trains beyond Castle Cary will be able to use a special GWR shuttle train service operating between Castle Cary and Weymouth.

Customers at Westbury please travel via Bath and Bristol Temple Meads for Devon/Cornwall AND stations to London.

Customers at Castle Cary are to travel to Taunton by coach for Devon/Cornwall and Westbury by coach for onward train services to stations to London – please note that this is a much longer journey time.

If you are delayed or decide not to travel you may be entitled to some money back.

Please - Check your journey before travelling.

What are the changes to GWR Ticket Restrictions?

Customers due to travel on GWR services affected by this service disruption will be allowed greater ticket restriction flexibility for travel until the line is opened again.
- Customers holding Advance tickets may travel on any GWR departure on the date on the ticket to make their intended journey
- Customer holding Super Off-Peak or Off-Peak tickets may travel on any affected GWR departure, within the date validity of their ticket, to make their intended journey.

So, at a guess your tickets will be valid on any train, but probably not via Reading - but always best to check beforehand.

[Timmer]

Some great pics of the recovery operation taking place are being posted on the Network Rail Greater Western Twitter Feed:
https://twitter.com/networkrailwest

[Thatcham Crossing]

Thanks all for the info and suggestions....

slower services will generally operate via Pewsey and then divert via Trowbridge and Bristol.  Some services will call additionally at Trowbridge.

I think the service my family members will be using (I'm not travelling myself) will fall into the above category, based on today's evidence of a Paddington-Exeter semi-fast that did operate down the B&H^▸ (Berks and Hants - railway line from Reading to Taunton via Westbury) to Pewsey and then via Trowbridge etc.