Dawlish closures - November 2018

[whole diary]

[Trowres]

Never mind: according to National Rail website:

Great Western Railway    Minor delays on some routes

[JayMac]

....and if you're stuck in flood water trying to get to the station, that will be the railway's fault or can you claim for delay from the highways agency?

Do you pay the Highways Agency for your journey at point of use?

[Umberleigh]

....and if you're stuck in flood water trying to get to the station, that will be the railway's fault or can you claim for delay from the highways agency?

https://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest-news/2733702/breaking-flooding-blocks-a38-in-cornwall/

On the roads, for which I pay a tax, I can turn off and take another route.

On the railway, I buy a ticket but get stranded because both the two other routes between Exeter and Newton Abbot were closed before I was born

[old original]

....and if you're stuck in flood water trying to get to the station, that will be the railway's fault or can you claim for delay from the highways agency?

Do you pay the Highways Agency for your journey at point of use?

Through the "tax disc", fuel duty (58p per litre) and vat on that,  yes
...and there isn't another way to Bodmin Parkway (Umb)

[ellendune]

....and if you're stuck in flood water trying to get to the station, that will be the railway's fault or can you claim for delay from the highways agency?

Do you pay the Highways Agency for your journey at point of use?

Can we just be clear here. [pedant mode=on]

The Highways Agency is now called Highways England and is the highway authority for trunk roads and motorways only

The local highway authorities (the County or Unitary Councils) are the highway authorities for all other roads

So unless you are stuck on the M5, the A30 or the A38 getting to your local station in Devon the 'Highways Agency' is not to blame it is Devon County Council, Torbay Council or Plymouth City Council.

[/pedant mode=off]

[Umberleigh]

....and if you're stuck in flood water trying to get to the station, that will be the railway's fault or can you claim for delay from the highways agency?

Do you pay the Highways Agency for your journey at point of use?

Through the "tax disc", fuel duty (58p per litre) and vat on that,  yes
...and there isn't another way to Bodmin Parkway (Umb)

Well Bodmin North would have been close anytime before 1967

National Express coach to Totnes just passed me here in Exeter, bet they are feeling smug (if not a little tired from the long, slow haul...)

[PhilWakely]

National Express coach to Totnes just passed me here in Exeter, bet they are feeling smug (if not a little tired from the long, slow haul...)

Probably not as the A380 southbound is closed at Telegraph Hill [overnight repairs], so will have to divert to Drumbridges and into Newton Abbot 'the back way' before proceeding to Totnes.

[TaplowGreen]

Both Up and Down sleeper services cancelled.

What happens to the sleeper passengers in these circumstances? Do GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) arrange road transport or do they put them in hotels overnight? (Or are they just abandoned and left to their own devices?)

[bradshaw]

High tide is 5m, at 21.30 the waves were peaking at 9m above that, a total of 14m above OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) datum.

[grahame]

Both Up and Down sleeper services cancelled.

What happens to the sleeper passengers in these circumstances? Do GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) arrange road transport or do they put them in hotels overnight? (Or are they just abandoned and left to their own devices?)

Not clear from Journey check which has no directions on the individual trains.

General advice is "do not travel" ... but if you're on the return leg of a day trip, that will lead to the question "so what do I do overnight then ...".

We had a handful of occasions when running as a hotel when we provided accommodation for those who were pre-empting problems and one where people were stuck; you just do your best to help even if the norm cannot be provided.   Of course, the scale of GWR is so vastly different as to be incomparable but one hopes there are people out there who will provide pragmatic help and solutions, and customers who will accept that less than the norm is all that can be practically provided and the staff on the ground are doing their best.  Mind you, the question comes, again, "why is this the only route?".

Cancellations to services between Newton Abbot and Exeter St Davids

Due to forecasted severe weather between Newton Abbot and Exeter St Davids all lines are blocked.

Train services running through these stations will be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice

Due to severe weather along the Dawlish sea wall we are no longer able to run trains between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot. GWR are advising customer NOT TO TRAVEL at this time as the railway will not be reopened until tomorrow morning.

Replacement road transport is limited and due to the weather not guaranteed to serve all of the stations required.
GWR tickets will be valid on services tomorrow.

[Umberleigh]

Both Up and Down sleeper services cancelled.

What happens to the sleeper passengers in these circumstances? Do GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) arrange road transport or do they put them in hotels overnight? (Or are they just abandoned and left to their own devices?)

The 21.03 to Plymouth finally left Paddington at 22.20 and was the last service out of Paddington to Taunton and beyond. It is however terminating at Exeter, so not much use to most Sleeper passengers.

So I guess a hotel in London or Reading? I know that GWR ask passengers with berths booked for their mobile numbers and I further believe they are all contacted. But who pays for the hotel?

[JayMac]

....and if you're stuck in flood water trying to get to the station, that will be the railway's fault or can you claim for delay from the highways agency?

Do you pay the Highways Agency for your journey at point of use?

Through the "tax disc", fuel duty (58p per litre) and vat on that,  yes

You pay for your road tax and fuel on a per journey basis?

And if taxation is brought into it then should your contribution to rail subsidies be refunded pro rata for each disrupted train journey, as well as your ticket price?

My point is, that a fueled, taxed and insured car incurs no charge to access the highway for each journey made. Therefore the Highways Agency has no obligation to compensate for disrupted journeys.

[grahame]

Are both sleeper sets the same these days ... or is it always the same set each week from Paddington on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday with the other on Monday, Wednesday and Friday?  If the latter, do we see a swap at some point?

[grahame]

Good summary from The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) at around 10 p.m. last night (9th November 2018)

Flooding closes railway line at Dawlish sea wall

A railway line has been closed after high tides washed over a sea wall in Devon and flooded the track.

Network Rail has advised train operators Crosscountry and Great Western Railway the sea wall at Dawlish will not be passable for the rest of the day.

Train services are not operating between Newton Abbot and Exeter St Davids.

A 50mph speed restriction is also in place between Taunton and Plymouth.

Crosscountry said it had been advised services could not resume "until sea levels reduce and the railway line can be inspected".

In 2014 storms caused a section of the Dawlish sea wall to collapse, leaving the rail track to Cornwall suspended in mid-air.

And in October flooding opened a 6ft hole under the line, halting services through Devon and Cornwall.

Great Western Railway and Crosscountry are accepting each others tickets on their rail and bus replacement services for the rest of the day at no extra charge.

[REVUpminster]

They seem to be up and running this morning. This must be losing a lot of passengers if this is a foretaste of the winter.