line closed Bath to Swindon

[whole diary]

[infoman]

due to flooding at Box tunnel area?

reported by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) tweets at 07:00am thursday 12 january 2023

Seems like the route via Bristol Parkway is okay

[GBM]

Also posted here http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=27077.msg329639#msg329639

[Timmer]

Seems like the route via Bristol Parkway is okay

Unusual, as that's normally the first to go not the route via Bath.

[infoman]

Sorry GBM did not see the earler posting.

James Davis on radio bristol saying it will be one train BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) to Swindon via BP^» (Beyond Petroleum (Former name - British Petroleum) - home page)
and one BTM to London via newbury.

Could the services not go BTM/BATH/Trowbridge REVERSE then Chippenham to London,saving getting in the bus's

[grahame]

Sorry GBM did not see the earler posting.

James Davis on radio bristol saying it will be one train BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) to Swindon via BP^» (Beyond Petroleum (Former name - British Petroleum) - home page)
and one BTM to London via newbury.

Could the services not go BTM/BATH/Trowbridge REVERSE then Chippenham to London,saving getting in the bus's

Yes, if there was capacity on the single line and at the reversal point at Bradford Junction, and the if the Bristol crew knew the line.

[froome]

The GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website now shows flooding on the Bristol Parkway to Swindon line as well, which suggests that there are no services running east from Bristol or Bath towards Swindon. An hourly service is said to be running from Temple Meads and Bath via Westbury to Reading.

(makes you almost wish there was a direct service from here to Waterloo via Salisbury  )

[Timmer]

Seems like the route via Bristol Parkway is okay

Unusual, as that's normally the first to go not the route via Bath.

Oh well, that didn't take long:

Due to heavy rain flooding the railway between Bristol Parkway and Swindon all lines are closed.
Train services running through these stations may be delayed or diverted. Disruption is expected until 12:00 12/01.
Customer Advice
The railway in the Chipping Sodbury area (northeast Bristol) has flooded, with water breaching the rail head. Network Railway are working on site to make the railway safe to run trains again. Until then, we cannot run trains through the area.
-
Some trains may run non-stop between Newport & Swindon. In this case, please travel on alternative services via Bristol Temple Meads. The fastest options will be advertised on online journey planners. Check your journey at gwr.com/check or speak to staff.
-
We have requested for road transport to shuttle between Bristol Parkway & Swindon. This is still pending. We will share more information as soon as we have it.

[stuving]

At 9:59 NRE^▸ (National Rail Enquiries) still says:

Swindon - Bristol Temple Meads

​​​​​​​Passengers for Bath Spa at Swindon are advised to travel via Bristol Parkway and change at Bristol Temple Meads

though that route was closed a while back. And plan C had already gone as well:

Chippenham - Westbury

The local-stopping service between Swindon & Westbury is suspended due to flooding in the Dauntsey Lock area (east of Chippenham). Great Western Railway are sourcing road transport to operate, but this is still pending. As soon as we have confirmation of road transport, this will be published.

But don't worry! According to NRE, this rates as:

Great Western Railway                           Minor delays on some routes

though the water isn't now expected to subside until 16:00.

[Timmer]

Very clear from this short video from Network Rail why the line is closed between Bath and Swindon:
https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1613501822668505089

[stuving]

Very clear from this short video from Network Rail why the line is closed between Bath and Swindon:
https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1613501822668505089

... and in several places, from what the signallers have are showing. But all this morning's goods trains ran - perhaps not surprising given you can still see a bit of rail here and there. The latest one (4L32) didn't go direct from BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) to Swindon as planned, so must have run via Bath: Liverail shows that as its route but with no reports (not sure what that implies!).

[grahame]

Very clear from this short video from Network Rail why the line is closed between Bath and Swindon:
https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1613501822668505089

Not sure of exact location from that video - here are a couple of stills from it

[bobm]

Sorry GBM did not see the earler posting.

James Davis on radio bristol saying it will be one train BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) to Swindon via BP^» (Beyond Petroleum (Former name - British Petroleum) - home page)
and one BTM to London via newbury.

Could the services not go BTM/BATH/Trowbridge REVERSE then Chippenham to London,saving getting in the bus's

Yes, if there was capacity on the single line and at the reversal point at Bradford Junction, and the if the Bristol crew knew the line.

..and of it weren't for flooding at Dauntsey and Christian Malford.

[bradshaw]

I think it is in the circled area a little to the west of Dauntsey Lock, where the old Berks and Wilts Canal was close to the line. There is a footbridge there to suggest this

Apologies the new image is where I think it is. Notice the light coloured are just to the east of the bridge

[Oxonhutch]

I wonder if the old canal had a part to play. It looks still in water there.

[Timmer]

Not that it was any good to begin with, but services are rapidly going to pot:

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Bristol Parkway
Due to heavy rain flooding the railway between Swindon and Bristol Parkway all lines towards Bristol Parkway are blocked.
Train services running through these stations will be cancelled, delayed or diverted. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.

Network Rail have confirmed that the line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway has flooded again and is now shut to trains.

Cancellations to services between Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa
Due to a tree blocking the railway between Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa all lines are blocked.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 14:00 14/01.
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the disruption to your journey.

A very large tree was blocking the line near Keynsham yesterday, and it has taken all night to clear the tree and debris from the railway. Network Rail colleagues are now investigating and ensuring the line is safe, this will take several hours.

Cancellations to services between Bristol and Swindon
Due to heavy rain flooding the railway between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington all lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 12:00 14/01.
Train services between Bristol Parkway and Swindon will be cancelled.
Additional Information
Due to flooding on the railway and trees on the line all trains from Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway to and from London Paddington are cancelled. Customers are advised NOT to travel as we cannot guarantee they will get to their destinations.

A very limited train service is running from Swindon to London Paddington via Didcot Parkway and Reading.

There was meant to be engineering work between Bath and Bristol today, but I believe that got cancelled to provide an open line between Bristol and Swindon. Unfortunately, as you can see above, a big tree fell onto the line last night closing that line as well.

EDIT: Confirmed that South Wales services to/from London operating via the Stroud Valley line adding 60 minutes to journeys.