Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

grahame

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Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« on: November 25, 2023, 21:37:03 »

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

Quote

Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

Part of a railway line has been closed so worn-out tracks can be replaced.

The line between Salisbury in Wiltshire and Yeovil in Somerset was shut on Friday night and will not reopen for 16 days, while 5,699ft (1,737m) of track is changed.

Rail replacement bus services will be in place for customers travelling to and from Tisbury, Gillingham, Sherborne and Templecombe.

Network Rail said the route would reopen on 11 December.

Interesting choice of BBC headline - true enough but feels overdramatic for routine engineering


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JayMac

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Re: Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2023, 22:08:42 »

Usual RRB^▸ lottery when it comes to travelling with a dog.

It was a "No" from Templecombe this morning. I had planned ahead and got permission from SWR^» to travel from Yeovil Junction on a diverted service via Westbury to Clapham Junction. With a ticket from Templecombe. Did mean I had to fork out an extra £4 for the two local buses to get Finn and I from Templecombe to Yeovil Junction.

I have a few errands and family visits over the next week or so. Due to the RRB v Finn lottery - where you can't find out ahead of time whether he'll be allowed to travel - I've hired a car.


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grahame

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Re: Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2023, 23:14:48 »

Quote from: JayMac on November 25, 2023, 22:08:42

... Due to the RRB^▸ v Finn lottery - where you can't find out ahead of time whether he'll be allowed to travel - I've hired a car ...

A classic example of the way the rail industry cuts off its nose to spite its face.


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JayMac

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Re: Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2023, 18:34:34 »

Sod's law that I was stuck behind an RRB^▸ between Sherborne and home this evening.


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paul7575

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Re: Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2023, 19:05:53 »

Quote from: grahame on November 25, 2023, 21:37:03

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

Quote

Interesting choice of BBC headline - true enough but feels overdramatic for routine engineering

Probably based on a Network Rail press release - where they always seem to be embarrassed to use the term “preventive maintenance”.

Paul


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broadgage

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Re: Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2023, 19:24:57 »

In the good old days, a reduced train service could have been run by single line working, renew one line and then when complete do the other one.


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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
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grahame

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Re: Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2023, 19:34:05 »

Quote from: broadgage on November 26, 2023, 19:24:57

In the good old days, a reduced train service could have been run by single line working, renew one line and then when complete do the other one.

I think that's what they are still doing - except that one line is via Templecombe and the other line is via Castle Cary these days.


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Ralph Ayres

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Re: Worn-out tracks cause railway line closure

« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2023, 21:39:45 »

Quote from: paul7575 on November 26, 2023, 19:05:53

Probably based on a Network Rail press release - where they always seem to be embarrassed to use the term “preventive maintenance”.

Paul

TfL^» insist on calling it "improvement work". You could I suppose say that maintenance work does leave infrastructure in a better condition than allowing it to wear out so it's technically a correct description, but it still feels like putting an unnecessary spin on it.


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