Travel advice 4th January onwards

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

No-one can hold GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) responsible for extreme weather but communication is 100% within their remit.

There was a severe weather warning for rain from the Met office covering the whole of the region, indeed the whole of Southern England (later expanding to the Midlands and East) specifically citing travel problems, valid from midday today until 0300 Friday, issued well in advance - there was torrential rain in Cornwall early this morning.

This also against the background of the issues caused by Storm Henk.

Despite this, there was nothing from GWR in terms of cautioning against travel unless absolutely necessary until after midday today, and then only initially on Twitter.

At one point this evening there were 11 different line updates listed on Journeycheck - I don't think I have ever seen that many before - one due to a suicide which obviously is a different issue altogether, but others announcing the closure or virtual closure of entire lines and decimation of services with few or no alternatives on offer.

Judging by reports, communication from GWR for those stranded at stations tonight is equally hopeless.

Knowing the almost certain severity of the weather and that disruption was almost inevitable, why, I wonder, did GWR not put out a warning to travel only if absolutely necessary first thing this morning, to coincide with the Met Office message and other weather forecasts?

[BBM]

There's something going on in the Pangbourne/Goring area, presumably the fatality incident - 1C90 1703 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PNZ has been stuck there for 3 hours now.

[nickswift99]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have now advised passengers not to travel and to return to their origin.

There are local rumours in Pangbourne that the incident near Goring is related another significant incident in the local area and there has been a significant police presence.

The combination of weather and this event has, unfortunately, had a catastrophic impact on services.

However, I agree that communications have been very poor and now lots of passengers will be stranded, many on stations that are not staffed.

[eightonedee]

There's something going on in the Pangbourne/Goring area, presumably the fatality incident - 1C90 1703 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)» -PNZ has been stuck there for 3 hours now.

This is shown on Journey Check as "terminated at Reading......due to flooding", but is apparently a Hants & Berks routed service that should not be going via Goring & Streatley. It is however still Open Train Times as halted at signal 805 just east of Goring.....

[BBM]

There's something going on in the Pangbourne/Goring area, presumably the fatality incident - 1C90 1703 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)» -PNZ has been stuck there for 3 hours now.

This is shown on Journey Check as "terminated at Reading......due to flooding", but is apparently a Hants & Berks routed service that should not be going via Goring & Streatley. It is however still Open Train Times as halted at signal 805 just east of Goring.....

A minute or two ago I saw this from someone stuck on that train:

https://twitter.com/SaraRoseAllen/status/1743018485033164828

@GWRHelp I'm on the static train that had the fatality at Pangbourne. Can I do a public shoutout for the amazing staff on this train who are doing all they can for us, and remaining positive in a clearly distressing situation. Please pass on my huge admiration of them.

[Timmer]

11 different line updates merged into one:

Cancellations to services on all routes
Due to heavy rain flooding the railway all lines are disrupted.
Train services running across the whole Great Western Railway network will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
We apologise for the disruption to your journey today.

We are currently experiencing significant disruption on the network and customers are advised NOT TO TRAVEL.

Flooding has closed several routes and a person has been hit by a train near Reading.

Disruption is expected until the end of the day and you may not be able to complete your journey. If possible, please return in your direction of travel and make alternative arrangements. Please keep receipts for future reimbursement.

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and Elizabeth Line services will continue to operate between Paddington and Reading.

Customers should check before travelling in the morning as we expect further disruption to services from the severe weather forecast overnight.

Tickets for travel today will be valid tomorrow.

95 cancellations currently listed.

Earlier in the evening you could witness the service completely unraveling by various station departure boards showing more and more services down as DELAYED followed by CANCELLED and now they are blank. The Paddington departure board just showing Heathrow Express services.

It has to be said the rainfall this afternoon and evening over Southern England was pretty exceptional in terms of intensity over a wide area and longevity. This coming on top of many days of rain previously.

To be fair to GWR, it was only in the morning that the Met Office upgraded yesterday’s yellow warning for rainfall to another level within the scope of a yellow warning. Based on this, I don't think GWR could have issued their advice regards travelling earlier or starting your journey much earlier than lunchtime.

On a separate but related note, it’s debatable whether it should have been an Amber weather warning given the amount of rain having fallen previously.

[TaplowGreen]

Now saying no onward travel beyond Reading

https://twitter.com/GWRHelp/status/1743019952628539621?t=2pJ4pYsUAvidGnXQXhhwQg&s=19

[eightonedee]

There's a more helpful post on National Rail as follows - "The emergency services are dealing with an incident between Didcot Parkway and Reading. Whilst they carry out their work, all lines are currently closed. As a result, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected until the end of the day."

I appreciate that there's a lot going on this evening, but surely whatever is happening here merits a separate mention on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Line Update section?

[Timmer]

Things aren’t going well on SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) either:

Cancellations to services on all routes

Due to forecast severe weather:

What's Going On:
Train services running across the whole South Western Railway network may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

What We're Doing About It:
Extreme rainfall is currently causing disruption to train services in the South of England and we expect this to continue until the at least the end of the day. If you are travelling tomorrow (05 January) we would advise you to check before you travel as we expect that our services may be impacted by the disruption this evening.

The following changes to our train services will apply this evening:
Waterloo to Portsmouth via Eastleigh services are cancelled in both directions
Waterloo to Bournemouth / Weymouth services will start and end its journey at Southampton Central
Waterloo to Exeter St David's services will start and end its journey at Salisbury
Southampton to Portsmouth via Netley services are cancelled in both directions
Salisbury to Southampton via Romsey services are cancelled in both directions
Guildford to Farnham services are cancelled in both directions
Ascot to Aldershot services are cancelled in both directions
All Island line services are cancelled

If you are travelling to stations West and South of Basingstoke and have not yet started your journey, we advise you not to travel. Tickets dated for today (04 January) on SWR services will be valid for travel tomorrow on SWR services only (05 January).

And now this:

Cancellations to services between Winchester and Micheldever

Due to a landslip between Winchester and Micheldever all lines are blocked.

What's Going On:
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

What We're Doing About It:
We have been informed that there is a landslip between Winchester and Micheldever. This means that all lines are currently blocked.

[TaplowGreen]

There's a more helpful post on National Rail as follows - "The emergency services are dealing with an incident between Didcot Parkway and Reading. Whilst they carry out their work, all lines are currently closed. As a result, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected until the end of the day."

I appreciate that there's a lot going on this evening, but surely whatever is happening here merits a separate mention on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Line Update section?

Other than Elizabeth Line services every GWR service from Reading for the remainder of the day appears to be listed as cancelled.

[jamestheredengine]

Knowing the almost certain severity of the weather and that disruption was almost inevitable, why, I wonder, did GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) not put out a warning to travel only if absolutely necessary first thing this morning, to coincide with the Met Office message and other weather forecasts?

The weather today has been significantly better in Cardiff today than it has been all week. The panic about the weather today quite frankly felt bizarre.

[Trowres]

Quoting GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Journeycheck:

Cancellations to services on all routes
Due to heavy rain flooding the railway all lines are disrupted.
Train services running across the whole Great Western Railway network will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
We apologise for the disruption to your journey today.

We are currently experiencing significant disruption on the network and customers are advised NOT TO TRAVEL.

Flooding has closed several routes and a person has been hit by a train near Reading.

Disruption is expected until the end of the day and you may not be able to complete your journey. If possible, please return in your direction of travel and make alternative arrangements. Please keep receipts for future reimbursement.

GWR and Elizabeth Line services will continue to operate between Paddington and Reading.

You would not guess from this message that services on the Birmingham-Bristol-Exeter axis have continued running, as have trains on the Taunton-Cardiff route. Severn Beach branch has suffered nothing worse than a 19 minute delay.

[grahame]

The weather today has been significantly better in Cardiff today than it has been all week. The panic about the weather today quite frankly felt bizarre.

In a band that missed you.  I went out to have a look this evening and never seen it so bad so close to home - and we have lived in Melksham since 1999.  Never seen the social media like it either but there I must admit that the prevelance of social media these days brings the story into my home in a way it would not have done even a few years ago.

[CyclingSid]

And this morning https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/swindon-20231231/

[snip]Flooding has closed several routes and an incident yesterday near Reading.

Major disruption is anticipated throughout the day.

Flooding sites:

    Bedwyn
    Castle Cary
    Southampton Central
    Romsey
    Lydney
    Looe Branch
    Newbury
    Aldermaston [snip]

Not much better on the roads https://www.theaa.com/route-planner/traffic-news

Live flood map does not look good in Thames Valley https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/river-and-sea-levels?v=map&lyr=mv,ri,ti,gr,rf,tw&ext=-1.395597,51.644131,-1.061201,51.787674

Got to work ok on the bike, not sure I would go much further today. The Kennet was high as I came through Reading.

[Timmer]

Looks like nothing running on the Berks and Hants due to flooding with SW services diverted via Bristol calling additionally at Temple Meads. To make space for this and the diverted South Wales services, one of the half hourly Bristol to London services canned with Swansea to London services now calling additionally at Bath Spa.