Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2016

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Well, that's three days of hot weather and the infrastructure has held up pretty well with no major disruption- this year certainly hasn't seen the service completely collapsing as the thermometer breaks 30 like it has in previous years.

With the return to more seasonal temperatures tomorrow, at least we can get back to what we do well this time of the year - blaming leaves for delays.   

You tempted fate there... flooding at Didcot and Newbury this morning and storm damage near Slough!

Yes I rather did, didn't I.    Not much you can do when mother nature roars like that.

Still, at least our network didn't suffer with any major landslips, this one affecting the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) near Watford today is causing a great deal of disruption and can possibly be described as a 'lucky escape' as it appears a train coming the other way actually made contact with the derailed one: http://www.itv.com/news/2016-09-16/train-derailed-at-watford-junction/

[ChrisB]

Two reported injured on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) website - "A man was treated for a neck injury and a woman treated for chest pains"

Caption on one of those photos
"The southbound train derailed by a tunnel near Watford"

Naughty tunnel! :-)

[Tim]

Twitter reporting that the Didcot station flood water contains sewage and so station will need a deep clean / disinfection before reopening.

I'm I right in thinking that the route through Hinksey which recently was raised as part of flood prevention work has been tested by this rainfall and passed?

[IndustryInsider]

No problems at Hinksey, though that was never really susceptible to this sort of flash flooding event, more the slower build up of persistent rain from the Cotswolds swelling the River Thames and Cherwell and trying to come down through the various channels through Oxford.

[ray951]

Twitter reporting that the Didcot station flood water contains sewage and so station will need a deep clean / disinfection before reopening.

I'm I right in thinking that the route through Hinksey which recently was raised as part of flood prevention work has been tested by this rainfall and passed?

No because flooding at Hinksey is usually caused by the rainwater as it accumulates in the Thames and flows towards Oxford, it therefore tends to be several days after the rain has fallen.
I also believe that this morning's rain was very localised  to Didcot and area and the rainfall in Oxford was much less and therefore won't impact on Hinksey.

[ChrisB]

Two reported injured on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) website - "A man was treated for a neck injury and a woman treated for chest pains"

Caption on one of those photos
"The southbound train derailed by a tunnel near Watford"

Naughty tunnel! :-)

Another photo has surfaced - an uncropped one showing the creation of a new road above the tunnel/slippage - I wonder whether the rain actually to blame here? Only time will tell

[charles_uk]

Cancellations to services at London Paddington

Following a fault with the signalling system at London Paddington all lines have now reopened.
Train services running to and from this station may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until 17:00 16/09.

Further Information

Owing to a power failure at London Paddington affecting sigmalling there we are unable to operate any long distance services to or from London Paddington,
Custromers travelling to stations Reading and west thereof are strongly advised to utilise alternative routes from London.
Last Updated:16/09/2016 14:20

[didcotdean]

Twitter reporting that the Didcot station flood water contains sewage and so station will need a deep clean / disinfection before reopening.

Reports suggest that platform access will be prioritised but the ticket office may need more time.

The railway station is in one of the lowest-lying parts of Didcot. I have noticed recently that some drainage channels around Didcot still had pools of stagnant water in them despite two months of very little rain. This suggests a blockage somewhere or ground saturation.

I'm I right in thinking that the route through Hinksey which recently was raised as part of flood prevention work has been tested by this rainfall and passed?

Didcot was about the most northerly extent of the heavy rain.

[TaplowGreen]

Owing to a power failure at London Paddington affecting sigmalling there we are unable to operate any long distance services to or from London Paddington,
Custromers travelling to stations Reading and west thereof are strongly advised to utilise alternative routes from London.
Last Updated:16/09/2016 14:20

.............they really, really, really need to get that sorted out, or there are going to be a lot of very unhappy people trying to get to home to Wales and the Westcountry for the weekend who find themselves stranded (Again) by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).....(and before the ranting starts I know it's probably a bit of NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s kit)

[ChrisB]

Already sorted & Lines are open.

[TaplowGreen]

Already sorted & Lines are open.

............from NRE^‡(resolve);

Having previously been resolved, the signalling problem at London Paddington has reoccurred. There will be delays of up to 60 minutes can be expected while services fully return to normal. Disruption is expected to continue until 17:00.
Great Western Railway customers may use South West Trains services between London Waterloo and Windsor / Reading to connect with Great Western Railway services. Alternatively you can use your ticket on South West Trains services via Basingstoke and Guildford.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/147525.aspx

[IndustryInsider]

19 signals blank and multiple track circuit failures leading to platform 1-7 currently not available.

[Jason]

19 signals blank and multiple track circuit failures leading to platform 1-7 currently not available.

Ouch!

[ChrisB]

Didcot platforms being reported as open by BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page).

[didcotdean]

Road to Didcot Parkway (Hitchcock Way) to the east though is still closed. The Fire Service has moved down there to pump it out.