Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2019

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

I think I'll leave that one to the experts.

[Jason]

Due to urgent repairs to the track between Reading and Basingstoke the line is blocked.
Impact:
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 17:30 11/07.

[ray951]

Cattle on the line between Swindon and Didcot Parkway so all services stopped. Disruption expected to 11:00.
I believe that a train may have hit the cattle.

Now expecting several puns about cows and /or trains needing to get a moo-ve on.

[TaplowGreen]

In these circumstances there'll be a lot of compensation claimed.........Mooooooooooooos  gonna pay for it?

[bobm]

More than 30 cows reported on the line at one point and a suggestion they may have gained access due to vandalism.

[grahame]

Cattle on the line between Swindon and Didcot Parkway so all services stopped. Disruption expected to 11:00.
I believe that a train may have hit the cattle.

Indeed:

https://www.facebook.com/zanydavy/posts/10162006486695223

My IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) train has just hit a cow and caused damage to the front cab of the train. We are doing 20 mph as I was told they are getting a fitter to inspect the cab. I dare say the service will be terminated at Didcot. I didn't think it would be long before they got involved in an accident. We didn't feel any motion as it hit.

Followed up by pictures of damage taken at Didcot.

https://www.facebook.com/zanydavy/posts/10162006594090223

First time I've been on an intercity express train (IET) and it's done an emergency stop. 125 mph to 0 mph in a very short breaking distance. Felt a slight metallic sound as the nosecone flew off and know doubt 4 cows!!

[rower40]

Now expecting several puns about cows and /or trains needing to get a moo-ve on.

Until we can source milk from another supplier, all GWR trains will only be able to supply black tea and coffee.
But the pollen-filter beehives now allow us to carry honey on all IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) services.

[ray951]

Cattle on the line between Swindon and Didcot Parkway so all services stopped. Disruption expected to 11:00.
I believe that a train may have hit the cattle.

Indeed:

https://www.facebook.com/zanydavy/posts/10162006486695223

My IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) train has just hit a cow and caused damage to the front cab of the train. We are doing 20 mph as I was told they are getting a fitter to inspect the cab. I dare say the service will be terminated at Didcot. I didn't think it would be long before they got involved in an accident. We didn't feel any motion as it hit.

Followed up by pictures of damage taken at Didcot.

https://www.facebook.com/zanydavy/posts/10162006594090223

First time I've been on an intercity express train (IET) and it's done an emergency stop. 125 mph to 0 mph in a very short breaking distance. Felt a slight metallic sound as the nosecone flew off and know doubt 4 cows!!

Thanks for the links and looks like it was the 1A06 0620 Weston-super-Mare to Paddington.
And incident is now cleared although delays still to be expected.

[bobm]

It was 1A06.

Longest delay I think was 1C04 - 07:30 London Paddington to Penzance which was held just west of Didcot for a while before being sent back to Reading to go down the Berks & Hants.  It is currently nearly two hours late approaching Totnes and will be terminated at Plymouth.

[jamestheredengine]

It was 1A06.

Longest delay I think was 1C04 - 07:30 London Paddington to Penzance which was held just west of Didcot for a while before being sent back to Reading to go down the Berks & Hants.  It is currently nearly two hours late approaching Totnes and will be terminated at Plymouth.

Why terminate it quite that far short? They should still be able to make Truro and form the return journey on time.

[a-driver]

Might be wrong, but it looks as if, from the pictures, the nose cone itself has just retracted.  Those nose cones are Kevlar lined, the nose cone doors themselves worth about £40,000.

Cattle on the line between Swindon and Didcot Parkway so all services stopped. Disruption expected to 11:00.
I believe that a train may have hit the cattle.

Indeed:

https://www.facebook.com/zanydavy/posts/10162006486695223

My IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) train has just hit a cow and caused damage to the front cab of the train. We are doing 20 mph as I was told they are getting a fitter to inspect the cab. I dare say the service will be terminated at Didcot. I didn't think it would be long before they got involved in an accident. We didn't feel any motion as it hit.

Followed up by pictures of damage taken at Didcot.

https://www.facebook.com/zanydavy/posts/10162006594090223

First time I've been on an intercity express train (IET) and it's done an emergency stop. 125 mph to 0 mph in a very short breaking distance. Felt a slight metallic sound as the nosecone flew off and know doubt 4 cows!!

[grahame]

Update from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-49009906

Two cows were fatally struck by a train after a fence near railway tracks in Oxfordshire was damaged, police said.

The GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train hit the cows at Uffington at 07:56 BST.

Network Rail said British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) attended the scene to investigate a "deliberate act of vandalism".
Trains between Didcot and Swindon were delayed for an hour while the rest of the herd was moved away.

The BTP spokeswoman said: "Sadly, two cows were killed in the incident.

"Inquiries are ongoing to establish exactly how the cattle came to be on the tracks, but at this early stage, it is believed a nearby fence had been damaged."

[Wizard]

It means two return trips an hour are running instead of three.

I’m not sure how you could get a road based vehicle to access the train.  It might be possible if the train is shunted to the siding near Slough station I suppose.

So the combined resources of network rail (whose defective track caused the problem) and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) whose train needs fuel, are not able to deliver a modest supply of diesel fuel to a train in suburban London. Several easy ways of doing this exist.

1) Put drum of fuel in back of a van. Pump fuel into train at someplace with suitable access.

2) Put drum of fuel in van. Unload and roll the drum/use a trolley to the platform by means of the ramp or lift intended for wheelchairs. Use a hand pump to fill tank on train.

3) Fill a number of 20 liter jerry cans with diesel fuel use a van to transport these to the station. Carry the jerry cans to the train. Use a large funnel attached to a short piece of hose to pour from jerry can into fuel tank on train.

4) Contact a fuel delivery firm with a small tanker that incorporates a pump and delivery hose. These are very common and readily available. They deliver to small tanks at the far end of a domestic back garden without problems, so a parked train should be easy.

I noticed yesterday a small tanker lorry in the car park at Slough ready to refuel the unit currently ‘stuck’ on the Windsor branch, so something has obviously been organised.

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, fuelling arrangements were put into place a couple of days after the unit became locked in.

[TonyK]

Yes, fuelling arrangements were put into place a couple of days after the unit became locked in.

Probably not needed before then.