Landslip at Honiton Tunnel Axminster - Exeter shut.

[whole diary]

[RichardB]

Sadly another landslip by Honiton Tunnel.  The line shut between Axminster and Honiton yesterday morning and is not expected to reopen until tomorrow (Sunday) morning.

The line between Honiton and Exeter is absolutely fine and SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) have units in Exeter (or, at least, they did - they may have been moved via the GW^» (Great Western - used as an abbreviation for the area / lines under the Great Western franchise, as opposed to FGW which includes "First", the company operating them too. For tickets - about) route overnight) but no emergency Exeter - Honiton shuttle service has been organised and buses have been laid on instead.  The buses are not running to a timetable and inevitably take much longer than the train.

Somehow this has got to be cracked - yes, it would be an organisational challenge to provide a shuttle especially in terms of train crew but I'd be confident it's doable and running trains instead of buses would provide an infinitely better service for passengers.

The Waterloo - Exeter line has been run from Salisbury since Salisbury Depot was built and the 159s were introduced in 1993.   There must have once been contingency plans for running a train service west of a blockage at Crewkerne or Honiton Tunnels.   They need to be found, updated and be ready to be put into practice in any future situation like this.

[ChrisB]

Drivers depot at Exeter would solve it...?

[bradshaw]

The problem is at the west end of the tunnel and seems a new source of water reaching the surface.

These posts from Network Rail show the problem

https://x.com/networkrailwssx/status/1827033715534360868?s=61&t=VlafMC5gF9tidw36b1Y8JQ

https://x.com/networkrailwssx/status/1827279330474414491?s=61&t=VlafMC5gF9tidw36b1Y8JQ

Updated at 20.47 video explaining what is happening
https://x.com/networkrailwssx/status/1827426216577528032?s=61&t=VlafMC5gF9tidw36b1Y8JQ

[PhilWakely]

Drivers depot at Exeter would solve it...?

Spot on as there are currently 2 6-car sets stabled in New Yard.

What happens to the crews of the last Down service of the day (arr 0005) and the first Up service (dep 0510)? Do they stop over or are they taxi'ed to/from Salisbury/Yeovil? Unless, of course, wind-down and start-up prep mean that it is all part of the same shift?

[paul7575]

Drivers depot at Exeter would solve it...?

Spot on as there are currently 2 6-car sets stabled in New Yard.

What happens to the crews of the last Down service of the day (arr 0005) and the first Up service (dep 0510)? Do they stop over or are they taxi'ed to/from Salisbury/Yeovil? Unless, of course, wind-down and start-up prep mean that it is all part of the same shift?

I think I’ve read previously it is an overnight shift, and they have a break in situ.