Snow/Wintry conditions

[whole diary]

[Driver Potter]

A comment from Driver Potter about the current operational difficulties on his blog

PS: I make no comment on how we used to things when every train could couple to every other train because (a) it doesn't bloody help, (b) times have moved on and most importantly (c) looking like a smart arse when things go wrong is what the foaming anoraks do; railwaymen just bloody deal with it!

One doesn't like to be critical of the hand that feeds it, you know...

[IanL]

About 12" snow here in the Cotswolds overnight, walked down to the station to find Teresa (cotswold stations manager) clearing snow and gritting paths and platform. Stopping service about 20min late after being started from Moreton. Trains being queued at Moreton due to frozen points. NR^» (Network Rail - home page) website not operating to be able to get updates and CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) screens useless due to no updates.

[JayMac]

Individual TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) appear to be doing their very best to marshal resources to provide as good a service as possible.

However if you want to check whether a particular service is running then you can't do so via the NRE^‡(resolve) website. As is usual during disruption the website cannot cope and is down at the moment. This has happened before and I think ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) would've been wiser spending money to prevent this, rather than on a cosmetic change to the website's layout.

[grahame]

Pictures from within the last hour from Trowbridge (nearly full service) and Melksham (service suspended)

[devonian]

Heading to Kent later and having compared websites, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are doing a damn site better than SET^▸ (Super Express Train (now IET)). I know FGW don't have third rail to contend with, but it isn't even snowing in Kent and unless you travel on HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel) (which is 3rd rail after Ashford), then you need to leave London by about 1900 tonight.

[Tim]

Heading to Kent later and having compared websites, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are doing a damn site better than SET^▸ (Super Express Train (now IET)). I know FGW don't have third rail to contend with, but it isn't even snowing in Kent and unless you travel on HS1^▸ (High Speed line 1 - St Pancras to Channel Tunnel) (which is 3rd rail after Ashford), then you need to leave London by about 1900 tonight.

Third rail's problem isn't so much with snow as with ice freezing in the railhead.  I expect that they want to get most people home before the temperature really drops and ice becomes a big problem, although the best way to keep ice off the third rail is to run trains (IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), NR^» (Network Rail - home page) sometimes run some empty trains through the night for this purpose)

[autotank]

Well done to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) I had a smooth journey from Henley to Reading this morning. In conditions like this the train really comes into its own. Although there are a few cancellations, by and large if you want to get somewhere by train you can although it will take longer. Weel done to all the staff for coming out today - your efforts are much appreciated!

[Brucey]

Well done to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) I had a smooth journey from Henley to Reading this morning. In conditions like this the train really comes into its own. Although there are a few cancellations, by and large if you want to get somewhere by train you can although it will take longer. Weel done to all the staff for coming out today - your efforts are much appreciated!

I agree.  All the Portsmouth-Cardiff services have run with a maximum delay of 20 minutes.  The only problem I've had is that I couldn't get to/from the station to actually use the service!

[devon_metro]

Probably about an inch in Torbay, so we didn't fair too badly.

Just drove out of the drive and that was a little bit dodgy.

[John R]

Though I note the press have often been talking as if the service was completely disrupted. Maybe it's time for the railway to highlight how well it's done today.

[Electric train]

Though I note the press have often been talking as if the service was completely disrupted. Maybe it's time for the railway to highlight how well it's done today.

Do you really think that our wonderful truth telling press (sic) are interested in publishing good news

[JayMac]

Spare a thought for a SE driver friend of mine. He's on  the first Victoria-Maidstone East via Ashford turn tomorrow. He's about 50% confident of getting there......Electrostars and iced 3rd rail are not a happy mix.

[John R]

Though I note the press have often been talking as if the service was completely disrupted. Maybe it's time for the railway to highlight how well it's done today.

Do you really think that our wonderful truth telling press (sic) are interested in publishing good news

Sorry,  I was having a wildly optimistic moment again.  Don't worry, it's gone away now.

[JayMac]

Not so much a complaint - more an observation. Why do FGW^▸ (First Great Western) stick to using stock phrases when describing disruptions? The reasons given for no services on the SVB line and TransWilts are 'Line Problems due to poor weather conditions'. The reality should be 'FGW have cancelled all services on these lines in order to marshal resources to provide a better service elsewhere'

[old original]

Definetely a big hooray to some of the staff.

My contact who works in Truro left his house at 4 this morning, walked 6 miles into StAustell to catch the overnight train from London to Truro just to sell tickets. Whilst waiting at St.Austell he helped the staff there to clear snow off the access to the station and the platforms as well as trying to get a stuck National Express bus out of the station forecourt.

When asked by a less enthusiastic member of staff why he had done it his reply was "I am a railwayman, it's what I do."

WOW!!