Snow/Wintry conditions

[whole diary]

[johoare]

hhmm.. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website says it is operating an amended timetable tomorrow and I need to travel from Maidenhead to Paddington..

I'm hoping the information is incomplete at the moment as it doesn't really tell me much about Maidenhead.. It says that a full Oxford to Paddington service will be running but that Bedwyn trains will only go as far as Reading then back to Bedwyn again..Also Henley trains won't be coming this way as they will only be going between Twyford and Henley. Unfortunately I don't know which of those are trains that stop at Maidenhead or not.. I assume some trains will be affected and some won't.. I guess I'll have to get up really early to check the departures board to see what is running and want isn't before setting out..

Oh and also they say "Windsor to Slough - Services will terminate and start at Slough".. phew thank goodness for that unless they wanted to go through station buildings....

[grahame]

hhmm.. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website says it is operating an amended timetable tomorrow

Swindon to Melksham - Services between Swindon and Melksham will not operate

Where we are unable to operate train services, we will also be unable to operate replacement road transport. On routes where this occurs, customers are advised not to travel.

<rant> ..... {expletive deleted} ..... </rant>  The roads are perfectly passable and the snow hasn't even reached the top of the rails. 

[devon_metro]

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'

The actual reason is to stop the issue of points freezing in the position of the Severn Beach line or Melksham, thus causing much greater disruption.

[JayMac]

K. kinda makes sense I suppose. But there are diverging routes off of mainlines all over the network.....

[IndustryInsider]

Sky have gone for the two-edged approach - their report being repeated every few minutes on Sky News includes this about the current train service "Much of the railway network has already given up the fight. Trains in sidings. Services wiped-out". Delivered in a suitably armageddon style voice by the reporter. Then on the horizontal 'breaking news' banner at the bottom it's saying something like "latest info from ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here), 60% of trains on time, 35% running late, and 5% cancelled". 

Hardly being 'wiped-out' - and as for trains in sidings, you could get plenty of overhead shots of that any day of the week between the two peaks!

[IndustryInsider]

I guess I'll have to get up really early to check the departures board to see what is running and want isn't before setting out..

Probably best to get down there in time to get a local train what would get you to Paddington in time, Jo. That was if any of the fasts aren't running or are delayed you'll probably be OK.

Not quite sure what time you're heading out, but the following fast trains from Maidenhead come through from Didcot/Oxford so should be OK; 06:31, 06:41, 07:02, 07:07, 07:17 and 07:59 (also note the 07:07 comes through from Worcester, so that'd be doing well not to be delayed).

[johoare]

I guess I'll have to get up really early to check the departures board to see what is running and want isn't before setting out..

Probably best to get down there in time to get a local train what would get you to Paddington in time, Jo. That was if any of the fasts aren't running or are delayed you'll probably be OK.

Not quite sure what time you're heading out, but the following fast trains from Maidenhead come through from Didcot/Oxford so should be OK; 06:31, 06:41, 07:02, 07:07, 07:17 and 07:59 (also note the 07:07 comes through from Worcester, so that'd be doing well not to be delayed).

Thanks for the info.. I was hoping to get a train between 7.30 and 8.00... Perhaps I'll aim for the 7.17 although it depends on how icy it is in the morning as I've a half hour walk to the station first which might take longer than that if I'm trying not to fall over (which, rather sadly, usually makes me laugh  )

[IndustryInsider]

I've a half hour walk to the station first which might take longer than that if I'm trying not to fall over (which, rather sadly, usually makes me laugh  )

Gives a new slant to the phrase 'fall over laughing' I suppose!

[thetrout]

Had no trouble travelling with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) today... Westbury > Frome > Westbury... both outward and return bang on time got some nice pictures of the snow i'll add tomorrow

[JayMac]

I also had no trouble travelling with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) today. I didn't travel 

[ChrisB]

Trains on the SVM tomorrow....

[JayMac]

Which just makes me think that the closure of the SVB line was an over-reaction. If pointwork really was the issue then it is likely to be more problematical tomorrow with much lower temperatures.

[Timmer]

Which just makes me think that the closure of the SVB line was an over-reaction. If pointwork really was the issue then it is likely to be more problematical tomorrow with much lower temperatures.

Thats what I used to think until it was explained to me that frozen points most often occur when it snows as it melts then freezes the points in the position they are in when there are sub zero temperatures. I'm sure someone could probably give a much better technical explanation than what I have just written.

[willc]

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.

I've posted a picture of Teresa and one of her helpers taking a break from snow clearance at Kingham while the 06.43 from Hereford called this morning, running 95 minutes late, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009/

I believe they were station-hopping by train, as the roads were none too clever. Moreton-in-Marsh also got a big clear-up later in the day. Returned home on the 17.22 from London, which was 23 late leaving Oxford. Not sure why, as it was only about three or four late from Paddington.

Many of the problems on the Cotswold Line today were down to good old-fashioned single-line knock-on issues, rather than the weather. The 15.51 to Worcester was terminated at Oxford, not sure why, but the HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) was in good health and formed the 18.01 to London, complete with Worcester destination labels.

The points at Moreton were under a lot of snow, rather than frozen. Not sure whether Keith, who was providing updates from the signalbox on the 06.43's progress, or the track gang who were also in evidence, had done the digging-out and applied de-icer.

[IndustryInsider]

Reference the posts on the SVB line, various precautions like that were taking place all over the network.  At Oxford, for example, both through lines were closed will all freight being routed through the platforms to ensure that points didn't fail after a freight had roared through and thus leaving the platform lines inaccessible.  Most of the freight loops were also closed for the same reason.  That might also have something to do with the Bicester cancellations as well - they're all off tomorrow.

The deep levels of snow were also showing in graphic detail just how effective the points heaters installed on most sets of points are!