Lineside Fire - 26 May 11

[whole diary]

[bobm]

From FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website

Line incident

Line problem between Exeter St Davids and Taunton.
Train services have been disrupted due to a line-side fire between Exeter St Davids and Taunton.Engineers have worked as fast as possible to restore services to normal. Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays of up to 90 minutes may still occur.
First Great Western are advising customers not to travel due to the severe disruption which is taking place. All First Great Western tickets will be valid for travel on Friday 27th May 2011 for customers who are affected by this disruption. CrossCountry and South West Trains are currently accepting First Great Western tickets via all reasonable routes.
Last Updated: 26/05/2011 21:26

17:03 ex Padd cancelled at Tiverton Parkway
18:03 ex Padd currently shown as delayed before Taunton
19:03 ex Padd currently 46 mins late at Taunton.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

how will xc accepting tickets help?

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Fire causes train cancellations in Devon and Somerset

Train services have been disrupted between Exeter St David's and Taunton because of a fire.

First Great Western has advised customers not to travel.

The fire service said a blaze by the tracks in Hele, Exeter, had damaged a mobile home, detached bungalow and outhouse buildings.

No injuries have been reported. The train company said passengers could expect cancellations and delays of up to 60 minutes.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said eight pumps had attended the fire.

It said all trains had been stopped as the incident was within 20 metres of the railway line.

First Great Western said all customers who were affected by the disruption would be able to use their tickets for travel on Friday.

It said four services had been affected and additional trains between Penzance and Plymouth and Tiverton Parkway and London Paddington had been put in place.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

so has no rail replacement been laid on ?

[bobm]

how will xc accepting tickets help?

Not a lot. Services from Glasgow and Manchester cancelled and one from Edinburgh 90 mins late.

Looking at live departures it looks like the 19:03 ex Padd may have gone via Honiton missing out Taunton and Tiverton Parkway.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

so what happens if you came from glasgow do they just throw you off and say make your own way?

[bobm]

There's another Edinburgh service behind it which probably mopped them up at Bristol Temple Meads.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

this isn't a dig at fgw more at cross country but how come first are willing to divert its trains but cross country will just drop them

[super tm]

Because FGW^▸ (First Great Western) traincrews have the route knowledge to go via Honiton and XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) dont.

[bobm]

I don't know for certain that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) did divert but it isn't really an option for XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)). Even if the drivers knew the route, which I'm sure they dont, they've had to run to Taunton, change ends, run back onto the Berks & Hants and then change ends again to gain the Honiton line before changing ends again at Exeter St David's. It just wouldn't be practical.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

driver knowledge is a good point which i didn't think of, but they used to do it some how  http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwakely/5570191221/

[bobm]

That was in the days of a "joined up" railway when everyone worked for BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)). Wouldn't happen now.

[broadgage]

so has no rail replacement been laid on ?

I did not see any actual or promised replacement buses or other transport.
Was on the 18-03 from Paddington travelling to Taunton.
Delayed outside Taunton, and on arrival at Taunton there was a large unhappy crowd in the station car park, hoping for buses or taxis.
I saw one actuall punch-up and several threats of violence, over taxis. There was no queue, just a large crowd milling around.
I would estimate as many as 500 people.

I wisely retreated to a pub not too near the station, and telephoned for a taxi to come from Minhead and collect me.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

unbelievable! so out of two operators nothing was done?

[broadgage]

unbelievable! so out of two operators nothing was done?

I presume that they eventually did something, but it seemed very badly organised when I was at Taunton.
I was not there for long, but understand that many others had been there for over an hour.
My intention was to alight at Taunton and take a taxi in any case, so apart from a long wait for a taxi to come from Minehead, rather than taking one from the rank, I was not badly affected.

Many others had however been ordered off cross country trains that terminated unexpectedly at Taunton, I heard no announcements advising these passengers as what if any other arrangements were being made.

The staff on the 18-03 were very helpful, and the pullman was of the usuall high standard.

(not certain that the pullman crew appreciated my little joke though "are you taking breakfast orders yet ?")