Trains Disrupted Between Bath Spa and Westbury 12/11/11

[whole diary]

[thetrout]

From Live Updates:

Owing to emergency services dealing with an incident between Westbury and Bath Spa all lines are closed.Impact:Train services running through these stations may be cancelled at short notice. An estimate for the resumption of normal services will be provided as soon as the problem has been fully assessed.Customer Advice:Journey times will be extended with customers advised to travel on train services. Limited road transport is in operation between Bath Spa and Westbury via Freshford, Avoncliff, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge. South West Trains are accepting tickets via any reasonable route. Cross Country Trains are accepting tickets between Reading and Southampton Central. Customers for Southampton and Portsmouth are advised to travel via Reading. Last Updated: 12/11/2011 15:20

[Timmer]

From National Rail Enquiries:

Emergency services are dealing with an incident at Avoncliffe.
 
Because of this, buses are replacing trains between Westbury and Bath Spa. There is currently no estimate available for when the line will reopen.

Some trains may be diverted between Trowbridge and Bath Spa via Chippenham.
 
Customers travelling between Portsmouth / Southampton and Bristol are advised to travel via Reading for alternative connections. Customers may use South West Trains or CrossCountry services to make connections with First Great Western trains at Reading.

[phile]

Yes.   Itwould appear that the odd train on Cardiff to Portsmouth route is running via Melksham with the reversal at Chippenham.       These trains are shewn as "Not calling at Bradford on Avon" but they are calling at Trowbridge.    This should confirm the diversion.

[readytostart]

Delay report for the 1430 CDF^» (Cardiff - next trains) - PMH

Log
11:25 Emergency call received from Wiltshire Fire & rescue R ef 11430 that they are in attendance to a wooden Telegraph p ost that is on fire that hold up the overhead power lines. P ost is almost burnt through & danger of lines falling across the railway. Location of post is halfway between Avoncliff & Bradford on Avon stations. Agreed with fire service for tr ains to proceed at extreme caution. 11:49 Advised by Westbury signaller that driver & guard on 2 F97 reported that they have stopped short of the power lines confirmed to be at 6M27c & report that the transformer is o n fire & line look like they may come down. Signaller reques ted to hold train whilst Fire service contacted for update. 12:28 Bristol signaller advised and 2F97 has just passed ove r Bathampton Jcn. NRN^▸ (National Radio Network (as used outside the wider London area where CSR predominates)) made to 2F97 for driver to speak to si gnaller on arrival at Avoncliff & 1V22 driver to speak to si gnaller on arrival at Bradford On Avon.

Erratic spacing is how it appeared on my PC!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Erratic spacing is how it appeared on my PC!

Ah, yes: the dear old Morse Code telegraph system, still in use on the TransWilts, eh? 

[grahame]

Ah, yes: the dear old Morse Code telegraph system, still in use on the TransWilts, eh? 

Zem old zyztems is always the best.  Lyke a real person selling tickets ...

Now if the Thingley South to West curve and Bradford East to North curves were still in place, the line would be fantastically more useful for diversions such as this one.   It takes 10 minutes to get a train from Thingley Junction up to Chippenham, reverse it, and get it back clear of the junction and they were having to do that "dance" between 2 x 125 ah hour each way.

Similarly, those links would mean that Chippenham and Bath wouldn't have to be missed out of all the London - Bristol services if there was engineering works in the Corsham and Box area.

[Tim]

...and would give a useful diversionary route whilst the tunnel was electrified

[eightf48544]

Have always thought the Bradford North curve would be a useful line to reinstate especialy as the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) is due for electrifcation make a great diversionary route when Thingley Bath comes to be wired would mean you could probaly do the whole lenght in a relatively short times if you could have blockades via Box.

Seems to me that it would also be ideal to run a stopping service from Bristol to Swindon via Bradford on Avon and Melksham. If was electrified as well it might even be worth running through to Padd. Effectively it gives three ways from Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) to Swindon.

Thingley South to West could come later, although it might be the easier to reinstate.