West Highland line closed

[4SRKT]

A lot of stabilisation work needed on the terrain above the line - which caused the landslip in the first place.

Which is presumably why the line is to be shut for nearly two weeks.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Exactly - the log made it clear that there was very substantial geological / groundworks examination and amelioration to be done.

The wagons were recovered quickly - the loco can be left for now , track repairs straightforward , - but Mother Earth needs some substantial works to make safe.

Not going to help the short "summer" season traffic ....

 

[4SRKT]

Exactly - the log made it clear that there was very substantial geological / groundworks examination and amelioration to be done.

The wagons were recovered quickly - the loco can be left for now , track repairs straightforward , - but Mother Earth needs some substantial works to make safe.

Not going to help the short "summer" season traffic ....

Not that anyone who's used the sleeper since the 67s took over would notice the imposition of a 5mph speed restriction anyway.........

 

[Railsigns]

Is this one of the longest closures of an important line in UK rail history?

Not even remotely close! For example, when the Tay Bridge collapsed, that piece of railway was shut for seven and a half years, and that's an important main line.

Even planned engineering work can close a railway for months on end. The line to Derry/Londonderry is shortly to be closed for nine months solid for upgrading.

 

[philjo]

Is the line still on schedule for reopening on Tuesday night?

NRE/Scotrail sites still say services expected to resume on Wednesday but no update since last week.
I'm booked on Northbound FTW sleeper on Thursday 12th.

 

[rail-britain]

Is the line still on schedule for reopening on Tuesday night?
I'm booked on Northbound FTW sleeper on Thursday 12th.

I was under the impression it would reopen on Wednesday morning, and there shouldn't be any major issues beyond that

Providing you have supplied a phone number on your ScotRail booking, they will contact you earlier in the evening if the service is cancelled
Equally, you can phone them up to 22:00 to confirm if the service will operate

 

[GB]

Yes it is still on schedule for wednesday morning. All wagons have been righted and removed and the loco and banks have been secured. Just the pway and telecomms to sort out now.

The only cancellation on wednesday should be 1Y11 0450 Edinburgh-Fort William

Edit: Picture (not mine) showing some of the loco shoring and temporary platform used to haul up the wagons.

 

[philjo]

Thanks.

 

[route:oxford]

Seems like off 66734 isn't a write-off yet - same source quoted above now suggesting that the decision hasn't been made.

And as far as 66048 is concerned, even though it was recovered its never been repaired - its still sitting outside at Toton.

Andy

So, if there is a "new for old" insurance policy...

What should be ordered instead?

 

[GB]

It will be another 66 tho obviously not a new one seeing as they don't make them anymore.

 

[Whistler40145]

I doubt it would be a Class 70, unless a flamethrower is required, otherwise, it could be a Vossloh locomotive.

 

[philjo]

I was on the northbound fort William sleeper last night.

The "off-road" loco is now wrapped in green plastic but can be seen down the embankment. Most of the wagons are in a siding at Corrour station -several large dents in them.
Speed limit through the area so you can get a good look from the sleeper.

 

[Donny Dave]

Landslip somewhere between Oban and Glasgow now. Network Rail have just tweeted the following.

Rapid response teams on their way to deal with the landslip on the Oban - Glasgow line

 

[tsr]

Landslip somewhere between Oban and Glasgow now.

This is almost certainly weather related, and I personally would not be surprised by more of this sort of thing today in various places!

 

[General Zod]

Where exactly between Oban and Crianlarich did the landslip occur ?

cheers

 

[scotsman]

This is almost certainly weather related, and I personally would not be surprised by more of this sort of thing today in various places!

Slips/slumps/slides are almost always due to the weather

 

[marks87]

Where exactly between Oban and Crianlarich did the landslip occur ?

cheers

Dalmally.

 

[sonic2009]

Where exactly between Oban and Crianlarich did the landslip occur ?

cheers

According to National Rail, it happened at Dalmally

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/today.html

 

[tsr]

Slips/slumps/slides are almost always due to the weather

By no means always, though - burst water mains, failures of engineering equipment and generally unstable conditions have all triggered them.

 

[EltonRoad]

It may have been nearer Falls of Cruachan. See here http://www.obantimes.co.uk/2012/07/18/rail-problems/

 

[Johnuk123]

According to the September Railway Magazine 66734 is going to have its engine removed by either a rail crane or military heavy lift helicopter.

The rest will be chopped up into small bits and taken away.

 

[Whistler40145]

Is the engine being removed from 66734 so that the body shell can be lifted without the extra weight?

 

[142094]

Is the engine being removed from 66734 so that the body shell can be lifted without the extra weight?

Depending on the condition it might be worth keeping for spares.

 

[GB]

From what I have been told the majority of the loco is in a serviceable condition. Its just the location that is preventing a whole recovery.

 

[Johnuk123]

The engine is being recovered as it ok and worth saving.

The location is 2 miles from a road so it's uneconomical to do anything else but chop the rest up for scrap.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

With heavier engines, it is probably time Network Rail considered purchasing a couple much larger rail cranes.
An expensive item.
At one time rail cranes had a lot more use - construction and general work on the railway, when everything was done 'in house'.
How much the cranes would have 'earn't' salvaging an expensive locomotive versus the cost.
Probably they are removing the engine partly to reduce possibilities of pollution.

 

[ainsworth74]

I don't think the issue is the lack of cranes to do the lifting and more the fact that the location is so inaccessible/not suitable for big cranes that the only thing to do is to take it out in bits and pieces.

 

[142094]

Derailments like this are usually quite rare these days, more frequent in the past and more work for the cranes. Having a new crane waiting around for something that might not happen for months or years isn't economical for anyone, let alone NR (some might argue it is up to the TOC/FOC to get their own stock back onto the rails).

 

[Crompton Karl]

On the Cally Sleeper last week was a GBRf manager. In the morning he went into the lounge car with route gradient maps and other documentation. I had a little chat with him and he explained that GBRf can't see any other way but to cut the loco up on site.

 

[Johnuk123]

According to page 97 of todays Railway Magazine 66734 could be left reclining on the lochside for months.

It's owner Porterbrook and the insurers can't decide what to do with it.

It's been covered in a tarpaulin and fitted with motion sensors in case it decides to go for a swim.