Flooding and Weather Disruption (Nov 2012)

[D2022]

It's chaos, FGW are in absolute chaos. What's happened?

 

[MadCommuter]

It's chaos, FGW are in absolute chaos. What's happened?

Might be something to do with flooding across the south west and midlands?

 

[DavidBrown]

Not sure about that stretch of the GWML, but certaintly further down south the line at Tiverton Parkway has been flooded all day, which of course will affect a lot of services the other side of Bristol. There's also the added problem of the Exeter-Waterloo line being closed due to flooding and landslides between Honiton and Axminster, so as it stands Exeter is completely isolated from the rest of the network - as are all the trains currently at and to the west of Exeter.

 

[sprinterguy]

Indeed. I would imagine that it would have something to do with this:

Plymouth / Exeter St Davids - Bristol Temple Meads / Westbury

Flooding is causing disruption in the Totnes, Tiverton Parkway, Weston-super-Mare and Westbury areas.

Because of this, the following changes will apply until further notice:
•Trains are unable to run between Exeter St Davids and Taunton
•A limited train shuttle service is in operation between Taunton and Weston-super-Mare
•First Great Western advise passengers not to attempt travel
•First Great Western passengers are being accepted on South West Trains on all reasonable routes
•CrossCountry and First Great Western are accepting each others tickets between Bristol Parkway and Plymouth
•First Great Western passengers are being accepted on local First buses between Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton via Weston-super-Mare

And this:

Swindon / Bristol - Gloucester / Newport

Flooding is causing disruption between Swindon / Bristol and Gloucester / Newport

Because of this, journeys between these stations may be delayed by up to two hours . This will continue until further notice. Limited road transport is in operation supplementing the train service.

Sleeper Services

The First Great Western Sleeper services tonight are cancelled. No replacement transport has been arranged.

As seen on National Rail Enquiries:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/sab63a683d434660be251549b14f7f6f/details.html

 

[DavidBrown]

That's a puddle (there are no streams or other watercourses on that bit of road)

Trying to think where that is exactly?

The irony in this part of the world is that, on the whole, it's been a beautiful day today with wall to wall sunshine. But such a huge amount of water falling onto already saturated ground was only ever going to lead to one thing. What concerns me slightly more is the number of landslips around at the moment - particularly on the Exeter-Yeovil line which has seen several this year. Of course this part of the line is not too far away from the Beaminster Tunnel which saw that fatal landslip earlier in the year. Has the persistance of the rain, rather than the amount of it, destabalised the ground of many man-made embankments?

 

[D2022]

Ah sounds somewhat interesting, I'm waiting at Swindon for my gf coming from Trowbridge. Taken 3 and a half hours so far.

 

[ushawk]

Trees are down in 3rd rail land at Warnham, Slade Green and Ramsgate causing disruption on all those lines.

Whitlocks End - Stratford is blocked again, this time due to flooding at Wood End.

 

[michael769]

Embankment slip between Parson Street and Nailsea & Backwell

Met Office have upgraded their rainfall warnings for tomorrow.

 

[fgwrich]

There has / was also flooding the in the (as usual) Chipping Sodbury tunnel today which has been causing disruption, as well as flooding in the Severn Tunnel too.

 

[12CSVT]

This is called not letting a small flood hold back the train service!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mMtyLOx34g

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftPBz0a9FJg

Only when its worse that this do they cancel the service.

Gives 'Boat Train' a whole new meaning

I wonder if the Westerns, Warships and Hymeks would have been able to do this in the Bristol and Cheltenham areas if they had still been around.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Gives 'Boat Train' a whole new meaning

I wonder if the Westerns, Warships and Hymeks would have been able to do this in the Bristol and Cheltenham areas if they had still been around.

This is the most spectacular one I've seen
Train causes a huge wave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTDpFYXmkqk
Dawlish in a storm. (Voyagers don't like salt water!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEPEfNQO3nY&feature=related

 

[221129]

all trains between Tiverton and anywhere are currently cancelled.

 

[starrymarkb]

Trying to think where that is exactly?

The irony in this part of the world is that, on the whole, it's been a beautiful day today with wall to wall sunshine. But such a huge amount of water falling onto already saturated ground was only ever going to lead to one thing. What concerns me slightly more is the number of landslips around at the moment - particularly on the Exeter-Yeovil line which has seen several this year. Of course this part of the line is not too far away from the Beaminster Tunnel which saw that fatal landslip earlier in the year. Has the persistance of the rain, rather than the amount of it, destabalised the ground of many man-made embankments?

It's Clyst St George (at least I think... it looks rather like the B3178 but street view's old imagery doesn't seem to square)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It's Clyst St George (at least I think... it looks rather like the B3178 but street view's old imagery doesn't seem to square)

Having now seen it on BBC news - it's here
http://goo.gl/maps/5L5gy

 

[221129]

Currently no trains running through Tiverton at all

 

[Zoe]

Is there also flooding between Taunton and Westbury or is the lack services at Taunton due to stock getting stranded west of Exeter?

 

[starrymarkb]

Is there also flooding between Taunton and Westbury or is the lack services at Taunton due to stock getting stranded west of Exeter?

Can't speak for the railway but certainly the roads around Langport and Somerton were impassable

 

[LexyBoy]

Seems to be some sensible actions taken, most trains now booked to call at Didcot rather than pass through (though many of there cancelled) and I'd imagine similar elsewhere.

 

[Zoe]

Where do you stand on a day like this if you are able to make half of a return journey but due to cancellations your are unable to return? Back in 2002 I had to go from Taunton to Newton Abbot on a day where services had been severely disrupted to to weather. The outward journey was delayed by a few hours and I had planned to return on the last train of the day but when I arrived back at Newton Abbot station this had been cancelled. The platform staff just told me "We are advising people not to travel, We can't offer a service today" so I ended up paying to get the sleeper to Paddington (it was Sunday into Monday so and so didn't stop at Taunton) and then returning to Taunton via Bristol early the next day rather than sit on the platform all night at Newton Abbot.

 

[Goatboy]

Where do you stand on a day like this if you are able to make half of a return journey but due to cancellations your are unable to return? Back in 2002 I had a return from Taunton to Newton Abbot. The outward journey was delayed by a few hours and I had planned to return on the last train of the day but when I arrived back at Newton Abbot station this had been cancelled. The platform staff just told me "We are advising people not to travel, we can't offer a service today" so I ended up paying to get the sleeper to Paddington and then returning to Taunton via Bristol early the next day rather than sit on the platform all night at Newton Abbot.

I was wondering this too. Just what exactly do you do if you are stranded hours from home?

 

[fgwrich]

Seems to be some sensible actions taken, most trains now booked to call at Didcot rather than pass through (though many of there cancelled) and I'd imagine similar elsewhere.

Mostly due the the reduction in the Cardiff services which i think normally puts in most of the stops there.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Ah sounds somewhat interesting, I'm waiting at Swindon for my gf coming from Trowbridge. Taken 3 and a half hours so far.

Should have caught the bus. No.49. TransWilts Express.

 

[Birdbrain]

BBC news says worse rain is forecast tomorrow. How soon will I know the chances of me getting from Southampton to Falmouth on Friday?

 

[jnjkerbin]

My grandmother lives in Minehead and wanted to ge the bus to Taunton today but they weren't running. They use a pretty main road so things must be bad.

 

[starrymarkb]

My grandmother lives in Minehead and wanted to ge the bus to Taunton today but they weren't running. They use a pretty main road so things must be bad.

The 28 was out on the roads but very delayed (and having to miss out sections of route)

Out of Exeter the main bus routes to Exmouth, Sidmouth and Credition were impassable, Exmouth started running about 10am. The only way in or out of Sidmouth was the A375 to Honiton and the A377 was still blocked when I left work....

 

[DavidBrown]

BBC news says worse rain is forecast tomorrow. How soon will I know the chances of me getting from Southampton to Falmouth on Friday?

Given that not only flood water but landslides are blocking the line between Axminster and Honiton, and the situation around Tiverton seems to be getting worse even before tomorrow's rainfall, I'd say you should reconsider now. If you can get to Exeter, then west of there things are currently OK, but that can obviously change at any point.

Julian Crow of FGW has just been on BBC Spotlight and has said that any tickets for today will be valid for tomorrow IF trains are running. However, as things stand that seems unlikely, as Network Rail will need to wait for flood waters to receed before investigating the damage - even if there was no more rain that would be tomorrow in daylight at the earliest.

Out of Exeter the main bus routes to Exmouth, Sidmouth and Credition were impassable, Exmouth started running about 10am. The only way in or out of Sidmouth was the A375 to Honiton and the A377 was still blocked when I left work....

And now the line between Exeter and Crediton is blocked, which combined with the A377 closure stuffs up the Rail Replacement service to Barnstaple. On that point, I suspect that Network Rail will now need to get extra staff working around the clock to get those engineering works completed on time - I suspect the line will have flooded in the usual places beside the Taw, preventing any work today and probably tomorrow.

 

[Birdbrain]

I guess i'll have to see what happens tomorrow. If it gets really bad I could always go Southampton to Bristol and then replacement bus to Exeter. I don't mind using the replacement buses on either route - if they provide them.

 

[starrymarkb]

I'd suggest the X53 if it's running. (AFAIK it was - never heard otherwise) from Weymouth to Exeter - Though I'd check with First tomorrow Morning - 0870 010 6022 IIRC - Expect it to divert after Lyme Regis via Honiton

 

[Zoe]

I just read elsewhee that the GWML is blocked at Flax Bourton and the Casle Cary and Langport Line blocked at Athelney in addition to the section of the GWML between Exeter and Taunton so Taunton is almost completely isolated other than a shuttle to Weston-super-Mare as stated earlier in the thread.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I got caught up in the chaos today. Got the 0855 Cardiff to Paddington today, got off at Bristol Parkway 20 minutes late. Not one single message at Cardiff, yet again, to say there was flooding. It's as if we're expected to just go ahead with our journey, despite the problems it may cause.

Had to get a replacement coach from Bristol Parkway to Newport today, then caught a train from Newport to Cardiff. A journey that normally takes me 55 minutes took nearly three hours today, and as Birdbrain mentions the weather is set to get worse. If there's major disruption continuing tomorrow then I'll work from home. Can't be dealing with the stress again.

Lots of staff at Parkway advising passengers on what to do.

It seems as though both Bristol and Exeter are literally islands at the moment; they're dry but the areas (i.e. the railway lines in this case!) are all wet with floods!!

 

[HSTEd]

Boreholes will not work when the water table is at or above surface level as it is in much of the country at the moment.

Basic problem is that rainwater has nowhere to go at the moment.

They would lower the water table by pumping all the water out of the ground and probably ensuring that the water finds its way to the sea in short order.