Marches blocked yet again by A Broken Down Freight.

[Envoy]

Good to see my thread is still going strong. It just goes to show that the problems with freights still persist on the Marches line. As has been suggested, a 'thunderbird' should surely be stationed at Hereford. Many thanks to all who have contributed to this post so far.

 

[Gareth Marston]

I rather doubt that. You may not have heard of their parent company but just read the box to the right of that page, and you'll note one thing they aren't short of is money...

They wont chuck money at it for very long though.

 

[carriageline]

They wont chuck money at it for very long though.

And unfortunately, that is very much the way of the railway. Reactive, rather than preventive. Once they have paid out too much in delays, it will probably tip the balance and thus save them money!

 

[PHILIPE]

Good to see my thread is still going strong. It just goes to show that the problems with freights still persist on the Marches line. As has been suggested, a 'thunderbird' should surely be stationed at Hereford. Many thanks to all who have contributed to this post so far.

But what has come through the thread is "who is going to pay for it". There are several Freight Companies operating over the route. In this dysfunctional industry it is very to establish from where any funding could come.

 

[NI 271]

They wont chuck money at it for very long though.

I hadn't realised they actually were doing?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I've averaged maybe 25 trips a year down the Marches the last few years and there's only the one occasion when a freight has messed things up really badly. They tend to be in the northbound direction predominantly when they happen so you'll get to Hereford come what may. You'll have the option of escaping via Worcester if it's really bad!

I had not considered Worcester when booking from Wilmslow to Hereford on the direct ATW service. To cover any unforseen eventualities, what is the best split ticketing to cover this and would the cost of the rail tickets be greatly more than the direct journey?

 

[D1009]

I had not considered Worcester when booking from Wilmslow to Hereford on the direct ATW service. To cover any unforseen eventualities, what is the best split ticketing to cover this and would the cost of the rail tickets be greatly more than the direct journey?

If it was that bad I'm sure your ticket would be honoured via the alternative route.

 

[Gareth Marston]

If it was that bad I'm sure your ticket would be honoured via the alternative route.

You've probably got considerably better odds of a hassle free journey than Ed or Dave have of getting an outright majority
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I hadn't realised they actually were doing?

Really would any multi national keep poring money into a venture with more costs than revenue for any period? Just as well Colas don't have to pay their share of a Hereford standby or that's the margin gone and awkward questions back at Head Office

 

[Envoy]

I had not considered Worcester when booking from Wilmslow to Hereford on the direct ATW service. To cover any unforseen eventualities, what is the best split ticketing to cover this and would the cost of the rail tickets be greatly more than the direct journey?

If you are over 55, ATW have just this week left of their Club 55 deal. (I would get more bang for your buck and go to Cardiff).http://www.visitcardiff.com
http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/Club55/Buy/

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If you are over 55, ATW have just this week left of their Club 55 deal. (I would get more bang for your buck and go to Cardiff).http://www.visitcardiff.com
http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/Club55/Buy/

On 6th April, I will be celebrating my 70th birthday...

Cardiff is a place that my good lady wife and I have visited countless times in the past and not really of use when a visit is envisaged to the cathedral at Hereford. We are both holders of the 3-year Senior Citizen Railcard which also gives a miniscule discount on the ATW Club 55 offer.

 

[Techniquest]

New access for all elevators have recently opened at Hereford. It's a long but flat walk into the city centre from the station and beware they charge to see Mappable Mundi though access to the rest of the cathedral is free.

They weren't open on Tuesday, still completing tests at that point. Certainly was fenced off still on platform 2, it really has taken AGES to get lifts at Hereford. Maybe they've opened now, but don't rely on it!

It's a good 15 minute walk on average from the station to the cathedral if moving at a fair rate, and the walk is NOT flat! Commercial Road has that annoying (shallow, but still present) uphill rise, coming down it towards the station is much easier! Then the route around Morrisons is certainly not flat either! Church Street goes uphill a fair bit from the centre of town too. Yes none of it is super challenging but it is noticeably NOT flat.

It may be more suitable for Paul and his wife to use Stagecoach's route 33 to get to the cathedral. Runs hourly though, and I'm not convinced the connection onto it is amazing, but certainly worth considering, as it would drop them off almost right next to the cathedral. First Hereford's route 78 should still be running, and I swear that runs by the cathedral. Been many a year since I last used the 78 though, so can't swear by it running.

All Saints Church is just along the road (towards the centre of town) too, which may or may not be of interest to Paul and his wife.

Oh, and it's Mappa Mundi

 

[Gareth Marston]

I'm Welsh - it's flat

 

[PHILIPE]

I read Techniquests Post before Gareth's. I was going to say the same thing as Gareth. Anyway, what has this got to do with freight trains failing.

 

[Techniquest]

I read Techniquests Post before Gareth's. I was going to say the same thing as Gareth. Anyway, what has this got to do with freight trains failing.

About as much as the off-topicness in many threads I read!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I read Techniquests Post before Gareth's. I was going to say the same thing as Gareth. Anyway, what has this got to do with freight trains failing.

The possibility of a failed freight train ruining a long-awaited day out very many miles from ones' residence.

 

[6Gman]

The possibility of a failed freight train ruining a long-awaited day out very many miles from ones' residence.

To be fair the only long delay I've experienced on that line was when the 158 in front burst into flames!

 

[craigybagel]

I work the full length of the line about 3times a week on average. In the past 18 months I've only had a delay of over 40 minutes twice,and one of those was due to a technical problem on my own train. Whilst issues do happen down there,I wouldn't let the thought of a potential freight train failure put anyone off taking a day trip!

Incidentally the new lifts at hereford as of this evening are still not in use.

 

[trainophile]

I'm beginning to think the new lifts at Hereford are for display purposes only! :roll:

 

[PHILIPE]

I'm beginning to think the new lifts at Hereford are for display purposes only! :roll:

ATW Website says O/O/O/ until 01 March.

 

[trainophile]

ATW Website says O/O/O/ until 01 March.

They have never been IN order.

Wonder if a celeb will cut the ribbon!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The deed has been done. Two return tickets with seat reservations from Wilmslow to Hereford (and return), using this coming Saturday's last-day availability of the ATW Club 55 offer have been booked this morning at Wilmslow railway station and because we both hold 3-year Senior Citizen Railcards that give a £1.00 discount on the Club 55 offer, the cost was only £22.00 each.

I am inspired by all your confidence that naught in the way of an errant freight train will dare to spoil our day out this coming Saturday.
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They have never been IN order. Wonder if a celeb will cut the ribbon!

I am quite prepared to do this in my capacity as Pedant in Chief to the Quizzes and Games forum of RailUK forums...

 

[Gareth Marston]

The deed has been done. Two return tickets with seat reservations from Wilmslow to Hereford (and return), using this coming Saturday's last-day availability of the ATW Club 55 offer have been booked this morning at Wilmslow railway station and because we both hold 3-year Senior Citizen Railcards that give a £1.00 discount on the Club 55 offer, the cost was only £22.00 each.

I am inspired by all your confidence that naught in the way of an errant freight train will dare to spoil our day out this coming Saturday.
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I am quite prepared to do this in my capacity as Pedant in Chief to the Quizzes and Games forum of RailUK forums...

Now you just need to worry about your 175 catching fire!

 

[trainophile]

Now you just need to worry about your 175 catching fire!

Or the toilets being OOU hock: . Should be okay if you go before you leave Wilmslow!

 

[Techniquest]

Now you just need to worry about your 175 catching fire!

Or the toilets being OOU hock: . Should be okay if you go before you leave Wilmslow!

He's not travelling on LM 350s so he'll be fine!

 

[PHILIPE]

A new one this morning, not a failure. Down Passengers on Marches blocking back from Hereford to Craven Arms and delays up to 80 minutes due 6V51 003 03 Arpley to Portbury stuck at Hereford awaiting driver. Too long to avoid blocking the Main Line.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

A new one this morning, not a failure. Down Passengers on Marches blocking back from Hereford to Craven Arms and delays up to 80 minutes due 6V51 003 03 Arpley to Portbury stuck at Hereford awaiting driver. Too long to avoid blocking the Main Line.

Are there any other lines that suffer freight train disruption problems to the same extent that appear to afflict the Marches Line?

 

[Techniquest]

We wouldn't have so many of these problems if we had a railway fit for the 21st Century on the North and West! A route well used by freight should have some long loops in multiple locations in both directions, and we really shouldn't still be using ancient signalling technology either!

No sign of a thorough modernisation of the route in the next few years, so we could see this sort of issue pop up for a long time yet.

According to Twitter and ATW things are back to normal now but still...

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

A new one this morning, not a failure. Down Passengers on Marches blocking back from Hereford to Craven Arms and delays up to 80 minutes due 6V51 003 03 Arpley to Portbury stuck at Hereford awaiting driver. Too long to avoid blocking the Main Line.

I can understand a breakdown, but 'too long to avoid blocking the main line'! Well.......

 

[GB]

Whats not to understand? From where ever the train was, because of its length the rear was blocking the mainline.

 

[craigybagel]

Strange for it to happen at Hereford though - the loop there is one of the longer ones on the line. It's a regular enough occurrence to be unable to pass freight trains because they're too long for the other loops, but they've always been able to fit into the through lines at Hereford.
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We wouldn't have so many of these problems if we had a railway fit for the 21st Century on the North and West! A route well used by freight should have some long loops in multiple locations in both directions, and we really shouldn't still be using ancient signalling technology either!

No sign of a thorough modernisation of the route in the next few years, so we could see this sort of issue pop up for a long time yet.

According to Twitter and ATW things are back to normal now but still...

The line is due for resignalling in the next few years, with the whole route from Shrewsbury being controlled from Cardiff.