Speed restrictions as the heatwave arrives

[gavin]

Network rail has imposed speed restrictions as temperatures in the UK rocket

First Great Western services in the Thames Valley area will be disrupted from midday to 8pm.

There will be no fast trains between London Paddington and Bourne End or Henley-on-Thames

London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames

Trains from London Paddington will terminate at Twyford for a connection with a branch line train to Henley-on-Thames, which will remain on the branch line.

17:12 London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, this service will terminate at Twyford.
18:12 London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, this service will terminate at Twyford.
19:05 London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, this service will terminate at Twyford.

London Paddington to Bourne End

Trains from London Paddington will terminate at Maidenhead for a connection with a branch line train to Bourne End, which will remain on the branch line.

16:42 London Paddington to Bourne End, this service will terminate at Maidenhead.
17:42 London Paddington to Bourne End, this service will terminate at Maidenhead.
18:42 London Paddington to Bourne End, this service will terminate at Maidenhead.

https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/heatwaveplan

 

[ComUtoR]

Why does a speed restriction result in a cancellation ? Why cant the same train run on its booked route but you know, er, run slower ?

 

[ADRboy]

Why does a speed restriction result in a cancellation ? Why cant the same train run on its booked route but you know, er, run slower ?

Looking at the above, it's to avoid points having to change.

Also, if it's running slower, it missed its booked path, if you ran it right through, the service it forms after would leave late, and become more and more delayed over the course of the day.

 

[ComUtoR]

Looking at the above, it's to avoid points having to change.

Good point, thanks.

Also, if it's running slower, it missed its booked path, if you ran it right through, the service it forms after would leave late, and become more and more delayed over the course of the day.

Happens all the time hence my confusion. I will however; accept the point and give credit to FGW for taking action to prevent problems whilst still running a service. Still causes disruption but I'm a little clearer.

Cheers again.

 

[WestRiding]

Meanwhile, in Poland, Austria, France............ trains running normal, despite colder winters and hotter summers.

 

[CC 72100]

Meanwhile, in Poland, Austria, France............ trains running normal, despite colder winters and hotter summers.

Not true - Services to the East of Paris on the suburban line Transilien P have been disrupted throughout June due to high temperatures, in some cases with trains taking 20 minutes longer (on a journey that normally takes ~70 minutes), or trains being terminated short of destination with no road replacement.

 

[HH]

Not true - Services to the East of Paris on the suburban line Transilien P have been disrupted throughout June due to high temperatures, in some cases with trains taking 20 minutes longer (on a journey that normally takes ~70 minutes), or trains being terminated short of destination with no road replacement.

Never let facts get in the way of a good moan!

 

[ainsworth74]

Never let facts get in the way of a good moan!

Quite, we must remember that European railways are superior in every single way to our own and that they never have failed trains, infrastructure issues and problems due to the weather. They are, in fact, constantly perfect.

 

[Starmill]

Now now, I don't think anyone said anything about perfection I think people are just making the point that generally our Railways seem less resilient to high summers and freezing winters than those in other countries. But we have to remember that these events there are more commonplace - would acting to prevent damage to assets from both freezing temperatures and snow/ice, as well as melting summer heat in design and construction represent good value for money given how often these things happen here?

That said, with climate change I think most of us are clear that weather at the extremes will start to become more commonplace in the UK. There's also no excuse for the lack of a robust contigency plan, and that seems to be precisely what we have here (a robust plan, not lack thereof).

 

[CharlieSpotted]

London Midland just sent out the following email via their JourneyCheck service:

Dear Customer,
Summer is definitely here and on hot days, rails can expand as they heat.

Whilst measures are taken when they are installed to enable them to expand safely in extreme conditions rails can buckle. If this was to happen we cannot run trains through the area and repairs cannot be made until the temperature of the rail has dropped.

As a precaution and to help prevent rails from buckling we may put speed restrictions on trains through the area at risk, to help keep the pressure on the rail low and keep you safe.

This may mean some journeys may take longer than usual.

If we do put a speed restriction on in a certain area our aim is to keep you as informed as possible about any delay you may experience.

To see what other preventative measures we put in place and to find out more about how summer weather affects the railway please visit Delays Explained - Summer Weather

To keep up to date with services you can follow us on twitter @LondonMidland or visit the Journey Check page on our website.

Thank you,

London Midland

 

[HH]

That said, with climate change I think most of us are clear that weather at the extremes will start to become more commonplace in the UK. There's also no excuse for the lack of a robust contigency plan, and that seems to be precisely what we have here (a robust plan, not lack thereof).

I can agree with that, having looked out of the windows of my creaking 321 the other day to realise that NR have done absolutely no vegetation control on the GEML...

 

[Deepgreen]

Network rail has imposed speed restrictions as temperatures in the UK rocket

First Great Western services in the Thames Valley area will be disrupted from midday to 8pm.

There will be no fast trains between London Paddington and Bourne End or Henley-on-Thames



https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/heatwaveplan

So these are the only points in Britain to suffer potential heat stress?! Why only mention this particular route when so many others must surely fall into the same category?

 

[Saint66]

With temperatures forecast to potentially reach 35c tomorrow, I think we could definitely see a few cases of rails buckling... Hopefully not too many problems though.

 

[Deepgreen]

With temperatures forecast to potentially reach 35c tomorrow, I think we could definitely see a few cases of rails buckling... Hopefully not too many problems though.

The air temperature will be higher because it will have originated from a very hot southern Europe, but the actual intensity of the sun (which is what heats the rails to stress levels) will probably be less owing to hazy cloud.

 

[westv]

It's at time like this that I'm glad I don't travel anymore on the evening ovens out of Liverpool St.

 

[Harlan Cage]

So these are the only points in Britain to suffer potential heat stress?! Why only mention this particular route when so many others must surely fall into the same category?

FGW are probably the most creative of all TOC's when it comes to finding reasons not to run trains! So the points for both Marlow and Henley branches are for some reason more susepable to heat than all the other points in thus area! My bet it is summertime, there is a shortage of train crews/stock and FGW had to find an excuse as why they have had to cancel services!

HC

 

[Minilad]

FGW are probably the most creative of all TOC's when it comes to finding reasons not to run trains! So the points for both Marlow and Henley branches are for some reason more susepable to heat than all the other points in thus area! My bet it is summertime, there is a shortage of train crews/stock and FGW had to find an excuse as why they have had to cancel services!

HC

Here you go. A little something for you to wear

 

[mr_moo]

It's partly about risk reduction. On these branch lines on the Western you can still run the service with an additional change by locking the junctions out of use, so you do. It's two less potential failure areas and thus two less potential service delay causes.

Several junctions are being maintained normal and other key junctions have a MOM or fault response teams already on site or nearby to offer a near-immediate response should something fail. It's part of the overall stratergy to avoid the service falling apart: Reduce the flexibility a little but significantly decrease the chances of failure.

All trains into and out of Paddington are picking up a small level of delays at present - a blanket 20mph speed restriction has been imposed on all lines from Paddington stop blocks to 2 miles out. There are also a few other local speed restrictions along the route that have been implemeted due to localised CRT (Critical Rail Temperature) issues.

Naturally, all of this will repeat tomorrow and Thursday at least.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also, don't forget that rail tempertatures go a lot higher than air temperatures. Current air temperature here (Western route, near-ish London) is around 28degC. Current rail temperature is around 45degC.

 

[HH]

AGA have cancelled several trains tomorrow afternoon already, including all 3 Witham finishers and a Witham starter. Some trains have additional stops, but oddly none at Witham.

 

[Flamingo]

FGW are probably the most creative of all TOC's when it comes to finding reasons not to run trains! So the points for both Marlow and Henley branches are for some reason more susepable to heat than all the other points in thus area! My bet it is summertime, there is a shortage of train crews/stock and FGW had to find an excuse as why they have had to cancel services!

HC

That is not the case here, I can assure you. This is 100% on the instructions of Network Rail. I've overheard the conversations about it.

 

[mr_moo]

That is not the case here, I can assure you. This is 100% on the instructions of Network Rail. I've overheard the conversations about it.

Seconded. Network Rail issued an "EWAT" notice, which I think stands for "Emergency Weather Action Team" but I'm not sure of that. This listed the blanket speed imposition and the junctions that have been restricted as per my above post. Completely Network Rail's instruction, although, naturally, FGW will have been involved in the discussions prior to implemetation.

 

[matacaster]

With temperatures forecast to potentially reach 35c tomorrow, I think we could definitely see a few cases of rails buckling... Hopefully not too many problems though.

Just musing and mau well be wrong, but. Surely, the Knitting wire will also expand (mainly copper I think). This will cause the wire to stretch as its under rather a lot of tension anyway to keep it taught. Shouldn't the NR maintenance types reduce the number of weights to stop the wire stretching too much before it does???

 

[matchmaker]

Many years ago I was on an official visit to Dalmuir Park Signal Box on the North Clyde Line. It is a very important junction where the lines via Singer and Yoker converge. All services to Balloch and Helensburgh and all West Highland services must pass through it.

It was a very hot summer day and the switched diamonds at the junction didn't like it very much...

Eventually we got services running again, but this involved the District Inspector with a crowbar, the signalman with buckets of water, and yours truly in the signal box pulling levers and operating the signal switches and block instruments!

 

[edwin_m]

Just musing and mau well be wrong, but. Surely, the Knitting wire will also expand (mainly copper I think). This will cause the wire to stretch as its under rather a lot of tension anyway to keep it taught. Shouldn't the NR maintenance types reduce the number of weights to stop the wire stretching too much before it does???

If the wire expands, the weights just drop down and the tension stays the same unless the weights hit the ground. Reducing the tension would risk dewirements.

 

[Whistler40145]

I'm sure it won't be long until the first HST power car conveniently shutdown before attempting the South Devon Banks and the usual diesel assistance will be enforced!

 

[TDK]

Also, don't forget that rail tempertatures go a lot higher than air temperatures. Current air temperature here (Western route, near-ish London) is around 28degC. Current rail temperature is around 45degC.

Only in direct sunlight hence the ambient air temperature is always taken in the shade. If it is cloudy the rails will be fine even if the air temperature is in the 30's as already quoted on this thread.

 

[matacaster]

If the wire expands, the weights just drop down and the tension stays the same unless the weights hit the ground. Reducing the tension would risk dewirements.

Thanks

 

[Bald Rick]

Only in direct sunlight hence the ambient air temperature is always taken in the shade. If it is cloudy the rails will be fine even if the air temperature is in the 30's as already quoted on this thread.

Not so. At this time of year, rail temps will be +18c above ambient in sunny weather, +15C in partly cloudy, +13C in full high cloud, and +8C in full grey cloud.

And rail temp is only half the story, the critical rail temperature is the other half of the equation, and this varies depending on the stress free temp of the rail and various other factors including, sleeper spacing, sleeper type, curvature, ballast provision, recent work on the ballast, and level of traffic since the work was completed.

Indeed it is quite conceivable that you get a 'heat' speed restriction with the ambient air temperature below freezing...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Operators have declared a "hot day" scenario south of the Thames which means prompt reponse to stalled trains with water etc - extra staff and so on. NR of course doing their bit with no overnight tamping and so on...

Course the Daily Mail will find fault...

 

[hassaanhc]

20mph restrictions over the point work at Nine Elms Junction on the SWT Windsor Lines, along with other restrictions approaching it from both directions. Could be something in the Clapham Junction area used by them as well, as we crawled most of the distance from Clapham Junction to Queenstown Road.