Storm Desmond- Weekend 4th December

[TB]

16:45 Leeds to Morecambe terminates at Skipton.
19:08 Morecambe to Leeds starts at Skipton.

Reason given is severe weather.

Lancaster still without power?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Would appear so. VT's site now says trains are not stopping at Lancaster, and a replacement bus is in operation between Preston and Lancaster.

VT have also followed Northern in extending acceptance to next weekend.

 

[IslandDweller]

Power had been restored to Lancaster earlier today (Mon 7th) but then the substation failed again (about 1600), knocking out Lancaster Morecambe and Carnforth.

 

[gavin]

Lancaster station is now shut due to no power replacement buses are running

 

[crispy1978]

Just pulled this off Facebook:

A Mprthernm (Northern?)Client & Stakeholder manager has just come from a conference call regarding the situation re the routes in our area; the following are the main points by line of route. It is still too early to confirm the prospects for tomorrow morning, but some lines will clearly be inaccessible for a number of days:



· Barrow to Workington (the southern Cumbrian Coast): This is being walked now and has been inspected from the air; there is some confidence that this part of the line may be open in the morning. Network Rail has not been able to get signallers in today (this may also be an issue tomorrow), so we cannot run a proving service until the morning. It is clearly critical for the Sellafield workers and we will update as soon as we know more.

· Workington to Carlisle: This part of the line has suffered extensive damage and it will not be back in service for some time

· Lancaster Station: Power cuts in the town make the station unsafe to use currently, these are expected to remain until the first part of the week, so it is unlikely that we will be in a position to call.

· Lancaster to Barrow: Given the situation at Lancaster, we are exploring the possibility of using Morecambe as an alternative. The line however will not be proved until first thing in the morning, therefore we cannot confirm the service that will be in operation.

· Skipton to Lancaster/Morecambe: As said earlier a proving train is currently underway from Carnforth to Hellifield which will then reverse and travel to Carlisle via the Settle and Carlisle Line, once this has occurred a decision will be taken regarding tomorrows possible services.

· Skipton to Carlisle: See above

· West Coast Main line North of Preston: DRS are sending a proving train on this route, no information yet regarding the findings

· Hexham to Carlisle: The route proving train reported track bed slippage between Haydon Bridge and Bardon Mill. This has curtailed the route proving for this evening. Network Rail Control is now waiting for staff on site to advise them of the likely timescale to clear the debris. At the same time the Western Zone have been requested to attempt the route proving from the west to see if other obstructions lay between Haydon Bridge and Carlisle. Therefore the line is closed west of Hexham until further notice.



Even if the lines are returned to use, there are clearly several issues that will affect our ability to run a service, not least getting our people in to work over flooded roads, and after days of line blockages getting our rolling stock to the correct place to start its journey.



Therefore customers are advised to check before they leave home, up to date information can be sourced via real time journey updates on mobile by visiting www.journeycheck.com/northernrail or by Tweeting our team@northernrailorg



Those customers who hold tickets dated for this weekend may use them on any day until Monday December the 14th 2015.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The above appears to be from yesterday, I think, as services have been resumed on a number of lines mentioned above.

 

[backontrack]

A bit mean to run only to Hexham and not to Haydon Bridge.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Not really, depends on where turnback facilities may be located. There are crossings and siding space at Hexham, not sure if there is any at haydon bridge but if trains arent running that far then i guess maybe not. If there is, the obstruction the HST hit might be on the wrong side to make use of it

 

[DarloRich]

To be fair to the railway (as I have been quite critical of some aspects on other threads) this is an impressively quick turnaround to returning services.

Good of you to acknowledge the vast effort but in by a team of people working in fairly terrible conditions to restore service. (insert thumbs up icon here!)

 

[gavin]

The west coast mainline may reopen today around lunchtime though this is not confirmed yet

 

[cuccir]

It seems that services are now running, albeit with delays for a variety of reasons, on all lines south and east of Carlisle except Carlisle-Workington. Virgin are saying that they're hoping to get the line north of Carlisle opened with speed restrictions by the afternoon.

 

[backontrack]

What about Carlisle-Dumfries? Is that, like Carlisle to Workington, out for the count at the moment?

 

[PHILIPE]

What about Carlisle-Dumfries? Is that, like Carlisle to Workington, out for the count at the moment?

Yes of course. The flooding is between Carlisle station and Gretna Jn where the line leaves the WCML. NRES say might re-open later today.

 

[ScotTrains]

I'm on the 1040 Virgin service from Glasgow central. They said we'll be going slow for half a mile coming into Carlisle. I think we're the first passenger service to go through. Just hope it's open in time!

 

[jimm]

Looks like you should be okay - latest on Virgin Trains website:

The flood water North of Carlisle has dropped faster than predicted, therefore we are hopeful to have the line reopened by 1200. There will be some delays as a 20mph speed restriction has been put in place for quarter of a mile.

 

[gavin]

9M54 & 1M11 are the first 2 trains to / from Scotland since the line closed

FTP also have 1S46 running from Manchester Airport so slowly but surely things are improving

Confirmation from NR the WCML will reopen today

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/west-coast-main-line-to-reopen-today

 

[Blindtraveler]

This is impressive and should deal a hefty blow to those who slag NR for anything and everything!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

This is impressive and should deal a hefty blow to those who slag NR for anything and everything!

I think on this one it was Virgin who were being slagged off for poor information and lack of buses.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think on this ne it was Virgin who were being slagged off for poor information and lack of buses.

That was certainly the aim of my criticism, all of which was levelled at VT; I have no criticism (indeed, rather I have compliments) for Network Rail. The failings were primarily customer service-related rather than operational (in a railway sense) or infrastructural.

 

[gavin]

Two trains to Scotland are being held atCarlisle whilst two coming down from Scotland (9M54 & 1M11) are being held around Kingmoor, Carlisle

So it would appear the line hasn't opened yet

 

[Freightmaster]

9M54 & 1M11 are the first 2 trains to / from Scotland since the line closed...

According to the Realtime map for the Carlisle area,
9M54 and 1M11 have both been in the Kingmoor area
for the past hour or so, so it looks like a problem must
have been found at the last minute?


MARK
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Strike that! 9M54 now showing having arrived in the station.

Presumably hand signalling is in place??


MARK

 

[gavin]

9M54 has just made it into Carlisle 55 mins late

 

[asylumxl]

9M54 has just made it into Carlisle 55 mins late

Better late than never!

 

[misterredmist]

Well , having seen the images of the flooded lines , I think NR have done a remarkable job in getting the WCML open so quick - well done to all those on the ground in what must have been very challenging conditions to work in......Bravo !

 

[Starmill]

That was certainly the aim of my criticism, all of which was levelled at VT; I have no criticism (indeed, rather I have compliments) for Network Rail. The failings were primarily customer service-related rather than operational (in a railway sense) or infrastructural.

Just to check, you have emailed VT with a conscience (but hopefully dispassionate) summary of your points about their management which you've also expressed in posts about them on here? I'm surethere's no point going on about it behind their backs.

 

[gavin]

Services are running to Scotland but with delays of up-to 75 minutes fair play to NR the 'orange army' have done a great job getting it open again so quickly

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just to check, you have emailed VT with a conscience (but hopefully dispassionate) summary of your points about their management which you've also expressed in posts about them on here? I'm surethere's no point going on about it behind their backs.

No, because I don't have time to waste on them failing to read it and sending me a pile of RTVs instead, which I have already claimed anyway.

If I knew they would read it without me having to spend hours on end chasing them, I would.

One significant customer service failing leads to another. I am very cynical that most companies' customer services departments exist purely to fob, or buy, customers off. It is very rare not to have to pursue a complaint, and as such I tend to give up on them.

 

[najaB]

No, because I don't have time to waste on them failing to read it and sending me a pile of RTVs instead, which I have already claimed anyway.

So instead of speaking with the people who could actually do something about it, you've flooded this forum with countless rants about how things could be done better. Good job, way to achieve nothing!

 

[Bletchleyite]

So instead of speaking with the people who could actually do something about it, you've flooded this forum with countless rants about how things could be done better. Good job, way to achieve nothing!

I did speak with the station staff at the time (politely) with a couple of suggestions (proper ones, not what they could do with their lack of service), but it was too fraught for them to be taken on board.

I've given up making actual suggestions to TOCs because they are near enough without exception ignored. The only time I have ever been able to get these in far enough to have anything done has been when David Whitley (the then Marketing Manager/Director, I forget which) was running LM Twitter. I got a few issues visibly fixed very quickly when he was doing that.

Even (not a TOC I accept) when I got a staff complaint taken seriously at Luton Airport (extremely rare) nothing was actually done about the operational issue that would have avoided the complaint entirely. And even then I had to make the complaint 3 times to get around the fob-off.

Companies are terrible at this generally, particularly large ones. They chuck out compensation because it's cheaper, and hope people will go away, which they generally do, but the problem remains unsolved.

Edit: TBH, given that we know TOC management reads here, it's if anything as likely to get through posted on here as it is sent to Customer Services. The Routeing Guide thread (where they change something, we point out the unintended consequences, and they get fixed suspiciously quickly) is evidence enough of that.

 

[najaB]

I did speak with the station staff at the time (politely) with a couple of suggestions (proper ones, not what they could do with their lack of service), but it was too fraught for them to be taken on board.

Of course it was. They were neither the people, nor was it the time/place to implement policy.

Companies are terrible at this generally, particularly large ones. They chuck out compensation because it's cheaper, and hope people will go away, which they generally do, but the problem remains unsolved.

Which is why the only choices that make any sense are either put up enough of a fuss to make them change or shut up.

Edit: TBH, given that we know TOC management reads here, it's if anything as likely to get through posted on here as it is sent to Customer Services. The Routeing Guide thread (where they change something, we point out the unintended consequences, and they get fixed suspiciously quickly) is evidence enough of that.

Of course, it could be the case that people inside the company are just as able to spot the ridiculous as those of us on the outside.