Derailment near Watford Junction (16 September 2016)

[IanD]

More crass reporting of the incident (eg the Mail).
Apparently it was a "slow tunnel", and it was on "the busiest rail line in Europe".
They seem to be mashing up railway parlance with Wiki entries on the WCML.

"the busiest rail line in Europe" was a phrase used by the Network Rail spokesman on the radio. He went on to add "that carries both passengers and freight" but in essence the Mail were simply repeating what Network Rail told them.

And what is wrong with the phrase "slow tunnel"? It's no different to saying "slow lines" - neither the tunnel nor the lines actually move. Maybe it's not strict railway parlance but the Mail is not a journal aimed at rail staff or enthusiasts so what does it matter?

 

[Taunton]

Was there not a comparable incident only recently, just round the corner at Rickmansworth on the Metropolitan Line, where tree felling was followed by an embankment collapse which led to the ORR getting decidedly tough and imposing an Improvement Notice (euphemism for Official Reprimand) on the Underground.

26-May-2016 here:

http://orr.gov.uk/publications/notices/legal-notices/improvement-notices/improvement-notices-2016

 

[Retorus]

"the busiest rail line in Europe" was a phrase used by the Network Rail spokesman on the radio. He went on to add "that carries both passengers and freight" but in essence the Mail were simply repeating what Network Rail told them.

And what is wrong with the phrase "slow tunnel"? It's no different to saying "slow lines" - neither the tunnel nor the lines actually move. Maybe it's not strict railway parlance but the Mail is not a journal aimed at rail staff or enthusiasts so what does it matter?

It's only the pedantic people on here who get upset. And there are a lot of them.

 

[D365]

By the Mail's own standards, their reporting could have been a lot worse.

 

[QueensCurve]

you are right - 233 went past me

Any photos?

 

[Juniper Driver]

It's not unusual for images on Twitter to be from previous incidents so I'm always a bit cautious of info from there.

Oh I see,you mean the press...I understand your thinking....

 

[sd0733]

264 has now been rerailed and will go to watford yard where it will be fitted with skates to get it presumably to Northampton.
The other unit with 264 was 117 I've read somewhere.

 

[Heartland]

Infrastructure failures like that at Watford by the tunnel are a serious matter of concern. Imagine a situation where a train passes at speed and a similar event occurs. Whatever people feel about HS2, a new route north from London for fast trains is something that deserves support and not continual erosion to preserve ancient woodland, hedgehogs, newts, rich peoples private acreage or the diverse views of eco-warriors.

 

[33056]

350 264 is now in Watford Yard. Would have thought that they might try to park it somewhere a little less conspicuous.....

 

[reddragon]

The lead coach is going to need a lot of work but at least looks repairable!

 

[toppington]

There are certainly a lot of people eyeballing 264! 117 is currently sat a little further south. Both are very dusty.

 

[Philip Elliott]

Infrastructure failures like that at Watford by the tunnel are a serious matter of concern. Imagine a situation where a train passes at speed and a similar event occurs. Whatever people feel about HS2, a new route north from London for fast trains is something that deserves support and not continual erosion to preserve ancient woodland, hedgehogs, newts, rich peoples private acreage or the diverse views of eco-warriors.

Whar difference does HS2 make? It could just as easily have been the fast line tunnel with one of LM's express services that was derailed of which there are meant to be more post HS2. Then there are the several hundred other tunnels across the network...

 

[XCTurbostar]

As these are relatively new units, they will be repaired.
Thanks,
Ross

 

[Class 170101]

The real question is will Southern be running... I suspect not but they have not said anything one way or another, perhaps they forgot they run on the West Coast Main Line now!

Terminating at Shepherd's Bush. Through passengers should travel via Victoria and Euston (LUL).

 

[A0]

350 264 is now in Watford Yard. Would have thought that they might try to park it somewhere a little less conspicuous.....

Why is where it's parked an issue? It wasn't a fatal accident and there were no serious injuries. So apart from a few enthusiasts most people aren't going to be bothered.

 

[talltim]

The pictures on BBC News show a Virgin train. Is this the rescue train that they are talking about and, if so, how to they 'transfer' passengers from one train to the other?

A Virgin Voyager is about the only train* on the network suitable for this kind of work, diesel powered and fitted with a steering wheel to go round the landslip debris....
*I assume the VTEC HSTs are being retro-fitted but they aren't as close to the scene

 

[najaB]

Why is where it's parked an issue? It wasn't a fatal accident and there were no serious injuries. So apart from a few enthusiasts most people aren't going to be bothered.

I that 33056's comment was from a brand image point of view. It's not uncommon for airlines to hide/remove the titles from airplanes that have been involved in even minor accidents where the craft can't be moved immediately.

 

[QueensCurve]

Oh I see,you mean the press...I understand your thinking....

Steve Eusden (a pseudonym???) tweeted a picture of another derailment.

Steven Euesden on Twitter: "Train leaves tracks at Watford Junction due to torrential rain https://t.co/bzhFAATwSk #News https://t.co/xEd0Rrc8e1"
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Infrastructure failures like that at Watford by the tunnel are a serious matter of concern. Imagine a situation where a train passes at speed and a similar event occurs. Whatever people feel about HS2, a new route north from London for fast trains is something that deserves support and not continual erosion to preserve ancient woodland, hedgehogs, newts, rich peoples private acreage or the diverse views of eco-warriors.

It is the continual erosion of the WCML by rainwater that worries me.

 

[sng7]

Steve Eusden (a pseudonym???) tweeted a picture of another derailment.

Steven Euesden on Twitter: "Train leaves tracks at Watford Junction due to torrential rain https://t.co/bzhFAATwSk #News https://t.co/xEd0Rrc8e1"
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


It is the continual erosion of the WCML by rainwater that worries me.

The picture you linked on twitter is from the derailment of an ECS working at Welwyn Garden City on the 13th so nothing to do with Watford Junction or rain.

 

[QueensCurve]

Network Rail has issued a Statement regarding incident on the West Coast main line near Watford.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...dent-on-the-west-coast-main-line-near-watford

 

[PHILIPE]

Network Rail has issued a Statement regarding incident on the West Coast main line near Watford.

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...dent-on-the-west-coast-main-line-near-watford

A little bit which has more or less been put out already and the rest just a load of PR spin

 

[transmanche]

The picture you linked on twitter is from the derailment of an ECS working at Welwyn Garden City on the 13th so nothing to do with Watford Junction or rain.

I think that was rather the point...

 

[DarloRich]

Any photos?

one not very good one - attached below

 

[Bletchleyite]

I that 33056's comment was from a brand image point of view. It's not uncommon for airlines to hide/remove the titles from airplanes that have been involved in even minor accidents where the craft can't be moved immediately.

FWIW I was out on the WCML today (which was nice and quiet - LM were still posting "avoid, avoid, avoid" though a reasonably punctual 2-line emergency timetable was in operation) and was surprised to note that all the delays/cancellations on the PIS had a note "due to a derailment" on them - I wasn't expecting it to be that up-front, I was expecting an "operating incident" or similar.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Infrastructure failures like that at Watford by the tunnel are a serious matter of concern. Imagine a situation where a train passes at speed and a similar event occurs. Whatever people feel about HS2, a new route north from London for fast trains is something that deserves support and not continual erosion to preserve ancient woodland, hedgehogs, newts, rich peoples private acreage or the diverse views of eco-warriors.

I'm not unduly clear what HS2 has to do with WCML slow-line stopping services. The embankment on the fasts is nowhere near as steep.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The lead coach is going to need a lot of work but at least looks repairable!

Agreed, that will get fixed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I that 33056's comment was from a brand image point of view. It's not uncommon for airlines to hide/remove the titles from airplanes that have been involved in even minor accidents where the craft can't be moved immediately.

And then there's the curious TfL bus thing, where they obsessively blank the destination blinds of any bus involved in a collision, even though it is obvious to just about anyone who cared to look that it most certainly isn't going to the place on the blind any time soon.

 

[transmanche]

And then there's the curious TfL bus thing, where they obsessively blank the destination blinds of any bus involved in a collision, even though it is obvious to just about anyone who cared to look that it most certainly isn't going to the place on the blind any time soon.

Isn't that the 21st century version of leaning a seat cushion up against the rear of a bus?

 

[33056]

I that 33056's comment was from a brand image point of view. It's not uncommon for airlines to hide/remove the titles from airplanes that have been involved in even minor accidents where the craft can't be moved immediately.

Not just from a brand image p.o.v. - it might un-nerve passengers who notice it, which was why rolling stock involved in past accidents was usually sheeted over when it couldn't be moved immediately from view. The unit could have been put down the further reaches of the yard away from the station though I realise that might have caused a problem if it came out under its own power or coupled to the other unit as there is no OHL down that end.

Alternatively it could have been sent up and hidden somewhere in Wembley though that would have caused issues moving that far on a damaged wheelset / on a skate; a case of being between a rock and a hard place!

 

[Ianno87]

I'm not unduly clear what HS2 has to do with WCML slow-line stopping services. The embankment on the fasts is nowhere near as steep.
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Agreed, that will get fixed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Slow Lines blocked => Stopping services diverted to Fast Lines (between Wembley North and Bourne End) => Disruption to/thinning out of Fast Line services


HS2 will have properly designed earthworks and geotechnics from the start, so in future the long distance London-Birmingham/Manchester markets will not be affected by such incidents*

*Except where HS2 trains will operate on the exiting network, of course!

 

[itfcfan]

I'm booked on the 18:08 Euston to Chester this evening and I'm struggling to find out if it's still running or if I'll need to swap to a different service and change at Crewe, etc.

On realtimetrains I can see no trains direct from Euston to Chester until 15:08. The 18:08 is shown as due to run. But maybe the xx:08 trains are being removed from the system gradually as the time gets close to each departure?

Has anyone here got the latest news or any first-hand experience of Euston today.

 

[sd0733]

I'm booked on the 18:08 Euston to Chester this evening and I'm struggling to find out if it's still running or if I'll need to swap to a different service and change at Crewe, etc.

On realtimetrains I can see no trains direct from Euston to Chester until 15:08. The 18:08 is shown as due to run. But maybe the xx:08 trains are being removed from the system gradually as the time gets close to each departure?

Has anyone here got the latest news or any first-hand experience of Euston today.

Looks to be running that one, it looks like its formed from the 16:44 arrival from Holyhead which is on its way to Euston, currently in the Rugeley area. Allocated from platform 16 at Euston.

 

[itfcfan]

Looks to be running that one, it looks like its formed from the 16:44 arrival from Holyhead which is on its way to Euston, currently in the Rugeley area. Allocated from platform 16 at Euston.

Great! Thanks for the info.