Merseyrail is up the wall this morning as we've had the freezing then sleet/freezing rain on top. This affects the third rail here badly. Most lines have delays and sections off completely. The roads are bad too so they're struggling to start bus replacement as well.
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Snow/Ice disruption from 29 Dec onwards
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tetudo boy
Member
Seeing as where I am has just snowed, I'm suspecting that Merseyrail is possibly disrupted?
What year was it that we had 3 trains trapped in the new forest overnight? The irony was network rail couldn’t get to site due to the local rail conditions etc but BBC breakfast managed to get a camera crew directly beneath the train!
I’m led to believe a huge amount of red tape had to be cut to allow a 30+ mile wrong direction move to evacuate passengers onto a cross country voyager.
I’m led to believe a huge amount of red tape had to be cut to allow a 30+ mile wrong direction move to evacuate passengers onto a cross country voyager.
Wychwood93
Member
That would be Thursday 1st March 2018. We could see the train stranded below Hinton Admiral, the one evacuated by the Voyager, from our drive. We had been up to Southampton for a show at the Mayflower that afternoon and after assorted platform changes made it out before things got worse.
TheSel
Member
From Merseyrail website (https://www.merseyrail.org/)
Due to adverse weather conditions, services across the Merseyrail Network are severely disrupted. Please see our Twitter page @Merseyrail for the latest information or WhatsApp us on 0151 555 1111 Services are currently suspended between Chester, Ellesmere Port and Rock Ferry on the Wirral Line. A rail service is operating from Rock Ferry to Liverpool in both directions. Services on the Ormskirk Line are currently starting at Maghull. It has not been possible to obtain any replacement road transport and customers are advised to make their own arrangements for travel.
philthetube
Established Member
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The worst weather for third rail is precipitation which washes off the de-icing fluid followed by snow which then freezes coating the rail with half an inch of solid ice.
Romsey
Member
The Swedish Scrubber was a modified GUV with rotating brushes for removing leaf mulch from the railhead.I assume you are talking about a piece of railway equipment?
It sort of worked, but the modern water cannon units are much better.
yesI assume you are talking about a piece of railway equipment?
Another bad mornìng on Merseyrail... yesterday they had a delayed start to allow the ice the clear but this morning the Southport line has ground to a halt. All trains were terminated at their next stop and passengers advised to make their own arrangements as they couldn't get bus replacements again. The ice on top of the third rail has stopped a couple of trains between stations, unable to move.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
It would appear from RTT that the de-icer train hasn't run this morning.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
It would appear from RTT that the de-icer train hasn't run this morning.
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Does seem odd... particularly if you follow Network Rail on twitter and see how much they go on about their winter activities to keep it all running.
stuart100100
Member
The whole of the Northern Line is suspended now
jamesst
Established Member
To be fair its still been running daily, ive passed it many times! This Autumn/Winter doesn't seem of been a particularly good season for it though!
I tweeted Merseyrail and they said they were out last night. I can't find any trace of them on RTT though but I stand corrected if they were.
jamesst
Established Member
Merseyrail don't own any leaf blowing gritter (im guessing you mean the mpv) or indeed any maintenance trains. Anything along those lines is operated by Network Rail.
If you mean route proving trains they're just a couple of normal class 507/8s coupled together and run round the network.
I think your correct there.
www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk
edit
The mpv came through about 2 am this morning.
Turning over a new leaf: rail industry invests in new kit to keep passengers moving this autumn
Network Rail’s ‘leaf-busting’ trains have started blasting leaves off the line to help keep passengers moving across the North West route this autumn.
www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk
edit
The mpv came through about 2 am this morning.
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Snow1964
Established Member
Looks like it will be East Anglia where the big snow ploughs are needed next week.
Many weather models now showing snow for Sunday through Wednesday with drifting in strong (cold) Easterly winds
Is the Beilhack snow blower still around, I remember about 40 years ago brought it down from Scotland to clear lines of drifts in North Kent in similar weather patten
Many weather models now showing snow for Sunday through Wednesday with drifting in strong (cold) Easterly winds
Is the Beilhack snow blower still around, I remember about 40 years ago brought it down from Scotland to clear lines of drifts in North Kent in similar weather patten
I think the Highland Mainline needs the ploughs at the moment. Been closed much of the day with snow drifts by the looks of things.
It looks like most of the eastern side of the UK is in for some snow over the next week judging from the warnings but the forecast is constantly changing. Just today my location has been added to the yellow snow waning but the amount of snow forecast has gone down.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
There was a single 37 working south from Inverness but having a tough time one gathers , - now I know Peterborough has a pair of ploughs around - where else on the Scottish / ECML etc axis. ?
In Sweden, most (all?) locos and multiple units are equipped with a broom for removing snow from points.
A snowplough arrived in Perth about an hour ago.
Not sure where it originated.
Poolie
Member
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Hope it doesn't all go Bleath Gill......https://youtu.be/-ugIoMD495E
Utmost respect for railway staff then and now
Utmost respect for railway staff then and now
Highland Mainline shut past Dalwhinnie due to heavy snow, the north bound sleeper 1S25 was caped there, the line due to be shut till 12 mid day today Fri 5th Feb, been some really bad snow up there, had 37’s and snow plough clearing the snow, good videos on twitter etc.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Independant plough came from Motherwell one understands .....
DarloRich
Veteran Member
they will be out again today i suspect!
0Z99 plough is sat near Kingussie, waiting to plough the line down to Pitlochry.
1S25 is blocking the single line between Dalwhinnie and Kingussie as it has all its brakes stuck on.
Some changes to Southeastern and Southern services tomorrow and possibly Monday. Some routes will have no service and no replacement buses.
From National Rail:
Southeastern:
Southeastern strongly advise that you do not attempt to travel on their network on Sunday or Monday.
Given the severity of the forecast, the risk of disruption across the network is high and the following routes will be closed on Sunday and are expected to be closed on Monday, with no replacement transport available:
We are continuously reviewing the forecast so we can react accordingly, we'll update this message if there any changes.
If you do have to make a critical journey over the next few days then please check before you travel, allow extra time for your journey and prepare in advance for your journey to be disrupted.
If you have a ticket dated for travel on Sunday 7th or Monday 8th February, you'll be able to use this on another day on our network this week at no additional cost.
Journey Planners for Sunday are up to date. Journey Planners for Monday will be updated on Sunday.
Southern:
Southern are expecting heavy snowfall across most of their network from the start of Sunday, 7 February. Some routes will not have a service on Sunday. Do not make any attempt to travel on these routes.
On other parts of the network, trains may be delayed or revised to call at different stations at short notice. We will update this message if further disruption occurs.
Routes with no service on Sunday:
Uckfield Line:
No trains will run between Oxted and Uckfield. We will do everything we can to run trains between London Victoria and East Grinstead, so Oxted and Hurst Green should still be served by these trains.
Hastings to Ore and Ashford International:
No trains will run between Hastings and Ashford International. Also, trains which usually terminate at Ore will instead finish their journeys at Hastings, starting back from there - so there will be no service at Ore.
No alternative transport will be operating:
It is expect that replacement buses and taxis will not be able to run due to road conditions.
Southeastern will also be closing several routes and will not be able to offer alternatives.
General advice:
Where other routes are open, leave plenty of extra time for your journey, and only travel if it is absolutely essential.
Make sure you wear suitable footwear and clothing for the conditions. Platforms may be slippery and you may need to wait longer at a station. Bring some water with you in case there is a long delay.
What if the weather is less severe than expected?
If the snow isn't as severe as forecast, we will update this message with any services we can run, although these would be extremely limited.
Can you tell me more about the reasons for this?
It is expected that the snow will move in from the east, starting in the early hours of Sunday. You can find more information about the weather conditions at the Met Office website, They have put Amber weather warnings in place for some areas which we serve.
Due to the very rural nature of some parts of the Southern network, we have fewer contingency options in bad weather, should any form of incident occur. This means we can't always allow train services to run in significant snowfall.
From National Rail:
Southeastern:
Southeastern strongly advise that you do not attempt to travel on their network on Sunday or Monday.
Given the severity of the forecast, the risk of disruption across the network is high and the following routes will be closed on Sunday and are expected to be closed on Monday, with no replacement transport available:
- Dover Priory - Ramsgate (via Deal)
- Dover Priory - Faversham (via Canterbury East)
- Medway Valley Line
- Sheerness Line
- Bromley North Line
- Hastings to Tonbridge
- No trains will call at Sandling or Westenhanger
We are continuously reviewing the forecast so we can react accordingly, we'll update this message if there any changes.
If you do have to make a critical journey over the next few days then please check before you travel, allow extra time for your journey and prepare in advance for your journey to be disrupted.
If you have a ticket dated for travel on Sunday 7th or Monday 8th February, you'll be able to use this on another day on our network this week at no additional cost.
Journey Planners for Sunday are up to date. Journey Planners for Monday will be updated on Sunday.
Southern:
Southern are expecting heavy snowfall across most of their network from the start of Sunday, 7 February. Some routes will not have a service on Sunday. Do not make any attempt to travel on these routes.
On other parts of the network, trains may be delayed or revised to call at different stations at short notice. We will update this message if further disruption occurs.
Routes with no service on Sunday:
Uckfield Line:
No trains will run between Oxted and Uckfield. We will do everything we can to run trains between London Victoria and East Grinstead, so Oxted and Hurst Green should still be served by these trains.
Hastings to Ore and Ashford International:
No trains will run between Hastings and Ashford International. Also, trains which usually terminate at Ore will instead finish their journeys at Hastings, starting back from there - so there will be no service at Ore.
No alternative transport will be operating:
It is expect that replacement buses and taxis will not be able to run due to road conditions.
Southeastern will also be closing several routes and will not be able to offer alternatives.
General advice:
Where other routes are open, leave plenty of extra time for your journey, and only travel if it is absolutely essential.
Make sure you wear suitable footwear and clothing for the conditions. Platforms may be slippery and you may need to wait longer at a station. Bring some water with you in case there is a long delay.
What if the weather is less severe than expected?
If the snow isn't as severe as forecast, we will update this message with any services we can run, although these would be extremely limited.
Can you tell me more about the reasons for this?
It is expected that the snow will move in from the east, starting in the early hours of Sunday. You can find more information about the weather conditions at the Met Office website, They have put Amber weather warnings in place for some areas which we serve.
Due to the very rural nature of some parts of the Southern network, we have fewer contingency options in bad weather, should any form of incident occur. This means we can't always allow train services to run in significant snowfall.
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