Storm Malik, Saturday 29th January 2022

[Horizon22]

LNER saying it’s unlikely that the ECML north of Newcastle will reopen today. Is this true?

Looks like they've now put out "DO NOT TRAVEL" north of Newcastle for the rest of the day, so quite possible. And with no available transport due to roads blocked.

 

[londonmidland]

LNER saying it’s unlikely that the ECML north of Newcastle will reopen today. Is this true?

Yes. XC have/are in the process of cancelling all services North of Newcastle.

 

[800001]

LNER saying it’s unlikely that the ECML north of Newcastle will reopen today. Is this true?

LNER saying it’s unlikely that the ECML north of Newcastle will reopen today. Is this true?

Correct. Closed for remainder of day. There is still trains trapped from 8am along various sections of the route, the priority is to get these moved and people off those trains.

 

[dk1]

LNER saying it’s unlikely that the ECML north of Newcastle will reopen today. Is this true?

Yes, it wasn’t wise to try to operate a service really. Know that wouldn’t have been popular but now there are lumbered with crew & passengers stranded.

 

[InOban]

And think of the complaints on this and other forums if they had cancelled services as a precaution....

 

[dk1]

And think of the complaints on this and other forums if they had cancelled services as a precaution....

Exactly but look what they’ve ended up with. I’d rather just ignore the keyboard warriors & take it on the chin if I was in charge. It seems worse even than forecast in places.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Doncaster-Leeds also closed with OHLE damage.
WCML seems to be working, with delays mostly in Scotland.

 

[800001]

Doncaster-Leeds also closed with OHLE damage.
WCML seems to be working, with delays mostly in Scotland.

Doncaster to Leeds reopened, tree and plastic which were on Overheads now removed.

 

[Mattydo]

Doncaster to Leeds reopened, tree and plastic which were on Overheads now removed.

1D16 just set back to Doncaster this very minute and 1D18 which I’m on diverted to York so that may be premature good news. Unless perhaps you can find a diesel service.

 

[800001]

1D16 just set back to Doncaster this very minute and 1D18 which I’m on diverted to York so that may be premature good news.

The line was reopened so what I said was correct at the time.
Now plastic on the northbound overheads so as a result the line is closed again.
Subsequent services now diverting to York.
1D16 was sent booked route as at the time the line was confirmed as reopened.

 

[DelayRepay]

Just a heads up that it looks like another storm, Corrie, is due tomorrow evening.

A Yellow weather warning is in place for Scotland and most of the North of England

UK weather warnings

Met Office UK weather warnings for rain, wind, snow, ice, fog, thunderstorm, lightning and extreme heat.

www.metoffice.gov.uk

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Was expecting chaos today considering how bad the wind was last night. My train home from the football was struck side-on by an airborne tree branch somewhere near Ravensthorpe, luckily it just bounced off.

 

[skyhigh]

Power now restored on Leeds-Ilkley and Leeds-Bradford Forster Square however Skipton remains blocked. A unit is trapped at Crossflats and will probably remain there until tomorrow.

 

[800001]

17:40 Doncaster to Leeds reopened, bet they wished 1D18 Waited to go that way as now stuck behind a failed freight at Ryther.

 

[Mattydo]

The line was reopened so what I said was correct at the time.
Now plastic on the northbound overheads so as a result the line is closed again.
Subsequent services now diverting to York.
1D16 was sent booked route as at the time the line was confirmed as reopened.

Sorry not to imply you were wrong just that the good news had reversed. Anyway a failed freight train south of Colton Jn. Is the latest challenge in getting to Leeds this evening!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jan 2022 ==

Wish I’d gone with my first instinct and gotten off at Doncaster and found a route home via the A1 mostly

 

[800001]

Sorry not to imply you were wrong just that the good news had reversed. Anyway a failed freight train south of Colton Jn. Is the latest challenge in getting to Leeds this evening!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jan 2022 ==

Wish I’d gone with my first instinct and gotten off at Doncaster and found a route home via the A1 mostly

The freight has been declared a failure and a plan been put in place to rescues it. One small consolation, money back for your ticket

 

[Mattydo]

The freight has been declared a failure and a plan been put in place to rescues it. One small consolation, money back for your ticket

We’re now setting back to Doncaster where I thought I should jump off to begin with. Always go with your first instincts …. oh I’m sadly not entitled to money back shall we say. Hence not overly concerned. Interesting day to be operating in the north.

 

[800001]

We’re now setting back to Doncaster where I thought I should jump off to begin with. Always go with your first instincts …. oh I’m sadly not entitled to money back shall we say. Hence not overly concerned. Interesting day to be operating in the north.

The failed freight south of Colton junction is currently being rescued by a TPE 68+mk5 set, taken from a cancelled service at York!!! Rare move

 

[Scotrail314209]

From ScotRail’s facebook:

ℹ️⚠️Thankfully, #StormMalik is drifting eastwards and the strong winds we've seen throughout today are beginning to subside.

#StormCorrie is on the way and by tomorrow evening we're expecting to see inland winds of 60-70mph and coastal winds of 80mph.

Due to these very strong winds, there will be a phased withdrawal of ScotRail services by 1800 tomorrow. Then all ScotRail services will be withdrawn after 1800. @NetworkRailSCOT is also imposing a nationwide speed restriction of 40mph.

If you have to travel tomorrow, please check the app before heading out and keep an eye on it throughout your journey.

Remember, you will not be able to travel on ScotRail services after 1800 tomorrow.

All services after 1800 cancelled tomorrow.

 

[InOban]

Looking at the weather charts this will affect the West rather more than Malik did.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Looking at the weather charts this will affect the West rather more than Malik did.

I have college on Monday too. I’m going to keep an eye out particularly if it heavily impacts the West Coast.

 

[CBlue]

And think of the complaints on this and other forums if they had cancelled services as a precaution....

Exactly but look what they’ve ended up with. I’d rather just ignore the keyboard warriors & take it on the chin if I was in charge. It seems worse even than forecast in places.

Quite. Never mind the posts along the lines of "Back in 1910 / 1964 / <insert date here> the service wouldn't have been cancelled and all trains would have run"

Better safe than sorry, especially as the storms seem to have gotten worse throughout tonight!

 

[yorksrob]

There's now a tree on the overhead line North of Keighley.

Well, we were waiting for about an hour, then the train moved forward to rescue passengers from a stricken 333 going the other way. We did this then moved forward and rescued passengers from another 333 going the other way. Dropped them off at Skipton them were on our way arriving only two hours late.

A very slick and we'll organised operation. When one remembers the horror stories of people being stuck for several hours on trains, I think Northern did superbly in this instance.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Looking at the weather charts this will affect the West rather more than Malik did.

Indeed seems sensible that West Scotland and the North have services curtailed but wind speed forecast is lower on the East side than reported today. Personally surely it would be better to warn that with forecast conditions we might be unable to run services after 1800 in certain areas and update again as the forecast is reissued but guess after Carmont they have to be ultra cautious. Note its main road competitor CityLink has yet to declare what services will be impacted tomorrow and has run most of its services today. I know its not a level playing between modes of transport but the railways are the safest form of transport in these conditions and by running at reduced speed the risks are considerably reduced.

 

[Basher]

Came to Leeds to do some child minding this weekend, so I thought oh, buy a West Yorkshire Rail Rover ticket leave the other half child minding . First trip was to Kirkgate, what a mistake waited but not much happening, so caught a direct train back to Leeds. I was thinking of having a ride up to Todmorden, but had second thoughts, so just stayed in Leeds. Travelled to Leeds from Headingley at lunchtime and had arranged to be picked up at Kirkstall Forge by car, but no trains running from Leeds to Kirkstall. The alternative route to Kirkstall was about 80 mins long, and involved walking between the two Bradford stations.
A bit of a wasted day.

 

[800001]

Well, we were waiting for about an hour, then the train moved forward to rescue passengers from a stricken 333 going the other way. We did this then moved forward and rescued passengers from another 333 going the other way. Dropped them off at Skipton them were on our way arriving only two hours late.

A very slick and we'll organised operation. When one remembers the horror stories of people being stuck for several hours on trains, I think Northern did superbly in this instance.

Network Rails priority now a days is to rescue stranded trains. Only when that is sorted will they look to sort out returning to a normal service

 

[yorksrob]

Network Rails priority now a days is to rescue stranded trains. Only when that is sorted will they look to sort out returning to a normal service

That makes sense, given that they can't run a service if there are a load of stranded trains in front of it.

The strategy worked in this case.

 

[308165]

Well, we were waiting for about an hour, then the train moved forward to rescue passengers from a stricken 333 going the other way. We did this then moved forward and rescued passengers from another 333 going the other way. Dropped them off at Skipton them were on our way arriving only two hours late.

A very slick and we'll organised operation. When one remembers the horror stories of people being stuck for several hours on trains, I think Northern did superbly in this instance.

Based on Open Train Times maps there is still a unit (331108) stuck in Crossflatts Station. Interestingly a 333 that was stuck between Skipton and Cononley has made it back to Skipton - I wonder how that was achieved since as far as I can tell the power has been off since the incident this morning.

 

[yorksrob]

Based on Open Train Times maps there is still a unit (331108) stuck in Crossflatts Station. Interestingly a 333 that was stuck between Skipton and Cononley has made it back to Skipton - I wonder how that was achieved since as far as I can tell the power has been off since the incident this morning.

Yes, it has to be said, I went back via the other route.

 

[43094]

Current plan for Sunday is a full LNER service will operate, with the exception of two full and two part cancellations as a result of the disruption today.

Obviously subject to any further disruption tomorrow.

Edit as of 0700: Line now closed for longer at Pegswood, there will be additional alterations / cancellations.