More ( Potential ) trouble for the Furness Line

[pnepaul]

Below is on the Cumbria section of the BBC website. I had already heard about this on a couple of rail related Facebook groups. I hope it can be sorted without a closure!

Furness Line

 

[Straus]

Presumably they are concerned of a recurrence of the event that caused the derailment.

Looks to be a lot of limestone bedrock along that section which likes to dissolve, I imagine the trackbed moves into the holes and is then potentially cleared out by tidal action.

Between this and Whitehaven they're looking at a very sizeable bill in a cost constrained world.

I could see this becoming a shorter PSR.

I'm still thinking there's a 10-20% chance the tunnel never reopens

 

[InkyScrolls]

I'm still thinking there's a 10-20% chance the tunnel never reopens

Seriously? I must say that seems unlikely.

 

[Hipster123]

So following the one month closure of the Furness Line after the derailment in March 2024 it seems the ground in that area now has another problem with a speed restriction of 20mph being implemented.

I had a quick look on realtimetrains and it seems that most services have started picking up a 5 minute delay between Arnside and Grange in both directions since late last Saturday afternoon.

Perhaps the line between Lancaster and Barrow will need closing for a bit so that they are able to sort the ground issues with the track at Grange?

Which in that case depending on how long the closure would be for, it seems likely that it would result in the line between Barrow and Millom/Corkickle being closed due to it being impossible for Northern to service any of the units and it would also stop any nuclear trains getting to Sellafield due to Bransty Tunnel also being closed

Trains speed restriction after ground issues found

Trains will have to run at a lower speed over part of rail route after engineers found issues with the ground under the tracks.
A 20mph speed limit has been put in place on the line near Grange-over-Sands, in Cumbria, after routine maintenance inspections.
Network Rail said it aimed to remove the restriction as soon as possible, but added there was no "specific timeline".
"We know this will frustrate our passengers, especially those who are already impacted by the Bransty Tunnel closure further up the Cumbrian Coastline," a spokesperson said.
"However, in order to keep our passengers moving safely along the Furness line the speed restriction will stay in place while our investigations continue."
In March a borehole was found in the Grange-over-Sands area after a collision between a train and vehicle at a level crossing.
At the time, Network Rail said its appearance was not connected to the crash, and suggested the borehole was linked to previous work which followed a train derailment in the area in March 2024.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The nuclear trains are a matter of national security (it not being acceptable to transport this by lorry) so I suspect if this is getting close to the bone it will basically get unlimited resources thrown at it to fix it.

 

[156421]

The nuclear trains are a matter of national security (it not being acceptable to transport this by lorry) so I suspect if this is getting close to the bone it will basically get unlimited resources thrown at it to fix it.

Even the fact there is only now one open rail route to Sellafield (hence no redundancy) due to the Bransty Tunnel closure... must be on some risk register somewhere high up in government.

 

[zwk500]

The nuclear trains are a matter of national security (it not being acceptable to transport this by lorry) so I suspect if this is getting close to the bone it will basically get unlimited resources thrown at it to fix it.

The UK does transport nuclear weapons by road, so it's not an unlimited resources situation for the railway. However, I am fairly sure that politically this line will not be allowed to close.

 

[Straus]

I believe the trains carry low level waste to drigg rather than sellafield?

 

[Bletchleyite]

The UK does transport nuclear weapons by road, so it's not an unlimited resources situation for the railway. However, I am fairly sure that politically this line will not be allowed to close.

I can't see it closing either, nuclear or no (at least as far as Barrow) but I mean that if a repair is necessary now there's only one route to Sellafield I reckon they'll get on it pretty quick.

 

[156421]

I note that Northern seems to be adjusting timetables to allow for the speed restrictions. Just got an automated email to say that the 04:58 Barrow to Manchester Airport (which I am intending to use on September 10th) has been adjusted and will now depart at 04:51*

* the email actually said somehwat cryptically "Your scheduled journey on Wednesday, 10 September 2025 has been affected by a time change" without giving any further information, however RTT showed the new timings.

 

[Pinus contorta]

I note that Northern seems to be adjusting timetables to allow for the speed restrictions. Just got an automated email to say that the 04:58 Barrow to Manchester Airport (which I am intending to use on September 10th) has been adjusted and will now depart at 04:51*

* the email actually said somehwat cryptically "Your scheduled journey on Wednesday, 10 September 2025 has been affected by a time change" without giving any further information, however RTT showed the new timings.

Yes there is also an early morning departure at 0710 from Millom to Manchester Airport from next week which facilitates folks travelling through from the Cumbrian Coast towards Preston etc. As you pointed out, adjusting the departure times from Barrow, this also interferes with the connections.

 

[156421]

Yes there is also an early morning departure at 0710 from Millom to Manchester Airport from next week which facilitates folks travelling through from the Cumbrian Coast towards Preston etc. As you pointed out, adjusting the departure times from Barrow, this also interferes with the connections.

Northern doesn't often get praise but it does seem they've actually put some significant effort into planning during the tunnel closure (and now this speed restriction at Grange over Sands also). This is a pleasant surprise after the initial "close the line all the way from Sellafield to Workington" declaration! And who would ever have imagined a service from Manchester Airport terminating at Corkickle (there seems to be one such working per day but no direct return working)?!