Brighton Mainline disruption - 19/06

[RichardKing]

It started off with a fault with signalling equipment between Balcombe Tunnel and Haywards Heath, resulting in drivers having to gain verbal permission to pass signals on both lines, and there is now a lineside fire just south of Stoats Nest Junction, blocking the down fast.

Let's hope the latter is sorted before the evening peak...the signalling fault seems to have been resolved, with rather large residual delays, as can be expected on this line!

Incidentally, is anyone in the know able to confirm whether today's heat was involved in the first incident (I assume this sort of heat can affect signals?).

 

[RichardKing]

EDIT: The up fast has now also been blocked between Earlswood and Stoats Nest.

 

[RichardKing]

FURTHER EDIT: And now a Thameslink service is blocking platform 1 at Earlswood, so the entire BML in that area is now relying solely on the down slow.

This should be interesting!

 

[RichardKing]

FURTHER EDIT (NUMBER 2): And it's goodnight from the BML...it's looking like something has now gone wrong in the Redhill area as northbound services are turning back to Gatwick from Earlswood.

At the moment, nothing is moving between Stoats Nest and Gatwick.

 

[physics34]

i drove past the lineside fire..well the smoke anyway... on the A23 earlier and saw the fire brigade on site.

Its gonna get warming this afternoon

 

[RichardKing]

Its gonna get warming this afternoon

God help this evening's commuters!

 

[HowardGWR]

God help this evening's commuters!

and the people trying to catch flights. I always think of them in these incidents.

 

[jamesthegill]

I had plans to go to a gig in London (from Brighton) this evening. This is going to be fun...

 

[bangor-toad]

I had plans to go to a gig in London (from Brighton) this evening. This is going to be fun...

Leave now!
Either get the train to Lewes, walk across to bus station and get the 729 bus or just get the 729 bus from central Brighton.
Get off at Uckfield.
Get the Southen train from there.
It'll get you to London.

Coming back - hope they've got it all sorted out...
Cheers,
Mr Toad.

 

[jamesthegill]

Leave now!
Either get the train to Lewes, walk across to bus station and get the 729 bus or just get the 729 bus from central Brighton.
Get off at Uckfield.
Get the Southen train from there.
It'll get you to London.

Unfortunately I'm stuck at work until 5pm (with my three travelling companions) but I'll certainly bear this in mind for when we leave, thanks!

 

[RichardKing]

and the people trying to catch flights. I always think of them in these incidents.

Ah, yes - I would hate to be caught in such disruption when travelling to the Airport. I've been lucky on my recent travels, but I know people who have missed their flight/been close to missing it because of the railway and it's not fun!

 

[Antman]

Leave now!
Either get the train to Lewes, walk across to bus station and get the 729 bus or just get the 729 bus from central Brighton.
Get off at Uckfield.
Get the Southen train from there.
It'll get you to London.

Coming back - hope they've got it all sorted out...
Cheers,
Mr Toad.

Forgive me if I appear pedantic but the 729 was renumbered 29 several years ago.

Still delays and cancellations now on the BML.

 

[RichardKing]

And we can now extend this thread to today, with reports of a track defect between Keymer Junction and Preston Park.

Some Brighton-bound services have been diverted via Lewes, others are terminated at Gatwick/Haywards Heath;
London Victoria to Littlehampton services are diverting via Horsham.

 

[infobleep]

I was on the 13.28 Haywards Heath to Brighton service earlier and it seemed rough going over Kyme Junction but given that was before these issues I suspect that was normal and the issue is something else.

When I got to Brighton to head away, I just missed he delayed 17.35 to Bedford. I didn't see any advertised via Lewes but the 18.02 and 18.05 were cancelled.

I'm heading to Haywards Heath and was advised to catch the 17.58 and change. They didn't say where to change mind. The first station is Burgess Hill. However the next train from Burgess Hill isn't until 18.43, assuming that even more Aves on time and that train is also from. Brighton. Thus ice decided to go via Gatwick Airport. Might be a big mistake but I didn't fancy getting stuck at Burgess Hill for ages.

I see one Littlehampton service has had its Horsham stop cancelled and I assume all stations to Barnham reinstated.

This is the 16.57 from London Bridge. National Rail Enquiries App helpfully gives you the rough history of additional stopping patterns. So anything added in and cancelled getw shown as cancelled. I guess it helps those who saw it run to Horsham and need to know it's no longer doing so.

Edit: what I should have done was get out at Burgess Hill and walk to Wivelsfield station. I'm sure it's not that far. Then I could have picked up an Eastbourne train.

Part of me thinks I've made a big mistake and it's going to take me 30 minutes just to get between Gatwick Airport and Haywards Heath and that assumes there is a train stopping at Gatwick, as some skip it.

 

[Robertj21a]

Edit: what I should have done was get out at Burgess Hill and walk to Wivelsfield station. I'm sure it's not that far. Then I could have picked up an Eastbourne train.

Probably about 15-20 mins if you go up Junction Road.

 

[RichardKing]

I was on the 13.28 Haywards Heath to Brighton service earlier and it seemed rough going over Kyme Junction but given that was before these issues I suspect that was normal and the issue is something else.

When I got to Brighton to head away, I just missed he delayed 17.35 to Bedford. I didn't see any advertised via Lewes but the 18.02 and 18.05 were cancelled.

I'm heading to Haywards Heath and was advised to catch the 17.58 and change. They didn't say where to change mind. The first station is Burgess Hill. However the next train from Burgess Hill isn't until 18.43, assuming that even more Aves on time and that train is also from. Brighton. Thus ice decided to go via Gatwick Airport. Might be a big mistake but I didn't fancy getting stuck at Burgess Hill for ages.

I see one Littlehampton service has had its Horsham stop cancelled and I assume all stations to Barnham reinstated.

This is the 16.57 from London Bridge. National Rail Enquiries App helpfully gives you the rough history of additional stopping patterns. So anything added in and cancelled getw shown as cancelled. I guess it helps those who saw it run to Horsham and need to know it's no longer doing so.

Edit: what I should have done was get out at Burgess Hill and walk to Wivelsfield station. I'm sure it's not that far. Then I could have picked up an Eastbourne train.

Part of me thinks I've made a big mistake and it's going to take me 30 minutes just to get between Gatwick Airport and Haywards Heath and that assumes there is a train stopping at Gatwick, as some skip it.

Good luck!

 

[Antman]

Also reports of a tree on the line in the Tulse Hill area affecting Thameslink.

 

[infobleep]

Probably about 15-20 mins if you go up Junction Road.

If I'd run I might have caught it. As it was if I'd got out and waited at Burgess Hill, the following would have happened:
18.43 to London Bridge - cancelled throughout.

18.49 was at one stage due 19.15 but I see it's now delayed. So I'd have ended up on the 19.13, which is currently running 4 minutes late. That of course starting from Brighton at 18.56

As it was, I went to Gatwick Airport and headed back south on a delayed Littlehampton service. I got in 18.51. So saved about 30 minutes vers waiting at Burgess Hill.

Obviously in the evening one expects more trains south than heading north, hence way it was better to change at Gatwick Airport. I wonder what station the member of staff in Brighton had in mind. Doesn't actually matter.

 

[tsr]

Tonight's issue involved the points on the Down Main Reversible at the north end of Preston Park buckling in the heat. Due to the nature of the defect and the time to get p-way (track maintenance) to site, it took quite some time to reopen even at reduced speed. Further repairs planned tonight which may block some late-night trains, such as still exist, and in the mean time severe disruption. Not helped by 1B47 breaking down in the queue earlier either (same happened yesterday with a 700 at Salfords during the lineside fire - ooops!).

 

[RichardKing]

Tonight's issue involved the points on the Down Main Reversible at the north end of Preston Park buckling in the heat. Due to the nature of the defect and the time to get p-way (track maintenance) to site, it took quite some time to reopen even at reduced speed. Further repairs planned tonight which may block some late-night trains, such as still exist, and in the mean time severe disruption. Not helped by 1B47 breaking down in the queue earlier either (same happened yesterday with a 700 at Salfords during the lineside fire - ooops!).

I think we should expect more of these kind of incidents this week and into the weekend, with the continued high temperatures!
Southern warn passengers on their website to expect speed restrictions, but I haven't heard of any so far.

It's not been a good two days on the mainline!

 

[tsr]

There are some speed restrictions for Southern - 20mph on part of the West London Line route and a 30/60 differential restriction (so not too bad for most passenger trains at 60mph) at Three Bridges. Preston Park still has an emergency speed restriction, I think (and earlier it was only 5mph, immediately after the repairs). Also various restrictions around Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park on the Up lines.

Meanwhile, tonight there is also a track circuit failure at Coulsdon South, earlier failed trains at Crawley and Woldingham, Key Route Strategy for hot weather meaning plain line running at Earlswood and a couple of other bits - and the Uckfield Line is severely disrupted due to air con loss on one unit causing it to be uninhabitable, and an engine fault on another.

 

[radamfi]

There was a 5 mph limit through Crystal Palace station yesterday morning, is that still there?

 

[RichardKing]

There are some speed restrictions for Southern - 20mph on part of the West London Line route and a 30/60 differential restriction (so not too bad for most passenger trains at 60mph) at Three Bridges. Preston Park still has an emergency speed restriction, I think (and earlier it was only 5mph, immediately after the repairs). Also various restrictions around Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park on the Up lines.

Meanwhile, tonight there is also a track circuit failure at Coulsdon South, earlier failed trains at Crawley and Woldingham, Key Route Strategy for hot weather meaning plain line running at Earlswood and a couple of other bits - and the Uckfield Line is severely disrupted due to air con loss on one unit causing it to be uninhabitable, and an engine fault on another.

Oh blimey, never a dull day on Southern!
I noticed a few trains queuing on the line between Preston Park and Haywards Heath at around 3 this afternoon, but this soon cleared (I thought we were having a repeat of yesterday!).

 

[tsr]

Oh blimey, never a dull day on Southern!
I noticed a few trains queuing on the line between Preston Park and Haywards Heath at around 3 this afternoon, but this soon cleared (I thought we were having a repeat of yesterday!).

Also a track circuit fault in Clayton Tunnel earlier. May have been the aftermath of that.

 

[RichardKing]

Also a track circuit fault in Clayton Tunnel earlier. May have been the aftermath of that.

Ah, that was probably it.

 

[sarahj]

Last night (tue) was made complete when there a was a track failure on the Uckfield line at about 23.00. It was summed up by the message stating 'we could do this, but we need a MOM and they are stuck at Preston Park.
This evening it was SWT's turn but as I talked to a punter who had been delayed due to that, that while it was SWT's for delays today, we were trying our best to catch up on the messing up front' as some ECS was stuck up in London and another train was having issues at Crawley and the DMU's (or one anyway) had packed in and was causing issues on the Uckfield line. Mind the 150 GWR sent to Brighton was not doing to well either. After being stuck at Brighton I later saw it shoot through Barnham about 2 hours late (never noticed if there were any punters on.

I also worked out I drank over 2 litres of fluid today being stuck on our mobile sauna's, or 313's as some like to call them, all day. Sitting in the West Worthing sidings you can feel the heat build up. Mind all that sweating means you don't have to go to the loo. Bright side and all that.

 

[tsr]

Last night (tue) was made complete when there a was a track failure on the Uckfield line at about 23.00. It was summed up by the message stating 'we could do this, but we need a MOM and they are stuck at Preston Park.
This evening it was SWT's turn but as I talked to a punter who had been delayed due to that, that while it was SWT's for delays today, we were trying our best to catch up on the messing up front' as some ECS was stuck up in London and another train was having issues at Crawley and the DMU's (or one anyway) had packed in and was causing issues on the Uckfield line. Mind the 150 GWR sent to Brighton was not doing to well either. After being stuck at Brighton I later saw it shoot through Barnham about 2 hours late (never noticed if there were any punters on.

I also worked out I drank over 2 litres of fluid today being stuck on our mobile sauna's, or 313's as some like to call them, all day. Sitting in the West Worthing sidings you can feel the heat build up. Mind all that sweating means you don't have to go to the loo. Bright side and all that.

As above (in the thread), two Uckfield Line 171 formations were pulled from traffic, which unfortunately meant the evening peak was decimated - and one of the remaining units in service just had to be the tiny 2 car shuttle out of Oxted bay, of course! Of the failures, one stock diagram had an engine fault and had to run back to the depot before the start of the peak, the other was a single 171/8 with catastrophic air con failure (indications of mid-40s Celsius reported on it!). To complete the list, the 2304 London Bridge - Uckfield, the last train down, was replaced by a bus because some stock needed a test run.

Regarding Tuesday into Wednesday night on the Uckfield Line, the less said about the track fault (allegedly...) the better. But I know for a fact it was looking very bleak for the Southern crews stuck there at one point, with delays stretching towards the morning peak (eventually capped around 2 hours), both trains having run over the track immediately before the issue was reported, as well as after the MOMs did turn up and check, and reporting no significant issues. The main problem was that it was reported in Mark Beech Tunnel, which is long and quite remote (although not otherwise hard to access).

 

[infobleep]

There are some speed restrictions for Southern - 20mph on part of the West London Line route and a 30/60 differential restriction (so not too bad for most passenger trains at 60mph) at Three Bridges. Preston Park still has an emergency speed restriction, I think (and earlier it was only 5mph, immediately after the repairs). Also various restrictions around Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park on the Up lines.

Meanwhile, tonight there is also a track circuit failure at Coulsdon South, earlier failed trains at Crawley and Woldingham, Key Route Strategy for hot weather meaning plain line running at Earlswood and a couple of other bits - and the Uckfield Line is severely disrupted due to air con loss on one unit causing it to be uninhabitable, and an engine fault on another.

What is plain line running? It rings a bell.

I wonder if units without air con usually ran in service or maybe that's only when partial air con has failed.

 

[infobleep]

Last night (tue) was made complete when there a was a track failure on the Uckfield line at about 23.00. It was summed up by the message stating 'we could do this, but we need a MOM and they are stuck at Preston Park.
This evening it was SWT's turn but as I talked to a punter who had been delayed due to that, that while it was SWT's for delays today, we were trying our best to catch up on the messing up front' as some ECS was stuck up in London and another train was having issues at Crawley and the DMU's (or one anyway) had packed in and was causing issues on the Uckfield line. Mind the 150 GWR sent to Brighton was not doing to well either. After being stuck at Brighton I later saw it shoot through Barnham about 2 hours late (never noticed if there were any punters on.

I also worked out I drank over 2 litres of fluid today being stuck on our mobile sauna's, or 313's as some like to call them, all day. Sitting in the West Worthing sidings you can feel the heat build up. Mind all that sweating means you don't have to go to the loo. Bright side and all that.

Thanks for the insight Sarah and TSR too. To be fair to Southern, yesterday wasn't the only day SWT have had issues. They had issues other days too. Saturday being one such day.

It's a bit cooler today so hopefully less issues. Well so far it's been trespassers around Angmering, unit failure (Thameslink), a couple of operational incidents.

South West Trains on the other hand have a signalling fault somewhere as 8.12 Waterloo to Shepperton left 12 minutes late.

But hopefully less issues today!

 

[RichJF]

Southern reporting multiple lightning strikes on the signalling! Barnham/Reigate/Oxted.