Emergency engineering work at Lewisham

[MikeWh]

Anyone know what's going on?

No trains through Lewisham at all tonight. Tomorrow all Vic-Dfd services diverted via Sidcup. Disruption to last throughout October?

 

[fusionblue]

It was mentioned earlier that there's a broken rail (although i think its been changed to say "equipment")

 

[Cletus]

Southeastern say

http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/

Emergency engineering work at Lewisham from 22:00 this evening
Emergency engineering work will be taking place at Lewisham this evening and is expected to continue for a number of weeks. This is to allow Network Rail to replace a damaged piece of equipment at Lewisham. Because of this, the following changes will apply -

Tuesday 30 September 22:00 - Wednesday 1 October 04:00

No Southeastern trains will call at Lewisham.
Trains between London and Hayes will not call at New Cross, St Johns or Lewisham in either direction.
There will be no trains between Lewisham and Barnehurst.
If you are travelling between London and New Cross or St Johns, you should use trains between London and Orpington which will stop additionally at these stations.

For journeys between London and Lewisham, we recommend that you travel to Greenwich and take the DLR to Lewisham.

Your tickets will be accepted on DLR services and London Buses at no extra charge.

Wednesday 1 October until further notice

Trains between London Victoria and Dartford via Bexleyheath will be diverted via Sidcup.
If you are travelling between London Victoria and stations between Lewisham and Dartford via Bexleyheath, you will need to change trains at Lewisham.

We are working closely with Network Rail to restore a normal service as quickly as possible and will keep you updated when things change.

 

[thebigcheese]

From : network rail at http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sc92he

#Lewisham We're taking emergency action to replace a crucial piece of railway infrastructure where a number of key routes meet at Lewisham. The ‘diamond crossing’, as it is known, allows trains to cross from one set of tracks to another. Unfortunately, it is not an off-the-shelf piece of equipment, so a bespoke replacement will have to be made. We hope to have the railway back in full operation within four weeks.

 

[user15681]

Part of the 'diamond' crossover at the London end of the station is defective and it needs to be removed. For its removal tonight, trains can't run over the crossover or on the North Kent around it, meaning Hayes services will have to use Tanners Hill and can't stop at New Cross or St John's just for tonight.

Once it's removed, trains from Nunhead will not be able to reach the up/down North Kent through platforms 3 and 4, hence the Victoria to Dartford trains being diverted via Sidcup. Charing Cross and Cannon Street services via Bexleyheath can still run as they don't need the crossover, so an interchange between the VIC-DFD and Bexleyheath line will be possible at Lewisham.

Parts been ordered from Germany I believe, obviously have to be made, delivered and installed. I'd expect end of October.

 

[IrishDave]

Charing Cross and Cannon Street services via Bexleyheath can still run as they don't need the crossover, so an interchange between the VIC-DFD and Bexleyheath line will be possible at Lewisham.

They will, but the Charing Cross trains will have to cross at Spa Road, since they can't access the Tanners Hill flydown. If this were to happen again after Christmas, once Spa Road has been taken out of use, they wouldn't be able to run Bexleyheath-Charing Cross at all...

 

[bicbasher]

With the lack of Victoria services, are we looking at 4tph off-peak for the next few weeks on the Bexleyheath line?

 

[tsr]

I can't check just now, but can someone advise me if there were any preliminary indications, including anything that led to an ESR/TSR (not me ) in that location recently?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Part of the 'diamond' crossover at the London end of the station is defective and it needs to be removed. For its removal tonight, trains can't run over the crossover or on the North Kent around it, meaning Hayes services will have to use Tanners Hill and can't stop at New Cross or St John's just for tonight.

Once it's removed, trains from Nunhead will not be able to reach the up/down North Kent through platforms 3 and 4, hence the Victoria to Dartford trains being diverted via Sidcup. Charing Cross and Cannon Street services via Bexleyheath can still run as they don't need the crossover, so an interchange between the VIC-DFD and Bexleyheath line will be possible at Lewisham.

Parts been ordered from Germany I believe, obviously have to be made, delivered and installed. I'd expect end of October.

Is there no companies anymore left in the UK that manufacturer railway track?

 

[Aictos]

So that's why there was announcements at Rochester, wondered what the issue was.

 

[fusionblue]

So in a way the "mini thameslink" idea i suggested (by preventing flat movements across that junction; send all from-blackheath services to/from cannon street and all from-hither green/ladywell to nunhead/london bridge) has come to fruition.

And all they had to do was find a faulty piece of railway equipment to do it

Much cheaper than the billions spent just up the road?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is there no companies anymore left in the UK that manufacturer railway track?

There are companies in the UK - but the critical component of a diamond crossing (especially if non standard dimensions) is not a regular enough order, so a specialist foundry will do the work.

It is probably this sort of incident that has led to diamonds being designed out of new or revised track layouts wherever possible.

Much of the UK new manufacturer of S&C comes from Progress Rail, but it's a global company owned by Caterpillar in the US, this webpage lists their UK sites and what they produce: http://www.progressrail.com/locations/unitedkingdom

Their S&C brochure (link at the bottom of the above webpage) suggests they export from UK to much of the world - so apart from this particular problem at Lewisham there does seem to be a UK manufacturer...

 

[dysonsphere]

Thx intresting site always been intrested in track production.

 

[DarloRich]

Is there no companies anymore left in the UK that manufacturer railway track?

Of course there are :roll: For instance you may have heard of TATA (AFA Corus AFA British Steel) at Scunthorpe. They still make a bit of rail........

Have you thought that it might be a specialist piece of equipment that has to be made "bespoke" and the only available capacity was in Germany?

 

[starrymarkb]

It is probably this sort of incident that has led to diamonds being designed out of new or revised track layouts wherever possible.

Indeed that's probably why there isn't a UK manufacurer - BR/Railtrack/NR have been removing diamonds for many years now where possible. A lot of junctions have been converted to double leads.

 

[DarloRich]

Indeed that's probably why there isn't a UK manufacurer - BR/Railtrack/NR have been removing diamonds for many years now where possible. A lot of junctions have been converted to double leads.

Because they are easier to maintain and replace.

 

[Antman]

So in a way the "mini thameslink" idea i suggested (by preventing flat movements across that junction; send all from-blackheath services to/from cannon street and all from-hither green/ladywell to nunhead/london bridge) has come to fruition.

And all they had to do was find a faulty piece of railway equipment to do it

Much cheaper than the billions spent just up the road?

Apparently the case against that idea is the large volume of passengers changing trains at London Bridge that would result

 

[codesam]

I've been through Lewisham a few times in the last few days. Down trains running from SAJ into Platform 2 have been restricted to 5mph over the junction (according to the driver explaining why it took us so long to get into the station).

They've had 2 or 3 Network Rail engineering guys right next to the junction for the last couple of days. Every time a train goes over they have a look at the track. Not sure if they're keeping an eye on it.

The original email I got from SouthEastern stated

Emergency engineering work will be taking place at Lewisham this evening and is expected to continue for a number of weeks. This is to allow Network Rail to replace a cracked rail at Lewisham

 

[user15681]

I'll attach a diagram or something later but a section of the up line has been removed overnight.

 

[ComUtoR]

They will, but the Charing Cross trains will have to cross at Spa Road, since they can't access the Tanners Hill flydown. If this were to happen again after Christmas, once Spa Road has been taken out of use, they wouldn't be able to run Bexleyheath-Charing Cross at all...

They would still be able to get to Charing Cross. (using the 'Down Charing Cross')

 

[CNash]

Latest mail from Southeastern:

Repairs to damaged equipment at Lewisham will be taking place for at least the next four weeks.

The crossing that allows trains to run from the Bexleyheath line through Lewisham towards London Victoria has broken. This crossing is a specialist piece of equipment and it will take at least four weeks to build a replacement. We are working with Network Rail to ensure the work is completed as quickly as possible.

Because of this, the following changes will apply from Wednesday 1 October until further notice:

All trains between London Victoria and Dartford via Bexleyheath will be diverted via Sidcup. These trains will stop additionally at Crayford, Sidcup and Hither Green in both directions.

If you are travelling between London Victoria and stations between Lewisham and Dartford via Bexleyheath, you will need to change trains at Lewisham.

Some Cannon Street services will be diverted to run to / from London Blackfriars and will depart slightly earlier than the normal Cannon Street departure time -

Morning peak Cannon Street services diverted to London Blackfriars:

- 06:48 Broadstairs to London Cannon Street
- 05:45 Dover Priory to London Cannon Street
- 06:25 Broadstairs to London Cannon Street
- 06:57 Ramsgate to London Cannon Street
- 07:19 Ramsgate to London Cannon Street

Evening peak Cannon Street services diverted to run from London Blackfriars:

- 16:46 London Cannon Street to Ramsgate (will depart Blackfriars at 16:40)
- 17:08 London Cannon Street to Broadstairs (will depart Blackfriars at 17:00)
- 17:30 London Cannon Street to Ramsgate (will depart Blackfriars at 17:20)
- 17:52 London Cannon Street to Broadstairs (will depart Blackfriars at 17:40)
- 18:14 London Cannon Street to Ramsgate (will depart Blackfriars at 18:00)
- 18:44 London Cannon Street to Ramsgate (will depart Blackfriars at 18:40)

Ticket acceptance

Southeastern tickets will be accepted on London Underground services between Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Blackfriars and Victoria.
Southeastern tickets will be accepted on Thameslink services between Blackfriars and London Bridge.
Passengers on the Bexleyheath line can use stations on neighbouring lines at no extra cost.

 

[fusionblue]

Apparently the case against that idea is the large volume of passengers changing trains at London Bridge that would result

Or lewisham? I'm not saying dont stop them there just encourage people to interchange there and prevent conflicting train movements.

 

[rebmcr]

Presumably the overnight work was to replace the cracked diamond with some plain track for one of the two routes?

 

[user15681]

I can't check just now, but can someone advise me if there were any preliminary indications, including anything that led to an ESR/TSR (not me ) in that location recently?

As said, 5mph, and there were indications of it which was why it was being very intensely monitored. Unfortunately, it deteriorated pretty rapidly...

They would still be able to get to Charing Cross. (using the 'Down Charing Cross')

Indeed, used North East Kent Jn instead of Spa Road a few times.

Presumably the overnight work was to replace the cracked diamond with some plain track for one of the two routes?

Exactly that. Hope this makes it clear... Red tracks run from Bexleyheath to Tanners Hill/Nunhead and the track has been removed where the gap is. Blue is plain track to allow running from Mid Kent to slows through St Johns.

For now, the Kent Coast to Cannon Street peak services will be diverted into and out of Blackfriars. This is because the Dartford to Charing Cross via Bexleyheath and Gillingham to Charing Cross services would normally use the crossover to get to the fasts, but instead are running on the slows through St Johns. The Victoria to Dartford via Sidcups are also using the slows around Hither Green, so there's a reduction in capacity, meaning the Cannon Street peaks will have to go to Blackfriars.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Top post above Mr T ! - that junction gets a hammering on a normal day. When the dust has settled , I suspect a very good move would be to review the whole maintenance and access regime. To give it the TLC it does deserve.

 

[Class 170101]

So nothing is diverting away from Blakfriars in lieu of the extra services at Blackfriars noted above?

 

[Bald Rick]

So nothing is diverting away from Blakfriars in lieu of the extra services at Blackfriars noted above?

Plenty of space at Blackfriars, even with GTR trains abandoned everywhere.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Plenty of space at Blackfriars, even with GTR trains abandoned everywhere.

A competent train operator would not be fly-tipping valuable trains all over the network

 

[racyrich]

Someone mentioned a foundry making a bespoke part. Does this mean the frogs are castings? Or forged?
Historically, have they always been made thus? I always imagined they were fabricated from rail, mitred together and probably welded along the join, though the fasteners would hold it pretty still anyway.
I've noticed the ones for the scissors outside Fenchurch St look like castings. Again, in my imagination, I pondered whether that allowed the drop for the wheel to be reduced by building up the material in the gap between the rails in the frog, so the wheel could effectively run on the tip of its flange. If that's a good idea.

 

[Taunton]

Have you thought that it might be a specialist piece of equipment that has to be made "bespoke" and the only available capacity was in Germany?

You would also think that NR Procurement would have potential suppliers lined up for emergency manufacture of critical items of this nature that are not kept in stock, so they can turn to them at a moment's notice. Standard practice in sophisticated engineering. And by all accounts above it was a known problem piece for days before it failed, so they could have already been on the job.

What happened to the facility at Sandiacre near Nottingham, which I seem to recall could do this stuff effortlessly?