Marches blocked yet again by A Broken Down Freight.

[Envoy]

Major disruption on the Marches Line today (21 October 2014) due to yet another broken down freight. It seems to be that passengers are taking a calculated risk in using this route!

 

[Llanigraham]

Major disruption on the Marches Line today (21 October 2014) due to yet another broken down freight. It seems to be that passengers are taking a calculated risk in using this route!

From the ATW web site:
Cancellations to services between Craven Arms and Leominster Following a broken down freight train between Craven Arms and Leominster the Shrewsbury - Hereford line has now reopened.
Impact:
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 180 mins. Disruption is expected until 17:30 21/10.

Wonder what and where this one was?

 

[The Planner]

Guessing at 6V22 New Cumnock - Aberthaw which slipped to a stand at Wooferton so not really a break down. Not light at 2100 tonnes.

 

[merlodlliw]

Another freight failed on the Crewe/Salop line this morning,I think at or near Wem, a Birmingham service this morning was diverted via Wrexham.

 

[HSTEd]

Why does this keep happening?

Are the gradients on the route especially challenging?

 

[wensley]

Another freight failed on the Crewe/Salop line this morning,I think at or near Wem, a Birmingham service this morning was diverted via Wrexham.

4V59 appears to have been involved between Crewe and Nantwitch this morning with issues on the loco (66526). 6V22 then slipped to a stand near Woofterton before a bit of hand-sanding got it on the move and ended up being a staggering 479L at Abergavenny as it was trapped behind 4V59 earlier in the journey. 6V22 hauled by 66147 for those interested.

 

[The Planner]

Why does this keep happening?

Are the gradients on the route especially challenging?

Some fairly steep bits, Wooferton where 6V22 got stuck is 1 in 100 for a short while with another bit of 1 in 115. Its a big climb up to Ludlow in the other direction too with 1 in 100 for a mile or so. Not easy if you have 2000 tonnes in the wet.

 

[Rich McLean]

Some fairly steep bits, Wooferton where 6V22 got stuck is 1 in 100 for a short while with another bit of 1 in 115. Its a big climb up to Ludlow in the other direction too with 1 in 100 for a mile or so. Not easy if you have 2000 tonnes in the wet.

Surely (if available of course) a banker could be employed for freight over a certain weight on the line at this time of year, especially if Rail Head conditions are reported to be bad

 

[Llanigraham]

Surely (if available of course) a banker could be employed for freight over a certain weight on the line at this time of year, especially if Rail Head conditions are reported to be bad

Where would you keep it?
Who would pay for it?

 

[Michael.Y]

Surely (if available of course) a banker could be employed for freight over a certain weight on the line at this time of year, especially if Rail Head conditions are reported to be bad

Or, you know, the FOC could actually allocate traction suitable for the load and conditions.

 

[GB]

Do the FOCs have a magic wand and crystal ball now then?

 

[Michael.Y]

Do the FOCs have a magic wand and crystal ball now then?

No, but they do have a long list of failures, causes, rescues etc to learn from.

 

[GB]

Was it an actual failure or a slip to a stand?

 

[wensley]

Was it an actual failure or a slip to a stand?

I believe it was allocated 'MP' which is adhesion, but coded to the FOC (as is the practice in certain cases if you look up the relevant section of the Delay Attribution Guide). The train went forward without assistance from what I can see, suggesting a 'slip to a stand'.

Similar issue with EMT 1C22 at Bradway this morning, slipped to a stand on one power car in low adhesion conditions (arguably no worse than could be expected for the time of year?). There was talk of the train being declared a failure and assisted but it did, eventually, limp back into Sheffield.

It seems to have been one of those days with the weather front working it's way over causing all sorts of issues that add up to be a big deal in certain areas!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

We had this discussion before - a Hereford standby by loco would of some use.

 

[trainophile]

180 minutes delay? hock: I hope passengers weren't stuck between stations for that duration.

 

[Llanigraham]

We had this discussion before - a Hereford standby by loco would of some use.

Fine.
If the "failure" is between Woofferton and Ludlow (as has been reported) can you tell me how it gets from Hereford to Craven Arms, which is the first cross-over north of Bromfield?

 

[a good off]

Fine.
If the "failure" is between Woofferton and Ludlow (as has been reported) can you tell me how it gets from Hereford to Craven Arms, which is the first cross-over north of Bromfield?

Why can't Woofferton cross the rescue loco over and then run it bang road via the Down to the failure?

 

[Llanigraham]

No room in the timetable.
Getting staff to man the cross-overs.

It isn't as simple as people think.

 

[PHILIPE]

Two of them at the same time this morning !!! One between Cwmbran and Abergavenny and one between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms.

 

[87015]

Two of them at the same time this morning !!! One between Cwmbran and Abergavenny and one between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms.

Abergavenny was a 150...

 

[Bevan Price]

We had this discussion before - a Hereford standby by loco would of some use.

Or use a Class 60 instead of a 66 ? - they seem less prone to slipping with heavy loads on steep gradients & poor rail conditions.

 

[PHILIPE]

Or use a Class 60 instead of a 66 ? - they seem less prone to slipping with heavy loads on steep gradients & poor rail conditions.[
So a Freightliner could still fail. They have no 60s.

 

[Gareth Marston]

And the FOC's will tell you what a great success story they are!

 

[Llanigraham]

Why can't Woofferton cross the rescue loco over and then run it bang road via the Down to the failure?

Because the cross-over doesn't work properly?

 

[455driver]

Surely (if available of course) a banker could be employed for freight over a certain weight on the line at this time of year, especially if Rail Head conditions are reported to be bad

Why should the FOC pay for a banker if NR cant keep their track clean?

 

[Llanigraham]

Why should the FOC pay for a banker if NR cant keep their track clean?

Do you drive this route?
And do tell us how NR are supposed to keep the leaves or the rain off the line?

 

[Rich McLean]

For the Record, I only sign as far as Hereford from the Worcester Road and not Marches North and South (and only get down there once every 1-2 weeks), but I do know ATW drivers who do sign the Marches North and South of Hereford.

NR could put on more RHTT diagrams, but the reality is, in order for it to be effective, other diagrams along the route at certain times of the day would either have to be amended significantly or canned altogether. So it's in the "too difficult" box.

 

[455driver]

Do you drive this route?
And do tell us how NR are supposed to keep the leaves or the rain off the line?

No I dont drive the route but I am aware that it has a couple of steep bits!
It was a tongue in cheek comment because everyone was having a go at the FOC but the basic problem is the track contamination, there is no easy fix but there has been quite a bit of cutting back going on which is helping.

If I could come up with a way of keeping the tracks clean this time of the year I would own an Island in the Bahamas, unfortunately I cant so The closest I get is Bridport!

We have had a few down here where heavy freights have slipped to a stand, one a couple of weeks ago where it took nearly 2.5 hours to get up to Whiteball tunnel.

 

[TDK]

We had this discussion before - a Hereford standby by loco would of some use.

So would NR treating the gradients on the line but it just don't happen
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

And the FOC's will tell you what a great success story they are!

If it is down to poor adhesion you cannot blame the FOC but you can blame network rail who have failed continuously this year with their rail treatment process.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Do you drive this route?
And do tell us how NR are supposed to keep the leaves or the rain off the line?

By being proactive but unfortunately they are not. Last year the Wrexham to Bidston line was not treated once with an OTM due to late night engineering work, planning is too often poor when it comes to NR and their efforts during the leaf fall period.