More Problems on Brighton Main Line

[Evvy73]

No trains running South of Haywards Heath.

Apparently a fire near Preston Park has damaged some signal cables and nothing appears to be running on the South end of the line. Even services coming up from Lewes and Eastbourne are cancelled due to stock being stuck in the wrong place.

Looks like my Christmas break has started early!

UPDATE: More info from the Brighton Argus - http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10122615.Chaos_on_the_trains/?ref=rss

 

[big_dirt]

No trains running South of Haywards Heath.

Apparently a fire near Preston Park has damaged some signal cables and nothing appears to be running on the South end of the line. Even services coming up from Lewes and Eastbourne are cancelled due to stock being stuck in the wrong place.

Looks like my Christmas break has started early!

8.10 from Tulse Hill to Gatwick has been cancelled. Thank God that is not my train to take me to Gatwick for my flight home for Christmas. I have used it many times in the past and cut my times a bit fine.

 

[GodAtum]

Unfortunately the 0739 and 041 from East Croydon - Victoria were cancelled

 

[RichJF]

It's all proof that the DofT needs to seriously consider the can of worms that is the BML2.

I was very happy as the late running 07:40 from Redhill to London Bridge was turned into an express & only stopped at East Croydon!!!!

It's not just Eastbourne services; as one service to Tonbridge was cancelled in order to provide more coaches.

 

[Geezertronic]

It's all proof that the DofT needs to seriously consider the can of worms that is the BML2.

I doubt the DfT could consider this scenario as a reason for BML2 considering the reason the line is closed appears to be due to an external factor that is outside the control of the railways

 

[Evvy73]

FCC Have posted this picture of the cause of the problems.

From those of you that know Preston Park station, I think this is on the footpath exit of the station on West side.

 

[tsr]

I doubt the DfT could consider this scenario as a reason for BML2 considering the reason the line is closed appears to be due to an external factor that is outside the control of the railways

Also, trains are unable to divert between Lewes and Brighton due to the fire. This means the BML2 would just have resulted in trains stacking up East of Brighton.

 

[elementalpat]

I saw the damage first hand on the first train of the morning out of Brighton, so I have no complaints about the issues.

Just wondering about the chain of events though as there were initially issues at Preston park sometime on Thursday afternoon and into the evening peak.

Wonder if the fire was a separate incident or related to the fixing of the initial problem?

 

[ushawk]

BML2 would be useless in this scenario as trains are suspended between Lewes and Brighton, but that won't stop the supporters of this fantasy plan.

This will cause chaos across the Southern and FCC networks as stock is stuck in the depot and sidings at Brighton and Hove - cant see it being fixed today, much like the problems at Hayes yesterday - also caused by a fire.

 

[tsr]

I saw the damage first hand on the first train of the morning out of Brighton, so I have no complaints about the issues.

Just wondering about the chain of events though as there were initially issues at Preston park sometime on Thursday afternoon and into the evening peak.

Wonder if the fire was a separate incident or related to the fixing of the initial problem?

JourneyCheck showed various messages relating to yesterday's points failure at Preston Park. It looks like the final one of these - at http://www.journeycheck.com/southern/route?action=search&from=&to=&savedRoute=-1 - said that services were diverted via Lewes. This is odd, because I thought normal working had resumed by then. This message was sent at 0012hrs. At 0035hrs, you can see that the message regarding the fire was sent to JourneyCheck.

It does seem an odd coincidence, doesn't it? The timing is very close. But then NR seemed to report the points failure as fixed much earlier yesterday afternoon/evening.

 

[ushawk]

There was a points failure at about 2PM yesterday at Preston Park but I highly doubt these are linked.

It should also be pointed out that it was raining near non-stop down here yesterday, so perhaps much like the Hayes problems, water has got into the system and caused the fire.

 

[tsr]

There was a points failure at about 2PM yesterday at Preston Park but I highly doubt these are linked.

It should also be pointed out that it was raining near non-stop down here yesterday, so perhaps much like the Hayes problems, water has got into the system and caused the fire.

Who knows? I suppose it could actually be down to cable theft. It's all speculation right now, though!

 

[radamfi]

I heard staff announcements this morning stating it is cable theft.

 

[Bald Rick]

This wasn't cable theft.

 

[ushawk]

This wasn't cable theft.

In which case could it be water getting into the system, shorting out the electrics and causing a fire that way ?

BBC South East News shown pictures of engineers working on the equipment trackside as well, so it seems most of it is affected - not just the box at the station entrance.

Is a power surge also a possibility ?

 

[tony6499]

Latest update is doubtful things will be back to normal until Monday

 

[RichJF]

I doubt the DfT could consider this scenario as a reason for BML2 considering the reason the line is closed appears to be due to an external factor that is outside the control of the railways

I do appreciate it was an external factor that closed the mainline...I just warm to the idea a bit!
This incident in itself happened by chance and indeed was something out of the TOC/NR control which I do understand.

I did hear that the series of electrical fires that burnt the signal cabinet also cut out power to 1,500 local residents? Is there any news on this?

 

[danielson00]

I did hear that the series of electrical fires that burnt the signal cabinet also cut out power to 1,500 local residents? Is there any news on this?

Not this is it? Sounds like a coincidence! Rottingdean/Saltdean is miles away from station! http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10122755.Power_cut_hits_more_than_1_500_homes/

 

[ushawk]

Latest update is doubtful things will be back to normal until Monday

I can't see it being that long, most of the weekend probably. Brighton - Balcombe has bi-di signalling so id have thought 1 line could be opened tomorrow, along with Brighton - Lewes.

 

[big_dirt]

I have a flight at 8.50 tomorrow. I wonder is it worth risking taking the train from East Croydon out. They are very patchy with long term info.

 

[EM2]

When I left school, I started as a trainee tech on S&T, and part of that was wiring up location cabinets (which is what they mean by a signal box) for new installations. It would take a team of six about four or five working days to do one cabinet, and we'd not be under time pressures.
A news item on BBC has said that the fire at Preston Park has melted about two hundred cables, so I would think a day and a half to two days working 24hrs to get that fixed.

 

[tony6499]

I can't see it being that long, most of the weekend probably. Brighton - Balcombe has bi-di signalling so id have thought 1 line could be opened tomorrow, along with Brighton - Lewes.

Brighton - Lewes open now, lines are open now just a half hourly stopping service is all they can run and Southern saying not expecting back to normal until Monday

 

[Controller1701]

When I left school, I started as a trainee tech on S&T, and part of that was wiring up location cabinets (which is what they mean by a signal box) for new installations.

Not a 100% sure what the technicians on your Signal & Telecommunication Engineering Department team were teaching you, but a location cabinet is purely that, a cabinet at a particular location, which may contain the wiring to connect a signal box to a signal or it may just contain the wires from the electro and permanent magnets of the AWS to the related signal.

Paul

 

[EM2]

I know exactly what a location cabinet is. But the media are describing this as having taken place at a signal box, when it hasn't. It's a box with some signalling gear in it, but is not a signal box.

 

[swt_passenger]

My local BBC programme's raving reporter was so keen to highlight the effects of this on air passengers at Gatwick, that he announced the problem as a track-side fire AT Gatwick...

 

[yorksrob]

BML2 would be useless in this scenario as trains are suspended between Lewes and Brighton, but that won't stop the supporters of this fantasy plan.

Incidentally, would the Arundel curve, which seems to be the main fall back for those against re-instating Uckfield - Lewes, have been any more use in these circumstances ?

 

[tsr]

I have a flight at 8.50 tomorrow. I wonder is it worth risking taking the train from East Croydon out. They are very patchy with long term info.

How long would you like (or, more importantly, do you need) at the airport before your flight? Is it a standard "it's a busy time of year, so leave two hours and more if you can" situation?

The reason I ask is because it looks like some early morning services may be disrupted due to line possessions, so you may find trains are delayed or cancelled between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport. The planned cancellations and alterations are already available at http://www.southernrailway.com/southern/news/saturday-22-december-services/ - whilst that doesn't look too bad, more trains probably will be affected.

Brighton - Lewes open now, lines are open now just a half hourly stopping service is all they can run and Southern saying not expecting back to normal until Monday

Whilst the Brighton Mainline is set to suffer until Sunday (according to the current estimates), it does seem that a full service is now planned on much of the East (especially) and West Coastway to/from Brighton (please do click the link above for more information), except for a few alterations.

Incidentally, would the Arundel curve, which seems to be the main fall back for those against re-instating Uckfield - Lewes, have been any more use in these circumstances ?

Given that services were diverted via the Arun Valley today... yes, probably. But at what cost for limited use, when reversals may sometimes be used instead (as now)?

 

[Robsignals]

There are reports that the fire was caused by flooding, involved 2 track level location (loc) boxes and the 'superloc' by the path above. Fire can't have directly spread to or from there so presumably a voltage surge, first 2 were quickly put out but the superloc had to have it's public supply isolated by the utility company by which time it was destroyed. Don't know why the East Coastway was suspended - Brighton station shouldn't have been affected and the West Coastway was running but most of the mornings trains were trapped in Lovers Walk Depot, Hove yard and various sidings as they run via Preston Park all but those from PPK sidings reversing there.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The planned cancellations and alterations are already available at http://www.southernrailway.com/southern/news/saturday-22-december-services/ - whilst that doesn't look too bad, more trains probably will be affected. Whilst the Brighton Mainline is set to suffer until Sunday (according to the current estimates), it does seem that a full service is now planned on much of the East (especially) and West Coastway to/from Brighton (please do click the link above for more information), except for a few alterations. Given that services were diverted via the Arun Valley today... yes, probably. But at what cost for limited use, when reversals may sometimes be used instead (as now)?

That info is incomplete, no start times for Brighton - Gatwick shuttle, the Lewes dep 0559 time must be wrong and surely West coastway must be running more than half hourly Brighton - Littlehampton stoppers. Looks like shortage of stock remains a big problem, access to Lovers Walk is mainly via Preston Park.

 

[ushawk]

Incidentally, would the Arundel curve, which seems to be the main fall back for those against re-instating Uckfield - Lewes, have been any more use in these circumstances ?

Since the West Coastway was running a service with delays, where possible due to a lack of stock stuck at Lovers Walk, a chord at Arundel could have been used.

 

[tsr]

That info is incomplete, no start times for Brighton - Gatwick shuttle, the Lewes dep 0559 time must be wrong and surely West coastway must be running more than half hourly Brighton - Littlehampton stoppers. Looks like shortage of stock remains a big problem, access to Lovers Walk is mainly via Preston Park.

So it is. Southern may be in "hectic mode" (or Red Alert - yes, really), but they could put a caveat on there!