Stoke-On-Trent Overhead Wire Problems 07-1-18

[M60lad]

Seems to be major problems at Stoke-On-Trent continuing throughout the day as overhead wires are down in the following locations:

Stoke-On-Trent and Kidsgrove:

Damage to the overhead electric wires between Stoke-on-Trent and Kidsgrove is causing disruption to trains between Stoke-on-Trent and Stockport. Trains may be delayed by up to 20 minutes or amended. Disruption is expected to continue until the end of service.

Customer Advice:

Northern services will be cancelled between Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield. Replacement transport is being requested to run between these stations.

Virgin Trains services towards Manchester Piccadilly may be diverted between Stoke-on-Trent and Stockport, not calling at Macclesfield and extending journey times by approximately 20 minutes.

 

[Bovverboy]

According to RTT, the problem is between Kidsgrove and Macclesfield and is affecting the northbound track only - VT are continuing to run normally southbound. XC are running normally in both directions, but NT are having to terminate at Macclesfield, since although they would be able to continue to Stoke, they would need to come back via Crewe! (Don't ask me why DMUs couldn't have been substituted).
Northbound VT have been diverted via Crewe (after Kidsgrove) since start of service (missing the Macclesfield stop), but the additional journeys at xx.57 from Euston (i.e. 1257 onwards) have been diverted via Stafford and Crewe (missing the Stoke and Macclesfield stops).
As far as I can see the last electrically powered train to traverse the Kidsgrove to Macclesfield section was last night's 2248 Stoke to Stockport CMD (ECS).

 

[A0]

(Don't ask me why DMUs couldn't have been substituted).
.

Because there's no way a DMU could keep to the times a 323 runs to. The line between Stoke and Macc has no slack whatsoever. It needs fast accelerating stock on the stoppers - Northern's DMUs aren't.