Taunton Up loop problems

[brad465]

As per the title, today P5 (and by extension bay P6) have been shut off, with all up trains using P4. OTT is showing the loop as "SHUT" as well. Does anyone know what the fault is?

Live map of Taunton to Falmouth and Truro

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(Image of OpenTrainTimes map of Taunton, showing P5 and P6 as "SHUT")

 

[Dfatcontroller]

As per the title, today P5 (and by extension bay P6) have been shut off, with all up trains using P4. OTT is showing the loop as "SHUT" as well. Does anyone know what the fault is?

Live map of Taunton to Falmouth and Truro

See trains move in real-time on our live map of Taunton to Falmouth and Truro

www.opentraintimes.com

View attachment 176329
(Image of OpenTrainTimes map of Taunton, showing P5 and P6 as "SHUT")

Track defect(s)

 

[Topological]

This week there have been a lot of fault codes in those two berths on platform 5. I am sure it said DEAD SLOW on Monday morning. The message on Monday afternoon said something about LOOP

 

[Dfatcontroller]

This week there have been a lot of fault codes in those two berths on platform 5. I am sure it said DEAD SLOW on Monday morning. The message on Monday afternoon said something about LOOP

Initial defect necessitating a 20mph stop and caution.
Less delay, and less Signaller workload, to run via P4.

Then further problems found.

Now closed pending rectification (tonight) then 20mph remains.
May still see trains running via 4 after tonight.

 

[brad465]

Initial defect necessitating a 20mph stop and caution.
Less delay, and less Signaller workload, to run via P4.

Then further problems found.

Now closed pending rectification (tonight) then 20mph remains.
May still see trains running via 4 after tonight.

Now you mention it I did see the 20mph TSR on Tuesday between the bay platform points and the signal controlling exit from the loop. There were also a few rare moves into P3 from the west, such as the 16:00 XC departure, which is timed to sit there for 12 minutes while the 15:53 XC departure runs ahead (and in this instance used P4).





== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Mar 2025 ==

18/03/25 update: the P5 loop is still shut as even today all up trains used P4 (except a couple that used P3).

 

[Taunton800]

As of today this.....

 

[stuu]

Interesting that the 815 to Paddington goes from Platform 2 the last few days. Hope that hasn't caught anyone out who isn't paying attention to the announcements (platform 2 is the normal westbound platform and there is a departure timetabled at 817)

 

[brad465]

Interesting that the 815 to Paddington goes from Platform 2 the last few days. Hope that hasn't caught anyone out who isn't paying attention to the announcements (platform 2 is the normal westbound platform and there is a departure timetabled at 817)

This will be because a slower train to London sits at Taunton for nearly 15 minutes to allow the 08:15 to overtake. Normally the 08:24 arrives in P5 at 08:10, then the 08:15 uses P4, while P3 is used by the 08:19 Cardiff Central service that starts from Taunton. This is a very condensed window of platform occupancy and interchange between all 3 services. All the while the 08:17 GWR to Plymouth uses P2 in the other direction.

The 08:24 had to use P4 and the 08:15 departure had to use P2, as P3 was already occupied and the 08:15 leaving earlier would reduce the delay on the 08:17 at Taunton. This time of day is probably the most severely impacted by P5 being out of action. Second-most would be the 15:50-16:00 window, where two XC Northbound services do a similar overtaking arrangement while the Cardiff-Penzance train uses P2.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Mar 2025 ==

As of today this.....

Today (24/03/25) OTT has this display:


(Image of Open Train Times showing Taunton station, with "NOT4 CHOO CHOO" written in the circuit boxes through the Up Loop and Bay)

 

[montydurman]

Still the same today (27/03/2025). Has anyone seen or heard of any work actually happening to the defective track?

Not that I would be able to spot it, but was stood on P6 today and looked normal to me lol. Apart from the absence of any trains that side of the station.

 

[davetheguard]

Still the same today (27/03/2025). Has anyone seen or heard of any work actually happening to the defective track?

Not that I would be able to spot it, but was stood on P6 today and looked normal to me lol. Apart from the absence of any trains that side of the station.

And very rusty railhead when I looked at it from the 08.15 to Paddington last Tuesday.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

 

[Annetts key]

Still the same today (27/03/2025). Has anyone seen or heard of any work actually happening to the defective track?

Not that I would be able to spot it, but was stood on P6 today and looked normal to me lol. Apart from the absence of any trains that side of the station.

If it's a defect in one of the rails, normally there is a white vertical line marking the exact spot of the defect on the side of the rail with some markings on the foot of the rail. But It's hard to see from a distance. And if a temporary clamp plate has been fitted, it may be even harder to see.

If there is an E.S.R. / E.R.O.S., the defect will between the commencement board and the T board.

 

[brad465]

Still the same today (27/03/2025). Has anyone seen or heard of any work actually happening to the defective track?

Not that I would be able to spot it, but was stood on P6 today and looked normal to me lol. Apart from the absence of any trains that side of the station.

Based on where the Temporary Speed restriction is (that applied before the loop was shut fully), the defect is further along than the platforms, so to stand a chance of seeing it, you'd need to be looking out the window on a train departing P4 towards London/Bristol.

Sod's law earlier this week saw the lifts to P3 and P4 out of order, while all the up trains were going from that island. I don't know if that's been fixed, but that will certainly have made matters worse for certain passengers.

 

[brad465]

Does anyone know when the repair works for this are planned (if this can be disclosed)? Not only is the Up Loop still shut, last week posters at the station saying P5 and P6 are out of use until further notice were added around the station.

 

[Wychwood93]

Does anyone know when the repair works for this are planned (if this can be disclosed)? Not only is the Up Loop still shut, last week posters at the station saying P5 and P6 are out of use until further notice were added around the station.

Hopefully this Traksy link will show how it is now: https://traksy.uk/live/M+29+ELGH+-209/M+25+RDNGSTN+-10/M+8+TAUNTON

The word 'shut' showing for 5 and 6.

 

[74A]

Should be fixed sometime in May

 

[brad465]

Should be fixed sometime in May

If not till May I'm guessing it's this 3-day night closure period from the 12-14th (there are no advertised weekend closures in the area this month):

Engineering works: Bristol Temple Meads / Taunton and Exeter St Davids | National Rail

Amended late night trains between Bristol Temple Meads / Taunton and Exeter St Davids from Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 May. See details of routes affected by planned engineering works, including when they take effect, alternative timetables, advice for alternative travel, including info about...

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Route(s) affected​

Great Western Railway between Bristol Temple Meads and Exeter St Davids, and between London Paddington and Penzance

Description​

Engineering work is taking place between Bristol Temple Meads / Taunton and Exeter St Davids, closing all lines.

As a result:

• The 23:05 Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davids will terminate at Taunton. At Taunton, the train connects with the replacement bus for the 23:48 Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davids service (see below)
• The 23:48 Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davids will NOT run. This will be replaced by road transport departing at 23:48 from Bristol Temple Meads for dropping off only at Nailsea & Backwell, Yatton, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Highbridge & Burnham and Bridgwater, then picking up and dropping off at Taunton, then dropping off only at Tiverton Parkway and Exeter St Davids

Night Riviera Sleeper services:

The 21:45 Penzance to London Paddington service will depart Liskeard, Plymouth, Totnes and Newton Abbot, and arrive at Exeter St Davids a few minutes earlier than normal. It will depart Exeter St Davids later than normal and divert between there and Reading (via Honiton – not calling). It will not call at Taunton. Taunton customers travel by earlier services. The train will arrive later than normal at Reading and London Paddington.

The 23:45 London Paddington to Penzance service will divert between Reading and Exeter St Davids (via Honiton – not calling). It will not call at Taunton. Taunton customers should travel by earlier services. The train will arrive Exeter St Davids approximately 45 minutes earlier than normal. Normal timings departing Exeter St Davids and beyond.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Should be fixed sometime in May

Network Rail doing an excellent job of maintaining the network as always

 

[66701GBRF]

Network Rail doing an excellent job of maintaining the network as always

What's the specifics of the fault?

 

[Class 170101]

Sounds like a part needed that isn't kept in stock for it to be OOU for that long and with a rectification date of mid May.

 

[Wychwood93]

Sounds like a part needed that isn't kept in stock for it to be OOU for that long and with a rectification date of mid May.

In which case there may be possibly some bespoke item required.

Edit: I was going to mention Scunthorpe - but they should still be chugging along in four or five weeks!

 

[Annetts key]

A defective cast crossing (frog) would be my guess. Unlike BR who kept a good selection of spares across the network, the modern railway only orders them when required. With a lead time measured in weeks or months, it can be a while before they can be replaced. Sometimes to get the line open for the straight (main) route, a point may be partly "plain lined".

 

[brad465]

Unless RTT isn't working properly, this appears to be all fixed, as since the end of the Easter weekend P5 has been seeing use again. I'm guessing they sorted it on Easter Sunday, as services were restricted to P2 and P3 all day, so the Up Main with P4 would have been too close to the area of attention while being fixed.

 

[27000]

Just passed through. P5 seems to be fully operational.