UK Storms

[Lankyline]

In fact would the BBC have even asked this if the storm had affected the Midlands / North, imo probably not, but then i'm just a biased Lancastrian !

 

[SWT_USER]

Top marks to FGW, running more slowly than usual this morning but at least they were running - about 10 minutes late and by the evening commute there seemed to be little or no disruption. I'm usually one of the first to criticise but credit where it's due they've done well today.

 

[G0ORC]

1N94 1650 KX - Sunderland running RT through - GC train...

V

 

[ainsworth74]

Just in case anyone thinks it's all hunky dory in Europe and that we've collapsed whilst everyone else has coped fine I'd suggest reading this article:

The storm that hit southern England has killed four people in continental Europe during its sweep across France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Two people died when their car was crushed by a falling tree in Gelsenkirchen, in western Germany. Two children in the car were injured.

A woman was swept out to sea at Belle-Ile in Brittany, western France.

In Amsterdam a tree toppled and crushed a woman by a canal. Dutch and German airports have cancelled many flights.

The storm also killed four people in southern England.

At least 50 flights have been cancelled at Schiphol airport in the Netherlands, and the German broadcaster ARD says there are severe delays at Hamburg airport.

Train services have been severely disrupted in northern Germany. All local trains have been halted in Schleswig-Holstein, as well as the Hanover-Bremen service and north-bound trains from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Emergency services in Denmark and Sweden have issued storm warnings, as Scandinavia braces for winds gusting at about 100mph (162km/h).

Along Germany's North Sea coast many ferries have been confined to port and shipping on the Elbe has also been disrupted, ARD reports.

In northern France 42,000 homes are still without electricity, officials say.

Earlier, two P&O ferries held in the English Channel because of the storm made it to port.

A P&O spokesman told the BBC that Dover port had reopened and the ferries had arrived. "The service is getting back to normal," Brian Rees said.

Two P&O ferries, carrying more than 400 people, put in temporarily at Deal, east of Dover, to shelter from the wind, Mr Rees said.

"Dover port was closed from 6:30 to 9:00, but we got the all-clear at 9:00 to get going again. Five ferries are going back and forth," he said.

"We are back to 23 sailings a day, every 45 to 50 minutes. The storm has dropped right off."

Earlier a Calais port official said two ferries were "blocked" due to the closure of Dover port, one carrying 398 passengers and the other 65.

No trains are leaving the stations in Lille, northern France, the TF1 news website reports.

The storm swept across Brittany and Normandy early on Monday, felling trees and knocking out power lines in some places.

A big banner on the European Commission building in Brussels - the Berlaymont - was shredded by the wind.

 

[Searle]

Interestingly, 1F80 arrived at Peterborough at 16:39, just as 1F43 departed for Edinburgh at 16:39 as well, which means a whole train load of people just missed a service to the north, not very good customer service from EC

 

[GB]

Interestingly, 1F80 arrived at Peterborough at 16:39, just as 1F43 departed for Edinburgh at 16:39 as well, which means a whole train load of people just missed a service to the north, not very good customer service from EC

Perhaps 1F43 was full and standing.

 

[G0ORC]

Looks like the Hertford Loop is open now too....

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

That's what Bob Crow has said anyway.
Surely TOCs wouldn't get penalised when they can't run trains due to overhead lines coming down, or the track being blocked? It would all be attributed to Network Rail.

It will be a "Void" day as far as PPM delay stats are concerned (out of NR/TOC control).
As Bob Crow and all the TOCs would of course know.

 

[GNER 91128]

Interestingly, 1F80 arrived at Peterborough at 16:39, just as 1F43 departed for Edinburgh at 16:39 as well, which means a whole train load of people just missed a service to the north, not very good customer service from EC

It's odd because they delayed the 16:01 Aberdeen service on platform 3 to allow passengers time to get off a southbound train that arrived in on platform 4.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Sorry, that was slightly harsh. But yeah. Going over track to see if there's a tree with empty coaching stock is much preferable to crashing into a tree with a train full of passengers because it's the first train of the day.

If the line is blocked further down to where you are in your own little world, CrossCountry and freight might be able to pass whereas there would be no point in FCC or GA running any if they can't get past obstructions further down and would end up just queueing up.

Not really, I would have expected FCC to run from Lynn to Cambridge minimum on the basis of CC using the same track from Ely and the Middleton Towers freight between Ely and Lynn

With regards to GA, EMT were using the same route Ely to Norwich and again CC Ely to Cambridge so in reality GA could have run the Cambridge to Norwich service

 

[jon0844]

It will be a "Void" day as far as PPM delay stats are concerned (out of NR/TOC control).
As Bob Crow and all the TOCs would of course know.

In which case both the RMT and the BBC were talking crap. The BBC possibly should know, but the RMT definitely should.

Of course, I guess the RMT knew that most people wouldn't - and so the BBC would see his statement and get the idea to do a story about it....

 

[matthewmacleod]

Anyone seen this yet ? Typical bloody BBC fishing for a story, can't bring themselves to praise the toc's & network rail, instead just looking for a cheap news shot http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24707779

Chill out a bit! Overall, that's a pretty balanced piece of writing with loads of quotes from TOCs etc. explaining why they've done it.

There are doubtless a lot of people out there asking why blanket cancellations happened - "gust of wind and the country shuts down, wasn't like this in my day" types. That's generally because most people don't understand the internal operations of an industry they're not part of. Articles like this (it's hardly a tub-thumping Daily Mail piece) help to explain some of the reasoning behind it, without coming off as patronising.

 

[PG]

In fact would the BBC have even asked this if the storm had affected the Midlands / North, imo probably not, but then i'm just a biased Lancastrian !

Or if it had all occurred 24 hours earlier, on Sunday, would the BBC have been as concerned? or even had the staff around to cover it

 

[DelayRepay]

Not really, I would have expected FCC to run from Lynn to Cambridge minimum on the basis of CC using the same track from Ely and the Middleton Towers freight between Ely and Lynn

With regards to GA, EMT were using the same route Ely to Norwich and again CC Ely to Cambridge so in reality GA could have run the Cambridge to Norwich service

Unless they didn't have stock and crew available on the section that was open?

In my view they are right to cancel services until they're sure they can run. It would be worse running a train and it getting stuck between stations, and having passengers "breaking out" as we've seen so often.

 

[bb21]

MODS? WHERE ARE THE MODS?

Most of the mods were late today reporting to duty due to widespread cancellations on the National Rail network, or have you not noticed?

It would seem that only Mojo, whose commute on LU was clearly unaffected, and ainsworth74, who was allowed to work from home, were able to make it this morning.

 

[jon0844]

Chill out a bit! Overall, that's a pretty balanced piece of writing with loads of quotes from TOCs etc. explaining why they've done it.

I guess the article has been updated then and might no longer seem so one sided. It seems to have a new image in there too.

Most of the mods were late today reporting to duty due to widespread cancellations on the National Rail network, or have you not noticed?

It would seem that only Mojo, whose commute on LU was clearly unaffected, and ainsworth74, who was allowed to work from home, were able to make it this morning.

You all knew about the problems in advance, so that's a poor excuse.

Isn't it time this forum was brought into public ownership?

 

[bb21]

You all knew about the problems in advance, so that's a poor excuse.

Isn't it time this forum was brought into public ownership?

Do you work for Uncle Bob per chance?

 

[Lankyline]

Chill out a bit! Overall, that's a pretty balanced piece of writing with loads of quotes from TOCs etc. explaining why they've done it.

There are doubtless a lot of people out there asking why blanket cancellations happened - "gust of wind and the country shuts down, wasn't like this in my day" types. That's generally because most people don't understand the internal operations of an industry they're not part of. Articles like this (it's hardly a tub-thumping Daily Mail piece) help to explain some of the reasoning behind it, without coming off as patronising.

Dont work for Auntie do you ? no just questioning why they ran this as opposed to say running a piece on the foresight of the toc's and how they have coped with the extreme conditions, whilst explaining why at the same time, not exactly difficult, but the BBC don't exactly do that !

 

[Wivenswold]

I guess the article has been updated then and might no longer seem so one sided. It seems to have a new image in there too.



You all knew about the problems in advance, so that's a poor excuse.

Isn't it time this forum was brought into public ownership?

I failed to find the Met Office advisory detailing which trees would block the lines, perhaps you could point me to it?

 

[Lankyline]

Or if it had all occurred 24 hours earlier, on Sunday, would the BBC have been as concerned? or even had the staff around to cover it

No they would have put out a story of slightly windy conditions leading to a 5 min delay at an airport

 

[GatwickDepress]

Good thing it was decided to start our holiday in Birmingham on Saturday and not today, as originally planned. Saw lots of worried and impatient looking passengers crowded around Birmingham New Street awaiting services to London Euston this morning.

 

[Lankyline]

I failed to find the Met Office advisory detailing which trees would block the lines, perhaps you could point me to it?

yes that would be the BBC weather service detailing those commuter lines beeb senior staff use

 

[ChiefPlanner]

No they would have put out a story of slightly windy conditions leading to a 5 min delay at an airport

I do love , when snow conditions get bad - how the BBC "on the spot reporter" - gives a report from his Cotswold garden - along with "action shots" of happy kids sledging in the local parochial orchard.

Cynical -no - not me !

 

[Lankyline]

I do love , when snow conditions get bad - how the BBC "on the spot reporter" - gives a report from his Cotswold garden - along with "action shots" of happy kids sledging in the local parochial orchard.

Cynical -no - not me !

Aah the wonderful world of the BBC, realistic, up to date balanced, ........................ oops, sorry that would be for London & any county a beeb exec lives. Just got to love though, one snow flake falling on London & the beeb predict a new ice age

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I do love , when snow conditions get bad - how the BBC "on the spot reporter" - gives a report from his Cotswold garden - along with "action shots" of happy kids sledging in the local parochial orchard.
Cynical -no - not me !

Yesterday the main BBC News storm contribution was from Cardiff where their intrepid reporter was sent all the way to Cardiff Bay to deliver his piece.
I also noticed the critical BBC1 weather forecasts got the usual weekend rushed 2 minutes (they get 3 minutes on weekdays).

 

[infobleep]

I failed to find the Met Office advisory detailing which trees would block the lines, perhaps you could point me to it?

Then it's the fault of the Met Office for not accurately prepdicting which trees would fall!

On a serious note, I previously worked with one of the people who died when his car got hit by a tree this morning in Watford. I think that brings home just how dangerous it was at times out there. He didn't deserve that.

Of course life isn't without its risks and sadly these things cannot be avoided unless we never go out of the house and that isn't sensible. I hope everything gets back to normal tomorrow for people and no one else is killed here or aboard.

Despite today's disruption, I am still hoping that we will get another good dose of snow this winter. I do like it and enjoy travelling through it.

 

[atillathehunn]

Just in case anyone thinks it's all hunky dory in Europe and that we've collapsed whilst everyone else has coped fine I'd suggest reading this article:

No, of course not. We don't have a wind shield, in fact we got the storm worse. But there is a lot to be said for the mentality, certainly here. Since yesterday afternoon the NS has been announcing that there will be a different timetable in place, and that timetable was published (mainly online) from yesterday. They managed to run a service, using the split method. Trains ran to hubs and you then changed to reduce long distance delays and problems. Trains from here ran to Utrecht rather than Alkmaar/Amsterdam. I haven't seen the statistics, but my personal view (having travelled extensively today and yesterday) is that the system pretty much works. The best thing we had the national media paranoia in the UK was a government warning not to ride your bike, which was roundly ignored.

 

[infobleep]

It's interesting to note that SWT do not offer compensation for people holding single/return or 7 day tickets for problems caused by poor weather conditions.

They do however for people people with monthly or longer season tickets. For those it becomes a VOID day.

People with a single/return ticket are allowed to use it tomorrow but those with a 7 day ticket are not allowed to.

When there use to be network away break tickets, I remember them allowing you to use it for an extra day, when it's end day was on boxing day. The only problem with that was you still couldn't use it in the early morning, so it was no help to me when I needed to get to work.

There is an argument for saying why should the railways pay any compensation when trains are delayed due to poor weather. I personally think they shouldn't. It's not their fault. However I do think as a good will gesture it wouldn't hurt to allow 7 day tickets to be extended by 1 day, given that singles and returns are allowed.

 

[CockneySparrow]

There are doubtless a lot of people out there asking why blanket cancellations happened - "gust of wind and the country shuts down, wasn't like this in my day" types. That's generally because most people don't understand the internal operations of an industry they're not part of.

Sign of the times, guess that's an example of how things have changed for the worse over the years

 

[mrmatt]

No they would have put out a story of slightly windy conditions leading to a 5 min delay at an airport

Warning. The following video contains reasonable members of the public discussing railway delays caused by an act of nature.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24705616