WCML Bad Weather and Disruption 10/12/14

[matacaster]

Bad weather is forecast over next few days most probably very high winds affecting WCML.

When the knitting comes down as is likely, the WCML will shut. Virgin / TPE usually adopt bustitution which is clearly not what is supposed to happen. They normally claim they have too little time to get correct resources in place.

Right, they have been warned, the S&C line IS and probably will continue to be open. They need to get the staff and locos in place NOW to properly cover this anticipated weather event.

I await what happens with interest.

 

[Mag_seven]

They need to get the staff and locos in place NOW to properly cover this anticipated weather event.

What locos? Virgin don't have any. Even Voyagers are useless unless the traincrew have the required diversionary route knowledge.

 

[PHILIPE]

Virgin Trains have pulled out of diverting via S&C. Reason not known, unless anybody has further info.

 

[DarloRich]

Bad weather is forecast over next few days most probably very high winds affecting WCML.

When the knitting comes down as is likely, the WCML will shut. Virgin / TPE usually adopt bustitution which is clearly not what is supposed to happen. They normally claim they have too little time to get correct resources in place.

Right, they have been warned, the S&C line IS and probably will continue to be open. They need to get the staff and locos in place NOW to properly cover this anticipated weather event.

I await what happens with interest.

what on earth are you prattling on about?

 

[ADRboy]

Bad weather is forecast over next few days most probably very high winds affecting WCML.

When the knitting comes down as is likely, the WCML will shut. Virgin / TPE usually adopt bustitution which is clearly not what is supposed to happen. They normally claim they have too little time to get correct resources in place.

Right, they have been warned, the S&C line IS and probably will continue to be open. They need to get the staff and locos in place NOW to properly cover this anticipated weather event.

I await what happens with interest.

I've not seen much that will affect WCML? West of Scotland taking the brunt of it Virgin/TPE should be alright.

Snow forecast for weekend though.

 

[Crossover]

Virgin Trains have pulled out of diverting via S&C. Reason not known, unless anybody has further info.

Possibly too slow/otherwise congested?

 

[Starmill]

Congested!? Doubt it!
Simply not worth their while? People will go on a bus if they're told to.

 

[Deerfold]

Congested!? Doubt it!
Simply not worth their while? People will go on a bus if they're told to.

The slow freights eat paths on S&C - that's the reason given for not being able to get the local service up to hourly.

 

[21C101]

Bad weather is forecast over next few days most probably very high winds affecting WCML.

When the knitting comes down as is likely, the WCML will shut. Virgin / TPE usually adopt bustitution which is clearly not what is supposed to happen. They normally claim they have too little time to get correct resources in place.

Right, they have been warned, the S&C line IS and probably will continue to be open. They need to get the staff and locos in place NOW to properly cover this anticipated weather event.

I await what happens with interest.

Something the southern dosent suffer from, ohle conversion enthusiasts please note!

 

[bengolding]

Thankfully, no disruption so far. I'm on the 04:28 Glasgow-Euston, which left on time when I boarded at Preston. First is unusually quiet.

 

[Bald Rick]

Something the southern dosent suffer from, ohle conversion enthusiasts please note!

Yeah, but then there's nothing on the Southern to hold the trees up when they blow over

(Genuinely, there have been a number of incidents where smaller trees that would have obstructed the line have been stopped by the OLE and not caused a dewirement).

 

[dk1]

Virgin Trains have pulled out of diverting via S&C. Reason not known, unless anybody has further info.

I know of a Preston driver who only last week had a Route Refresh across the S&C.

 

[ainsworth74]

Something the southern dosent suffer from, ohle conversion enthusiasts please note!

Though the ice and the snow is a bit of an issue

 

[Emyr]

What locos? Virgin don't have any. Even Voyagers are useless unless the traincrew have the required diversionary route knowledge.

Maybe they can pretend they didn't return the one they had.

 

[pablo]

Bad weather is forecast over next few days most probably very high winds affecting WCML.

When the knitting comes down as is likely, the WCML will shut. Virgin / TPE usually adopt bustitution which is clearly not what is supposed to happen. They normally claim they have too little time to get correct resources in place.

Right, they have been warned, the S&C line IS and probably will continue to be open. They need to get the staff and locos in place NOW to properly cover this anticipated weather event.

I await what happens with interest.

If Virgin don't do anything, then bad Wx is an expected event. To anticipate something you have to do something in expectation of that event happening.

Seems like much ado 'bout nowt.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Possibly too slow/otherwise congested?

Given that it takes a long time and requires rediagramming to release Voyagers (like the Blockade Busters), it might just be that there hasn't been disruption of that extent that needed it recently.

Neil

 

[Crossover]

Congested!? Doubt it!
Simply not worth their while? People will go on a bus if they're told to.

As Deerfold alludes, those slow freights coupled with long blocks and some single track significantly reduces the available paths - no it may not be congested in terms of tph but in terms of track utilisation, it may well be!

So yes, it probably is congested!

 

[Hellfire]

What is being described as an incident at Oxenholme and a broken down freight North of Preston is causing problems. 1330 EUS-GLA on which I am at the moment has been sat outside Preston due to no platforms available. It is also terminating at Preston.

 

[Flying Claret]

Theres a 16.45 pre -carlisle via theS&C running now according to realtime trains

 

[Bletchleyite]

Theres a 16.45 pre -carlisle via theS&C running now according to realtime trains

Very interesting - it says "Diesel locomotive" - are the 57s coming out to play?

Neil

 

[thenorthern]

Has there been any official announcements of any services that are going to be cancelled tomorrow or likely to be cancelled?

 

[harz99]

What is being described as an incident at Oxenholme and a broken down freight North of Preston is causing problems. 1330 EUS-GLA on which I am at the moment has been sat outside Preston due to no platforms available. It is also terminating at Preston.

RTT has it down to high winds.

 

[RichmondCommu]

As Deerfold alludes, those slow freights coupled with long blocks and some single track significantly reduces the available paths - no it may not be congested in terms of tph but in terms of track utilisation, it may well be!

So yes, it probably is congested!

However those block sections have become shorter in recent years. Whilst Ribblehead viaduct is indeed single track there is no reason why freight cannot be held in the loop at Blea Moor. Or for that matter use the loops further down the line at Hellifield.

However it is much easier and more practical to cancel services when bad weather strikes.

 

[matacaster]

"Carlisle / Morecambe - Lancaster

Trains cannot run between Oxenholme Lake District / Morecambe and Lancaster because of a tree on the overhead wires. There is currently no estimate as to when the line will re-open.

Buses are running between Preston / Morecambe and Lancaster."



*********
The above is taken from the NR website at 17.34 today. I rest my case.
*********

Virgin, like all compnaies, are supposed to give preference to diversions by rail, rather than bustitution. They do, I believe, still run route learners on the S&C, but rarely these days divert via S&C. To divert the Pendos, they obviously need some diesel locomotives (they sold some they had) they should spot hire them, it is possible for them to do so at short notice. They could use voyagers over S&C (I think they are cleared for the route?), but that would probably involve a fair degree of messing about with traction / diagrams. Freight traffic flow is not that great, only a small number of the available freight paths are actually taken up - I am sure NR would help here in an emergency. The S&C is capable of 90mph and was built as such, the main reasons why its only 60mph max is the signalling, together with a few unmanned crossing points, the permanent way is in absolutely tip top condition.

 

[harz99]

Theres a 16.45 pre -carlisle via theS&C running now according to realtime trains

Passed Clitheroe just 3 late after a 20 late start, so whatever it is, is making good progress.

 

[Darandio]

I rest my case.

Unlikely. You didn't have one to rest in the first place and still don't have one.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Very interesting - it says "Diesel locomotive" - are the 57s coming out to play?

Neil

Reported elsewhere as a pair of uid 221s.

 

[DarloRich]

"Carlisle / Morecambe - Lancaster

Trains cannot run between Oxenholme Lake District / Morecambe and Lancaster because of a tree on the overhead wires. There is currently no estimate as to when the line will re-open.

Buses are running between Preston / Morecambe and Lancaster."



*********
The above is taken from the NR website at 17.34 today. I rest my case.
*********

Virgin, like all compnaies, are supposed to give preference to diversions by rail, rather than bustitution. They do, I believe, still run route learners on the S&C, but rarely these days divert via S&C. To divert the Pendos, they obviously need some diesel locomotives (they sold some they had) they should spot hire them, it is possible for them to do so at short notice. They could use voyagers over S&C (I think they are cleared for the route?), but that would probably involve a fair degree of messing about with traction / diagrams. Freight traffic flow is not that great, only a small number of the available freight paths are actually taken up - I am sure NR would help here in an emergency. The S&C is capable of 90mph and was built as such, the main reasons why its only 60mph max is the signalling, together with a few unmanned crossing points, the permanent way is in absolutely tip top condition.

this is total and utter wibble

 

[northern156]

To divert the Pendos, they obviously need some diesel locomotives (they sold some they had) they should spot hire them, it is possible for them to do so at short notice

Is it? Even when said locos may be away with other disruption or out of service or no/displaced traincrew? Wind your neck in!

 

[Hellfire]

Whatever the cause, my service, 1330 EUS-GLA, sat outsidePreston station for an hour before it could get a platform. The train manager said six trains were queueing northbound into Preston and five southbound.

The train terminated at Preston and Gladgow bound pax were told another service would take them onward although a lot of them were not hopeful. Preston station was packed with people and BTP much in evidence for crowd control. Southbound VT services were running over an hour late.

Lot of units out of place tomorrow.