Weather-Related Disruption (Dec 2012)

[PHILIPE]

Yes there are problems, but they still do it quite often. Arriva services are rarely diverted up the Middlewich line (although Arriva do run trains along the Mid-Cheshire line reasonably frequently for diversions I'm lead to understand). It's the Virgin services that end up going up that way. I have photographs of them being sent that reasonably recently (I think on my trip to the UK last year). In the end, checking the boards for Crewe it looked as though things were heading up to Warrington for Virgin, and Arriva just cancelling anything heading to Chester from Crewe.

ATWs first of day to Manchester and last Manchester to Chester run non-stop via Mid-Cheshire for route retention. They have to run non-stop as ATW have no access rights yto the stations along the route.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Swansea service off paddington cancelled. Advice given was to get the 1630 Gloucester and Cheltenham service (not that it affected me as I was heading to Worcester via Gloucester!)

TM said about 5 minutes before departure that the advice was wrong (again it didn't affect me) and that Swansea passengers were to catch the next one.

Hopefully my connection to Worcester isn't cancelled

 

[embers25]

Axminster has escaped flooding this time & for once cutting walls seem to have held - but first-hand observation suggests the rain in SE Devon wasn't as heavy as anticipated ( and I presume west Dorset)

Maybe slightly OT but I travelled yesterday all around the region and this was a summary as I passed:

Left Woking on the 0619 to Basingstoke which was empty and roads in Woking were like rivers in places. Around Overton and Whitchurch at 0745 the main roads were like rivers in places with spray over the top of the Stagecoach Optare Solo I was on. I then got a lift on the A303/A30 to Exeter and there was only a limited amount of surface water and the road was very dead both ways. There was no flooding anywhere and at times even glimpses of sunshine. The Clyst was over at Exeter flooding alongside the M5 which is nothing unusual most of the year!

Then took 1045 X53 to Weymouth which had flooding to deal with in several places but nothing serious and all buses en route including the Nat Express 315 were on time. Weymouth was a bit disorganised with all the Sway delays but nothing too serious. The Wey in town is very high up to the road level and with much more rain could start flooding the town.

Took 184/3 to Salisbury and there was a fair bit of flooding on the roads but nothing too serious. Dorchester South seemed pretty dead when we passed. Salisbury very wet but nothing major and the road on to Andover was actually clear with only flooding in just outside Tidworth.

Finally I took the 1838 back to Woking from Andover which was only a couple of minutes late and was 6 coaches and very dead. I also observed the 1824 from Andover the other way which was also not very busy so maybe people just weren't travelling rather than divert.

 

[Essexman]

This is on BBC website.
I assume that it is poor journalism by the BBC and not National Rail Enquiries that describes Exeter to Tiverton as a 'branch line'.

Trains are not running between Taunton, in Somerset, and Exeter, in Devon, because the line is flooded. There is a limited replacement bus service, but the National Rail Enquiries website says the Exeter to Tiverton branch line will not reopen before 28 December at the earliest.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20829807

 

[ValleyLines142]

ATWs first of day to Manchester

Is this the 0338 to Manchester Airport?

 

[D1009]

They need to be careful with the 'Dont travel' thing. It used to mean you probably wouldnt get where you wanted to go. I have now twice had to travel on the affected routing during 'DONT TRAVEL OMG' advice. Both times it was no big deal, the buses were excellent and it made little effect to my journey. As a result it's pretty hard to take a 'DONT TRAVEL' warning as a warning rather than simply a capacity management concept...

Are you seriously suggesting passengers should ignore FGW's advice not to travel ? If so I hope you end up in a 2 hour queue for coaches next time you try it.

 

[Goatboy]

Are you seriously suggesting passengers should ignore FGW's advice not to travel ? If so I hope you end up in a 2 hour queue for coaches next time you try it.

What a bizarre post.

I suggested nothing of the sort. I mean exactly what I said - that if they over-use the phrase 'Dont travel' it will eventually lose its meaning. My point isnt that people SHOULD ignore it, its that more people will disregard it once they find out that it isn't quite the zombie apocolypse its made out to be. Then perhaps one day when something very serious happens and there is no way of providing an alternative, they'll say 'Dont travel', everyone will think 'Yea, like last time, whatever' and suddenly there will be problems.

Like most people, I travel when I need to and I've needed to travel several times during the disruption. Each time generally its been handled well and ran smoothly. The more people experience this the less faith they'll have in the hallowed 'DO NOT TRAVEL' words.

Thanks for your kind wishes - merry christmas to you too :roll:

 

[Ferret]

Landslip at Teignmouth this morning, so as of 0815, both lines are blocked.

 

[Rich McLean]

Replacement buses now running between Newton Abbot and Tiverton Pk Wy via Exeter St Davids, but very limited

 

[Captain Chaos]

Up line between Taunton and Castle Cary is closed now due to flooding. Paddington bound services to be diverted.

Line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway is closed due to flooding at Chipping Sodbury. Services to be diverted.

Also reports now of flooding in Charfield in the Yate area.

 

[GodAtum]

Hi all,

I need to get from London - Truro today after work to spend time with my family for Xmas. Is there any route I can take as it all looks pretty screwed! Any help will be greatly appreciated as I'd rather not spend Xmas day on my own

 

[Captain Chaos]

Leave as early as you can, you can either catch a train to Tiverton Parkway and either a bus to Exeter St Davids or Newton Abott with a train from either of those (they are trying to open a line between Newton Abott and Totnes to implement Single Line Working).

Or you can use SWT from London to Exeter and change for a bus or train as appropriate depending on the above.

However I must stress that the bus service IS limited and there cannot be any guarantees that they will run as it depends on the roads. But they are running at the moment.

If you do go just be prepared to have to come back if the worst comes to the worst is probably the best advice I can give. Good luck!

 

[Rich McLean]

SWT from Waterloo to Exeter would be your best bet, but be prepared to stand for the whole journey. Then from Exeter, rail replacement to Newton Abbot, then a train from there.

Like above, there are no Guarantee's that you will reach Truro. Get a refund and travel by Nat Exp Coach to Plymouth if you can, then get a train from there

 

[Goatboy]

Main roads down here in Devon (Well, the ones used by the rail replacement services) are all fine. It's even sunny for once. The bus from Tiverton starts from literally right beside the M5 and it's Motorway/dual carriageway right the way into the centre of Newton Abbot.

The only fly in the ointment is when the service stops for Christmas Eve and whether you can get far enough before this happens. I don't know the answer to this. This would be an issue with the Waterloo to Exeter route as it'll take you much longer to reach Exeter. Tiverton route might be quicker but when I went up that way on Saturday the crowds at Taunton waiting for the buses were absolutely huge.

Set off right away, though.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Hi all,

I need to get from London - Truro today after work to spend time with my family for Xmas. Is there any route I can take as it all looks pretty screwed! Any help will be greatly appreciated as I'd rather not spend Xmas day on my own

If the worst come to the worst, i belive the A38 is open, could family pick you up from exeter or tiverton depending on how far you get.

Follow advice above, set off as early as possible.

 

[GodAtum]

Ok thanks. Going to catch the 1320 from Waterloo - Exeter St Davids. Fingers crossed!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Great Malvern - Hereford now closed due to flooding at Colwall Tunnel. No replacement buses running currently.

 

[Ferret]

Flooding reported at Harbury Tunnel, south of Leamington. Not exactly what you'd call ideal....

 

[Goatboy]

Great Malvern - Hereford now closed due to flooding at Colwall Tunnel. No replacement buses running currently.

Open again now with delays of up to 20 minutes, apparently.

Delayed 12:40 from Hereford should be the first one through Colwall.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Hi all,

I need to get from London - Truro today after work to spend time with my family for Xmas. Is there any route I can take as it all looks pretty screwed! Any help will be greatly appreciated as I'd rather not spend Xmas day on my own

As you say any help is welcome maybe as a last resort you could fly from Gatwick to Newquay and either get your family to pick you up there or you could get the train to Truro.

 

[ushawk]

Flooding reported at Harbury Tunnel, south of Leamington. Not exactly what you'd call ideal....

So that's both days the Virgin "blockade buster" has been stopped because of a line blockage !!!

Earlier fatality near Coventry didn't help either.

 

[Ferret]

Flooding reported at Harbury Tunnel, south of Leamington. Not exactly what you'd call ideal....

Line open again now.

 

[tsr]

As you say any help is welcome maybe as a last resort you could fly from Gatwick to Newquay and either get your family to pick you up there or you could get the train to Truro.

If anyone is going to Newquay, the railway is closed between there and Par. I wouldn't recommend trying to use the much-limited replacement transport, but it's running from Newquay to St Austell as often as possible.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

If anyone is going to Newquay, the railway is closed between there and Par. I wouldn't recommend trying to use the much-limited replacement transport, but it's running from Newquay to St Austell as often as possible.

There is a regular bus service 521 between St Austell & Newquay.
http://www.westerngreyhound.com/routes_and_times.php

 

[Zoe]

Replacement buses now running between Newton Abbot and Tiverton Pk Wy via Exeter St Davids, but very limited

I used a bus earlier and the service didn't seem that limited. There were buses running direct from Newton Abbot to Tiverton Parkway and not via Exeter.

 

[Goatboy]

I used a bus earlier and the service didn't seem that limited. There were buses running direct from Newton Abbot to Tiverton Parkway and not via Exeter.

I really think going on about how its a disaster and how the transport is limited etc is selling FGW short. They are doing a fantastic job just as they did last time this all kicked off. The service isn't 'limited', it's 'pretty damn good'.

Your experiences mirror mine.

 

[Zoe]

I really think going on about how its a disaster and how the transport is limited etc is selling FGW short. They are doing a fantastic job just as they did last time this all kicked off. The service isn't 'limited', it's 'pretty damn good'.

It was a bit confusing as the monitors at Taunton said that buses were running between Exeter and Tiverton Parkway and between Exeter and Newton Abbot where road conditions allow. There was no mention of a direct Tiverton Parkway to Newton Abbot bus even though they were running. The staff at Tiverton Parkway were very helpful though getting people on the right buses.

 

[PHILIPE]

Is this the 0338 to Manchester Airport?

Yes. Into Manchester Piccadilly (Platform 3) and back out again to Airport

 

[Zoe]

Looks like a local service is now running between Newton Abbot and Exeter with intercity services from Plymouth/Penzance continuining to terminate at Newton Abbot.

 

[Goatboy]

Looks like a local service is now running between Newton Abbot and Exeter with intercity services from Plymouth/Penzance continuining to terminate at Newton Abbot.

Guess they must have got single line working going.

Makes sense this way as its far easier to get buses out of Newton Abbot than it is Exeter. It's only about half a mile from the station to the bottom of the A380 where its then 60mph all the way to Tiverton.

Coach Newton Abbot to Tiverton is going to be noticeably quicker than train Newton Abbot to Exeter and coach from Exeter to Tiverton.