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Title: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: bobm on September 19, 2014, 04:14:11 The 22:45 Paddington to Swansea service has been trapped overnight in some serious flooding near Box Tunnel.
At one point the water was reported to be three feet deep along the side of the front portion of the train which has been stationary since just after midnight. All the emergency services are on site including the fire service with boats. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: insider on September 19, 2014, 05:32:57 This was classed as a major emergency by the Wiltshire fire Brigade at 01:41, this was approx. 75mins after the initial emergency call from the driver of 1B94.
The water levels have been extremely high 3 foot plus around the train, that's up to the headlights of the leading power car. Local roads are also flooded and access has been very difficult. At one point the fire brigade were investigating evacuating passengers by boat...and no this is serious!!! However the option chose was to detach the rear powercar and 2 passenger coaches to the nearest road access point to the rear of the train. Once technical staff were on site and the line was deemed safe enough this process started at approx. 0400!!! My source from Network Rail has informed me at the current time(0500) customers are still being evacuated to the access point into taxis....local conditions have made this a very difficult situation. Network Rail staff at some point during the last few hours reported that the water levels at old Corsham station were up to the height of the platform!! The line is likely to be closed ALL DAY, with very limited road transport in place during the school runs!! as most local buses/coaches have school contracts. Good Luck to those who attempt to travel.... Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: grahame on September 19, 2014, 06:35:20 At 06:30
Quote Cancellations to services between Swindon and Bath Spa Due to flooding between Swindon and Bath Spa all lines are blocked. Impact: Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or diverted. An estimate for the resumption of normal services will be provided as soon as the problem has been fully assessed. Customer Advice: Following severe storms in the Bath Spa area yesterday, flash flooding has closed the line between Chippenham and Bath Spa. Unfortunately no road replacement transport can be sourced until 09:00. First Somerset and Avon services are conveying passengers between Bath Spa and Chippenham in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Great Western rail tickets to be accepted on bus numbers 231, 234, 264 and 265. Stagecoach West services are conveying passengers between Chippenham and Swindon in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Great Western rail tickets to be accepted on bus numbers 49 and 55. Customers with car parking tickets for Chippenham station may travel to either Swindon or Bath Spa. See also my Transwilts update / comment - http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=14593.0 Again, I note that there's no cross-ticket arrangement for the X32 service between Bath and Chippenham - just the 231 Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: grahame on September 19, 2014, 07:46:14 Wiltshire Times
http://m.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/11483906.Passengers_evacuated_from_train_after_it_gets_stuck_in_floods/?ref=mr Quote Around 90 passengers are believed to have been evacuated from a London-bound train at Pound Pill, Corsham, after it got stuck in floods. The train was passing under a bridge when it ran into floodwater. Police, fire and ambulance crews are at the scene. It is believed part of the train will be stuck at the scene for several days because some of the ballast holding the track in place has been washed away. First Great Western has yet to say if this will cause delays. Its website is not warning of any train cancellations or delays. My bolding. With robust signalling on the TransWilts (it's not - it's failed again!) an hourly London - Bristol service calling at all stations would still be possible, with all stations served - the London to Bristol HST reversing at Trowbridge and calling at Melksham. But what we actually have is no trains, and arrangements for tickets to be valid on some of the parallel buses. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: JayMac on September 19, 2014, 08:30:14 Latest train plan from FGW:
Quote The following train plan is in place: The following trains will divert after Bath Spa via the Berks & Hants, first stop Reading: 1A03 0600 Bristol TM to Paddington 1A06 0620 Weston SM to Paddington 1A08 0509 Plymouth to Paddington 1A10 0900 Bristol TM to Paddington 1A12 0740 Paignton to Paddington 1A14 1100 Bristol TM to Paddington The following trains will divert via Hullavington after Bristol Temple Meads, not calling at Bath Spa or Chippenham, first stop Swindon: 1A02 0529 Bristol TM to Paddington 1A04 0635 Bristol TM to Paddington 1A07 0648 Weston SM to Paddington 1A09 0712 Taunton to Paddington start Bristol TM at 0830 1A11 0930 Bristol TM to Paddington 1A13 1030 Bristol TM to Paddington The following trains will divert after Reading via the Berks & Hants line, first stop Bath Spa: 1C06 0830 Paddington to Bristol TM 1C08 0930 Paddington to Bristol TM 1C10 1030 Paddington to Bristol TM The following trains will divert via Hullavington after Swindon first stop Bristol Temple Meads: 1C01 0519 Paddington to Swansea 1C02 0630 Paddington to Bristol TM 1C03 0700 Paddington to Bristol TM 1C04 0730 Paddington to Penzance 1C05 0800 Paddington to Bristol TM 1C07 0900 Paddington to Bristol TM ^ SSO for Didcot PW Reqd 1C09 1000 Paddington to Paignton ^ SSO for Didcot PW Reqd 1C11 1100 Paddington to Bristol TM ^ SSO for Didcot PW Reqd West Service Alterations: 2M03 0704 Westbury ^ Cheltenham Spa service will divert via Bristol TM and call at Bath Spa, Bristol TM and Bristol Parkway then fast to Gloucester. 2M04 0732 Westbury ^ Swindon is cancelled 2M05 0849 Swindon ^ Westbury is cancelled 2M06 0948 Westbury ^ Swindon is cancelled 2M07 1047 Swindon ^ Westbury is cancelled A daylight inspection of the trapped train and flood sites will take place at around 0730. Depending on the outcome of these inspections, we will begin running a shuttle train service between Swindon and Chippenham. We have arrangements in place to allow customers with car parking season tickets for Chippenham to park at Bath Spa, Swindon or Chippenham. Road transport has been ordered but is not available until after 0830. Further details will be provided when they begin arriving at Stations. Signalling for the TransWilts route has been knocked out by lightning. Quote Following severe storms in the area yesterday, the signalling equipment has been damaged and trains cannot operate. Unfortunately no replacement road transport can be sourced until 09:00. Stagecoach West Bus 49 Swindon - Trowbridge, Stagecoach West Bus 55 Swindon - Chippenham Station, First Somerset & Avon Bus 234 Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Frome (Town Centre) and First Somerset & Avon Bus 231 Bath (Bus Station) - Chippenham are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: a-driver on September 19, 2014, 09:21:07 If the water was around 3ft deep that HST will be out of action for a long while. All the underframe equipment will have to be stripped back and examined.
To even move the train from it's current location could take some time. Water ingress into the axle boxes is a serious problem. Once it's given the OK for it to move it'll be down at a very slow speed. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: Chris from Nailsea on September 19, 2014, 09:25:45 From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29273833):
Quote Storms cause flooding and train delays in southern England (http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77686000/jpg/_77686426_77686425.jpg) Lightning struck across Bristol and Wiltshire overnight on Thursday - this was taken in Chippenham Storms have caused disruption to trains in the south-east and the Westcountry - with one train left submerged in flood water between Bath and Swindon. Commuters using First Great Western and Southeastern railways are being warned of cancelled services due to the rain. Lightning struck across Bristol and in Wiltshire overnight where one house was damaged in Melksham. A Met Office warning said the thunderstorms are forecast to move through to Wales and the Midlands. Forecaster Nicola Willis said there had been between 0.4 and 0.8ins (10 and 20mm) of rainfall over a four-hour period this morning. "That is quite a significant amount of rainfall," she said. "There have also been quite a few lightning strikes over that period." In Wiltshire, a train became stuck in flood water shortly after 01:00 BST on Friday at Pound Pill in Corsham. All the passengers were taken off the train by 06:00 and were taken home by taxi, Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said. Ninety passengers were on the train, which came to a halt in a cutting where water was up to one metre-deep (3ft) in places. The fire service also said it had received more than 200 calls for assistance from 21:00 BST on Thursday due to the severe weather. In Steeple Ashton, the high street in the village was hit by floods overnight. Southeastern said there had been a complete loss of signalling between Otford and Eynsford, affecting services between Ashford International and London Victoria via Maidstone East. (http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77686000/jpg/_77686430_overcorsham114x10(2).jpg) This was taken in Corsham overnight, where a train also became submerged in flood water In Melksham, Wiltshire, one couple's home was struck by lightning and caught fire overnight. A fire brigade spokesman confirmed there was "significant damage" to the roof and loft space, as well as water damage inside. Several flats were flooded in Dawlish, Devon, after heavy rainfall overnight, Devon and Somerset Fire Service said. It received six calls reporting flooding at about 05:50 BST although no-one was injured. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: a-driver on September 19, 2014, 14:17:28 There's a picture in this BBC news article of the stranded train. The flood water is that deept you can't even make out the track!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29273833 Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: philipgreg on September 19, 2014, 15:40:50 Hope they've sorted out the bus situation, tried to board the 231 at Chippenham station this morning and the driver refused to accept rail tickets until the station employee persuaded him to take 10 people. At the next stop someone who had heard on the radio tried to get on and the driver just stopped the bus, waited 10 mins then called his supervisor who had not heard either. Eventually the last passenger to get on spoke to the supervisor, told them it was on the radio and TV and finally the driver continued.
Unbelievable! Wonder how easy it will be to get home tonight. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: JayMac on September 19, 2014, 15:55:22 That is totally unacceptable. I'd be complaining in the strongest possible way to both FGW and the First Bus subsidiary responsible. It really isn't on for public announcements to be made about ticket acceptance on buses and to then not liaise between companies.
Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: eightf48544 on September 19, 2014, 16:12:34 Yet another reason to reopen the Bradford North Curve, although I gather this time Melksham is also lacking trains.
Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: a-driver on September 19, 2014, 16:59:44 That is totally unacceptable. I'd be complaining in the strongest possible way to both FGW and the First Bus subsidiary responsible. It really isn't on for public announcements to be made about ticket acceptance on buses and to then not liaise between companies. The other problem with this is actually getting the information to the driver of the bus, I doubt very much he'll be allowed to use a mobile phone when driving. The only way the driver would know is if the depot posted a note to that effect prior to him leaving and then relies on the driver reading it...... although to be honest, a large number of passengers trying to board with train tickets should be a bit of a giveaway!! Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: bobm on September 19, 2014, 17:15:28 Interesting that the last two trains from Bristol Temple Meads to London tonight (17:39 from Penzance and 21:29 from Taunton) are being diverted via the Berks & Hants and so missing Chippenham, Swindon and Didcot Parkway. I assume there are engineering works on the Hullavington route which prevents at least one of them going that way.
They are both usually fairly busy with those coming home from a night out on a Friday getting back to Chippenham and Swindon. No mention on Journeycheck of any road transport to cover for those services. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: tomL on September 19, 2014, 17:18:23 Lots of fun at Swindon this morning with last minute alteration of the 0900 ex padd coming in to platform 3 while everyone was on 4. ;D
Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: ChrisB on September 19, 2014, 17:19:52 Presumably, as no services are running to Bristol from Chippenham & Bath, there's no need to run the return services.
Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: JayMac on September 19, 2014, 18:52:32 Lots of fun at Swindon this morning with last minute alteration of the 0900 ex padd coming in to platform 3 while everyone was on 4. ;D Welcome to the forum tomlane. :) At least Swindon has the capability to run services bi-directionally at the station. Even if it is a bit inconvenient on the punters to have them all move through the subway from 4 to 3 at the last minute. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: TaplowGreen on September 19, 2014, 18:54:01 That is totally unacceptable. I'd be complaining in the strongest possible way to both FGW and the First Bus subsidiary responsible. It really isn't on for public announcements to be made about ticket acceptance on buses and to then not liaise between companies. Unacceptable yes, but anyone with experience of FGW's total inability to cope with any sort of crisis will not be surprised. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: ellendune on September 19, 2014, 21:53:02 Today I travelled from Swindon to Reading on the 11:59 and back on the 14:28 to Bristol TM.
The Bristol trains seemed to be being diverted alternately via Westbury to Bath and via Bristol Parkway. An ECS train arrived at Swindon at a slow speed at 11:51 and stopped on platform 3. The staff who got off this train included an incident officer and maintenance staff. The train was turned and was to proceed back to Bristol (presumably via Parkway). I assume this was the train that was stranded. The 11:59 was switched to Platform 1 and left before the ECS. When I got back to Swindon on a Bristol TM train passengers to Bath were invited to stay on the train and change at Bristol. Chippenham passenger were asked to change at Swindon. When we got off the train there was some suggestion of some sort of shuttle train rather than road transport. Not clear what. Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: CLPGMS on September 19, 2014, 22:45:26 It appears that the DOWN line between Chippenham and Bath Spa has now reopened, with a severe speed restriction. I see that the 2000 PAD-BRI lost 16 minutes between the two stations and the same happened to the 2045. Trains are still being diverted in the UP direction.
Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: thetrout on September 19, 2014, 23:26:01 It appears that the DOWN line between Chippenham and Bath Spa has now reopened, with a severe speed restriction. I see that the 2000 PAD-BRI lost 16 minutes between the two stations and the same happened to the 2045. Trains are still being diverted in the UP direction. 21:29 Taunton - London Paddington 1A37 has been diverted via Berks and Hants lines. Road Replacement Coaches were provided for passengers wanting Chippenham and Swindon at 22:47 I am on 1A37 as we speak and so far running without incident albeit diverted. Yesterday 1A37 was held at Twerton Tunnel where the was a reported track circuit failure from Twerton Tunnel all the way through to Thingly Junction caused by a lightening strike. We were held at the signal outside the tunnel entrance before passing the signal at danger and running 15mph into Bath Spa from there. From someone on that train yesterday. That lightening was rather something I can tell you: http://youtu.be/2CIhR4i0YZk Title: Re: Flash flooding - Corsham 18/19 Sep 14 Post by: tomL on September 21, 2014, 16:06:51 Lots of fun at Swindon this morning with last minute alteration of the 0900 ex padd coming in to platform 3 while everyone was on 4. ;D Welcome to the forum tomlane. :) At least Swindon has the capability to run services bi-directionally at the station. Even if it is a bit inconvenient on the punters to have them all move through the subway from 4 to 3 at the last minute. Thank you. I've been lurking a while ;D This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |