Great Western Coffee Shop

Radio Bristol are reporting,

just wish RB would get the facts correct.

RB state its effecting GWR and cross country and trains maybe diverted

Just wondering if the Portsmouth to Cardiff services can still run or are these services cancelled?

Not so sure it’s at Patchway.  Report I heard was that the problem is within the Severn Tunnel itself. 

From National Rail



Yes, but as news breaks it's a tradeoff between validating it and letting people know something is happening. Wait for the full facts and people set off from home into the jam when the could really do with being alerted

Severn Tunnel IS used by GWR and Cross Country trains; they are (normally) the two operators.  Agreed that Cross Country in the time frame expected is limited to the single service from Cardiff to 'up north' via Temple Meads which also acts as a commuter train across the Severn.

Oh dear .. the section that saw its first electric passenger train yesterday?

The 0432 Southampton to Wentloog Freightliner service seems at a stand at Severn Tunnel West, possibly since 0700 since it passed the east portal at 0652, running almost an hour early.

Portsmouth to Cardiffs start/terminate Bristol TM with passengers advised to travel to/from Cheltenham /Gloucester and then use TFW/XC services.     South Wales to Londons diverted via Gloucester

The OTT diagram is showing "BLKD" between Patchway and Pilning - suggesting somewhere in or around the Patchway tunnels. It would be a bit ironic if it's that bit of outdoor ROCS we had a picture of.

I think it is actually in the tunnel having just entered the signal section up to Severn Tunnel West.

It reported hitting something followed by a loud bang and a flash

Finally on the move again

Believed that the freight train hit an 'expansion joint cover' which has been removed and will be repaired next weekend.  Normal working resumed with tunnel energised at 12:18. 

It could well have been quite a minor incident, but because it happened in the tunnel it looked and sounded much worse?  Not sure if Electric Train can elaborate?

I hope so. But in the meantime, here's some pictures out of Furrey + Frey's ROCS brochure. The beam has a clip-on plastic cover as shown (unless there's an extra-special Severn Tunnel one), so presumably the expansion joint has a bigger cover of its own. Again, what's pictured is the standard part, and as the conductor wire has been changed to an aluminium alloy one it's possible there were some changes to the expansion joint, but I'm sure it still needs a cover.