Great Western Coffee Shop

Journey by Journey => London to the West => Topic started by: LiskeardRich on February 26, 2021, 19:37:20



Title: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: LiskeardRich on February 26, 2021, 19:37:20
Coming up on Twitter all services cancelled between Exeter and Taunton until close of play on 26th February due to the discovery of a WW2 bomb near to the line in Exeter.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: LiskeardRich on February 26, 2021, 20:00:48
Line closure is from 9am tomorrow until 9am Sunday at present related to this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-56212295

Quote
About 200 University of Exeter students have been evacuated from a halls of residence after a large unexploded World War Two bomb was found.
Police were called to Glenthorne Road, Exeter, at about 09:20 GMT and have declared a major incident.
A 100m (328ft) cordon is in place and about 100 nearby properties have been evacuated, officers confirmed.
Royal Navy bomb disposal specialists are on the scene, which is not expected to be resolved until Saturday.
The bomb is estimated to be about 2.5m (8ft) long and 70cm (27in) across.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: AMLAG on February 26, 2021, 21:06:34

There seems no mention of any alterations to North Devon line trains; possibly they are running via the Exeter Riverside Yard through Goods lines to Cowley Bdge Jn using the long line of redundant and stored EWS/DB coal hoppes for protection ?!


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: LiskeardRich on February 26, 2021, 21:09:32
Here is the exclusion zone so Barnstaple is a non runner too i imagine


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: grahame on February 26, 2021, 22:40:02
Quote
People are being advised to avoid the area and residents within the cordon will be asked to leave their homes by 09:00 and stay away until work is completed.

Ah - a long walk for exercise, phone up the doctor and see if you can get an appointment, or do your essential shopping ( but not for frozen food? )

Quote
Exeter City Council said no evacuation centres had been set up and other people affected have been encouraged to stay with relatives.

Ah - right ...


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: LiskeardRich on February 27, 2021, 00:17:47
Devon and Cornwall police posted on Facebook that anyone who resides within the exclusion zone is exempt from lockdown rules. Apparently such  public safety overrules lockdown.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: bobm on February 27, 2021, 08:17:42
SWR seem confused as to the location.

Quote
What's going on

Due to a wartime bomb near the railway between Exeter St Davids and Yeovil Junction fewer trains are able to run on all lines. Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

What we're doing about it

We have been informed that due to a wartime bomb near the railway there will be some alterations to services in the Exeter area.   


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: grahame on February 27, 2021, 08:41:05
SWR seem confused as to the location.

It reads that way.  I suspect that SWR are facing the sending of lots of other trains via Yeovil Junction, and a lack of access to their usual turn back siding just to the north of Exeter St Davids so their terminating trains can't easily be turned around away from two very busy platforms; not sure how you would summarise that in a few words.

Due to a wartime bomb near the railway between Exeter St Davids and Yeovil Junction fewer trains are able to run on all lines.
to become
Due to a wartime bomb near the railway, we have to run fewer trains than normal between Exeter St Davids and Yeovil Junction

Just about to be shutting down (?) when I did the following screen grabs about 15 minutes ago ...

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/bomb_20210227_ot1.jpg)
Watch via https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/exeter#T_EXETRSD

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/bomb_20210227_on1.jpg)
Watch via http://www.mrug.org.uk/exd.html


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: plymothian on February 27, 2021, 09:09:06

There seems no mention of any alterations to North Devon line trains; possibly they are running via the Exeter Riverside Yard through Goods lines to Cowley Bdge Jn using the long line of redundant and stored EWS/DB coal hoppes for protection ?!

The line is closed between Exeter SD and Crediton, along with the mainline; the early morning services got through and there is a shuttle running Crediton - Barnstaple with a RRB between Crediton - Exeter.
However as the A377 - the natural road between Barnstaple and Exeter - runs through the exclusion zone, I'm not sure what route they're going to take either north to Tiverton and back down the M5 or risk the backroads south to Pathfinder on the A30.

All other services are running Penzance/Plymouth - Exeter SD and Paddington/Scotland/North England/Wales - Taunton/Tiverton Pkwy with RRB between Taunton/Tiverton and Exeter.

SWR are running Waterloo - Yeovil Jnc, with RRB Yeovil - Exeter plus ticket acceptance on Stagecoach service 4 Honiton - Exeter.

Exmouth - Paignton unaffected.

This is assuming the exclusion zone stays at the current limit, if it needs to be widened once the bomb is examined, St Davids station will come under the new exclusion zone.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 26/2/21
Post by: phile on February 27, 2021, 11:12:48

There seems no mention of any alterations to North Devon line trains; possibly they are running via the Exeter Riverside Yard through Goods lines to Cowley Bdge Jn using the long line of redundant and stored EWS/DB coal hoppes for protection ?!

The line is closed between Exeter SD and Crediton, along with the mainline; the early morning services got through and there is a shuttle running Crediton - Barnstaple with a RRB between Crediton - Exeter.
However as the A377 - the natural road between Barnstaple and Exeter - runs through the exclusion zone, I'm not sure what route they're going to take either north to Tiverton and back down the M5 or risk the backroads south to Pathfinder on the A30.

All other services are running Penzance/Plymouth - Exeter SD and Paddington/Scotland/North England/Wales - Taunton/Tiverton Pkwy with RRB between Taunton/Tiverton and Exeter.

SWR are running Waterloo - Yeovil Jnc, with RRB Yeovil - Exeter plus ticket acceptance on Stagecoach service 4 Honiton - Exeter.

Exmouth - Paignton unaffected.

This is assuming the exclusion zone stays at the current limit, if it needs to be widened once the bomb is examined, St Davids station will come under the new exclusion zone.

There are some GWR services running via the Mule


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: johnneyw on February 27, 2021, 11:46:42
Don't I just know about it!  I've just been replacement bussed to Exeter from Tiverton Parkway and am on the train waiting to depart for Totnes but my ongoing bus connections are now we'll out of the window.
Wasn't much at Temple Meads to explain what was going on until I asked someone on the platform 3 ticket desk.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: bradshaw on February 27, 2021, 18:02:05
There seems to have been an operational incident on the SWR line involving a diverted trains

From SWR journey check
Quote
Earlier today, there was an incident involving diverted trains between Sherborne and Axminster. This is caused trains to be at a stand for approximately 80 minutes. The line has now reopened. 


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: PhilWakely on February 27, 2021, 18:15:54
There seems to have been an operational incident on the SWR line involving a diverted trains

From SWR journey check
Quote
Earlier today, there was an incident involving diverted trains between Sherborne and Axminster. This is caused trains to be at a stand approximately 80 minutes. The line has now reopened. 

1A88 diverted 1215 PNZ PAD left EXD 1521 but stuck at Yeovil Junction due to being too long for platform 1;
1C84 stuck on Pen Mill curve since 1545 or so.....
1A88 unable to shunt into Sherborne section so all on stop.

All on the move again now with 1C84 terminated at Pen Mill and returning to Westbury ECS. 1A88 released and now 120 late; 1C86 now at Yeovil Junction, 66 late and waiting for 1L64 to come off the single line.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: bradshaw on February 27, 2021, 18:18:28
On Traksy it seems to be going via Taunton as 5C84


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: broadgage on February 27, 2021, 18:30:15
The bomb has now been exploded in situ, after building an enclosure of sand so as to minimise blast damage.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: PhilWakely on February 27, 2021, 18:43:32
The bomb has now been exploded in situ, after building an enclosure of sand so as to minimise blast damage.

My brother lives in the 400 metre exclusion zone and was 'evacuated' [told to 'go out for the day and ignore lockdown travel regulations']. I've just received this text message from him....

Quote
It's been detonated. We're miles away, but this from a friend just outside the cordon, down by the railway.....

"They've just detonated it. It was so loud and there was an enormous black cloud and debris flying towards the tracks. It was absolutely incredible. There are some alarms going in your road, but no damage, no glass or debris in your direction. Imagine how scary WW2 must have been!  The blast was apparently felt 5 miles away"


*** edited to correct spelling error ***


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: Clan Line on February 27, 2021, 19:38:24
Quite spectacular !!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-56221697


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: bobm on February 27, 2021, 20:12:02
Line has re-opened.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: LiskeardRich on February 28, 2021, 08:43:14
Devon and Cornwall police have confirmed structural damage to buildings, and many blown windows, predominantly within 100m of the blast


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: Thatcham Crossing on February 28, 2021, 10:00:33
Daughter in 4th year at Exeter, but near St James Park so about 1.5  miles from the bomb site reported a very big bang!

In her 1st and 2nd years she (and her twin sister) would have been within the evacuation zone.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: Red Squirrel on February 28, 2021, 11:34:50
Reports suggest that this was a SC1000 thin-cased high explosive bomb. The '1000' refers to the mass; 1000kg of high explosive is enough to make anyone's eyes water. You can see why the Bomb Disposal folk detonated it rather than trying to defuse it - you wouldn't have got me within a country kilometre.

Local residents, whose walls where cracked and windows blown in, were already rather unhappy that their local allotments were being redeveloped into yet more student accommodation. They must be incandescent now! And with hindsight I'd have to agree with anyone who suggested that the developers' bat survey was a bit of a waste of time: I'm no naturalist, but I imagine deafened bats are not long for this world.


Title: Re: No services between Taunton and Exeter 27/2/21- WW2 bomb
Post by: ChrisB on February 28, 2021, 15:49:44
The BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-56229045) report those living closest are not being allowed back anytime soon....

Quote
Exeter WW2 bomb: People 'unlikely' to go home on Sunday

People evacuated from their properties after an unexploded World War Two bomb was found in Exeter may not be allowed home on Sunday.

More than 2,600 households and 12 university halls of residence were cleared before the 2,200lb (1,000kg) device was destroyed on Saturday.

Police said the blast left a crater about the size of a double-decker bus.

They also said some buildings, mainly within 330ft (100m), suffered "blown-out windows and cracks in brickwork".

A 1,310ft (400m) cordon is still in place after households and some 1,400 students were evacuated following the find by builders on private land next to the Streatham campus at about 09:20 GMT on Friday.

Bomb disposal teams destroyed the device in a 400-tonne "box" of sand just before 18:15 GMT on Saturday in an explosion heard up to five miles (8km) away.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the blast impact from the German so-called "Hermann bomb" had been "significant", with debris thrown at least 820ft (250m) away.

Officers said "every effort" was being made to finish safety assessments of buildings affected "in the hope some evacuated residents may be able to return home this evening".

But they added that it was unlikely that most would be able to.

"Evacuated residents are advised to work on a worst-case scenario basis that they will not be able to," police said.

There were no concerns regarding the impact of the explosion, which caused a large plume of sand, on public health grounds, the force confirmed.

Devon County Council has a helpline for evacuated residents who need support.

The majority of residents who were evacuated stayed with friends and family.

But police said the council confirmed that "those already in hotel accommodation will be able to stay in their hotels tonight if necessary".

The university said students would not be able to return to halls on Sunday but it would "ensure that your alternative accommodation remains available overnight and we will continue to support you throughout".

Students in private accommodation "should follow instructions from local authorities", it said.

It also said it was "critical" that no-one returned to 15 buildings and areas on campus "before we have assessed them as safe for occupation".

However, it expected "all academic buildings will be open as usual tomorrow [Monday]" and anyone "scheduled to be on campus tomorrow for work or study... should plan to attend".

Roads remain closed in the area as a result of the incident.

The city was heavily attacked by German bombers in 19 raids during World War Two, which saw more than 7,000 devices dropped, particularly in May 1942 during the Baedecker Raids.



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