Mass disruption due to flooding - December 2012

[whole diary]

[swrural]

@TSM^▸ (Track Section Manager)

I can assure you the LSWR^▸ (London South Western Railway) was totally cut off for a considerable period at two locations, one east of Honiton (landslide) and the other east of Axminster (flood swept away rails).  The GW^▸ (Great Western) and LSW line blockages may have overlapped somewhat - I don't have the data of the days and weeks involved now, but in strategic thinking, that is irrelevant to the point that was being made to the minister.  I just thought it was a shame they did not make the point about both railways.

In other words, if the Exe and Culm are in flood, then so is the Axe likely to be (and was).

Similarly, if there are landslides at Dawlish, due to the sandy Devon soil giving way, then the same is likely to be happening on Honiton bank (and did).

I wrote at the time that I hoped some engineers would be freed from the daily round to look at remedies in a quiet room where strategic thinking could take place.  I have not had the impression from ministerial and NR^» (Network Rail - home page) quotes that this is happening.  I hope I'm wrong.  Nicholas Stern's report has been vindicated, it seems. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

I think 'TSM^▸ (Track Section Manager)' is addressed to 'TheSprinterMeister' - but we try not to use too many acronyms or abbreviations on this forum, to avoid confusing our wider readership. 

[swrural]

Chris, I had no idea that TSM^▸ (Track Section Manager) was a railway abb.  My apologies.  I've put '@TSM' (see  post) and had I done that I suggest there would have been no confusion whatsoeverl.  Anyway, learnt something.

Is a 'Track Section Manager' what I would call a ganger, or is he /she a PWI (permanent way inspector)?

[Brucey]

Chris, I had no idea that TSM^▸ (Track Section Manager) was a railway abb.

I didn't realise it was either, hence why I was slightly confused when reading your post

[TonyK]

I shall look at my LOA*.

FTN**

(*List Of Abbreviations)

(**Four Track, Now! Just trying to be helpful)

[swrural]

Chris, I had no idea that TSM^▸ (Track Section Manager) was a railway abb.

I didn't realise it was either, hence why I was slightly confused when reading your post

Is he / she one of the two functions I suggested?  Which one?

[paul7575]

SWT^▸ (South West Trains) and Network Rail are in what's laughingly called a 'Deep Alliance' which despite Devon County Council spent lots of my money paying Network Rail to install a dynamic loop at Axminster (making two trains per hour a workable proposition) FGW^▸ (First Great Western) services are seeningly not permitted to run up the SR^‡(resolve) while the SWT hourly service is operating.

I emailed SWT about this a while ago.  Their reply, from customer services but apparently made on behalf of someone called their 'train planning manager', suggests that you are wrong, my highlighting refers:

Our ref:1721365

30 January 2013 

Dear XXXX XXXX

Thank you for your email of 24 December 2012.

Please find below a response from our Train planning manager.

Basically it allows for one additional train per hour in one direction only. This is what happens when we have First Great Western diversions via this route, although it does require the SWT services to be retimed quite considerably.

A further loop would be required to be installed for an additional hourly service in each direction.

Kind Regards
XXXXXX
Customer Relations Officer

I'm sure your view will be different though, what do SWT know about their route after all...

Paul   

[SandTEngineer]

What absolute tosh.........

I once worked for the signalling company that did all of the work (of which I checked most of the design). I can assure you that the loop and associated work was designed to handle two trains per hour in each direction.  Since then additional mid-section signals have been installed at Crewkerne to allow two trains to be 'flighted' behind each other thus easing the stress on the Chard Junction to Yeovil Junction section.  Note that Axminster loop can hold up to three trains in each direction at any one time.  The only capacity constraint now is the section between Honiton and Pinhoe.  To keep the capacity there the trains have to be presented at each end as close to scheduled time as possible.  The loops at Chard Junction and Honiton see little use now except in times of perturbation.

[swrural]

All very impressive but what is a TSM^▸ (Track Section Manager)?   

Actually, the reliability of current performance on Yeovil to Exeter is much appreciated by we locals.

Like clockwork, it is, which does make up for the 'stop at every farmyard' service.

I agree an extra loop west of Honiton, but better still, a full doubling throughout, is what is required.  This is a prosperous area and the trains would fill immediately with a stopping and fast service every hour.

We also would fill a Plymouth to Southampton via Bournemouth service.

[SandTEngineer]

Going back to Railtrack days in 1994.  They planned to extend Chard Junction loop as double track to Axminster station and add a new loop between Honiton and Pinhoe.  This would have evened out the crossing points and could have easily allowed a half hourly service in each direction.

[swrural]

I am going to re-register as TTN!

[Southern Stag]

The paths certainly seem to be available if you work out the timings, and even if a full half-hourly service might be a bit too high a use of the capacity, three trains every two hours would certainly be possible, allowing a two hourly FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service to divert via Honiton. The times at Exeter work fairly well anyway as the FGW pattern to/from Plymouth/Penzance is roughly half an hour off the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) pattern in both directions.

[paul7575]

... three trains every two hours would certainly be possible, allowing a two hourly FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service to divert via Honiton.

That is what SWT^▸ (South West Trains) say is possible above, and IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) what they did last time they ran planned diversions.

I must admit to having my doubts about all this now, but I suppose from SWT's perspective it is no good if the only way of getting from Pinhoe to Honiton quickly enough is to remove all the intermediate calls, or however else they'd speed that bit up.

Paul

[Southern Stag]

Last time was 3tp2h, with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) taking the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) path one hour, with the SWT service pushed forward half an hour in that hour. This was before the mid-section signals were installed at Crewkerne, and the FGW services usually had to wait at Chard Junction for the previous SWT to reach Yeovil Junction, a wait which would now be alleviated. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), the FGW services passed at Yeovil Junction, so if the up service arrives slightly early by virtue of following the SWT more closely then the down could leave slightly earlier to help with potential conflicts down the line.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Chris, I had no idea that TSM^▸ (Track Section Manager) was a railway abb...

Is a 'Track Section Manager' what I would call a ganger, or is he /she a PWI (permanent way inspector)?

Is he / she one of the two functions I suggested?  Which one?

All very impressive but what is a TSM?  

Howard, I really don't know (not being railway staff), as this appears to be an internal Network Rail job title.  May I offer you a link to an historic job advert, which sets out their job description for a Track Section Manager, at http://www.allrailjobs.co.uk/candidate/vacDetails2.asp?vacID=30453, from which you may judge for yourself.