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Author Topic: Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere - ongoing, since Oct 2014  (Read 1243882 times)
ChrisB
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« Reply #2535 on: March 02, 2018, 15:23:28 »

Not certain that there is much that GWR (Great Western Railway) CAN do.
You wont often hear me stand up for GWR, but in this case the conditions are too bad for trains or replacement road transport.
If people are stranded and merely uncomfortable, then that is one of the perils of travelling in severe weather.
If people are in actual danger from cold or exposure, then reliance may have to be placed on the emergency services, the voluntary groups such as the Red Cross, or even the Armed forces.

There is of course SOME help that GWR can offer, but it is very limited.
Keep station waiting rooms or others areas open, lit and heated all night.
Provide refreshments, when available.
Allow reasonable use of railway telephones to the public to contact friends and family.
Let people shelter on trains with the heating on, in the absence of other facilities.
Arrange taxis WHEN SAFE for very local journeys such as to a nearby hotel.
Offer to store luggage for those who decide to proceed on foot.

I have little sympathy with "the railway" when they fail to respond effectively to a railway problem such as signalling failures and train breakdowns, and under such conditions they have often IMO (in my opinion) failed to promptly secure buses and taxis.
This weather though is affecting everything, buses and taxis included.
Taxi from Taunton to Penzance ? no way under present conditions !
Taxi from Taunton station to an hotel a mile or two away along treated roads ? Should certainly be considered.

ALL subject to the fact that staff don't live at stations any more & if not safe for them to travel/work, it would be acceptable (unfortunately) for these suggestions to not happen. Sorry, but staff welfare comes just as high as passengers in these situations. Its not the NHS.
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broadgage
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« Reply #2536 on: March 02, 2018, 15:27:23 »

I agree, my suggested actions were to illustrate that GWR (Great Western Railway) could not do MUCH about the extreme weather disruption, but there were some rather limited actions that they COULD take, but of course subject to staff availability and safety.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
ChrisB
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« Reply #2537 on: March 02, 2018, 15:34:29 »

so *might* (be able to) take would be a better phrase?
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broadgage
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« Reply #2538 on: March 02, 2018, 16:00:21 »

so *might* (be able to) take would be a better phrase?

YES
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2539 on: March 06, 2018, 11:44:39 »

.............it's a shame the delays don't melt away as fast as the snow did............


Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington


Due to a fault with the signalling system between Reading and London Paddington some lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or running non stop. Some stations between Slough and Southall will not be served. Disruption is expected until 14:00 06/03.
Customer Advice
The fast line from Reading to London Paddington is blocked between West Drayton and Hayes & Harlington, this is causing delays through the area as only 3 of the 4 rail lines are available.
Train services will run non-stop between Slough and Hayes & Harlington in both directions.
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SandTEngineer
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« Reply #2540 on: March 06, 2018, 12:34:42 »

How dare they call it the 'Fast Line'.  Its the Main Line........ Roll Eyes Tongue
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Jason
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« Reply #2541 on: March 06, 2018, 16:34:14 »

Due to an object being caught on the overhead electric wires at Slough some lines are closed.
Impact: Train services running through this station may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until 17:30 06/03.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2542 on: March 06, 2018, 17:50:21 »

Due to an object being caught on the overhead electric wires at Slough some lines are closed.
Impact: Train services running through this station may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until 17:30 06/03.

Suicidal pigeon or Tesco carrier bag?  Huh
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broadgage
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« Reply #2543 on: March 06, 2018, 18:37:34 »

No reports of exploding pigeon, so probably just a plastic bag.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2544 on: March 06, 2018, 20:12:23 »

........every little helps 😩
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« Reply #2545 on: March 06, 2018, 20:45:15 »

Back the day, I was on my first cab ride as part of my training to see what the railway was all about, in a class 86 from Carlisle to Preston. All going well and suddenly felt an unusual jolt and a lamp illuminated on the driver's console, no power being taken. So free wheeled for a good few miles and came to a halt. Driver got down. Looked up. A large black crow or remains of was wrapped around the pantograph. Raised and lowered the pantograph again a couple of times and it fell off and we were on our way again. I dare say that current monitoring/safety systems may not allow this perhaps but this was 1979.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #2546 on: March 06, 2018, 22:19:51 »

No reports of exploding pigeon, so probably just a plastic bag.

Was a bit of rope apparently.  OverHead-Line Equipment (OHLE) staff delayed getting to the site by an accident on the M4.

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym
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To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
broadgage
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« Reply #2547 on: March 06, 2018, 22:38:54 »

Back the day, I was on my first cab ride as part of my training to see what the railway was all about, in a class 86 from Carlisle to Preston. All going well and suddenly felt an unusual jolt and a lamp illuminated on the driver's console, no power being taken. So free wheeled for a good few miles and came to a halt. Driver got down. Looked up. A large black crow or remains of was wrapped around the pantograph. Raised and lowered the pantograph again a couple of times and it fell off and we were on our way again. I dare say that current monitoring/safety systems may not allow this perhaps but this was 1979.

As you were soon on your way again, I presume that it was the crow or remains thereof that fell off, and not the pantograph !
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
CyclingSid
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« Reply #2548 on: March 07, 2018, 20:19:32 »

A bit of rope! In South Reading the local "lads" found that the most efficient way to disconnect some houses with an overhead supply was a length of dog chain (dog not attached, so couldn't be removed the same way as crows).
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #2549 on: March 07, 2018, 22:17:56 »

........so to recap.....the Infrastructure upon which the railways have spent billions of £ of taxpayers money and is (apparently) the future, can be brought to a screeching halt by.......a carrier bag, a dead pigeon........and/or a "bit of rope"......thank God the IETs (Intercity Express Train) can run on diesel.....🙈
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