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Author Topic: Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere - ongoing, since Oct 2014  (Read 1243553 times)
broadgage
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« Reply #720 on: June 28, 2015, 11:41:46 »

....with the temperature set to rise a few degrees this week, on what day do people think that everything will fall over due to "poor rail conditions"? summer weather being one of the other natural phenomena that the (UK (United Kingdom)) railways struggle to cope with.....sweepstake anyone?

I've got some very important meetings this week and I really, really hope they don't get messed up by numerous delays/cancellations.

I am not very hopeful of a normal service being provided in hot weather, apart from the usual high rail temperature problems, signal failures seem to be more likely in hot weather.

I would urge allowing extra time for travel to important meetings, and for journeys of up to say 100 miles keep enough cash to hand for a taxi if all else fails.
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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 #721 on: June 28, 2015, 16:14:55 »

....with the temperature set to rise a few degrees this week, on what day do people think that everything will fall over due to "poor rail conditions"? summer weather being one of the other natural phenomena that the (UK (United Kingdom)) railways struggle to cope with.....sweepstake anyone?

I've got some very important meetings this week and I really, really hope they don't get messed up by numerous delays/cancellations.

I am not very hopeful of a normal service being provided in hot weather, apart from the usual high rail temperature problems, signal failures seem to be more likely in hot weather.

I would urge allowing extra time for travel to important meetings, and for journeys of up to say 100 miles keep enough cash to hand for a taxi if all else fails.

.........perfectly reasonable advice but of course the taxi would be at my own expense, despite having purchased a ticket from FGW (First Great Western) who are then unable to provide the advertised service.

Do NR» (Network Rail - home page) actually do anything to mitigate against the effect of entirely predictable warm summer weather, or are they happy just to take the hit and pay out to the TOCs (Train Operating Company)?

I guess they are too busy "Building a Greater West" to worry about such minor details as keeping the trains running during the summer?
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Ollie
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« Reply #722 on: June 28, 2015, 16:39:00 »

This is what Network Rail say about the heat and what they to do reduce the risks: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/timetables-and-travel/delays-explained/summer-weather.aspx
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #723 on: June 28, 2015, 16:48:45 »

This is what Network Rail say about the heat and what they to do reduce the risks: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/timetables-and-travel/delays-explained/summer-weather.aspx

............best get the paintbrushes out sharpish then!!!  Grin

Must admit I can't recall seeing any white rails? I thought one of the areas most at risk was on the approach to Paddington.......all regulation brown as I recall?
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ChrisB
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« Reply #724 on: June 28, 2015, 17:00:27 »

Plenty around, you just haven't noticed them
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ellendune
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« Reply #725 on: June 28, 2015, 17:01:42 »

This is what Network Rail say about the heat and what they to do reduce the risks: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/timetables-and-travel/delays-explained/summer-weather.aspx

............best get the paintbrushes out sharpish then!!!  Grin

Must admit I can't recall seeing any white rails? I thought one of the areas most at risk was on the approach to Paddington.......all regulation brown as I recall?

I have seen quite a lot of white painted rail on the approach to Paddington.  Short lengths not continuous length.

Has someone also posted about the difficulty of maintaining the proper stresses in the rail when there is a lot of work going on on the line. Not enough time to restore the stressing between

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broadgage
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« Reply #726 on: June 28, 2015, 17:04:30 »

I have often wondered why, in vulnerable locations, a light water spray is not used to cool the rails and immediate surroundings.
Something as basic as a number of domestic style oscillating garden sprinklers affixed to existing signal gantries and other structures would help a lot. Or even a couple of workers as near to the track as is safe, manually applying water by means of garden hoses and spray jets.

(IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly), I have previously suggested this)

Water is cheap and readily available and if applied in moderation should cause no problems to equipment intended to withstand rain.
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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.
bobm
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« Reply #727 on: June 28, 2015, 17:18:15 »

Must admit I can't recall seeing any white rails? I thought one of the areas most at risk was on the approach to Paddington.......all regulation brown as I recall?

Here you go - white rails in darkest Cornwall.



The current weather forecast for my area shows high temperatures but cloudy skies.  That might help - it is direct sunlight which causes the rails to heat up to a higher temperature than the surrounding air.
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ellendune
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« Reply #728 on: June 28, 2015, 17:27:40 »

I have often wondered why, in vulnerable locations, a light water spray is not used to cool the rails and immediate surroundings.
Something as basic as a number of domestic style oscillating garden sprinklers affixed to existing signal gantries and other structures would help a lot. Or even a couple of workers as near to the track as is safe, manually applying water by means of garden hoses and spray jets.

(IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly), I have previously suggested this)

Water is cheap and readily available and if applied in moderation should cause no problems to equipment intended to withstand rain.

Water is indeed cheap, but getting to places away from mains is not. 
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broadgage
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« Reply #729 on: June 28, 2015, 17:39:22 »

Agree that obtaining water in remote places could be problematic, but I was thinking more of urban areas such as the approaches to Paddington which seems to be a regular hot spot.

Depending on the height of the water table  and the local terrain, a drilled well and a submersible pump might be an option in places away from mains water, but urban areas are arguably a higher priority as they tend to be hotter, and the greater density of traffic means that delays affect far greater numbers of people.
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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.
didcotdean
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« Reply #730 on: June 28, 2015, 17:46:28 »

Inside the carriages like to be problematic too - the twitter complaints concerning inadequate or completely failed AC started a few weeks back when the temperature first touched 19C.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #731 on: June 30, 2015, 08:56:13 »

Direct Henley/Bourne End services cancelled for much of today due to anticipated "hot weather".

This will be interesting if it continues into tomorrow with the Henley Regatta starting however I think there will be extra services on that branch anyway to allow for this.
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bobm
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« Reply #732 on: June 30, 2015, 09:01:00 »

I am not sure about "much of the day".  There are only a handful of through trains from London Paddington to the branches and they are in the evening peak.  This morning's through Up services ran as normal.
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #733 on: June 30, 2015, 09:27:33 »

From midday onwards;



Network Rail have advised that, due to the anticipated exceptionally hot weather, there will be speed restrictions to protect track points in the Thames Valley region on Tuesday 30 June 2015.


As a result there will be no fast trains between London Paddington and Bourne End or Henley-on-Thames from 12:00 until 20:00. This will affect the following services:

London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames
Trains from London Paddington will terminate at Twyford for a connection with a branch line train to Henley-on-Thames, which will remain on the branch line.

17:12 London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, this service will terminate at Twyford.
18:12 London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, this service will terminate at Twyford.
19:05 London Paddington to Henley-on-Thames, this service will terminate at Twyford.

London Paddington to Bourne End
Trains from London Paddington will terminate at Maidenhead for a connection with a branch line train to Bourne End, which will remain on the branch line.

16:42 London Paddington to Bourne End, this service will terminate at Maidenhead.
17:42 London Paddington to Bourne End, this service will terminate at Maidenhead.
18:42 London Paddington to Bourne End, this service will terminate at Maidenhead.

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NickB
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« Reply #734 on: June 30, 2015, 11:21:55 »

Direct Henley/Bourne End services cancelled for much of today due to anticipated "hot weather".

This will be interesting if it continues into tomorrow with the Henley Regatta starting however I think there will be extra services on that branch anyway to allow for this.

From my recollection during previous Regattas all of the Henley trains are diverted to Twyford and everyone gets booted off to join the dedicated branch line service.  I could be very much mistaken though.

As a side story, during last year's Regatta I was making my way from Paddington to Henley about 6pm and was awaiting the branch line train to arrive in to Twyford.  As the train arrived it was clearly rather busy with the daytime revellers returning to Twyford.  The doors opened and the woman at the front cleaved forwards 90 degrees face first on to the platform.  She didn't even flinch as she fell.
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