Trees Trees Everywhere I can't see the Wood for the Trees

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

As I posted in the TV infrastructure failures I was on the Valley Legend on Sunday 330/7, Paddington Ebbe Vale and Tower Colliery.

Cracking trip on time or early until signal failure between Maidenhead and and Slough.

However, the trips up the valleys were very disappointing most of the way the tracks were lined with trees and you couldn't see beyond them to pick out interesting features such as the pillar for Walnut tree Viaduct at Taft Wells. They even hit the coaches in several places. It even applies to the Mainlines you can't now see Llanwern Steelworks.

Glad I went dining cracking grub and service.

But it makes me wonder if it's worth doing such trips in future.

[PhilWakely]

However, the trips up the valleys were very disappointing most of the way the tracks were lined with trees and you couldn't see beyond them to pick out interesting features such as the pillar for Walnut tree Viaduct at Taft Wells. They even hit the coaches in several places. It even applies to the Mainlines you can't now see Llanwern Steelworks.

Same applies to the Central Wales line from Llanelli to Craven Arms

[chrisr_75]

As I posted in the TV infrastructure failures I was on the Valley Legend on Sunday 330/7, Paddington Ebbe Vale and Tower Colliery.

Cracking trip on time or early until signal failure between Maidenhead and and Slough.

However, the trips up the valleys were very disappointing most of the way the tracks were lined with trees and you couldn't see beyond them to pick out interesting features such as the pillar for Walnut tree Viaduct at Taft Wells. They even hit the coaches in several places. It even applies to the Mainlines you can't now see Llanwern Steelworks.

Glad I went dining cracking grub and service.

But it makes me wonder if it's worth doing such trips in future.

It's deliberate to stop those weird shouty spotter types from verbally abusing people innocently waiting at stations along the route whilst poking themselves out of a window as far as possible!   

Seriously though, I don't think there is any obligation for NR^» (Network Rail - home page) to clear vegetation apart from sites with poor visibility, limited clearances or low adhesion sites. I'd personally rather they concentrated on important stuff rather than fiddling about opening views up. It's also worth noting that dense trees/undergrowth and especially thorn bushes and brambles make very, very effective barriers against trespass and also help to keep any noise subdued for neighbours, so a multitude of reasons why they may be retained.

There's actually not much left of Llanwern these days, certainly no longer a steelworks in the literal sense, a rolling mill only - a better bet if you want to view a steelworks from a train is to travel past Port Talbot.

[bobm]

Same applies to the Central Wales line from Llanelli to Craven Arms

I'll find out for myself later today! 

[grahame]

Good news for Dendrologists.

Same applies to the Central Wales line from Llanelli to Craven Arms

I'll find out for myself later today! 

It's all relative ... I'm sure you'll enjoy.

[John R]

However, the trips up the valleys were very disappointing most of the way the tracks were lined with trees and you couldn't see beyond them to pick out interesting features such as the pillar for Walnut tree Viaduct at Taft Wells.

The greening of the valleys since the coal mines were shut down is in my opinion one of the more positive aspects of the industrial changes which occurred in the 70s and 80s.  Though as they are still some way short of a tourist attraction then I would agree that tree clearance to give passengers views should probably come fairly low down NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s its of priorities, unlike in Scotland where I believe there is an effort being made on the Highland lines to do so.   

[grahame]

I much prefer our UK^▸ (United Kingdom) shrubbery - even if the greening gives way to some blocking of the view - to that which I saw in California last November from the Los Angeles to Lancaster train:



Where it's prone to natural (and indeed unnatural) bush / forest fires which spread because it's so dry, leaving:

[Rhydgaled]

A while back I was showered with bits of leaf and maybe the odd twig somewhere between Swansea and Carmarthen as the 150 I was on (or it may have been a 153) rubbed against the lineside trees. I can understand the 'clearing the view is a low priority' comments but when the vegetation starts making contact with the rolling stock it is time to act, as it may damage the paint on the train and if the windows are open can result in passenger discomfort (although on the latter point use of a 150 on a journey longer than an hour also results in passenger discomfort so perhaps an even higher priority should be to get new trains (or mark 2 aircons) suitable for the longer runs).

[grahame]

A while back I was showered with bits of leaf and maybe the odd twig somewhere between ...

Three Rivers got it spot on with their charter to Fawley ... used a narrower train ;-)

There's a fast growing tree near Staverton on the single line section from Trowbridge to Melksham ... problem isn't limited to rural branches and wilder parts of Wales.  Come to think of it, there are still a few who consider TransWilts a rural branch!

[Tim]

, unlike in Scotland where I believe there is an effort being made on the Highland lines to do so.   

Don't you believe that.  I was on the West Highland Line last week (up on Sleeper, down with Scotrail 153s) and the number of branches swiping the trains was very high.  On the way up, the sleeper driver even had stopped a couple of times and together with the Guard went to inspect the line ahead on foot to see if it was clear of branches.  On the trip south sever sprigs of Spruce got picked off branches by the open hopper windows and ended up in the cabin. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

For me, the worst example of a train v tree incident was this one:



See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1294613/Miracle-escape-train-driver-120mph-express-struck-falling-tree.html

 

[stuving]

I've just stumbled over this (as if it's a fallen tree) from Rail Engineer, June 2017:

Seeing the wood in the trees - Network Rail tackles troublesome trees

National survey

Network Rail decided that in order to alleviate this problem it would need to conduct a census of its estimated 10 million trees. With 20,000 miles of lineside to cover, work started in 2014 on what was essentially an aerial survey that made use of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) mapping. This remote sensing method uses 3D laser scanning technology to measure the position of objects relative to the laser source.

Assessing risk

Surprisingly, trees that have fallen onto railway lines have rarely been old and rotten. Usually, they are healthy trees that have become vulnerable to wind forces. Factors that affect the stability of trees include the ways in which they are aligned or grouped. Isolated trees or those growing on steep slopes would be deemed of higher risk than those forming a group on the flat. Worst of all would be an isolated tree at the top of a rock cutting. Other higher risk trees include those growing adjacent to stations, near over-bridges, tunnel portals or power lines.

Size is important too, of course, with trunks greater than 150 mm in diameter being regarded as a potential threat should they fall across the track. Less than this and the damage they could potentially cause is not deemed a significant safety risk. The survey has been able to deduce the size of potentially vulnerable trees from their height and thereby assess the threat level they present. In total, approximately 100 different tree attributes have been included within the LiDAR survey analysis software.

Paul Meads, Network Rail’s head of lineside, said: “Our use of the tree census is emerging. Feedback will be useful for us to evaluate the benefits it can bring and we will be increasing our understanding of how it can best be used. Just now, the usage of the tree census is very much in its early days, but it promises to bring a real benefit to the rail industry as a whole.”

So far this year, Network Rail targeted and managed ‘hotspot’ areas for vegetation management covering 900 hectares, which accounts for roughly two per cent of the network. The work will continue and will include a reduction in the tree canopy in order to reduce leaf fall on the tracks. There will also be reduction in the lineside tree species that create the worst effect on rail adhesion.

It's a long article - even that's only a short excerpt. But basically, they now have a whizzy computerised map (part of their ORBIS project) of all neighbouring trees and will be conducting detailed interviews (of the kind that needs a chainsaw to hand) with some of them.

Looking at Chris's favourite picture of the tree that wanted to be a train driver (above), you might doubt that statement about "Less than this [150 mm] and the damage they could potentially cause is not deemed a significant safety risk."

PS: Sorry about the missing link, which I've now added.

[Witham Bobby]

Excessive vegetation, trees and shrubs leads to damage to rolling stock and risk of lineside fires and subsidence of cuttings sides and embankment slopes.  Think of the downwards pressure exerted on a slope by a hefty tree.  Roots can also affect drainage.  A couple of years back I took a trip down the Newquay branch and back.  The two-car unit was badly bashed from the sides by overhanging trees.

[ChrisB]

I understand that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are cutting back vegetation on the Cotswold Line in preparation for IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) so they don't get damaged - 7 metres clearance apparently

[IndustryInsider]

Was desperately needed on the Cotswold Line anyway as it had been allowed to grow to ridiculous levels in some places.