Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 11:35 28 Mar 2024
* Manhunt after stabbing in front of train passengers
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
28th Mar (1917)
Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore closed (link)

Train RunningCancelled
10:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
10:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
10:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
11:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
11:05 Swindon to Westbury
11:16 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
11:23 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
11:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
11:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
12:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
13:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
06:00 London Paddington to Penzance
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
09:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
10:55 Paignton to London Paddington
11:12 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
Delayed
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
08:48 London Paddington to Swansea
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
09:51 Warminster to Gloucester
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 28, 2024, 11:52:01 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[161] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[91] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[62] Return of the BRUTE?
[53] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[49] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[38] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1] 2
  Print  
Author Topic: Engineering closure - Castle Cary to Taunton, 14 to 27 March 2020  (Read 8239 times)
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« on: March 02, 2020, 20:53:27 »

Subject line says it (almost) all.   From National Rail

Quote
Engineering work is taking place between Castle Cary and Taunton, closing the line.

Buses will replace trains between Castle Cary and Taunton.

Trains between London Paddington and South West England will be diverted between Reading and Taunton via Bristol Temple Meads. This will extend your journey time by up to 35 minutes.

A shuttle train service will run every 2 hours between London Paddington and Castle Cary.

This engineering work will deliver several infrastructure improvements. The main benefit will be to repair bridge structures over the River Parrett and River Tone. In addition, bridge maintenance work will also be taking place along the route as well as drainage work at Somerton.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
The Tall Controller
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 353


View Profile
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2020, 09:28:20 »

The line is actually closed until Sunday 29 March.

There will also be diversions continuing into the following week due to severe speed restrictions as a result of the work.
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2020, 10:37:59 »

The line is actually closed until Sunday 29 March.

There will also be diversions continuing into the following week due to severe speed restrictions as a result of the work.

The National Rail website that I quoted from says 27th ... see attachment to this post.  However, I would tend to believe 29th because longer-period closures like this one tend to start after the last train on a Friday and end just before the first train on a Monday.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6293


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2020, 11:56:32 »

The line is actually closed until Sunday 29 March.

There will also be diversions continuing into the following week due to severe speed restrictions as a result of the work.
I was wondering what the reason was for Express services continuing to be diverted via Bristol with the semi-fasts continuing normal route.
Logged
bradshaw
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1450



View Profile
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2020, 17:22:59 »

Work seems to have started at Langport when I was there today. Piles being driven at the embankment between the two bridges crossing the Levels.
Logged
Bob_Blakey
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 782


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2020, 12:53:55 »

Does anybody have information as to why the diversionary route via Yeovil is not being used on this occasion? I can't find any additional works on that route listed.
Logged
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6293


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2020, 19:24:37 »

Does anybody have information as to why the diversionary route via Yeovil is not being used on this occasion? I can't find any additional works on that route listed.
Two reasons I can think of:

1)Quicker and more paths via Bristol.
2)You miss Taunton and Tiverton Parkway with via Yeovil diverts.
Logged
bradshaw
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1450



View Profile
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2020, 08:44:59 »

Subsidence issues west of Castle Cary have closed the Taunton bound line since Tuesday night. Services diverting via Bristol or terminating at Castle Cary.

Logged
phile
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1382

Language spoken Welsh as well as English


View Profile Email
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2020, 09:51:21 »

Does anybody have information as to why the diversionary route via Yeovil is not being used on this occasion? I can't find any additional works on that route listed.

Because the trains would be unable to call at Taunton or Tiverton Parkway
Logged
SandTEngineer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3485


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2020, 10:09:48 »

From information posted elsewhere it would appear that the issue is at the site of the embankment reinforcement works at Langport where piling is taking place.  Only the Down Line closed at present.
« Last Edit: March 11, 2020, 10:48:24 by SandTEngineer » Logged
Celestial
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 674


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2020, 10:21:54 »

Comment elsewhere that since the end of the year Plymouth drivers aren't able to do Taunton to Bristol (though somewhat oddly still can do Bristol to London), so that has the potential to reduce the flexibility for diversions via Bristol. Seems odd if true, as I would have thought that is a fairly obvious diversion route that would often be needed.
« Last Edit: March 11, 2020, 11:11:53 by Celestial » Logged
Timmer
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 6293


View Profile
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2020, 10:24:28 »

Comment elsewhere that since the end of the year Plymouth drivers aren't able to do Taunton to Bristol (though somewhat oddly still can do Bristol to London), so that has the potential to reduce the flexibility for diversions via Bristol. Seems off if true, as I would have thought that is a fairly obvious diversion route that would often be needed.
Bizarre if true as via Bristol is a frequently used diversion route to/from the SW.
Logged
SandTEngineer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3485


View Profile
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2020, 10:50:26 »

Comment elsewhere that since the end of the year Plymouth drivers aren't able to do Taunton to Bristol (though somewhat oddly still can do Bristol to London), so that has the potential to reduce the flexibility for diversions via Bristol. Seems off if true, as I would have thought that is a fairly obvious diversion route that would often be needed.
Bizarre if true as via Bristol is a frequently used diversion route to/from the SW.

Possible first steps towards closing the High Speed drivers depot at Plymouth and moving all the work to Exeter (well, they have to justify the cost of the new depot there somehow)?
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2020, 17:16:56 »

From GWR (Great Western Railway)'s media centre today:

Quote
This weekend Network Rail will start work on nine railway upgrades in Somerset which will take place at the same time to reduce disruption for passengers.

From Saturday 14 March to Sunday 29 March Network Rail will be working 24/7 to repair and replace railway bridges, improve tunnel drainage and reinforce railway embankments - all between Taunton and Castle Cary in Somerset. The work will provide a more resilient and reliable railway for passengers.

The work means buses will replace trains between Castle Cary and Taunton and Network Rail are making the most of the closure to carry out nine projects on the closed section of the line.

Those upgrades include the renewal of seven bridges as well as the installation of improved drainage in Somerton Tunnel.

By doing all nine projects at the same time it reduces disruption for passengers as it would take several months’ worth of closures if the upgrades were carried out separately.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
SandTEngineer
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 3485


View Profile
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2020, 11:26:05 »

Just to advise that the work was completed to schedule and the line reopened today, 30 March 2020.
Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1] 2
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the 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 the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page