Looe Branch Line - cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged topic)

[whole diary]

[RichardB]

Thanks for this, Chris.  A nice bit of publicity in the Daily Mail, well timed too.

Hope Michael's new book does well.  Of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) branches, as well as the Looe line, it also includes the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Line to Barnstaple.

Bit of poetic licence re the signal........

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Plymouth Herald:

Coastal path and train line collaboration launched

A new scheme encouraging people to walk along the South West Coast Path and use a local train line will launch on Monday.

The large scale promotion, a collaboration between the South West Coast Path team, Looe Town Council and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, encourages people to take the train to Looe and walk the South West Coast Path from Looe to Polperro.

Included in the promotion are 35,000 leaflets, station posters, a new map board at Looe station, more map boards in the town and improved signage of the South West Coast Path through Looe.

John Slater, from the South West Coast Path team, said: "This is one of a number of a number of great opportunities around the coast to encourage walkers to explore the South West Coast path using the local train service."

Funding for the project has come from the Rural Development Programme for England and the Designated Community Rail Development Fund, backed by the Department for Transport, Network Rail and the Association of Community Rail Partnerships.

The new map board at Looe train station will be unveiled on Monday morning.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Western Morning News:

All a-board... rail campaign spells out walking options

A new campaign to encourage people to board the train down a scenic Cornish valley to the South West Coast Path has been launched.

The Looe Valley line is being promoted by the South West Coast Path team, Looe Town Council and the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. Some 35,000 leaflets are being distributed through tourist information centres and First Great Western stations as far afield as London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads.


From left: John Slater from the South West Coast Path team, Rebecca Catterall of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership and Councillor Edwina Hannaford pictured with the new map board

Map boards have been installed at Looe station and in the town, along with improved signing of the coast path.

Cornwall Councillor Edwina Hannaford, who represents Looe West and Lansallos, said: "The South West Coast Path and the Looe Valley line are two of our area's unique selling points. Linking them both is a winning combination."

"This is a great project and we are delighted to have worked with the South West Coast Path team and Looe Town Council to make it happen," added Rebecca Catterall, from the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. It's a real win-win which we are sure will bring many more visitors to Looe using the scenic Looe Valley line."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Storms and high tides spark South West flooding


Businesses in Looe suffered from tidal flooding

Some coastal areas of Cornwall and Devon have been affected by flooding after high tides and stormy weather.

Incidents reported included tidal flooding in Looe and Mevagissey in Cornwall. Other incidents included flooded roads and a fallen tree.

The Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" warning of rain and wind from midnight until 06:00 BST for parts of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. The Environment Agency has numerous flood warnings in place.

The Environment Agency said strong westerly winds, combined with some of the highest tides of the year, could lead to high sea levels and spray coming over sea walls.

Low-lying coastal roads, farmland and isolated houses could be vulnerable to flooding, but the agency has also warned of the possibility of more significant problems.

Incidents reported in Cornwall included:
- Widespread tidal flooding in Looe, which saw a Spar shop, two restaurants, a fish market and some roads affected. The water later receded
- The Ship Inn in Mevagissey suffering about 4 ins (10cm) of flooding. Some other village businesses also confirmed flooding, but the water later receded
- The village bridge in Tresillian, near Truro, flooding
- Flooding and surface water over part of Causeway Road in Hayle as a result of high tide and storm surge
- A tree falling at Praze-an-Beeble, near Camborne
- The cancellation of the 08:30 BST Scillonian ferry service between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly because of adverse weather
- Trains suspended between Liskeard and Looe due to flooding. First Great Western is to use road transport instead

Looe Harbourmaster Geoff Penhaligon said that, in some parts of West Looe, water was "all over the place". He said: "A couple of restaurants in West Looe, it was quite high there. It was quite deep at the back of the fish market. There were also a couple of restaurants affected, with some beer barrels floating about."

In Devon, high tides in Bideford flooded part of the Clarence Wharf car park, and strong winds and tides caused high sea levels along Paignton's seafront. Exmouth's Esplanade was closed due to flooding between St Andrews Road and Carlton Hill.

Environment Agency teams have been checking flood defences and closing tidal gates ahead of the high tides, and it has warned people to be careful driving or walking along the coast over the next few days. People should be particularly careful on exposed areas, where there is a risk of being swept away by waves or being hit by debris thrown up by waves, the agency added.

Last week, heavy rain caused severe flooding in the north Devon coastal village of Clovelly - which villagers claimed was the worst they had experienced in 50 years.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Cracks on Looe landslip road assessed by engineers

Cracks have appeared on one of two roads affected by landslips in Cornwall.

The landslips in Looe, believed to have been caused by days of heavy rain, blocked the A387 at Sandplace Road and the B3253 at St Martin's Hill. Traffic light control at St Martin's Hill - the main route from Looe to Plymouth - is allowing single-file traffic through. The cracks have appeared on the B3253 near the landslip.

"I was up there yesterday and you can see the cracks in the road, so it's single file traffic and yes, it's difficult," Looe Harbour Master Jeff Penhaligon, told BBC News.

Rob Andrew, chair of the multi-agency flood recovery group, said with more rain forecast for Sunday and Monday, work was under way to prevent more even more damage. "The cracks are being sealed and sandbags put over them to stop rain the water getting in and causing further problems," he said.

Cornwall Council has warned the temporary repairs which are being carried out could take several days to complete. It said engineers were currently assessing the damage and when these investigations had been completed, work would begin to undertake permanent repairs and stabilise the roads.

This would be "carefully planned" to maintain local access and public transport, it added.

[grahame]

Liskeard to Looe

Due to flooding, Train Services on this route are suspended for the remainder of today and are likely to remain suspended until December 27th at the earliest. Rail Replacement Coaches are in operation on this route.

[Southern Stag]

Not that much of a surprise. The line has been taking a hammering every time it's rained heavily but it's usually only been closed for a day or two.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From First Great Western JourneyCheck:

Line problem: between Liskeard and Looe.
Owing to flooding between Liskeard and Looe all lines are blocked.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled at short notice. Disruption is expected until 09:55 01/01.
The train service is expected to commence on Tuesday 1st January 2013 with the 09:58 Liskeard to Looe and return working 10:32 Looe to Liskeard.
Replacement Road transport will be in operation until the end of service on Monday 31st December 2013.
Message Received: 31/12/2012 21:34

I think they mean Monday 31st December 2012 - but good news, anyway! 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Problems continue, though - from First Great Western JourneyCheck:

14:28 Liskeard to Looe due 14:56
This train will be cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.
Message Received: 01/01/2013 13:28

14:57 Looe to Liskeard due 15:25
This train will be cancelled. This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.
Message Received: 01/01/2013 13:28

[Chris from Nailsea]

From First Great Western JourneyCheck:

Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Owing to flooding between Liskeard and Looe all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled at short notice. Disruption is expected until 23:59 31/01.
Due to flooding we are unable to run the train service between Liskeard and Looe in both directions. The service will remain suspended for the rest of the day.
Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between Liskeard and Looe in both directions until further notice. This may not be to train times.
Last Updated: 31/01/2014 17:11

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from First Great Western JourneyCheck:

Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Owing to flooding between Liskeard and Looe all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled at short notice. Disruption is expected until 10:30 03/02.
Flooding along the line between Liskeard and Looe means we are unable to run trains in either direction. It is expected that the line will remain closed until 10:30 on Monday 03 February 2014.
Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between Liskeard and Looe in both directions until further notice. This may not be to published train times.
Last Updated: 01/02/2014 15:37

[bobm]

Had an explore down the Looe Branch at the weekend - seems the weedkilling train needs to pay a visit...


St Keyne Wishing Well Halt


Causeland

[AMLAG]

Regrettably the lack of weedspraying (so far this year) as found on the Looe Branch is typical; certainly in the South West with the exception of the Exeter/Salisbury line and most Private Railways, of the appallingly negative impression given to passengers (& rail staff) of the state of track maintenance by "Network Rail - maintaining your Railway".
'One year's seed is seven years' weed' is the saying of country folk.

[JayMac]

Am I alone in thinking that a green and grassy permanent way on a picturesque branch line actually adds to the scene rather than detracts from it?

Overgrown lineside vegetation, on the other hand, does annoy me. Often blocks the view.

 

[Timmer]

Am I alone in thinking that a green and grassy permanent way on a picturesque branch line actually adds to the scene rather than detracts from it?

No you are not alone in thinking that as I was looking at those pictures thinking the very same thing.