Overrunning engineering works causing service disruption on Kenneth line today

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

Hi this tuesday morning the journey from thatcham was "challenging" to say the least. Services were delayed and cancelled and it seemed like the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) system could not keep up.

Apparently this was due to overrunning engineering works but does anyone here know where ? I noticed when I came through reading west there was a lot of network rail kit parked up ther (seemed to be more than normal)

Any clues?

[Super Guard]

I cannot answer your query, but it's been a bad few days:

Plymouth-Newton Abbot engineering over-ran Sunday night, 1A40 Up Sleeper was 90+ late into Paddington Monday morning.  Didcot Parkway-Tilehurst over-ran Saturday night causing many problems and knock-on effects during Sunday morning.

Freight derailment near Castle Cary Monday evening, 1803 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PNZ trapped and 140 minutes late at Taunton, with diversions via Westbury/Bristol for those behind.

Person hit by a train / fatality near Stoke Canon (just outside of Exeter) closed the mainline for 2 1/2 hours today, cleared up, then followed up by a broken down Exmouth-Paignton unit at Exminster adding another 55 minutes delay into the 1306 Pad-Plymouth and 1657 Ply-Pad 25 late on the way back.

[Lee]

I was on one of the few trains that managed to make it out of Exeter St Davids during the fatality mainline closure - the 1244 XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) service to Plymouth.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Thankfully this doesn't happen this badly that often - I reckon about once every 3 months.

The trouble is the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) system in a case lake this is more trouble than it is worth (IMHO^▸ ('in my humble opinion')) because in yesterday's case trains kept on appearing and then disappearing and passengers didn't know what was going on. The first clue I got something was wrong was when a set of 3 dmus (totalling about 8cars) went westbound at a rate of knots which seems to imply diagrams are out of place.

The end result was the first east bound  service from thatcham today comprised only two cars for the first two services

Here is hoping for a better day today!

[inspector_blakey]

"What's the frequency...?"

<coat>

[EBrown]

9.51E-8Hz...

...I'll go...

[Thatcham Crossing]

I saw this thread and thought it must be about today's (16/9) situation on the B&H^▸ (Berks and Hants - railway line from Reading to Taunton via Westbury) - but it seems it relates to an incident last year.

That must have been some over-run for the line to closed for much of today. Anyone got the scoop, as all I've heard is the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) PR^▸ (Public Relations) guy (Dan) on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Berks saying it was all NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s fault.

[BerkshireBugsy]

I saw this thread and thought it must be about today's (16/9) situation on the B&H^▸ (Berks and Hants - railway line from Reading to Taunton via Westbury) - but it seems it relates to an incident last year.

That must have been some over-run for the line to closed for much of today. Anyone got the scoop, as all I've heard is the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) PR^▸ (Public Relations) guy (Dan) on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Berks saying it was all NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s fault.

I wasn't using the trains today but according to local radio there were overrunning engineering works between Westbury and newbury. I seem to recall that one line opened between 8 and 9 am and a quick curious look at rail pannier showed that local services from reading to newbury and back were relatively unaffected .

Not sure at what time the issue was removed.

[bobm]

I was on the 10:00 from Penzance and we were the first train allowed through after both lines re-opened.  As far as Taunton the plan was we would be diverted via Melksham but shortly after 14:00 the line was handed back and we went booked route.

Apparently a tamper broke down overnight and another one had to be brought from Cardiff to finish the job off before one line could be re-opened at Kintbury.  In the meantime single line working was put in with some trains being diverted to reduce the flow of traffic.  Apparently it was quite involved because it needed not only a pilotman to accompany each train but staff at two level crossings as they are not equipped to deal with trains "coming the wrong way".

[JayMac]

A track tamper failed early this morning. Down line was able to operate normally, but the up line was blocked until a replacement tamper arrived (approx 1000) to complete the tamping job. This was done by about 1315 and Network Rail reopened the line to traffic at around 1415.

There were some diversions of up services as well as 'wrong-line' working with pilotmen.


EDIT: I see bobm just beat me with similar explanation!

[Electric train]

I was on the 10:00 from Penzance and we were the first train allowed through after both lines re-opened.  As far as Taunton the plan was we would be diverted via Melksham but shortly after 14:00 the line was handed back and we went booked route.

Apparently a tamper broke down overnight and another one had to be brought from Cardiff to finish the job off before one line could be re-opened at Kintbury.  In the meantime single line working was put in with some trains being diverted to reduce the flow of traffic.  Apparently it was quite involved because it needed not only a pilotman to accompany each train but staff at two level crossings as they are not equipped to deal with trains "coming the wrong way".

A track tamper failed early this morning. Down line was able to operate normally, but the up line was blocked until a replacement tamper arrived (approx 1000) to complete the tamping job. This was done by about 1315 and Network Rail reopened the line to traffic at around 1415.

There were some diversions of up services as well as 'wrong-line' working with pilotmen.


EDIT: I see bobm just beat me with similar explanation!

Oh sounds like someone slipped up on their risk analyst, track plant failure is classed as a high risk which forces the project team to ensure they have a plan B if not a plan C.  Project I was involved in this weekend had a plan B to kango tamp and or apply an ESR^▸ (Emergency Speed Restriction (see also EROS))

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Oh sounds like someone slipped up on their risk analyst, track plant failure is classed as a high risk which forces the project team to ensure they have a plan B if not a plan C.  Project I was involved in this weekend had a plan B to kango tamp and or apply an ESR^▸ (Emergency Speed Restriction (see also EROS))

Same thought struck me: a Risk Analysis would have identified that a plant failure was a risk to the successful completion of the works (ie probability X consequence), and that mitigation measures would be necessary.

Maybe getting a replacement tamper from Cardiff was in fact Plan B: maybe they had identified a spare tamper much closer to the works which could be used if necessary, but for some reason it was not available when the moment came.