Flooding at Bracknell due to a burst water main

[whole diary]

[bobm]

From GetWokingham.

Replacement buses will replace trains both ways between Ascot and Reading due to flooding on the line at Bracknell.
 
Trains were suspended at all stations on this line after a water main is thought to have burst this morning.
 
A South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance spokeswoman said: "Services through Bracknell are currently being disrupted due to flooding on the line following a suspected burst water main in the local area.
 
"Lines through Bracknell are currently blocked and no services are able to run through the station until further notice."
 
South West Trains have advised passengers:
 
- Trains between Reading at London Waterloo will start / terminate at Ascot
 
- Trains between Reading and Richmond / Guildford may be delayed by up to 40 minutes
 
Replacement bus services will call at all stations between Reading and Ascot.
 
Passengers can also use their ticket to travel on First Great Western services via London Paddington or Guildford and use their ticket to travel on London Underground services between Paddington and Waterloo.
 
South West Trains posted a update via Twitter that replacement buses were expected to run until approximately 4pm.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Mrs GTBE was at Reading to get 1004 to Redhill, and phoned me to say it was cancelled because of a burst water main at Bracknell (as a former BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) employee it's always my fault if the trains are up the creek, do others have this problem?). I said Bracknell isn't on the line to Redhill.  But apparently the SW trains were blocked back etc to Wokingham.

Anyway, I said to go to Padd then to London Bridge.  30 minutes later she phoned to say that her HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) was stopped at Acton behind a failed train (probably my fault again), and that another HST had just passed on the "other line" (ie UR). She eventually got to Padd 27 late.

She had a 24 hour blood pressure monitor put on this morning, it should have some interesting results when it's taken off tomorrow.

[bobm]

I've never worked on the railways - but I get the blame if I booked the tickets and it goes wrong!   

[thetrout]

I've never worked on the railways - but I get the blame if I booked the tickets and it goes wrong!   

Ladyfriend trout's mother gets very cross if I get delayed on the trains! That's always my fault too. Even if it's because of a plastic bag blown onto the OHLE^▸ (Over-Head Line Equipment (electrification via catenary)) (Overhead Line Equipment )

Where ladyfriend trout lives there are 2 lines operated by 2 TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s. Ladyfriend Trouts Mother went on c2c as that was the line she had a ticket for. She tried to insist I come back the same line. No chance! I decided to go GreaterAnglia as that was the line I had a ticket for. Well it was timetabled that I would get there a lot later than her. I ended up getting there well over 2 hours before her. Apparently the train broke down! That was my fault too!

[grahame]

... as a former BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) employee it's always my fault if the trains are up the creek, do others have this problem? ...

I've never worked for the railways ... yet I find that if I give people train schedules, it's my fault if they don't stick to those schedules, or if the schedules are inconvenient.  I've also been responsible for the fares, and for having platforms changed around (though that last had an element of truth in it  )