Trees falling onto railway lines, causing disruption - ongoing incidents and discussion

[whole diary]

[grahame]

10:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 13:51

10:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 13:51 will be diverted between Bath Spa and Trowbridge.
It will no longer call at Bradford-On-Avon.
It will be delayed due to the diversion and is expected to be 11 minutes late.
This is due to a tree blocking the railway.

Diversions make sense.

Since the local trains thorough Melksham have been culled, should these divesion be calling to maintain a service?   Cheaper for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) than providing buses and taxis, good for the PR^▸ (Public Relations) and future re-assurance of passengers in Melksham.

[bobm]

A later one did

11:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 14:51

11:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 14:51 was diverted between Bath Spa and Trowbridge and will be diverted between Romsey and Fareham.

It will no longer call at Bradford-On-Avon and Southampton Central but will call additionally at Chippenham, Melksham and Eastleigh.

It has been previously delayed, will be further delayed due to the diversion and is expected to be 13 minutes late.

This is due to a tree blocking the railway earlier today.

[John D]

Tree blocking line near Netley this morning

[Chris from Nailsea]

Problems caused by leaf fall are starting early this year. 

[bobm]

It must be one mighty tree to cover such an area!

Cancellations to services between Totnes and Truro

Due to a tree blocking the railway between Totnes and Truro the Penzance line is blocked.

Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 17:45 06/06.

Turns out the tree is near Bodmin.......

[old original]

It must be one mighty tree to cover such an area!

Cancellations to services between Totnes and Truro

Due to a tree blocking the railway between Totnes and Truro the Penzance line is blocked.

Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 17:45 06/06.

Turns out the tree is near Bodmin.......

..and another near Ivybridge

[Clan Line]

Problems caused by leaf fall are starting early this year. 

Must be.......an RHTT^▸ (Rail Head Treatment Train) went through Bournemouth this morning when I was there.

[Mark A]

Even without the help of an unseasonal gale, trees do a thing called 'June leaf-fall' though I don't know how much of an issue it is on the railway. Certain other members of this forum will be far more familiar with it.

Mark

[IndustryInsider]

Problems caused by leaf fall are starting early this year. 

Must be.......an RHTT^▸ (Rail Head Treatment Train) went through Bournemouth this morning when I was there.

Was it an MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) being multi purposed as a weed killer train rather than a RHTT?

[Clan Line]

Problems caused by leaf fall are starting early this year. 

Must be.......an RHTT^▸ (Rail Head Treatment Train) went through Bournemouth this morning when I was there.

Was it an MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) being multi purposed as a weed killer train rather than a RHTT?

I suppose it could have been - there weren't any weeds growing on the rails .....

[MVR S&T]

It was going to/from Swanage according to Realtimetrains.

[CyclingSid]

It was going to/from Swanage according to Realtimetrains.

So was this a "paid for" service by the heritage railway (eyes water at the thought) or does it mean that SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) will be running trains to Swanage?

[PrestburyRoad]

Or might it have been a training type of exercise where the heritage railway provided a quiet line for the RHTT^▸ (Rail Head Treatment Train) to use at no cost to NR^» (Network Rail - home page)?

[stuving]

Running to Swanage was just an extension of 3Z00, which ran morning and afternoon on a round-trip out of  Effingham Jn. C.H.S.. That's a base for MPVs and RHTTs^▸ (Rail Head Treatment Train), but these terms are confusing - RHTT can refer to a single-purpose train or to an MPV doing that job; they also spray herbicide and de-icer (not usually at the same season). RHTT and de-icer runs need to be repeated frequently while "on", so have timetabled paths (in the national TPR^▸ (The Pensions Regulator)). Herbicide runs are covered as one-offs; 3Z00 was inserted as VSTP^▸ (Very Short Term Plan timetable - which comes into play during disruption / last minute changes).

3Z00 has train service code (TSC) 95999801, which is used for all kinds of track maintenance work, leaving us none the wiser. TSCs are odd things - some are very specific, to role, operator, and even depot; others like this one are used very broadly. But given the time of year weedkiller seems most likely. From reports in the last few years, June has been the end of that campaign, and also when NR^» (Network Rail - home page) have extended an MPV run to Swanage to provide this service to them.

[stuving]

It was going to/from Swanage according to Realtimetrains.

So was this a "paid for" service by the heritage railway (eyes water at the thought) or does it mean that SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) will be running trains to Swanage?

Here's a report from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) in 2024, which is particularly relevant to Monday's run. I guess that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) still don't expect payment for this, as in any case part of the line to Corfe Castle is theirs (and they use more of it themselves).

Stephen Stafford / BBC News / Published 9 September 2024

Work to clear weeds from a heritage railway line in Dorset has been carried out with the help of specialist equipment.

A Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) was provided to Swanage Railway to treat and kill weeds growing along five and a half miles (9km) of line.

The train is usually deployed by Network Rail on the south west mainline.

Swanage Railway director Gavin Johns said it was an "effective and efficient" way of clearing weeds to keep trains operating.

"Maintaining our track in a safe and useable condition is essential for our nine-mile heritage line and managing weeds that grow along the track is a key part of that activity as stone track ballast, free of weeds, enables water to quickly drain away," he added.

The vehicle was used as part of a partnership between Network Rail, Balfour Beatty and the heritage line.

MPVs are commonly used in autumn and winter to blast leaves off the line with high-pressure water jets, or de-ice the conductor rail if the temperature falls below five degrees.

Mark Goodall, Network Rail Wessex route director, said: “Heritage railways are hugely popular tourist attractions and play an important role in celebrating and retaining the history of our amazing railway.

"As a rail industry we provide a range of support to help keep heritage railways running safely and reliably and many of our staff volunteer their time and expertise.”