Merseyrail Not Operating on Friday

[Ben Bow]

As far as I remember, the Moscow Metro car shoes make contact with the underneath of an elevated third rail which has a protective cover on the top.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

As far as I remember, the Moscow Metro car shoes make contact with the underneath of an elevated third rail which has a protective cover on the top.

Not relevant for top contact 3d rail operations.

You can run trains all night if you have crews - (cut in and with heaters on) , you can spray de-icer on shoes before departure , you can treat the sliding doors with de-icer and give the train crews portable de-icer garden sprays to get them out of trouble if needed. You can call out all your staff -including management above the "on call" arrangement , (subject to safety training) the PW gangs can scrape critical areas , the point heaters can all work - and still have trouble.

Not much else you can do really..... any other ideas ?

 

[Llandudno]

Passengers from connecting services may be in for a shock:

Wrexham line passengers stranded at Bidston
Preston line passengers stranded at Ormskirk
Wigan Wallgate line passengers stranded at Kirkby

and even the Stanlow & Thornton passenger stranded at Ellesmere Port!

 

[73001]

Passengers from connecting services may be in for a shock:

Wrexham line passengers stranded at Bidston
Preston line passengers stranded at Ormskirk
Wigan Wallgate line passengers stranded at Kirkby

and even the Stanlow & Thornton passenger stranded at Ellesmere Port!

The bus is a viable option from Ormskirk (although covid capacity is very low on the single deckers) and Kirkby but Bidston is a bit remote, especially on a freezing, sleety morning.

 

[Llandudno]

The bus is a viable option from Ormskirk (although covid capacity is very low on the single deckers) and Kirkby but Bidston is a bit remote, especially on a freezing, sleety morning.

Bidston is a bit remote on a warm summer afternoon!

 

[nedchester]

Not relevant for top contact 3d rail operations.

You can run trains all night if you have crews - (cut in and with heaters on) , you can spray de-icer on shoes before departure , you can treat the sliding doors with de-icer and give the train crews portable de-icer garden sprays to get them out of trouble if needed. You can call out all your staff -including management above the "on call" arrangement , (subject to safety training) the PW gangs can scrape critical areas , the point heaters can all work - and still have trouble.

Not much else you can do really..... any other ideas ?

Actually being prepared for winter?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Actually being prepared for winter?

Talk to the Germans , French etc - even they have equal problems -despite the Daily Mail /Daily Express media. We can ignore the Swiss as they have plenty of money.

 

[nedchester]

Talk to the Germans , French etc - even they have equal problems -despite the Daily Mail /Daily Express media. We can ignore the Swiss as they have plenty of money.

Yes they have problems but not when there's a couple of cm of snow forecast and the weather's 'a bit cold'. Network Rail are supposed to keep the Network open, the weather is not 'extreme'.

 

[bramling]

Talk to the Germans , French etc - even they have equal problems -despite the Daily Mail /Daily Express media. We can ignore the Swiss as they have plenty of money.

The trouble is we’re not set up for it, and it probably isn’t worthwhile spending the money to be so simply for a few days every year.

I suspect the Merseyrail issues are more to do with the fact they’re already running on depleted resources in terms of staff.

 

[Domh245]

Yes they have problems but not when there's a couple of cm of snow forecast and the weather's 'a bit cold'. Network Rail are supposed to keep the Network open, the weather is not 'extreme'.

They had the remarkable foresight (mostly) not to stick their electrification at ankle level where it's quite so susceptible to the weather

 

[PHILIPE]

Passengers from connecting services may be in for a shock:

Wrexham line passengers stranded at Bidston
Preston line passengers stranded at Ormskirk
Wigan Wallgate line passengers stranded at Kirkby

and even the Stanlow & Thornton passenger stranded at Ellesmere Port!

Tickets not being accepted on TFW Chester to Liverpool service

 

[WatcherZero]

I cant believe they arent even putting on a token bus replacement.

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes they have problems but not when there's a couple of cm of snow forecast and the weather's 'a bit cold'. .

I can assure you they do. As do the Swiss.

 

[Class83]

The trouble is we’re not set up for it, and it probably isn’t worthwhile spending the money to be so simply for a few days every year.

I suspect the Merseyrail issues are more to do with the fact they’re already running on depleted resources in terms of staff.

The problem with this attitude, is that if we want people to give up their car, the railway needs to be a 365 day/year operation. And as long as people need to pay the fixed costs of having a car for when public transport isn't available, the marginal cost of rail travel will be higher.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I cant believe they arent even putting on a token bus replacement.

If it snows enough that there is an actual problem, then the buses are likely to get stuck.

If it doesn't, they need to get the service going.

 

[Hardcastle]

Possibly the rolling stock is more clapped out than we know & getting past its sell by date maybe it should have been replaced years ago. But with new stock sat in sidings awaiting crew training does not help plus covid of course.

 

[Bald Rick]

The problem with this attitude, is that if we want people to give up their car, the railway needs to be a 365 day/year operation. And as long as people need to pay the fixed costs of having a car for when public transport isn't available, the marginal cost of rail travel will be higher.

How many people in Merseyside have a car on the basis that they would use the train, but can’t rely on it for the odd day a year the trains might not run because rain washes off the anti-ice solution and freezes the con rail?

If it’s more than zero I’d be surprised...

 

[londonboi198o5]

Merseyrail have just announced on Facebook that they will not be operating any services at all on Friday 8 January owing to a bad weather forecast.

According to the BBC Weather app, temperatures are due to drop to Zero degrees and there may be a couple of hours of snow.

Surely in 2021 we must be capable of running a service in these conditions, the forecast is hardly severe? Do similar third rail systems in Moscow and the limes suspend services a day in advance if there is a little snow forecast.

Merseyrail are suggesting that commuters use the ferries, let’s hope the Mersey doesn’t freeze over!

Seriously though, I hope that there aren’t any Key Workers due to administer Covid vaccinations relying on using Merseyrail to get to work tomorrow.

and what 3rd rail services operate outside in Moscow ???

 

[ashkeba]

and what 3rd rail services operate outside in Moscow ???

The west end of line 4, the elevated end of line 12 and short stretches of lines 1 and 3. Maybe more I've not ridden on visits. Why?

 

[Polarbear]

Well it's Friday morning in Merseyside & from what I can see (from my house in Birkenhead), we haven't had much, if any snow. Roads & pavements look icy, but I would suggest that was worse yesterday when there was a hard frost overnight.

Do Merseyrail no hire in a Network Rail de-icer train & might that be the sticking point (as in that may not be available & Merseyrail haven't got sufficient crews to run ghost services)?

 

[greeny11]

I live near the West Kirby branch and no snow at all, and it is certainly milder than yesterday - very little ice around compared to the same time yesterday. Unless things take a turn for the worse soon, Merseyrail really should be putting on a service today, unless staffing is an isue.

 

[scrapy]

I live near the West Kirby branch and no snow at all, and it is certainly milder than yesterday - very little ice around compared to the same time yesterday. Unless things take a turn for the worse soon, Merseyrail really should be putting on a service today, unless staffing is an isue.

Staffing may now be an issue if staff have been told to stay at home (which presumably they have because there wouldn't be capacity in messrooms etc). It will take a period of time for them to get into work once train running is confirmed.

 

[birchesgreen]

Snow and ice can bring great difficulties to all transport (especially third rail) but preemptively cancelling all services because of a weather forecast and then the snow largely doesn't materialise isn't a good look to be honest.

 

[AntoniC]

No snow here in Southport but the air temperature is cold.
Luckily for me , I am working from home so not a problem for me today.

 

[David Goddard]

RTT shows services starting up on most routes soon after 1000, are we confident this will happen?

 

[Bletchleyite]

How many people in Merseyside have a car on the basis that they would use the train, but can’t rely on it for the odd day a year the trains might not run because rain washes off the anti-ice solution and freezes the con rail?

If it’s more than zero I’d be surprised...

How many households in Merseyside have a car as a lifestyle choice or for some other reason, and could use it if the trains were not running?

I'd be surprised if it wasn't more than 50%.

 

[Crossover]

Looking at Traksy, it would suggest there may be a couple of empties and possibly route proving trains out and about, but little else

 

[Vinnym]

My my, Merseyrail cancelling all services this morning, it’s the mildest morning we have had for over a week here in Aintree. Think there is more to these cancellations than meets the eye.

 

[mpb56125]

Ideal time to test the 777s to see how they would cope in the future with these weather condition and the on board computer's compared to the PEP stock.


Mark

 

[Pacef8]

Sun is coming out ! On the wirral now