Nuneham Viaduct shut - Didcot- Oxford

[JonathanH]

I'm surprised there isn't ticket acceptance on the Thames Travel X39/X40 bus services from Oxford to Reading, to help spread the loadings from the other buses where acceptance has been given plus the rail replacement services.

Or passengers can just pay £2 if they want to use that bus?

 

[Freightmaster]

Where's the freight going? That's probably a bigger concern at the moment as at least there's an alternative Oxford - London route for passengers.

It's still early days yet and trains are using vSTP schedules or simply running 'off route', but so far...


- Freightliner and GBRf intermodal services from Southampton: diverted from Reading via Slough and London

- DB intermodal services from Southampton: all cancelled

- car trains from Oxford and Halewood to Southampton: all cancelled

- departmental trains from Mountsorrel/Scunthorpe/Oxford to Eastleigh yard: all cancelled

- containerised flyash from Drax to Appleford: all cancelled

- oddballs such as 6M50 Westbury to Bescot and 6M40 Westbury to Stud Farm: via Cheltenham if required to run

- MoD traffic to/from Marchwood: via Cheltenham if required to run



I've spent most of today updating the dozens of affected Freightmaster Online timetables - one of my busiest days for years!




MARK

 

[zwk500]

It's still early days yet and trains are using vSTP schedules or simply running 'off route', but so far...

I've spent most of today updating the dozens of affected Freightmaster Online timetables - one of my busiest days for years!

MARK

Are the affected operators able to shift much of the cargo onto services that are running, or are there going to be big backlogs building up at Southampton?

 

[Merioneth]

And the people who usually park there would do what exactly ?

Oxford's not exactly well served with parking.

It’s almost empty these days - too expensive compared to Parkway, and a nightmare to get too.

 

[jimm]

The viaduct isn't in a good location for access from road either, bit isolated looking at the map and no doubt some of the ground will be waterlogged

Could mean equipment having to be bought in by the riverbank then - as long as there's a suitable loading point further along the Thames.

Network Rail has been working on the bridge for some weeks already and built a haul road to get equipment on to the site which runs next to the line south of the river, at the edge of the Culham Park Motocross site. There is an access from the road network off Thame Lane, near the north end of the Culham Science Centre site.

 

[The Planner]

IETs on the other hand, are cleared on the Chiltern both via Greenford into Paddington and into Marylebone, although I think even a 9 car would be seriously pushing the platform lengths available. Route knowledge would be an issue, and I don’t believe platform validation was ever carried out at any intermediate station nor Marylebone; but perhaps if hurdles could be overcome peak-busters out of Paddington to Oxford via High Wycombe non-stop MAY be a viable option. Helped of course by IETs not being used on residual Paddington-Didcot services which may free up a unit or two…

Are you sure? I didnt think they were ever cleared beyond Didcot to Banbury.

 

[Class 170101]

Are you sure? I didnt think they were ever cleared beyond Didcot to Banbury.

IETs are cleared to Banbury and indeed these two run as IETs last Tuesday and Friday and booked to be so (timed as 125mph stock).

Realtime Trains | 1M92 1828 London Paddington to Banbury | 31/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 1M92 1828 departure from London Paddington to Banbury on 31/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1V35 1944 Banbury to London Paddington | 31/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 1V35 1944 departure from Banbury to London Paddington on 31/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[jimm]

IETs are cleared to Banbury and indeed these two run as IETs last Tuesday and Friday and booked to be so (timed as 125mph stock).

Realtime Trains | 1M92 1828 London Paddington to Banbury | 31/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 1M92 1828 departure from London Paddington to Banbury on 31/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1V35 1944 Banbury to London Paddington | 31/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 1V35 1944 departure from Banbury to London Paddington on 31/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Introduced to the timetable in December 2019, when there was also a Banbury to Paddington IET in the morning peak. They were suspended north of Oxford during the pandemic and only the evening trains reappeared afterwards.

 

[Nova1]

Short forms on Chiltern Railways Oxford-London this morning with a service reported full and standing .

Can't think of any obvious solution to rolling stock shortage unless they could charter in something hauled or do something drastic like thin out the Met line services and run everything fast from Amersham and cancel some inner London stops. Will be a particularly painful Easter with the WCML closed too

When they've needed to increase train lengths before for events (like when the WCML was closed for a bit), they bin off all the local birmingham services (Stratford-Upon-Avon, Lapworth, Hatton, Warwick etc) and bustituted them which freed up just enough units

 

[CyrusWuff]

When they've needed to increase train lengths before for events (like when the WCML was closed for a bit), they bin off all the local birmingham services (Stratford-Upon-Avon, Lapworth, Hatton, Warwick etc) and bustituted them which freed up just enough units

The main reason for bustitution for those stations is platform lengths (also affects Kings Sutton.)

By skipping them, Chiltern can strengthen Birmingham services to a maximum of eight carriages. (I believe nine would theoretically be possible, but would require a Guard to be provided throughout.)

 

[railfan99]

Currently the Rail Replacement Buses at Oxford are using the station forecourt rather than the car park.

How many buses/road coaches are being used during busier times, and during off-peak?

What is the nominal advertised frequency if there is one? Traffic delays often make this an unfulfilled promise in many countries when bustitution (word?) occurs.

 

[deltic]

It's ironic that Network Rail have provided Ukraine railways with modular bridges to repair war damages crossings in Ukraine

 

[The Planner]

IETs are cleared to Banbury and indeed these two run as IETs last Tuesday and Friday and booked to be so (timed as 125mph stock).

Realtime Trains | 1M92 1828 London Paddington to Banbury | 31/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 1M92 1828 departure from London Paddington to Banbury on 31/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1V35 1944 Banbury to London Paddington | 31/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 1V35 1944 departure from Banbury to London Paddington on 31/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Which confirms my knowledge. Up to Banbury and that is it. They certainly werent cleared on the Chilterns on GWRs initial application.

 

[norbitonflyer]

I think the masts stopped just south of Appledore,

Appleford, I assume you mean? Appledore is in Sussex. (There is another one, not rail-served, in Devon)

As such, the last time Chiltern borrowed some (which was for the first FA Cup Final after the "new" Wembley Stadium opened) they had to run sandwiched between a pair of Chiltern units.

Whether that would still be the case now, with Chiltern being in the process of decommissioning ATP, I couldn't say.

Sandwiching wpould not be possible now, as other posters have observed, because the ride height of GWR units has been modified to improve gauge clearance in the West Country, and this has resulted in the GW coupler heights no longer matching the Chiltern units.

 

[Falcon1200]

I'm surprised there isn't ticket acceptance on the Thames Travel X39/X40 bus services from Oxford to Reading, to help spread the loadings from the other buses where acceptance has been given plus the rail replacement services.

That would be an idea, however perhaps the 80 or 90 minute journey time between Oxford and Reading would put people off?

Regarding the train service, it looks like NR, GW and XC Controls got their act together very quickly; From yesterday onwards an hourly XC service has operated to Oxford, with a good service on the Cotswold line too.

 

[Siemens Staines]

To further address the Chiltern/GW 165 points -

After the “Ride-height modification” the GW units received to allow them to work in the West; the two fleets became incompatible mechanically, as the couplers are now set at different heights. We’re not even allowed/able to rescue one another’s units anymore; never mind send them over to strengthen their services. Similarly that same RHM status invalidates their route clearance into Marylebone, RHM units aren’t cleared South of Aynho; and judging by the raft of minor platform works that had to be undertaken in the Thames Valley to accommodate RHMs, I expect it WOULDN’T just be a paper exercise to get them approved to run to Marylebone.

On ATP - GW units have never had ATP, although that wouldn’t be a reason to make them incompatible anyway. It is only the ATP in the leading vehicle of the formation that matters, the rest of the vehicles just dumbly/blindly follow brake commands on the normal train wires; there isn’t any feedback from other ATP-fitted cabs on the train. Lack of ATP wouldn’t be a hurdle; however in the past, particularly when Thames and Chiltern used to send each other units for strengthening much more regularly, the visiting units tended to be boxed in by native units; purely to allow native safety systems to each route (CH-ATP vs AWS/TPWS) to be used normally. It was a best-practice not a rule however; and now impossible due to incompatible couplers.

IETs on the other hand, are cleared on the Chiltern both via Greenford into Paddington and into Marylebone, although I think even a 9 car would be seriously pushing the platform lengths available. Route knowledge would be an issue, and I don’t believe platform validation was ever carried out at any intermediate station nor Marylebone; but perhaps if hurdles could be overcome peak-busters out of Paddington to Oxford via High Wycombe non-stop MAY be a viable option. Helped of course by IETs not being used on residual Paddington-Didcot services which may free up a unit or two…

I notice that 165121 paid a visit to the Chiltern depot at Banbury yesterday

Realtime Trains | 5V00 1300 Banbury Depot to Oxford Up Carriage Sdgs | 04/04/2023

Real-time train running information for 5V00 1300 departure from Banbury Depot to Oxford Up Carriage Sdgs on 04/04/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

with no access to Reading TCD, the three 165s at Oxford will have to go somewhere for servicing, so I guess this is where it will be done.

 

[Horizon22]

Any is better than none, and presumably you could further backfill with 166s released by 80x?

Two obvious ones to free up are the Bedwyn shuttle unit and the Oxford-Didcot stopper, but I'm sure they could manage a few more.

Removing the Bedwyn shuttle would leave stations unserved under GWR’s new timetable as the Paddington - Bedwyn service was withdrawn and supplemented by the 387 service to Newbury.

It's still early days yet and trains are using vSTP schedules or simply running 'off route', but so far...


- Freightliner and GBRf intermodal services from Southampton: diverted from Reading via Slough and London

- DB intermodal services from Southampton: all cancelled

- car trains from Oxford and Halewood to Southampton: all cancelled

- departmental trains from Mountsorrel/Scunthorpe/Oxford to Eastleigh yard: all cancelled

- containerised flyash from Drax to Appleford: all cancelled

- oddballs such as 6M50 Westbury to Bescot and 6M40 Westbury to Stud Farm: via Cheltenham if required to run

- MoD traffic to/from Marchwood: via Cheltenham if required to run



I've spent most of today updating the dozens of affected Freightmaster Online timetables - one of my busiest days for years!




MARK

It will be interesting to see what wider issue this may have on goods arriving into the country and shortages caused (if any).

 

[nickswift99]

Guess one option open to us Blues fans is Chiltern to Marylebone a short walk to Paddington then out to Reading as long as ticket acceptance allows.

Euston is closed this weekend due to engineering works. Chiltern services are likely to be rammed with travellers for London.

Looks like that's an option based on the NRE page covering off ticket acceptance.

 

[zwk500]

Appleford, I assume you mean? Appledore is in Sussex. (There is another one, not rail-served, in Devon)

Indeed I do! The nearest masts to Appledore would be in Ashford!

 

[D6130]

Appledore is in Sussex.

Pedant alert: It's in Kent!

 

[zwk500]

Use an 80x instead. There will be at least one spare due to the absence of the Oxford fast.

On Google Maps I make the reversing siding 140m from Stop block to dolly, you can knock 2m off for stopping distance at the buffers, and probably 5m off for standing clear of the signal, so 132m. 5x25 = 125m, so I'd only have to be out by 7m (easy enough using Google Maps) for the 5-Car unit to not fit. It's tight, but possible, but as ever there's usually a reason why Control doesn't 'just f***ing do it' without checking first.

 

[jimm]

Use an 80x instead. There will be at least one spare due to the absence of the Oxford fast.

I wouldn't be so sure - operating something akin to the normal service captive to Oxford-Worcester-Malvern-Hereford (with the odd gap where a train is going to/from London via Stroud) has already seen five 5-car Class 800s used this morning between Worcester and Oxford (plus a Turbo, though the halts service back to Oxford was cancelled due to crew issues, according to realtimetrains). Plus two more IETs working services from Hereford and Worcester to Paddington via Stroud.

There may be the odd 9-car that's spare as a result of the Didcot-Oxford closure but that's no help at Bedwyn.

 

[zwk500]

Use an 80x instead. There will be at least one spare due to the absence of the Oxford fast.

Just spotted a slightly bigger problem - Bedwyn's platforms are only 120m, so an 80x doesn't completely platform. You'd need a very precise stopping point to get just enough of the nose over the edge to get all doors on the end (possible, might be just paperwork but could be a bit more involved). Of course, I'm half expecting @Taunton to come along and tell me that the mark of a good Western man was to stop the front door on a sixpence anyway and that an Old Oak man would do it with his eyes shut

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just spotted a slightly bigger problem - Bedwyn's platforms are only 120m, so an 80x doesn't completely platform. You'd need a very precise stopping point to get just enough of the nose over the edge to get all doors on the end (possible, might be just paperwork but could be a bit more involved). Of course, I'm half expecting @Taunton to come along and tell me that the mark of a good Western man was to stop the front door on a sixpence anyway and that an Old Oak man would do it with his eyes shut

The through service, when it ran, used 80x. They have ASDO.

 

[Chingy]

This service;

Realtime Trains | 3K01 0330 London Paddington to Bedwyn | 05/04/2023

Real-time train running information for 3K01 0330 departure from London Paddington to Bedwyn on 05/04/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

which then formed this service;

Realtime Trains | 1K01 0534 Bedwyn to London Paddington | 05/04/2023

Real-time train running information for 1K01 0534 departure from Bedwyn to London Paddington on 05/04/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

And also the following service;

Realtime Trains | 1K03 0600 Bedwyn to London Paddington | 05/04/2023

Real-time train running information for 1K03 0600 departure from Bedwyn to London Paddington on 05/04/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

ran today and is shown as a 5 car IET.

I’ve seen numerous IET’s stop at both platforms before, so some sort of selective door opening and stop marker boards must be in operation.

There’s even a 9 car IET booked to stop at Bedwyn;

Realtime Trains | 1K71 0510 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington | 05/04/2023

Real-time train running information for 1K71 0510 departure from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington on 05/04/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[ChrisHogan]

Use an 80x instead. There will be at least one spare due to the absence of the Oxford fast.

The Oxford fasts (terminating Didcot) are covered by 387s today (shortforming the Newbury fasts). No doubt the IETs thrown spare are covering other shortages with no shortformings listed this morning and just a pair of Swanseas (1523 up and 1848 down) this afternoon (5 vice 10).

 

[12LDA28C]

The two fleets have never been identical. The Chiltern fleet is geared for a lower top speed (75mph) and better acceleration; the Great Western fleet geared for faster running (90mph) at the cost of less impressive acceleration.

Indeed, I was speaking more along the lines of location of equipment.

Pretty sure I recall also that the first few units 165001-007 were on the Thames side rather than the Chilterns, and they would have been 75mph. They were of course later transferred to the Chiltern fleet in around 2000 I believe.

 

[a good off]

It's still early days yet and trains are using vSTP schedules or simply running 'off route', but so far...


- Freightliner and GBRf intermodal services from Southampton: diverted from Reading via Slough and London

- DB intermodal services from Southampton: all cancelled

- car trains from Oxford and Halewood to Southampton: all cancelled

- departmental trains from Mountsorrel/Scunthorpe/Oxford to Eastleigh yard: all cancelled

- containerised flyash from Drax to Appleford: all cancelled

- oddballs such as 6M50 Westbury to Bescot and 6M40 Westbury to Stud Farm: via Cheltenham if required to run

- MoD traffic to/from Marchwood: via Cheltenham if required to run



I've spent most of today updating the dozens of affected Freightmaster Online timetables - one of my busiest days for years!




MARK

FQA swap body wagons are prohibited between Rugby/DIRFT and Wembley which isn’t helping with diverting some of the DBC intermodals.

 

[zwk500]

FQA swap body wagons are prohibited between Rugby/DIRFT and Wembley which isn’t helping with diverting some of the DBC intermodals.

So would the only available route for these be via Ipswich, Ely and Leicester? That's one hell of a diversion!

 

[a good off]

I don’t have the appropriate RT3973 form in front of me, but they may be cleared via ECML to Peterborough and then across to Nuneaton.