Derailment between Hersham & Walton on Thames (04/03)

[gabrielhj07]

No, the train has to be able to stop at intermediate stations to detrain passengers in case of an emergency.

Interesting, does this mean that 159s have been tested for platform clearance at St Margarets, for example, and 801s at Hertford North?

 

[Ian Hardy]

There is now a points failure on Down line at Twickenham - the 2O47 1630 London Waterloo to London Waterloo has gone via the Hounslow loop, so not a good day for Network Rail Wessex.

Also 1Z99 73202 & 73212 has just gone westbound around the Hounslow loop and is currently approaching Chertsey.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Services to Weymouth have been annihilated most of the afternoon when the incident location is some 100 miles away how can this happen. SWR are probably the victims here but are failing passengers badly and the ORR should be sent in to rake over there response. For all GWR faults it at least endeavoured to run a service

 

[TrainBoy98]

The confusion of announcements etc at Southampton trying to explain there's not any trains to Waterloo isn't helped by the fact the trains still show Waterloo on their destination boards...

 

[Deepgreen]

Services to Weymouth have been annihilated most of the afternoon when the incident location is some 100 miles away how can this happen. SWR are probably the victims here but are failing passengers badly and the ORR should be sent in to rake over there response. For all GWR faults it at least endeavoured to run a service

I keep repeating this mantra, but the railway is now probably more fragile in terms of its ability to improvise emergency services than it has ever been. Stock is pared down such that every seat is accounted for and there are so many different types with their own characteristics that route availability has dropped away terribly, meaning that alternative routes are not generally taken up as options.

 

[Samzino]

Are they running trains to the nearest stations and then a rail replacement to connect to the next working one?

 

[TrainBoy98]

Are they running trains to the nearest stations and then a rail replacement to connect to the next working one?

According to staff here at Southampton, nothing is being provided.

Seems a struggle to get rail replacement in general these days, especially during the week or at short-notice

 

[swt_passenger]

Services to Weymouth have been annihilated most of the afternoon when the incident location is some 100 miles away how can this happen.

Same reasons the service got annihilated between Woking and Waterloo every time theres been a sudden problem in that area before?

There‘s no track capacity on the only alternate routes, and only a subset of drivers know the routes anyway. What can be done with advance planning during weekend engineering diversions, especially with a reduced timetable to make room, cannot be done on the fly on a weekday.

I don’t think that problem is new, or SWR’s fault…

 

[Omnishambles]

Same reasons the service got annihilated between Woking and Waterloo every time theres been a sudden problem in that area before?

There‘s no track capacity on the only alternate routes, and only a subset of drivers know the routes anyway. What can be done with advance planning during weekend engineering diversions, especially with a reduced timetable to make room, cannot be done on the fly on a weekday.

I don’t think that problem is new, or SWR’s fault…

…..or isolated to SWR !

 

[45669]

Are they running trains to the nearest stations and then a rail replacement to connect to the next working one?

Not at Farnborough main! All trains around now are shown as cancelled bar one, and that's at 18.41 to Woking with a connection on to Waterloo from there. I don't know where the 18.41 has come from though. Basingstoke, or further afield?

Edit: Looking at RRT, it appears to be coming from Yeovil Pen Mill as there's one from due to pass Farnborough at 18.41. So I'm assuming that that's the one, but it's stopping instead of racing though on the up fast as usual.

 

[Starmill]

Same reasons the service got annihilated between Woking and Waterloo every time theres been a sudden problem in that area before?

There‘s no track capacity on the only alternate routes, and only a subset of drivers know the routes anyway. What can be done with advance planning during weekend engineering diversions, especially with a reduced timetable to make room, cannot be done on the fly on a weekday.

I don’t think that problem is new, or SWR’s fault…

Is the post you're replying to not trying to point out that more services from Weymouth could have run at the very least between Weymouth and Bournemouth? Given trains can turn back towards Dorset at all of the major stations from Bournemouth eastward that's broadly what you'd expect surely, rather than the approach actually used which has been to cancel entire diagrams throughout. Instead there have been gaps of three hours in departures from Weymouth towards Wareham. Only tonight many hours later is a decent enough service again running between Southampton Central and Weymouth.

 

[pompeyfan]

Is the post you're replying to not trying to point out that more services from Weymouth could have run at the very least between Weymouth and Bournemouth? Given trains can turn back towards Dorset at all of the major stations from Bournemouth eastward that's broadly what you'd expect surely, rather than the approach actually used which has been to cancel entire diagrams throughout. Instead there have been gaps of three hours in departures from Weymouth towards Wareham. Only tonight many hours later is a decent enough service again running between Southampton Central and Weymouth.

My understanding was that there was an acute shortage of staff in the WICC this morning, so the active decision was taken to not allow as many departures from depots, including Bournemouth.

 

[swt_passenger]

Is the post you're replying to not trying to point out that more services from Weymouth could have run at the very least between Weymouth and Bournemouth? Given trains can turn back towards Dorset at all of the major stations from Bournemouth eastward that's broadly what you'd expect surely, rather than the approach actually used which has been to cancel entire diagrams throughout. Instead there have been gaps of three hours in departures from Weymouth towards Wareham. Only tonight many hours later is a decent enough service again running between Southampton Central and Weymouth.

Not sure about the west. All I know is that incidents in the incident area have affected the whole Wessex Network for many years, I don’t think today is anything exceptional.

 

[wiltshirebloke]

Route Update on the Twickenham Line at 18:00

Cancellations to services between Whitton and Feltham

Due to a points failure between Whitton and Feltham some lines are disrupted.
What's Going On:
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 19:00 04/03.
What We're Doing About It:
We have been informed of a points failure between Whitton and Feltham.
This means that trains are unable to run through this station towards Hounslow.
Response teams are working to resolve the issue. The points have now been set to allow trains towards Windsor & Eton Riverside and Reading to run normally, however trains towards Hounslow are still unable to run at this time.
Until further notice the following alterations will apply:
- London Waterloo to Hounslow loop services may be cancelled, delayed or revised.
For further information or onward travel advice please speak to a member of staff or use a station help point.
We are very sorry for any delay that this may cause to your journey.

 

[Samzino]

According to staff here at Southampton, nothing is being provided.

Seems a struggle to get rail replacement in general these days, especially during the week or at short-notice

Not at Farnborough main! All trains around now are shown as cancelled bar one, and that's at 18.41 to Woking with a connection on to Waterloo from there. I don't know where the 18.41 has come from though. Basingstoke, or further afield?

Edit: Looking at RRT, it appears to be coming from Yeovil Pen Mill as there's one from due to pass Farnborough at 18.41. So I'm assuming that that's the one, but it's stopping instead of racing though on the up fast as usual.

Ah I see, thanks. I feel for Customers who are in a difficult situation without much movement. Also for the frontline staff, must be poor information filtering thru to both sides.

 

[infobleep]

I shall look forward to travelling this evening from London. I note they haven't put on any kind of bus acceptance with any bus operators.

I also noticed that a train departing Guildford on time at 06:55 , the 06:15 London Waterloo to Portsmouth Habour service had all its stops cancelled between Guildford and Petersfield, except for Haslemere. It got to Haselmare 9 minutes early. I guess they were expecting it to be held up more as it diverted via the Cobham line. It must have got very lucky.

Realtime Trains | 2P09 0615 London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour | 04/03/2024

Real-time train running information for 2P09 0615 departure from London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour on 04/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Here is a screenshot from National Rail Enquiries app.


The first train to depart south from Godalming was at 08:26. That was the 07:34 service.

At least they didn't run this service fast to make up lost time.

My understanding was that there was an acute shortage of staff in the WICC this morning, so the active decision was taken to not allow as many departures from depots, including Bournemouth.

Was that due to staff needed being stuck towards London?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I keep repeating this mantra, but the railway is now probably more fragile in terms of its ability to improvise emergency services than it has ever been. Stock is pared down such that every seat is accounted for and there are so many different types with their own characteristics that route availability has dropped away terribly, meaning that alternative routes are not generally taken up as options.

Don't disagree but at the West end of the route the stock is all 444/450's which drivers sign so there was no excuse to not maintain services belwo Woking. I get the issue of diversions beyond Woking may have a route knowledge constraint but years ago there would have been a contingency plan for such an incident that would have delivered something far better than has been managed today. Unless ORR wade in who is looking after passenger interests these days?

 

[DMckduck97]

Is the post you're replying to not trying to point out that more services from Weymouth could have run at the very least between Weymouth and Bournemouth? Given trains can turn back towards Dorset at all of the major stations from Bournemouth eastward that's broadly what you'd expect surely, rather than the approach actually used which has been to cancel entire diagrams throughout. Instead there have been gaps of three hours in departures from Weymouth towards Wareham. Only tonight many hours later is a decent enough service again running between Southampton Central and Weymouth.

I suspect its not as simple as it seems to the general public, where are all these crews who are working these trains coming from and what if it doesn't fit into break requirements and other potential issues.

LTP diagrams are intricate and are hard to recover without sacrifice

 

[Phil R]

I shall look forward to travelling this evening from London. I note they haven't put on any kind of bus acceptance with any bus operators.

I also noticed that a train departing Guildford on time at 06:55 , the 06:15 London Waterloo to Portsmouth Habour service had all its stops cancelled between Guildford and Petersfield, except for Haslemere. It got to Haselmare 9 minutes early. I guess they were expecting it to be held up more as it diverted via the Cobham line. It must have got very lucky.

Realtime Trains | 2P09 0615 London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour | 04/03/2024

Real-time train running information for 2P09 0615 departure from London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour on 04/03/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Here is a screenshot from National Rail Enquiries app.
View attachment 153616

The first train to depart south from Godalming was at 08:26. That was the 07:34 service.

At least they didn't run this service fast to make up lost time.


Was that due to staff needed being stuck towards London?

Good luck with your journey. I'm surprised how many people managed or bothered to travel earlier today in order to be around to be wedged in this evening. A spate of cancellations on the PDL has provided regulars on the Epsom line with what I suspect is a suspiciously larger than usual number of fellow travellers on the 1809 west of Leatherhead.

Ref your observations on earlier trains, the 0550 up left Guildford twice, once from P5 up to shunt down into P3 then again to resume via Cobham.. Glad I left some time in my itinerary for a Plan B this morning...

 

[infobleep]

The other thing you can see during disruption like this is all the station changes that staff made and then cancel. They show up in thr Natiobal Rail Enquiries app.

In this case they had decided a train would run to Clapham Junction and the Vauxhall before settling on London Waterloo.

This was the 08:15 Portsmouth Harbour to London Waterloo service, which doesn't usually stop at Clapham Junction or Vauxhall and those two stops are shown after London Waterloo, even though the stations are before London Waterloo.



In

Good luck with your journey. I'm surprised how many people managed or bothered to travel earlier today in order to be around to be wedged in this evening. A spate of cancellations on the PDL has provided regulars on the Epsom line with what I suspect is a suspiciously larger than usual number of fellow travellers on the 1809 west of Leatherhead.

Ref your observations on earlier trains, the 0550 up left Guildford twice, once from P5 up to shunt down into P3 then again to resume via Cobham.. Glad I left some time in my itinerary for a Plan B this morning...

In my case, I have been on the Eurostar.

I could stay with a friend tonight and travel tomorrow morning but I imagine peak ticket restrictions would apply at 7am.

 

[jwhite9185]

Seen just the one come past from Waterloo to Woking since around 5pm.

It's a bit like Christmas Day with it being so quiet outside my window.

 

[Samzino]

Good thing is that they've re-railed 450092. Just putting skates on according to Network Rail Wessex

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[Ian Hardy]

1Z99 is currently behind 2L10 on the Up Fast.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Good thing is that they've re-railed 450092. Just putting skates on according to Network Rail Wessex

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Rerailing teams are very good in my experience despite fortunately not having to do this very often often left hanging around waiting for access whilst investigations are done. If the sleepers are scored rather than cracked may be able to open in the morning with just a ESR over affected area although I suspect at the point of derailment a few sleeper will be severely damaged from the initial high impact.

 

[kingqueen]

It may be due to platform clearances for their outward-opening plug doors....the same reason why 158s are not cleared for the West Highland line, IIRC.

I always wondered why the WHL had 156s! Thank you, I mean something new.

 

[Samzino]

Rerailing teams are very good in my experience despite fortunately not having to do this very often often left hanging around waiting for access whilst investigations are done. If the sleepers are scored rather than cracked may be able to open in the morning with just a ESR over affected area although I suspect at the point of derailment a few sleeper will be severely damaged from the initial high impact.

Seems sleepers weren't too damaged, this is the work they expect to do overnight:

 

[Mike_L_Surrey]

It looks like some Portsmouth trains are diverting via Cobham.

Might be their normal route.

I live on the Cobham line & we regularly see trains for Portsmouth Harbour. I’ve checked on RTT a few months ago and they run fast to Guildford.

 

[Taunton]

Looks like it was first train over the Up Fast after block lifted.

Unfortunately a repeat of recent incidents. Waterloo derailment and Athelney level crossing accident were both first trains after engineering work. It does seem we haven't moved too far forward from the 1865 Staplehurst accident that Charles Dickens was involved in.

 

[infobleep]

Interestingly around 19:20, the 19:45 London Waterloo to Haslemere service was shown as running. Now it's cancelled. I wonder if yhe 20:45 will cancelled around 20 minutes before departure.

Must be a busy and maybe even stressful day for the control and people working on the journey planner info.

I was expecting the 19:45 to maybe run late but skip Woking.

 

[jfollows]

Might be their normal route.

I live on the Cobham line & we regularly see trains for Portsmouth Harbour. I’ve checked on RTT a few months ago and they run fast to Guildford.

There are a couple a day in each direction, and have been for years, but their existence means that many drivers and other staff will be familiar with the route, so it’s relatively easy to divert more trains if need be.