With the entire network being buggered up, and therefore everyone claiming back, is it not as sensible to cancel everything and save at least the fuel costs and risks to life/damage etc?? If the advice is not to travel, surely that should extend to staff too?
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In future if storms like today occur, should ALL trains be cancelled in advance?
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GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Absolutely so that staff safety has to be considered very seriously
The risk to life and of damage is mitigated by the speed limit imposed.
The general advice not to travel is because the reduced number of trains could not cope with normal numbers, the hugely extended journey times, and the difficulty of providing alternative transport when floods, trampolines or trees cause short notice problems.
PS I am not traincrew, so feel free to ignore me if you believe there is a real risk in today's conditions (and speak with your union).
The general advice not to travel is because the reduced number of trains could not cope with normal numbers, the hugely extended journey times, and the difficulty of providing alternative transport when floods, trampolines or trees cause short notice problems.
PS I am not traincrew, so feel free to ignore me if you believe there is a real risk in today's conditions (and speak with your union).
brad465
Established Member
Before everything is cancelled in such an event, there could be measures greater deployed to mitigate disruption, such as clearing trees away from linesides, or at least cutting their size down to stop them blocking the line if they fall over. Better fencing around railway lines as well maybe worth doing to prevent obstacles like trampolines getting on railway lines. Coastal routes would be hard to mitigate for, although building/reopening diversionary routes to avoid them can help in cases like Dawlish (another story), otherwise if they're short stretches towards the end of a journey closing the coastal sections and having replacement buses complete the last bit if possible.
Deploying all of this over the entire network is a big ask, but may help priority/busy routes.
Deploying all of this over the entire network is a big ask, but may help priority/busy routes.
StephenHunter
Established Member
Cutting away trees from linesides, which was the norm when steam was a thing, would increase the risk of landslides. As for trampolines. they're very capable of flying over a fence in a storm.
The Austrians have pre-emptively cancelled nearly all their NightJet services for tonight, which is a rare occurrence for a region that frequently deals with heavy snow.
The Austrians have pre-emptively cancelled nearly all their NightJet services for tonight, which is a rare occurrence for a region that frequently deals with heavy snow.
You can't say that the whole network is affected - looking at the trains at Reigate on the relatively low speed North Downs Line, almost everything has run on time today apart from a period this morning and some later cancellations.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/REI/2020-02-09/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
Are you telling us that none of these trains should have run because of a blanket view of the weather and possible disruption?
Well, if you believe Twitter and the likes of the Express ......
I prefer to look at real time running information.
If the rail unions ever feel the safety of their members is being put at unacceptable risk I am sure we will hear about it.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
No, because not operating will cause people to travel by road instead which is less safe.
Perhaps they should shut the roads? They seem to manage to shut bridges.
brad465
Established Member
Okay I stand corrected on the trampoline problem, although coppicing trees, when done correctly would keep the root structure while allowing tree regrowth, if this retains stability?
And whenever NR have cut away trees there have normally been howels of protests from lineside neighbours.
Goldfish62
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No...
HSTEd
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In the very long term, HS2 should have been built entirely in tunnel so it is effectively immune to this.
That's because DB have shut their network down - other routes are fine! Lots to do with wind, little to do with snow
randyrippley
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Thats absolute rubbish.
Trees on a slope are more likely to destabilise the slope - the combined weight of a tree and the windshear are likely to twist it out of the ground. Contrary to public belief most treeroots go sideways not down, and there is very little holding a tree in a cutting in place. Bit of rain softening the ground and it take little rain to uproot the tree and rip the bank apart
Who want the trees there to catch their trampolines!
StephenHunter
Established Member
Also to deaden the noise of trains.
Oh well, if it's on Twitter, then it must be true.
HSTEd
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One problem is removing trees that are extant can cause odd things to happen to the local water table.
Which can do odd things to the cutting.
GlitterUnicorn
Member
Railways provide a service.
If they called it off the minute they thought it might lose them money through fuel or delay repay then no-one would be able to rely on that service. If there is a genuine risk to life then no-one could expect the railways to run. But a blanket closure because services during severe weather are difficult or loss making is unreasonable.
People have a right to expect that railway services will be running as long as it's practical to do so.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
That's because DB have shut their network down - other routes are fine! Lots to do with wind, little to do with snow
Did they do what they did last time this happened and park trains in stations for use as ad-hoc overnight accommodation?
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