Landslip in Sonning Cutting

[Thames99]

From GWR this morning -https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/live-network-updates

An issue has arisen with the state of some trees at the side of a cutting between Twyford and Reading where an unstable area of surrounding earth has been observed. Owing to its location it is not an issue that can be easily resolved and until the matter has been addressed two of the four running lines in the area will be taken out of use and the remaining line capacity will not be able to carry the full advertised train service.

The fast lines are closed with all trains using the relief lines. It sounds as if this could take some time to resolve if the cutting needs to be reprofiled as it's deep with potentially a lot of soil to be removed.

It makes a change from broken rails and damage to the overhead cables on this stretch of line!

 

[Stompehh]

Just been through on a train, passed slowly on the relief lines. Lots of technicians in attendance with a rail-mounted machine of some kind. One tree looking a bit precarious hanging over the overhead lines (but not touching it), although it could have been my eyes deceiving me. The pile of logs indicated that several tree had already been cut down.

I should add, the Paddington departure boards were in disruption mode - only running trains shown. At the time I left (on the 1400 to Temple Meads) there were only 2 trains shown on the board.

Edit: looking at signal maps there seems to also be a block on the relief line towards London between Maidenhead and Taplow, which seems to be complicating matters

 

[Jamiescott1]

Gwr saying network rail need to close all lines for 1 hour to remove the tree.
It doesn't say when that hour will be

 

[class ep-09]

Gwr saying network rail need to close all lines for 1 hour to remove the tree.
It doesn't say when that hour will be

Or how long that hour will last ))

 

[mangyiscute]

Confusing though because the lines have been shut since saturday - looking on rtt, no train has gone through platform 1 since 3pm on saturday, and none through platform 2 since half 5 on saturday, and the lines have been shut since then.

 

[ChrisHogan]

Gwr saying network rail need to close all lines for 1 hour to remove the tree.
It doesn't say when that hour will be

GWR Journey Check:

Network Rail will close all 4 lines between Reading and London Paddington between 16:15 and 17:15 to affect (sic) removal of the tree and associated works, this will lead to disruption on all routes that operate between Reading and London Paddington.
Services from the West Country, Bristol Temple Meads, South Wales and Gloucester/Cheltenham Spa may be terminated at Reading and start back from there.

 

[cactustwirly]

Confusing though because the lines have been shut since saturday - looking on rtt, no train has gone through platform 1 since 3pm on saturday, and none through platform 2 since half 5 on saturday, and the lines have been shut since then.

I did wonder why my train from Paddington on Saturday evening was routed onto the relief lines just before Twyford

 

[snowball]

Another thread here:

Why are trains diverting onto the relief lines at twyford currently?

As above, since about 17:45 yesterday evening I think all GWR fast trains have been diverting onto the reliefs to go through twyford in both directions: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:TWY/2024-02-25/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=pass&order=wtt I was just wondering if anyone knew...

www.railforums.co.uk

(Edit: now closed)

 

[Jamiescott1]

Update: now says all lines blocked until 1900

 

[ChrisHogan]

GWR Journey Check:

Network Rail will close all 4 lines between Reading and London Paddington between 16:15 and 17:15 to affect (sic) removal of the tree and associated works, this will lead to disruption on all routes that operate between Reading and London Paddington.
Services from the West Country, Bristol Temple Meads, South Wales and Gloucester/Cheltenham Spa may be terminated at Reading and start back from there.

Revised advice:

Network Rail will close all 4 lines between Reading and London Paddington between 17:45-19:00 to affect removal of the tree and associated works, this will lead to disruption on all routes that operate between Reading and London Paddington.
Services from the West Country via Taunton/Westbury/Newbury and Reading, Bristol Temple Meads, South Wales, North Cotswolds route from Hereford /Worcester and Gloucester/Cheltenham Spa may be terminated at Reading and start back from there.

 

[Neil Holland]

Wondering whether the disruption likely to run into tomorrow? Am scheduled to be travelling to BRI from PAD tomorrow evening but need to cancel hotel today if I'm not going to be able to get there...

 

[duffield]

Wondering whether the disruption likely to run into tomorrow? Am scheduled to be travelling to BRI from PAD tomorrow evening but need to cancel hotel today if I'm not going to be able to get there...

Unless you're travelling very late, there's no reason that you can't get there. Even if all lines to Paddington were closed, your train would take you to Reading where you can get a train to Waterloo (ticket acceptance would be in place in that case). It's really just a case of whether arriving later (say and hour or two) would mess up your trip so much as to make it not worthwhile.

 

[mangyiscute]

Wondering whether the disruption likely to run into tomorrow? Am scheduled to be travelling to BRI from PAD tomorrow evening but need to cancel hotel today if I'm not going to be able to get there...

I think its very unlikely that all of the lines will be blocked, and if at least a pair of lines are open then the train should run as usual with perhaps a 5-10 min delay just after leaving reading - this is what happened across the weekend.

 

[JN114]

In the practical sense there is likely to be some disruption tomorrow.

The original estimate, when the work they’ve been attempting (unsuccessfully) today was going to be done yesterday, was the main lines would be handed back but with emergency speed restrictions and blocks to electric traction. That’s why the 387 services have been relatively seemlessly turning round at Reading all day - the hard work to plan that was done yesterday.

As the work still hasn’t been started to my knowledge, then that gets pushed into following day(s) - but the high speed/long distance services were running ok in similar circumstances this morning, before aborted train service pauses screwed everything up.

 

[Neil Holland]

Thanks all, would likely be leaving PAD at 22:00 ish.

 

[mangyiscute]

Thanks all, would likely be leaving PAD at 22:00 ish.

I would expect the journey to be delayed a little at least, but you should be fine reaching bristol, unless something unexpected occurs.

 

[Class 170101]

Block all four lines of the GWR between 17:45 and 19:00, someone at NR has (almost) certainly taken leave of their senses.

 

[DelW]

Reading was in a real mess this afternoon, not only were many of the main line platforms full of trains that couldn't get any further east, but there was a 2+ hour interruption on the North Downs as well apparently due to a fallen tree at North Camp. Two six-coach NDL trains arrived in p4 & 5 within about five minutes of each other, clearing the backlog of westbounds that had been stuck somewhere around Guildford.

At the same time, hundreds of passengers off the mainline were trying to cram on board SWR's half-hourly 10-car 458s (and a pair of 455s) towards Waterloo. At one point there was a very loud altercation between a BTP officer and a passenger who had become rather irate with staff. Fortunately most passengers were more reasonable.

I don't know how things went later as the NDL service restarted at around 17:30. It must have been a heck of an afternoon in GWR control.

 

[800301]

Block all four lines of the GWR between 17:45 and 19:00, someone at NR has (almost) certainly taken leave of their senses.

In the end it didn’t happen but I can only assume the plan was already put in place and was too late to cancel as everything was terminating at Reading, I’ve never seen the station so full, it really was comical thinking about shutting all lines right in the peak, originally it was planned from about 2-3 but never happened, then 4-5 but there was a loss of power to the OLE momentarily, so was delayed and then in the end they couldn’t guarantee they could do the work so again was aborted but the damage was well and truly done by then, I think the first train that made it through was 1A27 and it was cosy

 

[Boilinthebag]

Can report Reading is carnage. Just terminated a Paddington and made it into the Bristol, which also disappeared off the boards,loaded the train then announced it wouldn't stop at Didcot. Seeing elderly travellers in tears after being sardined out of Waterloo for 90 mins then facing 3 platform changes at Reading is just appalling.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I know making big calls is a balance of risk vs reward but surely if a ‘window’ of a couple of hours is needed, overnight would have been better? Or is the engineering situation more complex, I.e. risk of further earthworks movement if rain is forecast etc?

 

[Benjwri]

I know making big calls is a balance of risk vs reward but surely if a ‘window’ of a couple of hours is needed, overnight would have been better? Or is the engineering situation more complex, I.e. risk of further earthworks movement if rain is forecast etc?

Probably also staffing issues. If you have the staff available, then they're delayed, when they get there you have a limited window of time. You can't just make them all wait well past shift till past midnight to actually do anything.

 

[Horizon22]

In the end it didn’t happen but I can only assume the plan was already put in place and was too late to cancel as everything was terminating at Reading, I’ve never seen the station so full, it really was comical thinking about shutting all lines right in the peak, originally it was planned from about 2-3 but never happened, then 4-5 but there was a loss of power to the OLE momentarily, so was delayed and then in the end they couldn’t guarantee they could do the work so again was aborted but the damage was well and truly done by then, I think the first train that made it through was 1A27 and it was cosy

Full rectification to be taken with a longer block tonight. The full structure still couldn’t deal with the tree. It is a bit farcical as it’s now almost 48h since this tree has been overhanging and about 3-4 attempts have been to made to resolve it but there have been issues with equipment or resourcing each time and the timings have slipped.

Still a two track railway from Maidenhead to Reading. The bigger issue was a tree on fire on the OHLE at Burnham which fully suspended services for a good while. All resolved now but the impacts reverberated into the evening.

 

[Mag_seven]

It must have been a heck of an afternoon in GWR control.

I was on an up train that got held at various stations en route to Reading as all the platforms there were occupied with reversing trains. They didn't want to risk trains being stuck outside the station for ages.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Probably also staffing issues. If you have the staff available, then they're delayed, when they get there you have a limited window of time. You can't just make them all wait well past shift till past midnight to actually do anything.

This is a very good point. Hopefully none of the staff were attempting to travel in by train!

 

[Horizon22]

I was on an up train that got held at various stations en route to Reading as all the platforms there were occupied with reversing trains. They didn't want to risk trains being stuck outside the station for ages.

Yes that is how it is generally managed now on NR Western to as you say prevent stranded trains. The issue is you can get backed up to Bristol / Cardiff pretty quickly!

 

[Jamiescott1]

Its gone 10pm and no changes (I can see) to tomorrow's timetable

 

[Horizon22]

Its gone 10pm and no changes (I can see) to tomorrow's timetable

All rectification work expected to be completed overnight and by 5:30am. Some earlier morning trains might run Relief instead of Main lines.

Might be a speed restriction imposed though for Main line services around the cutting, but hopefully not too severe

 

[MikeWM]

Was pretty chaotic out west too, with cancellations a plenty, trains turning back at Chippenham - to the apparent surprise of the staff there! - and Swindon, and the handful of services that did run through picked up ever-increasing delays all over the place due to making extra stops and missing paths etc.

Then there was a signal failure between Filton Abbey Wood and Bristol Temple Meads in the evening peak, which broke even more things.

Not the most successful day doing a rail rover I've ever had, but c'est la vie. I was a bit worried about getting away from the south coast this morning with the strong-ish winds, but actually out of 6 GWR trains I caught today that was the only one that ran (almost) to time!

 

[317362]

Agree it was fairly grim, just to note here for the archive, 1C22 1655 Reading to Taunton (usually 1630 from Paddington) left Reading heading *East* with announcements on platform to warn people, it then headed into the Kennet loop, reversed and came back through the station at speed. Not sure if this was the only recycling that happened this way.