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Railhead conditions. It's started.

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by free2grice, Oct 7, 2014.

  1. free2grice

    free2grice Part of the furniture Friend

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    Here we go again. The leaf fall season is upon us once again.

    Thankfully it's not a steam charter in trouble this time but a First Great Western HST en route from Paddington to Penzance.
    The train was due at Penzance yesterday evening at 21:31 but finally arrived at 02:25 this morning. The overnight sleeper train from Penzance was delayed by 301 minutes as some of the crew were aboard the delayed HST.

    Would anyone care to estimate the number of minutes delay this has caused? Answers on a postcard please. <BJ>
     
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2014
    free2grice, Oct 7, 2014
    #1
  2. Standard 4MT

    Standard 4MT Member

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    The current weather with gale force and above winds, do cause these problems, and no pre treatment will stop the leaves in these instances.
    The only real cure is removing all the screening trees, and much of the line-side growth, or possibly what should have been done at beginning, only plant evergreen trees which are then easily controllable. But that would mean spending a fortune out for no return to TOCs as they can't be fined for these delays. Whole new rows of trees have recently been planted on embankment where they are building a new housing estate, noise suppression I believe, but that surely is just planting future problems every Autumn? I thought the policy of tree planting had stopped in some regions?
    Perhaps in future carry a bucket of sand? ;)
     
    Standard 4MT, Oct 7, 2014
    #2
  3. ADB968008

    ADB968008 Guest

    It just wasn't FGWs day yesterday, Reading to London was pretty much shut all day from early morning until evening rush hour.
     
    ADB968008, Oct 7, 2014
    #3
  4. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Don't they have wheelslip control?
     
    Martin Perry, Oct 7, 2014
    #4
  5. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Yes, yes, can I have a go please?

    Lets see.

    4 hrs 54 late into Penzance is 294 minutes.

    Then 301 late departure.

    So, here you go:-

    upload_2014-10-7_9-44-7.png


    PS. Enough material there for an entire conference. :eek:
     
    KentYeti, Oct 7, 2014
    #5
    oddsocks, Matt37401, maddog and 3 others like this.
  6. guycarr360

    guycarr360 Part of the furniture

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    If it had been in Network Rails York area, they would have blamed WCRC no doubt.....
     
    guycarr360, Oct 7, 2014
    #6
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  7. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Ah but a West Coast train was delayed by a landslip near Hexam on Saturday so NR owe them a few minutes...

    Carlisle [CAR] Plt3 Arr 1206 dep 1215 act arr 1558 act dep 1610 235L

    Which resulted in

    Oban [OBN] Plt1 Arr 1915 Actual arr 2315 240L

    The whole fraught story...
    http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U51872/2014/10/04/advanced
     
    RalphW, Oct 7, 2014
    #7
  8. camraman

    camraman Member

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    You've been watching Fawlty Towers again...
     
    camraman, Oct 7, 2014
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  9. KentYeti

    KentYeti Guest

    Never stopped watching!

    Both my grown up daughters are almost word perfect on the best bits. :)
     
    KentYeti, Oct 7, 2014
    #9
  10. BillR

    BillR Well-Known Member

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    BillR, Oct 9, 2014
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    RalphW, Martin Perry and free2grice like this.
  11. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    Manuel let me explain.................
     
    gricerdon, Oct 9, 2014
    #11
  12. gricerdon

    gricerdon Guest

    Yes proper lineside management is the answer but that is down to NR who are too busy wasting money elsewhere. What is their debt now £34b?

    Don
     
    gricerdon, Oct 9, 2014
    #12
  13. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Yes but if you cut down all the trees at or near the lineside, think of what you could make selling it to Drax for Bio mass.:rolleyes:
     
    RalphW, Oct 9, 2014
    #13
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