Railhead conditions. It's started.

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>

 

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?

 

It just wasn't FGWs day yesterday, Reading to London was pretty much shut all day from early morning until evening rush hour.

 

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:-




PS. Enough material there for an entire conference.

 

If it had been in Network Rails York area, they would have blamed WCRC no doubt.....

 

You've been watching Fawlty Towers again...

 

Never stopped watching!

Both my grown up daughters are almost word perfect on the best bits.

 

A little gem from todays RTT

This mornings RHTT run around Herefordshire/Gloucestershire was cancelled "due to problems with rail adhesion"

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P95114/2014/10/08/advanced

 

Manuel let me explain.................

 

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