Hmm, heading for Falmouth today from Bristol. I'll let you know how I get on!

 
Line closed until AT LEAST 1400 tomorrow afternoon (allwing time for daylight inspection) - according to GWR on X

 

Thank you both for your informed replies. Chris. [Image from here is not available to guests]

 

'No'...unless of course the driver can see something ahead that will affect the safety of their train such as washed away track or a landslide...and react in time to stop the train!

 
1,2,3,4,6 Southampton?

Mark

 

No. 

 

That's a good point: is there any discretion for the train driver in the cab to look at the situation realtime and say, 'I'm not driving my train into that'?

 

 [Image from here is not available to guests]

 

So GasCo, TeleCo, LeccyCo, WaterCo etc etc etc dig up your road and then add a bit to your bill to cover the cost that the council is imposing on them.  Great idea!

 
9.  Melksham - The King's Arms ph off to the right of viewpoint: my favourite pub in Melksham. [Image from here is not available to guests]

 
https://www.facebook.com/atrebatia.uk/posts/1979636445640158

I still like the name "Atrebatia"

 
8 looks like that occident settlement that is frequently mentioned as needing the platform to be reopened.

 
A quick question regarding Brabazon Station if I may?  Does anyone know if there is anywhere yet that has public access that you can actually see the station site from?  With all the new development surrounding the station (not just the arena) I'm wondering if there are now any publicly accessible roads opened around there yet?

 

Being referred to as a part of "Greater Bristol" might generate some angry letters to the press from some of the citizens of Bath, no matter how accurate the description actually is.

 
10 pictures - five at the same place and five others.  Which are which?

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9.

 
2T12 0924 Exmouth to Paignton has reportedly lost two bodyside windows, one reported as “completely gone”

 
 A 3 car 175, maybe more, has left Wolverton. Hopefully catch it at Dawlishcam at 17.38 although is often early.

 
Delivery of a 175 (or maybe more than one unit coupled together) is currently happening, left Wolverton few minutes early

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K60250/2026-01-23/detailed

 
Thoughts and prayers for Dawlish Station's relatively new lifts today and this evening.

Mark

 

I don't see how that would help - what would happen during a suspension that would make things different afterwards?

And that's despite there now being five incidents recorded this week. There was another derailment on Tuesday in Catalonia, though with no injuries. This was a rock fall, no doubt due to the same intense rainfall, so arguably not a new cause. ADIF then closed the Barcelona Rodalies network to do a full check for storm damage. So that's one situation where more care was needed, and hopefully will now happen (not just in ADIF).

The final incident was in Asturias, where a bit of something (rendering, I think) fell off a tunnel portal and broke a driver's window. That would not have been reported internationally except for the serie noir it added to.

You could argue that shortcomings in ADIF are a common factor, perhaps as a poor "safety culture". But apart from the track condition (which is the drivers' main concern) I suspect it goes wider than ADIF. Perhaps it is the safety culture of Spain as a whole that is relevant. That does seem relevant to yesterday's Cartagena accident, where ADIF are at pains to point out that the crane wasn't theirs and should never have been that close to the trains.

[This replaces a post that somehow got lost last night. I was struggling then to find reports in English to link to due to the confusion of several events - and pictures being misidentified as well. Hopefully they will catch up soon.]

 

Yes, I too originally thought that 'permanent resiliance' meant the line being able to stay open, but it has been made clear that it meant that it was to make it resiliant to major damage leading to lengthy closures like we saw in 2014.

Temporary closure, in extreme weather like today, will still happen from time to time although the better protection should mean it doesn't happen so often.  Though to counter that the IET/Voyager fleet's own resiliance is poor as we know due to the roof mounted resistors.

The 'permanent resiliance' is about much more than just the immediate sea wall around Dawlish, with cliff strengthening works and a rock fall shelter to reduce the risk of and danger from landslip/cliff collapse.

More information here:
https://www.railfuture.org.uk/Dawlish
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/network-rail-looks-to-the-next-stages-of-south-devon-railway-resilience-as-rockfall-shelter-is-completed
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/passengers-in-the-south-west-to-benefit-from-more-reliable-railway-as-cliff-resilience-milestone-is-completed

 
10.59. Just watched an IET hurtle through Dawlish on the down line. It didn't stop! Got a good soaking. The following local turbo stopped.


11.12 An IET going on the up line doing 2C18 leaving a voyager in the centre roads at Dawlish Warren.

It's good watching them on coastcams and  it's free with occasional local ads.

The voyager 8 cars has now gone through nonstop on the down line. Maybe it's up to the discretion of the drivers?

The Wolverton 175 is ready to leave so should be at Dawlish at 17.38 but is often early. the 175/s has left Wolverton 11 early

 

The rail nearest to the camera appears to have a welded joint at a point opposite the gap in the opposite rail.  These welds are usually made at the same point on both rails.

What an awful sight that gap in the rail is  [Image from here is not available to guests] 

 
...or everyone could just grow up and call it 'Greater Bristol'! Imagine how much more clout it would have if people outside the area knew where it was. Actually it would help if people INSIDE the area knew where it was!

 

He did, and indeed mentioned that change in such a way that it's implied it's ahead of the 10 year refurb that the IETs will need.

 

21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:09
21:45 Penzance to London Paddington due 05:09 will be cancelled.
This is due to forecasted severe weather.

23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:54
23:45 London Paddington to Penzance due 07:54 will be cancelled.
This is due to forecasted severe weather.

 
Single line working implemented after debris reported on the Down line at Dawlish.   Currently three eastbound trains queuing outside Teignmouth waiting for a west bound train to come through.   Another three waiting at Dawlish Warren to head west.

 
Luke Farley - in the recent CILT GWR presentation earlier this week - I *think*, mentioned that the seating pads & backs are being redesigned & replaced at some stage in the not to distant future - so it'll be interesting to hear what Mark has to say.

 

It’s a full line closure from 20:30 this evening.

IETs and Voyagers will not be permitted to run through Dawlish from 18:30

It’s a black warning on the seawall. Only a handful of these issued in the past, once being then the seawall collapsed. Expecting waves of around 14ft.