Arriva Trains Wales

[J200ABW]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
Line reopened this morning. Some speed restrictions along the way.

[wirralbus]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
The line from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno Junction was damaged in the recent bad weather that hit North West Wales .

The line suffered damage due to the tidal surge up the River Conwy , therefore the service has been suspended with Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales saying there hoping to have services restored by at least 16th December.

In the meantime a rail replacement bus service will operate between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llandudno junction .

[WidnesRuncornBus]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales

(11/12/2013 07:08)wirralbus Wrote:  The line from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno Junction was damaged in the recent bad weather that hit North West Wales .

The line suffered damage due to the tidal surge up the River Conwy , therefore the service has been suspended with Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales saying there hoping to have services restored by at least 16th December.

In the meantime a rail replacement bus service will operate between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llandudno junction .o

Furthermore, normal sevice along the north wales coast line has now resumed after last weeks tidal surge.

[507022]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
Network Rail advises that the Bont Briwet wooden viaduct piers have shifted due to the nearby piling works and narrowing of the channel for the new abutments. The railway will be closed until the new bridge opens, possibly in late 2014/early 2015. There is no sign that Arriva Trains Wales is considering moving a unit to Pwllheli and reopening the temporary fuelling/stabling point (PI) that operated due to the Barmouth Bridge refurbishment. If more thought was given to the plight of Porthmadog/Pwllheli passengers, arrangements could have been made so that passengers could detrain at Llandecwyn and walk a hundred metres or so to a new temporary platform just over the bridge as the bridge remains open for road traffic(Credit to FfR webpage)

[Sprinterdriver]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
Don't see that happening as arrangements would need to be made for the unit to have its various exams and servicing.

SD.

[First Class]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
Pwlhelli depot only has 4/5 conductors and about the same number of drivers. They only sign Pwlhelli to Machynlleth anfvthe Aberystwyth branch, and, like Mach crews they only sign Class 158s, so sending a 153 etc isnt going to be much good, even if you did somehow suspend ERTMS operation on that section AND found a spare 153!

Other issue is that drivers must go over the route every 3 months to retain competency, 6 months for conductors. As the Pwlhelli staff haven't worked any trains for some time, it is probably getting to the point where not enough staff actually sign the route. Even when the line reopens, route learning will need to take place to account for that.

[wirralbus]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
When the line eventually reopeens north of Harlech wont the ERTMS have to be retested to ensure that it is safe to use once again , as it will not have been used for a length of time .

Im surprised that Network Rail never thought that there would be movement in the riverbed at this location

[Sprinterdriver]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
Depends on the TOC, a route refresh for Drivers is normally needed after six months.

SD.

(28/12/2013 02:14)First Class Wrote:  Pwlhelli depot only has 4/5 conductors and about the same number of drivers. They only sign Pwlhelli to Machynlleth anfvthe Aberystwyth branch, and, like Mach crews they only sign Class 158s, so sending a 153 etc isnt going to be much good, even if you did somehow suspend ERTMS operation on that section AND found a spare 153!

Other issue is that drivers must go over the route every 3 months to retain competency, 6 months for conductors. As the Pwlhelli staff haven't worked any trains for some time, it is probably getting to the point where not enough staff actually sign the route. Even when the line reopens, route learning will need to take place to account for that.

[wirralbus]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
Didnt Northern Rail and Trans Pennine have to do something similar after the closure of the line at Hatfield & Stainforth when the nearby Colliery sl*g Heap descended on to the track blocking the line for months .

[507022]

RE: Arriva Trains Wales
In a further blow to passengers on the Cambrian coast, the track at Towyn was washed away by the recent storms and the line could be closed for several weeks.