Friog again?

[corneliuslundie]

On the BBC today:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58615510

Jonathan

[wombatofludham]

It is bad, not quite sure why NRW are being pointed at, although NRW have done some works in the area the wall was partially dismantled by Network Rail when they did some work on the retaining wall keeping the railway in place.  Unless the cross eyed BBC in Cardiff have mistaken Network Rail Wales for Natural Resources Wales.

But yes, if a car came off or through what is left of the wall it could easily send a train over the edge if it lands on the track, and given the number of prangs there have been on the cliff road this summer with the huge increase in visitors locally, I suspect it's a matter of when more than if.

 

[Michael Hodgson]

Sounds like a minor local squabble over a road that might benefit from one of those ugly metal crash barriers.

[wombatofludham]

It has in places Armco barriers but they, like many across Gwynedd, are so worn they'd struggle to stop a runaway Zimmer frame.  This, I'm afraid, is Gwynedd playing it's usual game of pass the buck. Their motto ought to be "Yr ateb yw Na, be' oedd y cwestiwn?"

Thing is, I'm pretty sure that this is an unusual case where the road came after the railway.  Although Fairbourne didn't exist until 1906, there was a road across the marshes along which the Royal Mail was carried to the ferry across the Mawddach, which was run by the monks of Barmouth, since the middle ages.  However, it went over the old "Drover's Road" which went up into the hills, and the road which now links Dolgellau and Tywyn via Friog and Llwyngwril was a turnpike built after the railway.  It was widened which dislodged material onto the track which caused one of the two Friog derailments, this one in the 1930s, so to be honest I can't see why Network Rail should pay for any repairs unless they have damaged it when doing the rock stabilisation work a few years back.

One good thing though today is if a car did land on the track, the in cab signalling ought to be able to issue a stop order as soon as Mach is notified, unlike when the previous two derailments occurred.

 

[Michael Hodgson]

7 hours ago, wombatofludham said:

One good thing though today is if a car did land on the track, the in cab signalling ought to be able to issue a stop order as soon as Mach is notified, unlike when the previous two derailments occurred.

 

Indeed but it does depend on somebody telling Mach.  Joe Public isn't going to ring them, he has no idea where trains are controlled form.  The best you can hope for is that a witness realises there is some sort of emergency, mentions that it's on the track and the 999 operator thinks to tell them.  I suspect the typical call would centre around the nature of any injuries and/or exactly where this ambulance is wanted.

[Robert Shrives]

Mind you with the Coast closed until Mid December due engineering work on Barmouth Bridge and a track relay between Aberdyfi and Tywyn  not likely to be hit by anything bigger than an RRV or segaull poo!   Viz Armour guard on Rhiw Plas hill at Minffordd is currently being replaced for the 4th time after speed related bangs, It had been nicely painted black and white on alternate sections but now has several sections in plain galvo finish. The last speed related bang the car demolished signs about sharp curves and speed limits on the nearside verge. passed over white line and was successfully retained by  the armour guard.- A case of a score draw as amour guard battered as much as the car.    Tyre and mud lines suggested it span several times hopefully that driver leant a lesson sadly knowledge transfer to others will be zero.

The zero transfer issue shown in the story with risk shown and severity of outcome clear yet nobody taken to task at a high enough level.  As we can all guess once the horse has bolted a deep root and branch review will take place within the organisations costing thousands and  achieve nothing and another funeral will have taken place.     

Robert