Landslip at Hatfield & Stainforth

[JeffP]

I would still not be overly surprised if they announced it had to shut for good.

 

After all, this is not the South East, don't y'know?

[Glorious NSE]

I would still not be overly surprised if they announced it had to shut for good.

 

After all, this is not the South East, don't y'know?

 

No, but it's not a minor rural byway either...

[Mallard60022]

It's a mine( r ) ruined byway at the moment...........

already gone!

P

Edited March 18, 2013 by Mallard60022

[Mallard60022]

Dave, are those white 'boxes' some sort of movement monitors?

P

[JeffP]

There are also solar panels fitted on the south facing elevation. I live less than 1/2 mile from that viaduct.

[Mallard60022]

Thanks mate.

P

[R A Watson]

See here:

 

DOW Frodingham Viaduct Thu 14-03-13 004.JPG

If you look closely there are cables coming out of the top of the trunking and going under the arch, given the reinforcing cross bars and old rail on the spandrels in the other pictures I think there are probably sensors present.

 

Wally

[eastwestdivide]

Eek, that's ugly-looking reinforcement, but then you could say the same about the state that the original has got into. And a lot less ugly than 100s of tons of train all over the road.

[JeffP]

That's what the panels are for then, by the look of it.

 

It used to be an enormous viaduct, now mostly filled in between the arches.

Used to be 85 arches at 1 in 92, a fearsome bank known locally as the "Gunhouse" bank.

 

http://historyofscunny.piczo.com/therailway?cr=5&linkvar=000044

[James]

It rather helps dispell the myth the all of Lincolnshire's flat too!

[jamie92208]

I justy wondered if there were any signs of progress at Hatfield.  There is a report in rail that they are looing at restarting taking coal out by rail and some mention that some machinery is not allowed on site due to fear of triggerring or confusing movement sensors.  I just wondered if anyone can contribute anything further.

 

 

Jamie

[t-b-g]

I justy wondered if there were any signs of progress at Hatfield.  There is a report in rail that they are looing at restarting taking coal out by rail and some mention that some machinery is not allowed on site due to fear of triggerring or confusing movement sensors.  I just wondered if anyone can contribute anything further.

 

 

Jamie

 

I did hear that a short while ago the old rails were succesfully cut at both ends of the problem area, allowing a start on removing the damaged track. There was some concern as to what might happen when this was done as a rail twisted like that might whip around and do damage. Other than that, I can report a large amount of road activity involving very big lorries!

 

Tony

[jamie92208]

I did hear that a short while ago the old rails were succesfully cut at both ends of the problem area, allowing a start on removing the damaged track. There was some concern as to what might happen when this was done as a rail twisted like that might whip around and do damage. Other than that, I can report a large amount of road activity involving very big lorries!

 

Tony

Thanks for that Tony.

 

Jamie

[James]

I did hear that a short while ago the old rails were succesfully cut at both ends of the problem area, allowing a start on removing the damaged track.

The rails were cut to prevent anything proceeding towards the problem area and to isoltae the area to limit damage(!) - some rails jumped about 9" when cut! You'd expect a small jump in modern CWR (due to stressing) but that's quite a lot.

[Fat Controller]

The rails were cut to prevent anything proceeding towards the problem area and to isoltae the area to limit damage(!) - some rails jumped about 9" when cut! You'd expect a small jump in modern CWR (due to stressing) but that's quite a lot.

The report in Rail Express seems to have exagerated the spring in the rails a bit- they suggested about 100 feet...

[2mm Andy]

Another update from Network Rail here;

 

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/news/2013/apr/Stablising-the-ground-at-Hatfield-colliery-above-the-railway-at-Stainforth-continues/

 

Andy

[t-b-g]

Another update from Network Rail here;

 

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/news/2013/apr/Stablising-the-ground-at-Hatfield-colliery-above-the-railway-at-Stainforth-continues/

 

Andy

 

I might be being a bit dim here (not the first time) but that report says that they are hoping to restore services in July but that the railway won't be repaired until September. Might be a bit bumpy! I wonder if words haven't been chosen too carefully or if there is a cunning plan. Maybe September will be the completion of the repair but trains will be running before then.

Edited April 5, 2013 by t-b-g

[eastwestdivide]

More supporting info in a Word doc here:

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Gallery/6864/Supporting-information-Hatfield-Stainforth-recovery-5-April-2013

including details of other planned engineering work this summer in the Yorks/Humber area affecting things.

 

NB also Transpennine are apparently crew training for a "limited weekend service", with paths visible in some of the timetable websites, plus this in the linked press release:

 

First TransPennine Express continues to explore the possibility of operating a limited weekend rail service via the Brigg route

[James]

I might be being a bit dim here (not the first time) but that report says that they are hoping to restore services in July but that the railway won't be repaired until September. Might be a bit bumpy! I wonder if words haven't been chosen too carefully or if there is a cunning plan. Maybe September will be the completion of the repair but trains will be running before then.

I think "restore services in July 2013" is a reference to the planned blockade of Sleby Swingbridge. When this blockade begine services from Hull will hav to run via Goole and then the single line Hensall; TPE had already planned replacement buses.

[37079]

The situation which Network Rail are attempting to manage is quite complex and this means that providing a firm guaranteed date for reopening will be impossible at this stage. Essentially the July date for reopening is the best case scenario, and September the worst case scenario.

 

Regarding the Selby blockade, I can't really see how it could go ahead if Hatfield hasn't reopened - it will more or less cut Hull and Bridlington off from South/West Yorkshire for the summer holidays because the route via Knottingley is of very limited capacity and the potential passenger operators are going to have a problem with traincrew knowledge (not to mention competing with freight for paths) to maintain a service that can cope with overall demand. Oh, and Sudforth Lane is blocked on weekends for renewals...

 

Mike

[t-b-g]

I can't help thinking that the press release could have been worded better. The two conflicting dates of July for restoring services and September for repairing the railway just don't make any sense without some explanation of what those two phrases mean.

 

The BBC News Website is now quoting September as the revised target date, with the railway people giving poor weather and difficult and potentially dangerous working conditions (which I can totally believe!) as the reasons.

 

So it seems that a July re-opening is probably off the agenda as far as Stainforth & Hatfield is concerned, unless the BBC have read the press release and decided that is what it means but have got it wrong.

[James]

Oh, and Sudforth Lane is blocked on weekends for renewals...

No it's not. The resignalling scheme has been put back specifically to allow the service to be maintained.

 

The Selby blockade is going ahead. The cost of postponing auch a major blockade would be enormous. Remember the key services that way were due to be replaced with buses in part already - the York - Hull service will run, I believe, as York - Selby and Hull - Howden shuttles and the traffic for Potters will run via the Hull line either reverse at Gilberdyke (if top and tailed) or, more likely, use the Docks Branch and Walton Street to turn at Hull.

 

We've recently had a weekend blockade on Selby which saw the coast - Sheffield/Donny trains using the single line alongside Hull Trains and a freight service - and we did it quite well too. TOC crews have the route knowledge for these diversions. A few timings were a little generous in parts - better this way with short term planning than too tight. frustratingly the last Hull Trains service on the Sunday night sat at Goole for 25 minutes waiting its booked departure time having arrived 23 minutes early!

[ess1uk]

is this not a very good reason to double up some sections of line again?

whilst highly unlikely this particular scenario will happen again, it goes to show that we run a very congested railway that's on a knife edge in some places.

[eastwestdivide]

Your roving reporter has been roving again, with some comparisons between 1 March and 6 April:

 

From the station end, looking towards the coast. Not a vast amount of difference visible from this end (earlier photo first). All the rails were fairly rusty, and there's not been much rain lately.

 

From Cuckoo Lane bridge, still accessible from the bridleway on the south side of the line, looking back towards Doncaster. The top of the heap has definitely been reduced, as more of the colliery winding gear is visible. Not much work on the track bed, apart from more scrub removal. Also, the pile of coal beyond seems to have grown. 

1 Mar:

6 Apr:

 

1 Mar:

6 Apr:

 

1 Mar wide shot:

6 Apr wide shot:

6 Apr, working excavator on a Saturday morning:

 

[Welly]

What is that grey pole stuck on the end of one of the tracks?