Transport for Wales is urging passengers to plan ahead, as slippery rails caused by the autumn leaf-fall season is causing delays across the network.
The lines affected are Hereford – Abergavenny, Shrewsbury – Swansea, Chester – Wrexham General, Bidston – Wrexham Central and Llandudno Junction – Blaenau Ffestiniog.
The Heart of Wales is currently closed until further notice, with a number of bus operators on standby on the other routes should cancellations need to be made.
Trains may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Responses
It’s a very real problem…… but almost a quarter of the way into the 21st century, and approaching the railways’ 200th birthday, how can we be in a situation where there appears to be no effective remedy for something that happens every single autumn?
I claim no expertise at all, but I do wonder if the fact that today’s trains are much lighter than the locomotives formerly at the head of trains is a factor?
All those Tory newspapers and propagandists who snigger and sneer at leaves on the line should take note..that’s two high profile rail accidents that look likely to be attributed to poor railhead conditions (Salisbury and now Llanbrynmair). As a former train driver of 30 years, this is a very real problem, Northern’s Autumn Performance Mgr called it the black ice of railways in a recent interview.
Is this issue responsible for the collision last night?
That is yet to be determines. The RAIB is only in the very earliest stages of the investigation. But, it seams likely. Though with the ERTMS signalling which takes into account rail condition data in calculating recommended speeds and braking profiles should has prevented this. It shouldn’t even allow two trains inro the same section. If it was the ERTMS at fault, then the multibillion pound national roll out is in jeopardy.