We’re so sorry for the disruption to all our passengers’ journeys this week while the #RailStrike continues. Here’s our boss John and a short thread about why the impact is so great: /1
On Sussex Route, we need 138 operational staff to run trains every 24 hours. On Kent Route, that number is 125 staff, over 53 locations. We have contingency staff trained for this but they only make up 33 of those roles in Sussex and around a quarter of the jobs in Kent /2
We will not compromise of safety and those contingency staff are managers trained to the same high standards as we expect of our front-line colleagues. We have focussed them on the routes that serve the most customers and freight and that can be safely operated. /3
In Sussex we’re prioritising the passenger routes from Brighton and Gatwick into London Bridge and London Victoria, and within the London area from Epsom Downs, Sutton, West Croydon and Crystal Palace into London.
southernrailway.com/travel-informa…
/4
In Kent route we are prioritising the Orpington – London, Ashford – London High Speed Services, and Dartford – London (North Kent, Bexleyheath, Hither Green) lines, as our train operators can carry the maximum number of passengers on those routes.
southeasternrailway.co.uk/travel-informa…
/5
The other routes in both areas require too many staff to operate to do so safely, and it means many stations will be closed. For that reason, our advice is to only travel if you have to and to check your journeys carefully. /6
To note in East Kent: owing to issues staffing our electrical control room and safety checks that have to happen, there will be a late start for trains on routes in that area tomorrow (Wednesday). See this thread:
/7
For more information please check with your operators and again, please accept our apologies for this disruption. /Ends

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More from @NetworkRailSE

Jun 20
Important information for @Se_Railway passengers in #EastKent travelling on Wednesday. Owing to electrical supply issues, train services inside the red box (see pic) will not start running until later in the day. #RailStrike /1
We’re really sorry. Service / travel info available here southeasternrailway.co.uk/travel-informa…
The area in the picture is supplied with power by a local electrical control office that we know will have some unique staffing issues on Weds, due to the #RailStrike. Safety checks on the power supply to trains – called continuity tests – will have to be done from the morning /3
Read 6 tweets
Jun 1
We’re really sorry for the ongoing disruption to @TLRailUK services north and south of London, owing to a problem with our signalling equipment between City Thameslink and Farringdon. Here’s what’s going on.../ /1
@TLRailUK A “track circuit” that tells the signalling system where trains are has been failing intermittently for some time now. It operates fine for a while and then fails, putting an associated signal (red in the picture courtesy @traksyuk ) to red and stopping trains. /2 Image
This is a detailed look at where it is – called TDZ it controls access to Smithfield sidings and a signal too. It works by passing a low electric current through the rails and when a train runs over those rails (yellow) it short circuits the current. /3 Image
Read 11 tweets
Mar 31
⚠️🚦 Sorry to say we have a signalling problem in one of the worst places it could be - right outside #Lewisham station. We've got a team on site investigating the issue but it means disruption to @Se_Railway services this evening and we advise people check before they travel. /1
@Se_Railway A detection circuit that tells us where trains are has failed on the scissors crossover in the picture, putting all signals on the approach to red (as you can see in this @traksyuk graphic). We are having to talk each train past those red signals manually. /2
@Se_Railway @traksyuk That takes time and would cause major problems if we tried to run a normal evening service, so many trains have been diverted away from #Lewisham itself until we can fix this. If you follow @Se_Railway they will have those details. /3
Read 9 tweets
Jan 2
⚠️🌧. We’ve had to slow @SouthernRailUK and @TLRailUK London-bound trains down near to #HaywardsHeath tunnel just outside the town after our earthworks alarms sounded a warning. A team is on its way to investigate and will make sure it’s safe before we speed things up again.
Our first responder is walking to site now and we have moved all trains to 1 (of 2) track to give them a safe walking route, meaning there will be disruption to services while this goes on. Sorry for the delays and keep checking before you travel on the Brighton Main Line.
Here’s the first pictures of the slip at #HaywardsHeath - those white poles are the sensors that warned us of the problem. Trains are running slowly past the site while our geotechnical engineers assess the damage.
Read 11 tweets
Nov 22, 2021
⚠️🍂We're really sorry for the disruption @Se_railway passengers are experiencing today. It's due to a signalling problem at Hayes because of heavy autumn leaf fall. Leaves on the line are no joke for us, autumn is our most challenging season and here's why... 👇
🍂Every autumn, thousands of tonnes of leaves fall onto railway lines. High winds can cause heavy leaf fall very quickly and rain means they are more likely to stick to the rails...
networkrail.co.uk/stories/how-do…
🍂When trains pass over the leaves, the heat & weight of the trains bake them into a hard, slippery layer. This is the railway’s equivalent of black ice. It makes it harder for trains to accelerate & brake effectively, so drivers have to go slower & brake earlier to stop in time.
Read 8 tweets
Oct 22, 2021
⚠️⚡️ Were so sorry for the disruption to @Se_Railway + @TLRailUK passengers on the Orpington/Charing Cross line this morning - this is the problem right here, at #PettsWood. It’s a “blown insulated block joint”, although actually two of them have gone. /1
You can see the blocked lines just outside #PettsWood as they have BLOC in their train indicators. We’re able to run on the other 2 lines and the connecting loops at the bottom of the picture, which is why there is still a train service, albeit not a normal one. /2
An insulated block joint is used to separate 2 track circuits, which use electric currents in the rails to tell us where trains are. This is one in happier times. /3
Read 7 tweets

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