⚠️🔥We're really sorry for the disruption to passengers through #Gillingham because of a track fire. We believe the problem is linked to the third rail, the electrified rail which feeds power to trains.
We have engineers on site now looking to get the railway open again ASAP. /1
⚡️It looks like there's damage to an insulator pot, the ceramic gadget that keeps the third rail off the ground. If they are damaged, and the third rail touches the ground, electricity can earth through the pot and cause a fire. /2
For safety reasons, we've had to switch the power off to trains on all platforms at #Gillingham until we can repair the damage. Once again, we're sorry for the disruption. Please keep checking with @Se_Railway for live travel updates. /3
⚠️ Just by way of update, we’ve reopened the line heading south through Gillingham (but with delays to service, so please check with @Se_Railway for journey info). The power to the London bound line remains switched off for now, but our team are on site as we speak. /4
⚡️ We’ve just restored power to the London-bound line at Gillingham, and @Se_Railway will be able to resume services. Please continue to check your journey as there will be some disruption while we get trains and crew back in the right place. /5
➡️ We will keep you updated if there are any changes but for now, thank you for your patience this afternoon and we’re really sorry for the disruption to your journeys through the Gillingham area. /6
⚠️ Although we’re able operate in both directions, services through Gillingham remain disrupted/delayed as trains and crew get back to where they need to be - please continue to check train times with @Se_Railway for your journeys for the rest of the evening. /7
👷♀️By way of update, our teams are still on site at Gillingham as while we’re able to run trains in both directions, we don’t yet have the power back on through Platform 1 which has made restoring the service more challenging. Sorry again for the disruption this evening. /8
✅ A final update for this evening - the good news is we’ve restored power to all the lines through Gillingham following the issues earlier today.
🚆 There will still be some delays to trains so please check with @Se_Railway before travelling for the rest of the evening. /9
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⚠️ In the early hours of this morning, a train derailed in Plumstead at low speed when it was passing over a set of points, the equipment which allows trains to move between tracks. /1
If you look closely, you can see the train isn't sitting correctly on the rails and became stuck, blocking the North Kent lines in both directions between Charlton and Slade Green. /2
🔧In the last hour or so, our engineering teams have been working on a process to "re-rail" the train - in other words, to lift it from the stuck position and place it back, correctly, on the rails in order to move it forward. /3
❗️ London Victoria is currently closed due to a fire alarm sounding within the station.
⚠️ Trains in the area are being held and cannot currently run to or from the station.
➡️We're working closely with the local emergency services to reopen the station as quickly as we can, but in the meantime, please check with @Se_Railway and @SouthernRailUK for the latest journey information. More info to follow as we have it.
➡️ No sooner than our last tweet and the team on-site have identified the issue and are in the process of resolving it, so we can reopen the station to customers.
🚆Once fully reopened, we'll get trains moving as soon as we can.
❗️🔥We are sorry for the disruption to @Se_Railway passengers travelling into and out of London Bridge while @LondonFire deal with a track side fire. All lines are currently blocked. Please keep an eye on @Se_Railway for updates
👇 Here’s some photos from the fire at London Bridge, which is stopping trains from using platforms 6&7. Please keep checking with @Se_Railway for the latest advice.
❗️🔥We are sorry for @TLRailUK passengers for the disruption at #LondonBridge. Platforms 4 & 5 have been closed while the London Fire Brigade deal with the trackside fire. Please keep checking @TLRailUK for the latest advice.
Our friends @Se_Railway have been contacted by passengers who regularly ride on the line from #Margate to #Faversham via #Whitstable as to why their trains are running at a reduced speed in some places on the route.
They should be fixed soon but in the meantime, here's why... /1
@Se_Railway The route from Margate takes passengers from the chalky Isle of Thanet down to sea level near Birchington and then across a part of Kent that features a great deal of London Clay (a sort of yellowy gooey soil). /2
@Se_Railway The line across the marshes at Birchington (see below) is built up on an embankment built of that clay, as it was the only material the Victorian engineers had to hand when the line was constructed in 1863. /3