Great Western Railway and West Midlands Railway Trains at Worcester Foregate Street on May 21st 2021

Описание: 2nd time filming at Worcester Foregate Street on the Cotswolds Line featuring Great Western Railway and West Midlands Railway services and also this time it was wet conditions as well.

Worcester Foregate Street first opened by the Great Western Railway on May 17th 1860 is the smaller of the two stations that serve the city of Worcester with the other being Worcester Shrub Hill which opened on October 5th 1850 originally by the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton and Midland Railways is situated to the east.however more of the central area.

Worcestershire Parkway opened on February 24th 2020 is situated furthest away outside the city to the south east served by Great Western Railway trains on the Cotswolds Line and CrossCountry Trains from Cardiff Central to Nottingham.

As for Worcester Foregate Street itself eventhough has 2 platforms however it's not as a conventional double track style as some will expect of any normal 2 platform station

Since 1973 the two platforms here are actually two single platforms with a two way working with Platform 1 trains used mostly by Great Western Railway services via Worcester Shrub Hill whilst Platform 2 used by West Midlands Railway trains via Droitwich Spa which explains the signage at the end of both platforms of a warning sign of ‘Two way working on both Lines’

The station's recent update in 2014 which included a new subway link, two new station entrances, re-siting of the station lift for the 2nd entrance being enclosed in the station building as well as repainting and strengthening of the bridge that both single lines cross heading west after leaving the station and also one of the railway arches has now been converted into a bike shelter

West Midlands Railway as the sub brand of West Midlands Trains provide services terminating from Dorridge, Whitlocks End via Birmingham Snow Hill as well through services from Birmingham New Street to Hereford services.

Great Western Railway use Platform 1 for terminating services from London Paddington which then head Empty stock to Worcester Hereford Sidings or Back Road however before the return back to London Paddington they have to pass through Worcester Foregate Street to a siding controlled by Henwick signal box located west of the station.

Where it would reverse before heading back on a service via the Cotswolds Line to London Paddington via Moreton-in-Marsh.

Although most services continue on to Great Malvern with a few services a day on GWR from London Paddington continue to Hereford.

Other services terminate at Great Malvern mostly originate from Weymouth, Southampton Central or Brighton via Westbury, Bristol Temple Meads, Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa

On April 30th 2021 disruption began to occur on Great Western Railway when six 5 car Class 800 IETs were pulled from service due to cracks uncovered in the suspension area however 8 days later on Saturday May 8th it was discovered that cracks were occurring in the Jacking plates which is used when the train is lifted for maintenance

It was decided as a safety precaution by the manufacture Hitachi that all Great Western Railway Class 800 and 802 IETS, LNER Class 800s and 801 Azumas, Transpeninne Express Class 802/2 Novas and Hull Trains Class 802/3 Paragons were all withdrawn from service for urgent checks which caused severe disruption to the rail network.

Hull Trains and Transpennine Express having the least number of Hitachi Trains manage to resume their services gradually within a few days however ongoing disruption hit both LNER and in particular Great Western Railway very hard which the disruption lasted for more a week.

It wasn’t until 9 days later when most services did gradually begin resume. An investigation from Hitachi, DFT and ORR (Office for Rail Regulation) recommended that a long term plan to replace the Jacking Plates on all Hitachi Intercity Trains was drawn up although disruption was likely to occur for a considerable period of time although at the time of filming it remains unknown how long exact the disruption would go on for.

As a result the inspection procedures were modified meant all Hitachi trains must be checked regularly and any that fail inspection at the depot which also includes checks by a Weld specialist would be pulled from service until the repairs are made.

As for the lines like those through the Worcester area, most of the former semaphore signalling is in some ways on borrowed time however for now the Semaphore Signalling is still intact and with that being controlled by signal boxes at Henwick, Worcester Shrub Hill and Tunnel Jn although whether that does get replaced in the future by modern day signalling in the future in the years to come only time will tell.

Music used:
JJD - Adventure
Music provided by NCS

Video link:
NoCopyrightSounds
   • JJD - Adventure | Glitch Hop | NCS - Copyr...  

Filmed on Friday May 21st 2021 on iPhone 11 and edited on iMovie

#worcester #hitachi #greatwesternrailway #cotswolds