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oh dear hope everyone`s alright

M53 elsmere port towards birkenhead accident in controflow motorway backed up to m56 expect delays ambulance at accident

J3 m53
Prenton to clatterbridge motorway coming to a stop.

Arrow park road up to arrow park pub,
Sleet freezing on to road no grip,
Be aware cars sliding.

The gritter trucks mustn`t have done that area.

The rain washed the grit away.

Why is it this country can not deal with cold weather, when regarding road safety?

Woodchirch road towards Asda and Arrow Park delays, all the way back to roundabout.

Clear now

still problems outside lower entrance to arrowe park hossy that was at 2pm today

Problems on mersey rail (defective rail)
Bus replacements in place.

A water pump operated by Network Rail and situated in the tunnel under the river bed was leaking onto the tracks.
the water was above the running rails and blew the cables feeding the signals and track circuits, also set fire to 8 insulating pots which grease the wheels as they pass over them.
Network Rail had to wait until the water receded before being able to get to the faults.

Not Merseyrail's fault although they always get the blame!

The insulator pots support the live rail. Nowt to do with greasing the wheels. If there's a pumping fault it'll be at Shore Road Shaft or Mann Island. Unlikely all pumps would fail at once. IF a pump fails, an alarm comes up. On a visit to the drainage heading some time ago. I was told by the fitters that it takes four hours for water ingress to reach the 3rd rail at river bed. Game over! The track circuits would short out first as the water "bridged" the running rails. All signals to red and train stops "up".

The drainage heading is under the main tunnel. The highest point of the heading is under the lowest point of the main tunnel. Water then gravitates down to sumps at Shore Road or Mann Island. Bonzo sized Sulzer (or they were) "down the hole" pumps bring it to surface drains.

Here endeth the lecture !! Is anyone still awake ?
The above bumf was gleaned a few years back. Also in some equally old books I have. Things could have changed of course.
Thanks gopher for the heads up on this.

They checked the pumps, all were working ok, but there was a big enough hole in one of the pipes to allow the leakage over night so no warning lights or alarms registered in the control room, so the water built up and was noticed by the driver of an empty stock train at 05.15, trains were allowed to carry on under caution but the level reached the rails and then Bobs your uncle.NO TRAINS

Thanks gopher. All good stuff.