'Incompetent' rail bosses sent vital de-icing trains for servicing during the big freeze as passengers were left marooned by weather

Published 10th Dec 2010

Rail chiefs sent two vital de-icing trains away for servicing at the height of the big freeze, it was revealed today.

Network Rail and the train company SouthEastern have been condemned for 'total incompetance' by Michael Fallon, Tory MP for Sevenoaks in Kent.

Greg Clark, Tory MP for nearby Tunbridge Wells said he was ‘flabbergasted’ that the Network Rail trains were sent in for maintenance in winter rather than the summer leaving passengers to face 'total chaos.'

Rail bosses apologised for the fiasco after the disclosure was made to Kent MPs during an 'angry' meeting with Charles Horton, managing director of rail operator SouthEastern - which is set to increase its fares in the New Year by up to 13 per cent.

The showdown meeting with MPs was held at the House of Commons following massive public criticism about the way Southeastern dealt with the recent sub-zero conditions.

The operator has been accused by union leaders of being ‘caught out’ by the cold snap, with its services collapsing into ‘total chaos’.

At the height of the big-freeze, the wintry conditions passengers were left standed overnight on a snowed in train.

Southeastern’s 8.05pm train from Charing Cross to Hastings train was forced to shut down north of Orpington as an insulating layer of ice blocked the electricity from getting to the rail. Passengers were stranded until 5.30am on December 1.

Network Rail sent another train to try and rescue the broken-down one but that became stuck too, so they had to resort to manual de-icing.

Southeastern's lines are particularly prone to snow problems because, instead of overhead lines, rails are electrified - and these are worse affected in freezing conditions.

The firm admitted that when the Hastings train finally arrived into Orpington station some passengers refused to get on the replacement buses, preferring to remain on the train. Another train was stranded in Petts Wood overnight.

Network Rail said it had brought in 'extra resources' from other parts of the network which were not affected by the severe weather.

But Mr Fallon said: 'The total incompetence of this farcical situation beggars belief.

‘Passengers who are paying through the nose for an appalling service were let down badly.

He said there was a 'blame game' going on between the train company and Network Rail adding that the number of de-icing trains had in any case been whittled down from eight to just two over the last 20-odd years.

Mr Clark said: ‘It is farcical that de-icing trains should go in for maintenance in the winter, when they are needed, rather than during the summer, when they are not.’

‘Southeastern has let down its customers by failing to run trains and by failing to communicate with the public.'

He added: 'Although the amount of snow was exceptional, I was flabbergasted to be told by Charles Horton that two of Network Rail's crucial de-icing trains had been sent away for their annual service at the end of November so were out of action last week.

Network Rail sought to defend its actions. A spokesman said: ‘During last week's winter weather in Kent, we brought in extra resources from other parts of the network which were not affected. These more modern locomotives were able to do much more than the piece of kit that was being upgraded.

‘We apologise to passengers who faced disruption last week and pay tribute to the Network Rail people and train operator staff who worked 24 hours a day in Arctic conditions to enable the best possible train service to run.’

Mr Clark said that Southeastern's communication with passengers during the freezing temperatures was ‘utter chaos' adding: 'Travellers couldn't tell from the company's own website, from station announcements, from the telephone line or from information given to broadcasters what they were supposed to do’.

‘Passengers were able to find out more from each other using Twitter than they were from the company that was taking their money.'

He was 'not persuaded' by the meeting that Southeastern 'fully recognise the scale of their ineptitude on communications.'

Mr Clark asked Mr Horton to offer a ‘goodwill discount’ to customers.

Mr Horton apologised to customers: ‘We are sorry that many of our passengers had severely disrupted services last week due to the snow and icy conditions on the track.'

He said ice on the conductor rail 'makes it impossible for trains to draw electricity, causing major disruption'.

‘Network Rail worked hard to clear the snow and keep the rails free of ice, but despite their efforts large parts of the network were closed due to the very heavy snowfall.'

‘We accept that there were shortcomings in information provision and this made the disruption even more frustrating for passengers.'

At the height of the freeze, commuters on Southeastern, which will be inflicting rises of up to 13 per cent on season tickets in the New Year, suffered more than half its services cancelled completely.

The meeting followed the announcement that workers at Southeastern are to be balloted for strikes in a row over jobs.

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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