08:11 Hello this is the driver of 5F20, I am waiting in the Thames tunnel near Ebbsfleet. Flagpole number is AF757. With much curiosity I spoke to the signaller and he said there’s a train in front of me that’s stopped because of the back end of the other train on the adjacent line is blocking traffic and cannot be moved. 08:26 Might get out and walk up the tunnel.I’ll keep y’all posted. P.s it’s a good job it’s only a ECS move 08:30 I see the taillights of a fellow 395. Must be near the end of the tunnel. I walk further towards the front of the train. It’s 5J95 that’s in front of me. Another ECS move stranded. I’ll walk further up the tunnel to get to the end and see what the mess is about. 08:37 I reach the end of the tunnel. Finally I see the source of the problem. 1F13 is blocking all directions of traffic. I asked the driver why the train can’t be moved. He said “with all the high winds this morning I was pulling out of ebbsfleet and just before the tunnel there was a branch on the overhead wires which my pantograph struck. I’ve lost all power as I took the overhead wires down with it. So not only my train is blocking traffic but now the signaller has to isolate the overheads in all directions until it is fixed”. He didn’t look too happy as him and his train crew had to escort passengers back up to ebbsfleet. Time to walk back to my train and speak with control. 08:53 I’ve returned to my train and just spoke with my controller from the depot. It is not yet known how long the disruption will take. Guess I’ll just have to sit hear and wait. 09:11 just heard over the radio that southeastern and Eurostar have been advised to cancel trains on the HS1 route and to evacuate and escort any passengers to the nearest access point where they will be met by a coach that will take them to Ebbsfleet International. A rail replacement service will be enforced starting at 10:00 and will run between Ebbsfleet International and Rochester,Ashford International and Dartford. Trains are now having to be cancelled via Gravesend due to a backlog of trains. Drivers are reminded to sit tight. 13:40 “ this is a massage to all southeastern trains that are stranded today”. I gasp as I reach for my radio and hold it up to my ear. “ due to the disruption at Ebbsfleet this morning we are hiring out minibuses to pick you all up. Shut down your trains and leave them where they are. Disruption is expected to last all day. I will phone you all individually in a moment to tell you where your nearest access point is. If I don’t phone you by 14:00, phone me and wait upon further instruction. As it stands, your lot that I do not phone will travel bi-directional back into St Pancras but remember to phone me 1st”. Then at 13:52 my phone rings, I am instructed to walk to Ebbsfleet International where my minibus will meet me. 14:08 I reach the end of the tunnel and I see a flood of orange uniform and big yellow machines. As I tiredly walk up the track I hear one of the supervisors say “ This cable isn’t going to be up until 23:00 tonight “ I didn’t know if he was joking or not. Hear just outside Ebbsfleet are another two pairs of 395’s still stranded by the disruption . 14:20 I finally make it to a desolate Ebbsfleet International where I am greeted with a luxurious 30-seater Mercedes Benz minibus full of stranded yet jubilant drivers and train crew. I’m also reunited with the drivers of 5J95 & 1F13. I asked if they came here often and they laughed. Back to Ashford to sign off for the day.
