Bath Spa Express, 17/08/2011

Bath on the way to Bristol.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/sets/72157627332524665/

At Claverton outside Bath, en route for Bradford on Avon.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/sets/72157627456988830/

 

The loco appeared to be running really well approaching Bath but I wonder if the problem developed soon afterwards.
Click on the link above to see the train at Claverton.
The train departed from Westbury 179 mins late behind a class 59 diesel loco.<BJ>

 

Reading Wessex rail gen tonight 70000 has dropped a plug and fire brigade call out to Warminster railway station.


TA
R Smith

 

some video from today at bristol at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=keyhamtrain#grid/uploads photos at http://keyhamtrain.weebly.com/bath-spa-express-17-8-11.html

 

If a fusible plug was dropped, why wasn't the fire thrown out immediately? Doesn't tally with the report that engine and support coach moved off the train under their own power at Westbury either.

Either way I hope the loco is fit for Sunday!

Regards,

Dan

 

Westbury is before Scudamore (in turn just before Warminster) so as we have video of it hauling the train through there it clearly didn't come off at Westbury. The blowing safety valve on a fair climb at Upton suggests that if water was a problem, it may have been boiler water that was lacking rather than tender water - query possible injector problem. Trouble is once you get past Westbury on that run there isn't really anywhere to "pull over" and I suspect you could be OK through Westbury but in serious trouble after Upton Scudamore having used a lot of steam/water on the climb.

 

I don't know this info came from Wessex rail gen. Maybe Roger Smith was given the wrong info and then posted it on Wessex rail gen. I'm sure we will find out what has happen in the not to distant future. If your info is right maybe her tender ran low on water which would make more sense.

 

Unless (working through possible scenarios) assisting loco was summoned from Westbury to bring the ensemble back down the bank from Warminster so 70000 could be removed following failure.

 

"Shaggy" posted this on the 70000 thread.

"I was at Warminster this afternoon soon after the alarm was raised! The Fire Brigade arrived quickly to top it up and the fire did not have to be dropped. The Traction Inspector declared it a failure to prevent any damage to the loco so hopefully the cause of its failure (injectors?) will not be serious."

That doesn't entirely make sense either - if you knew the tender was getting low on water you'd stop at Westbury, so unless it was dumping gallons along the way, how is it needing a top up ten minutes down the line?

 

Not a great quality video from Claverton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KilrHfwZmIM

 

Before everyone goes into overdrive I have it on authority that no fusible plug was dropped on 70000.

 

Train arrived back at Poole about 105 minutes down with 59203 at the head - seen drifting down top of Parkstone bank at 2150

Hope Britannia is back in as good as form as she was this morning soon and no serious damage DH

 

So true - going great guns through Swaythling - sadly a freightliner got between the camera and 70000 - this should give some of you a chuckle! Heigh ho! such is our hobby!

 

Shades of 45231 on the S&C two years ago almost to the day.

 

I believe that time it was due to the ashpan sprinkler being left on. Water running to waste.

Brian

 

Correct.

 

Reminds me of Clan Line's problems a couple of years ago.

 

From my experience with road engines I'm guessing that all that steam that appears to be blowing from the injector overflow would get the injectors as hot as hell and hot injectors won't pick up.
Might have been better to shut off the steam to the injector and let some cold water through the injectors to cool them off and then try again.
As I say this is my own experience with road engines if the injector or the water is hot the injector won't pick up.
This is in no way criticism of the crews merely an observation based on personal experience, usually they work ok but if they decide to play up...... well to say the least the air can get a bit blue.

Cheers Dave