Re: A bit of embarrassment for Virgin as 57 fails
- From: "Tony Miles" <tonymiles@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2005 21:34:15 -0000
<jonporter1052@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1133003229.771847.247800@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> turbo wrote:
> > >> Even with a press party on board,the managing director of Virgin
> > >> trains,and
> > >> not one but two travelling Alstom fitters the thing was still
kaput.What
> > >> chance do the normal customers of Virgin have in North Wales?!!!
> > >>
> > We've had the wrong type of snow, wrong type of leaves, etc, was this a
case
> > of wrong type of traction?
>
> or software, or TMS message, or a blue light went out, or a fuse blew,
> or ice in the air pipes, or could be lots of things really. I see that
> NR are now confident that the 390s are so reliable the need for 57s on
> the WCML is to be very much reduced. The edict I believe comes from the
> DfT wanting to trim costs. The idea of a 57 sitting around with a
> driver in case it is needed is not a popular idea with the Ministry.
> They reckon another 390 can do the rescue. Please remember that the
> next time the Minister rounds on the TOC when a Pendo is stuck on Shap
> in a blizzards with the wires down, and the 57 is still making it's way
> from Crewe. There may well be an EWS 66 closer, but with knuckle
> couplers.
> The cost of these "Thunderbird" locomotives is marginal when compared
> to the overall cost of a major failure on a trunk route such as the
> WCML. They are more complex than needed for a straight "pull-it-away"
> rescue machine, but then they are also used on diversionary routes and
> the power supply was needed also. Such a supply would also be needed in
> very cold or very hot conditions. From the briefing received yesterday
> it is apparant that the Met Office expect this winter to be very hard
> on all transportation modes. I hope that the 57s are not going to be
> mothballed for a few more months yet as I think they are going to be
> needed.
The current contract for the 57s runs through the winter to the end of the
financial year - so maybe if they are called up a lot it will be possible to
put the case for the funding to be found?
Incidentally the 57 failure was only the second total failure of a 57 in
service whilst hauling a Pendolino in passenger service - so not too bad a
record.
Also - for your amusement on the group - a number of the journos on board
were booked to be in the cab of the 57 throught he journey (on a shift
basis) - I had originally been allocated the leg on which the train failed,
but was personally re-allocated to go and look at the first class 185 being
handed over to TPE, so was spared a long sit in a Thunderbird cab... I do
know who WAS in the cab at the time, but maybe someone else would like to
post that?........
Tony
.
- References:
- A bit of embarrassment for Virgin as 57 fails
- From: Tim Rogers
- Re: A bit of embarrassment for Virgin as 57 fails
- From: GreatWesternSean
- Re: A bit of embarrassment for Virgin as 57 fails
- From: turbo
- Re: A bit of embarrassment for Virgin as 57 fails
- From: jonporter1052
- A bit of embarrassment for Virgin as 57 fails
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