VNTL to Canterbury on 29th March

I realise that that post was essentially written by a non-steam expert (Kent 999 - I assume the local fire brigade), but taking what is written at face value, I'd suggest it sounds more like the loco ran out of water than the injectors failed?

Tom

 

That's what I thought. Was it topped up after Headcorn at lunchtime?

 

The train had not long been under way from Canterbury by that point, and trains using similar itineraries usually take water at Headcorn on the way down, fill up during the long layover at Canterbury then take water again at Paddock Wood on the return leg. Hence my interpretation of that FB post as being injector failure.

 

Yes, my scepticism was really that if you have a full tender and non-functioning injectors, there is not a lot the fire brigade can do to help (except to damp down any fire you throw out.) Whereas if you have functioning injectors and an empty tender, the fire brigade could be very useful indeed! Of course, it is always a possibility they simply came out as a precaution. I'm sure the actual story will in time be known.

Tom

 

Path and times Here

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O86626/2014/03/29/advanced

 

VT have arranged for us to get a Chiltern train to Solihull, and they managed to get all of us across London. It's been a huge effort and huge credit is fully deserved.

 

Sure the VT guys will be able to give better details, but reported to us passengers as the injectors were partially blocked and so were wasting water and as a result the water ran low. Looped Folkestone East to get Tender refilled, meanwhile repairs attempted. Repairs completed by half 7 but by then arrangements made for us to get a 395 to St Pancras and back home to Solihull via Chiltern services.

As I say, huge thank deserved to VT Guys and I hope Ben's enjoyed all the crumble!

 

Just got back I'll try and give a reasonable account of what happened.

Outward to Canterbury went pretty much as planned, after Canterbury all seemed OK for some miles although blowing off a lot, we then made a sharp unscheduled pull up at Deal for a lengthy period while the right hand side of the locomotive was examined, I think below the cab but hard to be accurate from the view I had out a coach H droplight.

Anyway we finally left Deal, and made a rather laboured climb of what I assume was Martin Mill Bank (not overly familiar with the route), after hitting the summit the recovery in speed never came, we never topped 20MPH before Dover, with another stop inbetween the tunnels before Dover, preceding onwards towards Folkestone, it was obvious Braunton was being nursed, speed only being about 25-30MPH at most, before the towel was thrown in and we were shunted in the yard at Folkestone East.

Announcements on the train indeed confirmed the suspicions of injector trouble, also suggesting a possible blockage in the tender tank as the cause (just relaying what was told), anyway, having used so much water trying to get the injectors to work, the fire brigade was called to put some water in the tank while the injectors were worked on to try and get them going, the fire brigade pressure in the hose was low so took ages to fill, with the tanker being called down from Paddock Wood to help assist.

While all this was going on, we were in the yard for ages and getting dark, with a possession on the line north of London, it was soon released we would not get home due to an engineering blockade somewhere so the decision was made when Braunton was topped up with water and we would detrain at Folkestone Central while Braunton and the train ran ahead ECS (unsure if the injector fix worked, think the plan at that time was get to the next loop after Folkestone and reasses the situation).

To get us home, we were told to board the following high speed 1 service to St Pancras and a quick tube or taxi move to Marylebone for a Chiltern unit back north.

So quite the eventful and unfortunate day, can't lay any blame at VT's door whatsoever and must praise them for devising a plan to get us home, given how long Braunton was taking to coax back into life and how far away the nearest suitable diesel was.

Absolutely shattered so please forgive any typo's or errors, but hopefully sheds some light on where on earth we disappeared to for 90 mins or so.

 

Can confirm we took water at Headcorn outward.

 

Interesting. On the Peak Forester on the 23rd we overran our first water stop while something on the loco was attended to. A support crew member was observing something on the left hand side of the loco while a crew member appeared to working some controls in the cab. Another support crew member then went underneath the loco, reappeared to get a large hammer, went underneath again, reemerged and that was that. Whatever the problem was, it had been fixed and we were soon on our ways agin as if nothing had happened. Never did find out what the problem was.

 

Sounds like an amazing effort by VNTL. Just hope that the problems won't stop them coming South again and using a Bulleid too.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post this report after what must have been a very long day. Not a good weekend for Bulleids with 34070 also failing on the WSR.

 

Thanks to VT, Network Rail,SE Trains and Chiltern for getting us home after some very good running down to Canterbury

 

Yes - noted on Realtime Train Times that the 22:08 Marylebone - B'ham Moor St was re-timed at short notice to provide cover for VT "refugees" so presumably grateful thanks from VT and passengers to Chiltern. It really does seem to be the train company that cares !

 

Have to credit Chiltern too for that, was wondering how we were all going to squeeze into a 4 car 168, but the train that turned up was at at least 3 units of load 8+, can't believe that was a normal service loading so well done Chiltern in adding capacity where most other TOC's have an inability to.

 

Any idea what time the passengers got home to Solihull ?

 

About 23:50 give or take, so effectively only an hour down in the end.

While in Folkestone yard I did wonder why the 47 wasn't summoned from Southall, but presumably with the block on, it would not have made it in time anyway.