'The Capital Christmas Express'. 23rd November

Stick a Standard 5 on the back.

 

Gen groups saying Tangmeres had a problem at Winchfield, anybody in a position to say whats happened??RTT says still at Winchfield and hour down now..and counting

 

Just got a message to say Tangmere has failed between Fleet and Winchfield!

 

This is what was posted on the excellent WRGEN by Joe..my thanks to them..

One of Tangmere's axle rods has fallen off and landed on the 3rd rail whilst at Winchfield for water stop, and is now under the train in the ballast. Down slow completely blocked

 

Oh my goodness, serious or what

 

Tangmere actually stopped about 1/4 mile east of Winchfield. Network Rail van with 3 or 4 guys on board called at Winchfield station at about 8.15 then went off to investigate.

 

Any news on Tangmere RTT showing no moment seems pretty dire.

 

Real shame if Tangers has fallen over this evening, as she was going really well this morning. Plenty of "Tangmere clag" as she approached Winchester, photos from there and from the capital below

http://railwaygalleries.smugmug.com...-2013/28793445_MSxkrr#!i=2926183692&k=sGr84Vq

 

I was probably the last person to film it - it had a shocking "clank" as it went through Weybridge.

 

Apparently the outside connecting rod fell off onto the 3rd rail. Tangmere expected to be pushed to Basingstoke.

 

broke a coupling rod at Fleet Hants,many sparks from conductor rail,my sister is on the train.

 

connecting rods dont just fall off !!!!! But what effect will this have on steam in the south east, we had the steam ban on 3rd rail for ages, i would hate to see it return on the back of this,

 

Steady on old chap, let's not hit the panic button just yet! Granted, not the best scenario to say the least but to say everything is going to be banned is a little hasty!

 

Generally the people in charge are more sensible than to ban everything on the basis of one isolated incident

 

Looks like it's on the move again & has arrived at Basingstoke according to RTT. Running 200 minutes late.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U54640/2013/11/23/advanced

Read the bit in red at the top.

 

This failure does seem rather odd, and hopefully nobody will try & blame WCRC as she has done 550/600 miles since leaving Carnforth over 3 separate days, you would have expected any issue from her repairs to have cropped up earlier in the week. Hopefully that clanking you can hear in mrKnowwun's video wasn't anything else happening & she can be back out for Thursday.

 

Terminated Basingstoke 200 late.

 

Shoddy, i'm not saying that will happen, what i'm saying is that there are those who could use this as an excuse to try to ban steam from 3rd rail routes,especially very busy ones like the SW mainline. but more urgent is to find out how the rod became loose in the first place if its the conncting rod, their held by circlips on unrebuilts arnt they? its beeen a while since i removed one

 

Nice for all the people who live / parked in Weymouth then! Good luck getting back there at half 10 on a Saturday night...

 

I wonder what will happen to the loco now. Would 34067 move to Eastleigh for inspection?