Class 80x problems

Noticed on the news this morning that there are mass cancellations and DO NOT TRAVEL notices for GWR and LNER today due to suspension cracks across the Class 80x fleet. Don't know if Hull Trains or TPX are affected as well.

John

 

Yes I saw that too with an overwhelming thought that we have many eggs in a single basket with the Hitachi technology. Let's hope that a fast resolution can be made given that neither GWR or LNER have much if anything to fallback to.

 

Plenty of power units out there but not so sure about the stock?

 

Also affecting the CAF 195 and others it's reported in the latest Railway Magazine.

 

Now it's made national news
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57036247

Hull trains are affected, but TPX can mix and match with a more varied fleet.

Cheers, Neil

 

I love the 80x series. They are cracking trains!

 

Any Pacers around?

 

Seating was a DaFT decision AFAIK. Probably made by people who don’t travel by train.

 

Yes . One is being lifted (by crane) into platform one at Huddersfield station this weekend. I liked 'em.....................

 

Presumably as a bar?


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https://twitter.com/platform_1_hd1?lang=en

It's being lifted in tonight. It's for a good cause.

 

They are looking for suggestions to name it! No-brainer. Name it 'Victor' and have @Victor perform the ceremony!

 

That's a different problem! With the 195s, it's where the yaw damper brackets are bolted directly to the underframe that is cracking. On the 800s, it's a huge bolster across the underframe that the yaw dampers, anti-roll bars and jacking points that are attached to, and it is these that are cracking.

 

As I understood it the 800's were a development from the HS1 Javelin does anybody know how these bolsters compare and whether the Javelins which will presumably have covered many more miles have had similar issues?

 

No such issues reported with the Javelins, but it has been observed that they are rather shorter bodyshells, and run without the same weight of stuff under the body. Either or both of those may be relevant to the current problems.


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Reported that the related 385s are also being looked over.

 

Government statement about class 800 units.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ndustry-for-action-to-resolve-rail-disruption

In one way I feel it's a bit rich for the DfT to call on the railway industry to resolve the disruption. Thinking back a few years I seem to recall that it was the DfT who specified the 800 series design and made their use a condition of the GWR and ECML franchises or operating agreement. Quite what the DfT could do to help I don't know apart from paying for spot hire of charter sets......

Cracking of aluminium body shells is nothing new, I recall problems with the early Networker units in Kent and the 158 DMU's in the 1990's.

Cheers, Neil

 

It's been reported elsewhere that LNER will bring back some 91/mark 4 sets into use this help over for the issues (they had been planned to reintroduce some in June anyway).