What has happened to the last Vep 3417?

Does anyone know what is happening to it?
Did it survive being at EG with no damage/vandalism....?
And what are the plans for it...

 

The unit is currently at Bournemouth Train Depot where the broken window caused by vandalism during its stay at East Grinstead is being repaired. It is due to return to East Grinstead during the week before the weekend of 9th/10th April for the EG Station Open Day at which 3417 will again provide rides across the viaduct to the railhead. There are currently no plans for the unit.

Chris

 

Looks like 3417 will get to know the way between Bournemouth and East Grinstead well as it is due to be back for the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala from 6th to 8th May DH

 

That's interesting - who is doing the window repair?

 

I can't answer that one. I was only told by two seperate Bluebell collegues that the broken window was to be repaired while the unit is at Bournemouth.

Chris

 

Didnt realise that there were fitters with slam door experience left at Bomo...

 

who's paying for the FTR exam? So the unit can run on Network. I can't see the point in sending the unit back to East Grinstead so the vandals can have another attack on the unit.

 

I expect the work will be done by the same group who've looked after her while she was at Wimbledon and Eastleigh - they post over at wnxx if you want to ask them about her future, who pays for the FTR exam etc.

Chris

 

The slammers only finished a couple of years ago!

 

The 3CIG's only finished running last May. And they were maintained at Bomo by the C4 gang (who are still there today). There are still plenty of SWT fitters qualified on '63 stock still around, myself included.

 

For those of you who have a soft spot for the Old Girl:

Last Saturday 3417 was fired up for the first time in 6 months; 6 months with no power, stored in the open, I remind you!

MG runs, motors work, light and coach heaters work.
Trim isn't in the best of health, but certainly salvageable - 6 months cold and damp has done the expected damage, but it can be remedied.
The broken large sidelight has been replaced.

Currently there are a few faults; traction and brake related but these are expected to be relatively simple fixes.

The Bluebell are continuing to take the health of the last remaining 4VEP seriously (well done, chaps).

3417 has a date at East Grinstead in April, and then another in May at Swanage; watch out for a fat bloke in the leading cab....

4VEP & a Crompton to Wareham, anyone?!

 

I wonder whether some sort of special arrangement could be made to plug 3417 into the 750V, rather like a shed shore supply, at East Grinstead?

Regards,

Dan

 

I very much doubt it, Dan.

No railway is going to be happy leaving a unit unattended with live shoe gear, to say nothing of how one would get a 750dc supply to it in the first place.

The best solution is the one that the Bluebell and SWT have negotiated between them - namely at East Grinstead when required, and at Bournemouth when not.

 

I'm probably thinking too much of the Underground example where we can use things like gap jumpers into the shore supply box to shift gapped units. Also current standards require use of the shore supply box to electrically isolate the shoe gear.

As you say, storing it at Bournemouth is a much more practical solution when it isn't required at East Grinstead.

Regards,

Dan

 

Sorry if I am being a bit thick here. [only ever worked on units powered by wire in the sky] But as VEP's are not modern units would not the shoe gear be live when the shore supply is attached? I always thought that all of the shoe gear was to be considered live when any part of the train was powered up.
It is better the unit lives in a secure place, where the electrics can be kept warm, and dry. As long as there are people at BoMo who a willing to look after the unit surely that is the best place for it.
Soon to be friend of 1498

 

When a 400-series slammer is on the juice, either via a shed supply or when in contact with the juice rail itself all shoe gear is live at all times.

Modern units have High Speed Circuit Breakers (the "Midland Bank" button) which can isolate the onboard equipment from the shoe gear, but even then all shoes are considered live.

The live gear rule also applies now that we have units running around with the regenerative braking system cut-in. Even gapped or shedded units can have live shoes for up to 5 minutes.

 

Thanks I thought that was the case. I knew you have to be very careful with 3rd rail units. I used to work on the Western and we had PTS for both overhead, and third rail electrification [Reading and LUL at Paddington] The instructor told tails of isolations at busy juctions being bridged by electric units crossing, where it was possible for there shoes to touch the isolated section.

 

I see in the Railway Herald that the ORR are conducting a consultation into allowing Mk1's to be used without a barrier vehicle - presumably this could greatly increase the viability of running heritage EMU's (and DMU's), including 3417?

Chris

 

3417 is slightly different due to the high number of bodyside doors on a VEP. Not insurmountable, but extra £££'s.

Regards,

Dan

 

Thats true, presumably welding some of them shut wouldnt quite do the job. Mind you, the MNR's 3CIG would presumably only need OTMR, crash pillar repairs and slide bolt 'secondary door locking' like the rest of the mainline mk1 fleet and it'd be good to go....

I just need to win the lottery

Chris