Failed train at Witham (18/12)

[zuriblue]

im on 1A95 from Harwich to Liverpool Street and we came to a stand just outside Witham. According to the driver the pantograph has come off the back unit. He reckons we can’t proceed like that!

They’re waiting for a NR guy to come along and assess whether we can move - if we can we’ll be running wrong road back to Witham to get us out of the way of the rest of the service.

 

[zuriblue]

The latest according to the driver is they will be bringing an empty 12 car from out the Ingatestone loop and we will transfer across to it. It looks like this one’s stock here which is going to do the service a power of no good.

 

[LAX54]

Yes all gone a tad squiffy on the GEML, damage yet to be assessed, currently all Up Roads at a stand. 1P15 terminate Colchester, 1F25 terminated Colchester, Down Roads on the move again now
0716 Harwich stuck at Witham and 0737 Ipswich and 0705 Norwich stuck at Kelvedon, with 0758 Harwich at Colchester

 

[Wivenswold]

Unusual to have pantograph/OHL problems on such a calm day here in Essex. Sounding like chaos at Colchester at the moment.

 

[zuriblue]

They’ve started sending up trains along the down line to get them out the way. The drivers just said that the folks on the back unit are going to be detrained and moved onto the forward units then we can uncouple the failed unit and be on our way. Hopefully I’ll make my connection, it’s an advance so I’m not sure what’ll happen if I don’t. Presumably I’ll be getting my card out.

 

[yorkie]

Hopefully I’ll make my connection, it’s an advance so I’m not sure what’ll happen if I don’t. Presumably I’ll be getting my card out.

I assume you have a valid connection? If so, you are absolutely entitled to take the next available appropriate train (and claim Delay Repay from Greater Anglia)

 

[zuriblue]

I assume you have a valid connection? If so, you are absolutely entitled to take the next available appropriate train (and claim Delay Repay from Greater Anglia)

Thanks. Not sure how delay repay would work, it’s a rail-sail ticket.

 

[LAX54]

Unusual to have pantograph/OHL problems on such a calm day here in Essex. Sounding like chaos at Colchester at the moment.

Yes it has got a little bit chewy here at the moment, but its the initial hit after the event, thinning out the service to a workable level, and of course crew displacement with Down Roads running late.
Looks like it will be an hourly IC service, not sure about GE services yet,
0800 Norwich terminated Colchester to form 1030 Ex Liverpool St, starting Colchester
0858 Col Town to London, working through.

 

[zuriblue]

They’ve transferred the pax from the back failed unit to the 2 good ones and I just felt us uncouple so we should be on the way shortly.

 

[broadgage]

They’ve started sending up trains along the down line to get them out the way. The drivers just said that the folks on the back unit are going to be detrained and moved onto the forward units then we can uncouple the failed unit and be on our way. Hopefully I’ll make my connection, it’s an advance so I’m not sure what’ll happen if I don’t. Presumably I’ll be getting my card out.

You should still be able to use your advance ticket, if unable to make the connection due to a "fault" of the railway such as the present breakdown.
Cant make the booked train because you overslept, your car failed to start, or a bus failed to turn up etc = tough !
Cant make the booked train because a connecting train service was cancelled or delayed = advance ticket may still be used on a later service.
The only exception is if you have allowed insufficient time for the connection, which appears most unlikely in this case.

 

[Z12XE]

This particular service has a guard all the way to LST, I hope the resulting feedback to the company for the additional person on board is positive in the light of all the DOO desire at the moment.

 

[Jimini]

Ouch:

 

[bonzawe]

I am surprised that with that sort of damage to the pantograph the wires still appear to be up and energized so the the front units could be driven away?

 

[zuriblue]

That’ll buff out.

 

[zuriblue]

This particular service has a guard all the way to LST, I hope the resulting feedback to the company for the additional person on board is positive in the light of all the DOO desire at the moment.

Have to say both crew members were excellent, we were kept well informed and apologies were given.

 

[Buggleskelly]

Just how can a pantograph come off like that? Any low trees around that area that could have caused this?

 

[Z12XE]

It seems there is damage as far back as Colchester plus damage to a signal in Witham so guess it had been having issues en route and that was where it gave out.
There's a neutral section there so possibly front end beyond that and able to take power from that section ?

 

[daikilo]

It seems there is damage as far back as Colchester plus damage to a signal in Witham so guess it had been having issues en route and that was where it gave out.
There's a neutral section there so possibly front end beyond that and able to take power from that section ?

Component metal fatigue failure? Followed by an automatic retraction?

 

[SPADTrap]

It seems there is damage as far back as Colchester plus damage to a signal in Witham so guess it had been having issues en route and that was where it gave out.
There's a neutral section there so possibly front end beyond that and able to take power from that section ?

"Oh you've got VCB problems driver? Okay just continue to London and we'll examine it at some stage in the future maybe, if we can, when it is next on exam or something.."

 

[ComUtoR]

Drop, Stop and Box !

 

[SPADTrap]

Drop, Stop and Box !

Pan up/Rest, line speed and no GSM-R

(It is a GA unit!)

 

[tsr]

All lines through the area are presently closed for NR to deal with OHLE damage. This includes the Braintree route.

 

[Alfie1014]

All lines through the area are presently closed for NR to deal with OHLE damage. This includes the Braintree route.

Just come through up on the down line from Kelvedon the original 4 car (an ex GN 321 is still there with another 8 car 321 just south on the Up road. I expect to arrive at Liv St about 90 late after foregoing the offered bus to Chelmsford at Colchester.

 

[Wivenswold]

Line still blocked both ways looking at the Signal Maps, no announcements on evening peak cancellations but it's getting close now, best to assume there will be some.

 

[Panupreset]

It wasn't me guv! Am rest day!

Right next to the bog too. If someone was on the throne when that came down at line speed they wouldn't have needed senecot

 

[broadgage]

Just how can a pantograph come off like that? Any low trees around that area that could have caused this?

I think that they are designed to detach relatively easily, it being preferable for a damaged or defective pantograph to detach rather than to remain in situe and perhaps pull down miles of overhead.

 

[Alfie1014]

Am on the first down train for many hours the delayed 15:18 LST-Clacton. We were held at Chelmsford for the possession to come off and have just passed first up train nr Hatfield Pev

 

[LAX54]

It seems there is damage as far back as Colchester plus damage to a signal in Witham so guess it had been having issues en route and that was where it gave out.
There's a neutral section there so possibly front end beyond that and able to take power from that section ?

No damage c/s Witham .

 

[Sleepy]

Wouldn' be linespeed - only just departed Witham and normally routed via platform 4 to allow 0648 ex - Norwich to pass.

 

[Alfie1014]

http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/...ructure_falls_onto_train_carrying_passengers/

The train's pantograph, the metal device on top of the train which links the train and the overhead wires, came crashing through the carriage windows.

Witham commuter Jane Tinkler said:"I was going up to London and all of a sudden at about 8.20am there was a huge explosion.

"I looked out and I could see sparks flying everywhere on top of our carriage, and people onboard and people next to me started screaming.

"You really don't know what is going on and it is really frightening to be in that situation.

"The pantograph, the large metal thing which holds the cables up came crashing down on the train, smashing the windows in our carriage.

"I managed to calm down the people around me as you really do not know what is going on, and that is scary.

"The train just kept moving and about three minutes later we came to a complete stop. ...

Pretty awful bit of reporting in the local rag not least the ‘headline’ but the photos do show some damage to one of the toilets in adjacent coach, seems to have been a pretty destructive de-pantographment!