Class 150 bogie fire near former Aller Junction, Newton Abbot.

[Ashley Hill]

The 1148 Penzance-Exeter has come to a stand near the former Aller Junction near Newton Abbot. Flames and smoke have been seen from one of the bogies and the traincrew using extinguishers to put out the flame before the fire brigade arrived. A friend has just sent some photos.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Should be 150 265 if the data being supplied is accurate.

Are you on board?

 

[BillStampy]

The 1148 Penzance-Exeter has come to a stand near the former Aller Junction near Newton Abbot. Flames and smoke have been seen from one of the bogies and the traincrew using extinguishers to put out the flame before the fire brigade arrived. A friend has just sent some photos.

Oh dear. Might put the unit out just before the Easter holidays when the capacity is truly needed. Not ideal.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Should be 150 265 if the data being supplied is accurate.

Are you on board?

No, a friend lives next to the railway and gave me a running commentary.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Mar 2026 ==

Five fire engines, one water tender, three police cars and two ambulances are in attendance. The A380 is closed with traffic queueing ito the distace.

 

[Amos390]

Looks to have put a stop on the entire riviera line all the way back to Exeter, Plymouth, and Paignton

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Mar 2026 ==

National Rail have released a notice on the fire, they've called it a 'Safety Inspection of a train': https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/paignton-20260322/

 

[Wolvercoter]

I'm stuck at Taunton on 2C77. Nothing moving here either.

 

[800001]

No, a friend lives next to the railway and gave me a running commentary.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Mar 2026 ==

Five fire engines, one water tender, three police cars and two ambulances are in attendance. The A380 is closed with traffic queueing ito the distace.

One lane closed adjacent to line to allow fire service to deal with fire. Opposite carriageway open.

Attached photo taken from 'Devon Live' Facebook page.

 

[GBM]

Would have thought the Paignton/Exmouth service could continue running as it's clear of the Plymouth line?

 

[Ashley Hill]

One lane closed adjacent to line to allow fire service to deal with fire. Opposite carriageway open.

No doubt re-opened after the withdrawal of the surplus appliances.

Would have thought the Paignton/Exmouth service could continue running as it's clear of the Plymouth line?

Possibly closed if the fire service/fitters are still milling around on the track.

 

[The Foghorn]

Chaos at Exeter St David's. Everything from the east is cancelled here and some trains are heading back whence they came. Lots of people milling around in the hope of getting further west with no alternative transport on offer and little information available.

 

[Trainspecial]

Rare use of Aish Emergency Crossover to turn back 1S55

 

[dk1]

If the driver did know about the fire they have brought the train to a stand in the best place where assistance can be given & passengers evacuated if required. Further back coming down the bank would have been far less accessible and further on would’ve taken a train on fire into Newton Abbot station.

 

[Amos390]

Unit now turned into in 5E13 and ready to move

 

[RPI]

Unit now turned into in 5E13 and ready to move

On a wheel skate?

 

[Ashley Hill]

Unit now turned into in 5E13 and ready to move

Latest from my friend, all passengers evacuated via access point by Sainsbury’s. All emergency services stood down and departed. All shiny orange HV vests and suits departed. All staff and crew gone and unit abandoned.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Should be 150 265 if the data being supplied is accurate.

Definitely 150265, the carriage numbers (57265/52265) are visible in the 2nd photo in the 1st post.

 

[Amos390]

Latest from my friend, all passengers evacuated via access point by Sainsbury’s. All emergency services stood down and departed. All shiny orange HV vests and suits departed. All staff and crew gone and unit abandoned.

Oh, when will it move then, and will it be under its own power?

 

[Matt Taylor]

A wheel skate is required to move 150265.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Oh, when will it move then, and will it be under its own power?

Pass!
The affected wheel set is the powered one, perhaps there’s an issue moving it under its own power.

 

[800001]

Adjacent line seems to be open, an 0Z39 is being signalled past now.

 

[Amos390]

Adjacent line seems to be open, an 0Z39 is being signalled past now.

Yeah, that one is for the Inspiration train move later, its destination is the South Devon Railway so it doesn’t really have anywhere else it can go to get to its destination.

 

[JUMOUK]

If the driver did know about the fire they have brought the train to a stand in the best place where assistance can be given & passengers evacuated if required. Further back coming down the bank would have been far less accessible and further on would’ve taken a train on fire into Newton Abbot station.

quote from Devon Live article:

""I got on at Ivybridge and the train was smoking heavily," he said. "At the time it looked like it was coming from the rear of the train, but I think it was coming from the underside of the train. In the end, when we got to Newton Abbot and the train had to stop, the smoke was coming from one of the front carriages."

so suggests the driver may have been aware beforehand and stopped somewhere sensible, rather than the absolute middle of nowhere before Newton Abbot.

 

[FrontSideBus]

Now that's what you call a hot box! Lol.

I don't know how these work, do they have big roller bearings or just massive bronze bushes?

 

[83G/84D]

Train concerned was stopped by an emergency GSM-R message from another train. Wheel bearing has collapsed and unit to be fitted with a wheel skate for a move at 5mph possibly to Hackney Yd as it could be roaded from there if need be.

 

[Amos390]

Train concerned was stopped by an emergency GSM-R message from another train. Wheel bearing has collapsed and unit to be fitted with a wheel skate for a move at 5mph possibly to Hackney Yd as it could be roaded from there if need be.

I’m sorry, but what exactly does a wheel skate do?

 

[83G/84D]

I’m sorry, but what exactly does a wheel skate do?

It’s a bit like a cradle on small wheels that supports the defective axle / wheel and enables the train to be moved slowly to a place where it can be recovered.

 

[Amos390]

It’s a bit like a cradle on small wheels that supports the defective axle / wheel and enables the train to be moved slowly to a place where it can be recovered.

Ok thanks, would one of them manage to carry the 150 back to Laira?

 

[Jrocks]

Ok thanks, would one of them manage to carry the 150 back to Laira?

If needed yes, but doubt the 150 would head to Laira. More likely the 150 will end up in Exeter TMD.

Skates sometimes get used to move stock long distances (but not often at all) - just a few months back we had an 80x move on a skate from Paignton (Goodrington Sidings) to Bristol (Stoke Gifford). They are subject to speed restrictions however.

 

[Snow1964]

Ok thanks, would one of them manage to carry the 150 back to Laira?

When a skate is being used, train is moved very slowly. It's more a time to get there question than will it technically hold up for the distance.

Consequently normally moved to nearest refuge siding initially, then a slow overnight move when nothing else is using the line.

 

[GPR]

It’s a bit like a cradle on small wheels that supports the defective axle / wheel and enables the train to be moved slowly to a place where it can be recovered.

Example of one