BHM - disruption fire on train 10th July 26

[MrWestern]

Morning all,

Hearing reports of a fire onboard a train at New Street this morning with major disruption at least until 9am, with no trains to/from New Street in meantime.

 

[357]

I'm told it's an XC unit.

 

[Harpo]

There’s a fire on a train with all lines closed. Live maps show a sea of red signals.


EDIT. Trains moving again after what looks like a 50 minute stoppage.

 

[357]

Trains now on the move towards BHM it seems. One has left Derby.

 

[TastyMaltesers]

Yikes! I hope that nobody was harmed.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I'm told it's an XC unit.

I was informed it was a WMR unit.

 

[Toby268]

I was informed it was a WMR unit.

It wasn’t. 1O04 0511 Manchester to Bournemouth.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Thought to have been dragging brakes.

 

[ValleyLines142]

It wasn’t. 1O04 0511 Manchester to Bournemouth.

Oh such fun. XC staff said it was a WMR service.

 

[Russel]

Thought to have been dragging brakes.

I've often noticed a smell of burning brakes coming from Voyagers, are they prone to dragging brake issues?

 

[DarloRich]

Hopefully there are no injuries or damage to the infrastructure or vehicle.

I've often noticed a smell of burning brakes coming from Voyagers, are they prone to dragging brake issues?

Please tell me the unit was named "Alfred the Great"

 

[357]

I've often noticed a smell of burning brakes coming from Voyagers, are they prone to dragging brake issues?

No - I often have burning smells from the brakes but I've never had actual dragging brakes.

I don't know what causes it but I notice it more when I have stopped from higher speeds than when I have been poodling around and stopping from lower speeds more often.

 

[harz99]

Still some delays, largely from displaced crew issues, 0807 Avanti New Street to Edinburgh left about 30 late, the 0847 Avanti Birmingham to Euston which I'm on left 20 late, the former was already late and further delayed awaiting a guard, the latter awaiting a driver.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I'm lead to believe there wasn't an actual fire, it was some sort of engine fault.

Looking on Real Time Trains it appears as if 221114 was the set involved, so let's see how long it is until it returns to service. I'm guessing it will have been sent to Central Rivers for inspection/repairs.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

I'm lead to believe there wasn't an actual fire, it was some sort of engine fault.

Looking on Real Time Trains it appears as if 221114 was the set involved, so let's see how long it is until it returns to service. I'm guessing it will have been sent to Central Rivers for inspection/repairs.

It was reported as smoke coming from an engine by passing train as it came through Soho. Whether there was a full flaming fire I don't know, but certainly enough for driver and station manager to request fire brigade attendance

 

[Russel]

No - I often have burning smells from the brakes but I've never had actual dragging brakes.

I don't know what causes it but I notice it more when I have stopped from higher speeds than when I have been poodling around and stopping from lower speeds more often.

Fair enough, just something I'd notice that seems to be a lot more common on Voyagers than any other fleet.

 

[voyagerdude220]

It was reported as smoke coming from an engine by passing train as it came through Soho. Whether there was a full flaming fire I don't know, but certainly enough for driver and station manager to request fire brigade attendance

Thank you for the info. I'd just read on Tyrrell that the Fire Brigade had reported no evidence of an actual fire but suspected an engine fault. I wonder if anyone onboard the train involved knew about the issue or whether the train itself detected any issues before the other train reported the excessive smoke.

 

[LCC106]

Apparently isolating the Auxiliary Control Isolating Cock can cause a burning smell outside the train. I don’t know any more than that though, @357

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Thank you for the info. I'd just read on Tyrrell that the Fire Brigade had reported no evidence of an actual fire but suspected an engine fault. I wonder if anyone onboard the train involved knew about the issue or whether the train itself detected any issues before the other train reported the excessive smoke.

Not sure, but my colleague who was at the station said it was pouring white and black smoke as it entered the station which engulfed their 350's HVAC which then filled said train with smoke so I'd presume it was quite a sight, rather than bragging brake/ overheating engine type event.

 

[sjm77]

'm lead to believe there wasn't an actual fire, it was some sort of engine fault.

Looking on Real Time Trains it appears as if 221114 was the set involved, so let's see how long it is until it returns to service. I'm guessing it will have been sent to Central Rivers for inspection/repairs.

I was suprised to see that this service made it to Southampton 72 minutes late. However I then notices a unit swap to 220017 at New Street!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Not sure, but my colleague who was at the station said it was pouring white and black smoke as it entered the station which engulfed their 350's HVAC which then filled said train with smoke so I'd presume it was quite a sight, rather than bragging brake/ overheating engine type event.

Yes that certainly sounds very concerning!

 

[silexa]

I was waiting for this train at BHM, I can confirm it certainly wasn’t dragging brakes!
I have a video of it arriving but this is sadly too large to post on here. Smoke was coming from the exhaust in the roof of the front driving vehicle. It was certainly A LOT of smoke…

 

[AndrewE]

It was reported as smoke coming from an engine by passing train as it came through Soho. Whether there was a full flaming fire I don't know, but certainly enough for driver and station manager to request fire brigade attendance

We once tried to get a Voyager between Stafford and Bristol; there was lots of smoke visible from beneath one car as it arrived in Stafford, then we were evacuated at Wolves.

Not very well managed: one passenger was telling us he tried to tell the staff at Stafford about it but they brushed him off.

At Wolves all trains were paused as the power was isolated for the fire brigade to access it, people having been emergency evacuated were then stuck without their luggage.

Luckily we just had a daysack each and managed to squeeze in to the first WMT stopper to New St the minute the power was switched back on, and got to Bristol just an hour late.

The sooner they get the Voyagers confined to non-wired routes the better!

 

[class 9]

No - I often have burning smells from the brakes but I've never had actual dragging brakes.

I don't know what causes it but I notice it more when I have stopped from higher speeds than when I have been poodling around and stopping from lower speeds more often.

When an engine is shut down, there's no dynamic brake, just friction brakes, that's what you can smell brakespads on the discs.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jul 2026 ==

Apparently isolating the Auxiliary Control Isolating Cock can cause a burning smell outside the train. I don’t know any more than that though, @357

That isolates the dynamic brake.

 

[Crossover]

I was waiting for this train at BHM, I can confirm it certainly wasn’t dragging brakes!
I have a video of it arriving but this is sadly too large to post on here. Smoke was coming from the exhaust in the roof of the front driving vehicle. It was certainly A LOT of smoke…

Maybe burning oil?

The sooner they get the Voyagers confined to non-wired routes the better!

Ha - good luck with that, particularly whilst they are with XC!

 

[ac6000cw]

Thank you for the info. I'd just read on Tyrrell that the Fire Brigade had reported no evidence of an actual fire but suspected an engine fault. I wonder if anyone onboard the train involved knew about the issue or whether the train itself detected any issues before the other train reported the excessive smoke.

Not sure, but my colleague who was at the station said it was pouring white and black smoke as it entered the station which engulfed their 350's HVAC which then filled said train with smoke so I'd presume it was quite a sight, rather than bragging brake/ overheating engine type event.

I was waiting for this train at BHM, I can confirm it certainly wasn’t dragging brakes!
I have a video of it arriving but this is sadly too large to post on here. Smoke was coming from the exhaust in the roof of the front driving vehicle. It was certainly A LOT of smoke…

(Speculation) Engine turbocharger failure possibly?

 

[Russel]

The sooner they get the Voyagers confined to non-wired routes the better!

How is that relevant?

It's a rare event that can and do happen to any type of train.

 

[AndrewE]

How is that relevant?

It's a rare event that can and do happen to any type of train.

if they are not under the wires then it is only that track or platform (and the adjacent line) which is blocked. If the area is wired then the whole lot loses power - and if the wires get frazzled then it is a lot worse for much longer...

 

[357]

When an engine is shut down, there's no dynamic brake, just friction brakes, that's what you can smell brakespads on the discs.

It is a daily occurence, not affected by any of my engines being shut down.

The friction brake is used to an extent at all speeds alongside the dynamic brake, moreso if using a higher brake step at higher speeds.

I'm not doubting it is my brakes but it is definitely not related to how many engines are running - as I said it is normally more obvious if the train has stopped from a high speed somewhere like York.

 

[voyagerdude220]

as I said it is normally more obvious if the train has stopped from a high speed somewhere like York.

I remember being on a Virgin 221 several years ago between Lockerbie and Carstairs which kept having issues with it's tilting system/TASS. It made an intervention which brought us to a very hard stop where line speed was probably 125mph and I remember the brakes smelling afterwards.