Recent content by CalderRail

It's not just whether it's been done, it's whether it passes the testing to show that it's been done right

They've picked them specifically to mess with my travel plans; the one day I have to do Leicester to Saint Pancras and that's when they strike.

The one that annoys everyone in Calderdale is how the automated railway announcer says "Sowerby Bridge", which is traditionally followed by all of the locals muttering "it's SOR-BEE" under their breath. She also (unless they've changed it since I moved away) murders to pronunciation of Todmorden...

RAIB is like the mills of God; they grind slowly, but exceedingly fine

Or they'll run one loco down to do the pickup, and have the other attach wherever the reversal takes place. I'm sure they have a plan, anyway.

Can't blame them at all for reacting as they did. Who leaves a car unattended there?

Reports on social media that St Pancras was evacuated; an unattended vehicle near the station was dealt with by the bomb squad

A 57/3 ?

It's worth remembering that the rails in full sunshine will have been much hotter than the surrounding air. Steel exposed to direct solar radiation can reach 75 degrees C.

So lifting 3... judging from the earlier pictures they will have to re-rail at least one more as well. The other 4-car Multiple Unit might be drivable out under its own power if re-railed. Slowly and carefully ofc.

If you want to read the after-action report of the Summit fire it's right here: https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoT_Summit1984.pdf However, we are getting a bit off topic, I guess. With units the wrong side of the tunnel right now, I'd guess they will run some ECS first thing? Or...

Oh I'm not doubting that the Drax train went through (slowly, mind, to check). It's just the question I was responding to of how a fire can start in a tunnel - I'm just old enough to remember Summit!

*laughs in Summit Tunnel Fire*

You can design and build a railway to deal with any particular max heat. The problem here is that ours isn't designed to deal with this heat, and even if it were there would then be the problem of it dealing with the winter cold appropriately. A railway that won't buckle in a very high heat...

I don't think that is the primary risk here, TBH; the windows should be multiply glazed and laminated with a binding plastic, so even if (when) they shatter they stay in the frames and in one mass. They are very different to most tram windows. I'd be more worried about passengers being hit by...