20's dragging 315, How?

[delt1c]

Been looking at the pictures of the DRS 20's on the buffers at Liverpool St after dragging the errant 315 from Hackney downs, it would happen on the one day I couldnt get a train to Liverpool St.
Qusetion is how did the 20 couple to the 315? If it is the unit in the pictures that I saw then there was no barrier vehicle as the 315 Tighlock coupler is not compatible with the 20 and the 315 has no buffers .

 

[Turbostar]

IIRC, I sure I rem reading somewhere a while back, there's adaptors available to enable a loco to haul broken down EMUs/DMUs that have Tightlock, Scarfenburg, & Dellner couplers. You also have various bits & bobs to go with them to connect the air & electric lines. Think they only use the barriers as a last resort, other than that, the barriers are mainly used to transport stock/units etc. between depots & works, & to deliver new stock.

 

[CarterUSM]

Am I correct in thinking that they use translator vehicles to haul the multiple units? I seen one at glasgow shields depot one time after a 318 came back after repair a couple of years ago.

 

[Aictos]

There was a incident about 2008 in City Thameslink area where a 319 had lost all power, a 66 was dispatched to rescue it which used a emergency coupling setup to do the job.
I know there another incident at Kings Cross which resulted in the Thunderbird there dragging some FCCs away from the station area which again was done with a emergency coupling.

I can't remember the exact details on the process but there is a video on YouTube showing how HSTs can be rescued by 67s which is more or less the same principle as the 0P is discussing.

 

[delt1c]

Am I correct in thinking that they use translator vehicles to haul the multiple units? I seen one at glasgow shields depot one time after a 318 came back after repair a couple of years ago.

A Translator is a barrier vehicle if I am not mistaken, standard complings one end a unit coupler at the other,

 

[GB]

While both allow for the use of different couplings there is a slight technical difference between barrier and translator vehicles.

EMU/DMU brakes these days are usually operated electronically (via electronic signals that extend the length of the train) where as loco brakes tend to be operated pneumatically. Translator vehicles are fitted with a diesel generator or other electrical equipment inside the coaches that convert the operation of the loco brake into that of the EMU or DMU it is hauling.

Ive only worked with translators a couple of times but perhaps someone with a little more knowledge might like to put it a little better?

 

[driver9000]

GB is essentially correct athough a translator vehicle can use a locomotives ETH cables to draw power to work the brake control units to enable the units brakes to be worked, the generator/batteries can be used in the event of an non-ETH fitted loco being used. Barrier vehicles can be used to haul a unit as an unbraked vehicle and have standard drawgear on one end and either a tightlock, BSI or other autocoupler.

The class 20s were able to haul the 315 by use of an adaptor coupling which fits over the drawhook of the loco and has a tightlock head to enable the loco to couple to the unit and haul it as unbraked vehicle. There are also adaptors available for BSI, Sharfenberg and Dellner couplers.

 

[delt1c]

Thanks for the replies , what is realy annoying is the fact that I was unable to get to Liverpool St that Day as Nowt East Anglia was in dissaray due to failures .

 

[O L Leigh]

The class 20s were able to haul the 315 by use of an adaptor coupling which fits over the drawhook of the loco and has a tightlock head to enable the loco to couple to the unit and haul it as unbraked vehicle. There are also adaptors available for BSI, Sharfenberg and Dellner couplers.

Nope.

All our units carry a "mushroom" adaptor to permit emergency loco-haulage, but they do not work as described above. The link of the loco coupler goes into the slot in the Tightlock coupler jaw and the shaft of the "mushroom" passes down a hole in the top of the jaw, through the loco coupler and down into the bottom half of the jaw.

There is also an emergency air connection so that the loco can provide main air so that the parking brakes are off, but the loco cannot provide brake air or operate the unit's brakes. I've never been involved with a unit move such as this so have no idea whether the unit is moved unbraked or whether a second driver operates the unit's brakes under instruction from the loco driver.

Thanks for the replies , what is realy annoying is the fact that I was unable to get to Liverpool St that Day as Nowt East Anglia was in dissaray due to failures .

The main reason for the "disarray" was that the unit in question brought down the neutral section just to the London end of Hackney Downs platform late the previous evening. I went past on the slow lines while the passengers were still being de-trained and it had made a proper mess, what with the pan having broken it's back and getting tangled up in the wiring.

O L Leigh

 

[driver9000]

Thanks for clarifying that OL Leigh I had presumed the tightlock adaptor was the same as our BSI adaptors being one piece with the mechanical head and seperate MR pipe. I would expect the unit would be moved the same way we would move a diesel using the adaptor with it being hauled unbraked with the driver to man the cab to apply the parking brake in the event of the train dividing.

I doubt the unit brakes would be used while being hauled as the driver would need his desk open and an electrical supply to operate the handle and communication with the loco wouldnt be available making the passing of instructions safely and clearly impossible.

 

[E&W Lucas]

There was a incident about 2008 in City Thameslink area where a 319 had lost all power, a 66 was dispatched to rescue it which used a emergency coupling setup to do the job.
I know there another incident at Kings Cross which resulted in the Thunderbird there dragging some FCCs away from the station area which again was done with a emergency coupling.

I can't remember the exact details on the process but there is a video on YouTube showing how HSTs can be rescued by 67s which is more or less the same principle as the 0P is discussing.

I hate to say this, but not the same situation.

As has been indicated above, if you want to attach a loco directly to a wescode braked unit, ie 3xx series, it has to be an unbraked move. an adapter coupling is used. 5 mph to clear the line.

A HST emergency bar simply allows a loco to couple to a HST. Main res & ABP can then be coupled, and you'd use one of the power cars to provide ETS. The HST just becomes an air braked train.