Cannibalised Hex unit?

[BestWestern]

Afternoon all

Hex appear to have a 332 dumped and slowly shedding components at the west end of Old Oak Common. Currently looks to be minus its pan and the light clusters on at least one end. Is this just the usual case of parts-robbing while something is off the road for a while, or have they started formally withdrawing sets? A sad sight, the 332s are fine looking bits of kit!

 

[Bantamzen]

Afternoon all

Hex appear to have a 332 dumped and slowly shedding components at the west end of Old Oak Common. Currently looks to be minus its pan and the light clusters on at least one end. Is this just the usual case of parts-robbing while something is off the road for a while, or have they started formally withdrawing sets? A sad sight, the 332s are fine looking bits of kit!

332014 perchance? If so it gets a mention on the Long Term Out Of Use thread:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=146329

A similar fate had befallen 333009 which was dumped and cannibalised for a long time, but that at least has been given a new lease of life and is back in service.

 

[BestWestern]

Ah, I missed that! Very probably the same one then, yes!

 

[pdeaves]

In 1991 I was a trainee in Bounds Green depot. While I was there, there was a class 91 dumped outside the back of the depot, gradually being robbed of parts (the locos were of course quite new then). An edict came from on high in InterCity to get it running again, like NOW. The depot duly complied by taking another loco out of service and transferring the required components from it!

 

[Wivenswold]

Haha. Nice one Bounds Green. I'm surprised they didn't just swap the fleet numbers.

 

[D365]

Not surprised then that the locomotives were always considered unreliable...

 

[BestWestern]

Were they unable to get hold of bits even two years after they were built!?

 

[cjmillsnun]

Were they unable to get hold of bits even two years after they were built!?

They were no doubt saving money so as not to overspend on budgets.

 

[NSE]

In 1991 I was a trainee in Bounds Green depot. While I was there, there was a class 91 dumped outside the back of the depot, gradually being robbed of parts (the locos were of course quite new then). An edict came from on high in InterCity to get it running again, like NOW. The depot duly complied by taking another loco out of service and transferring the required components from it!

I don't know why, but that really made me laugh.

 

[pdeaves]

Were they unable to get hold of bits even two years after they were built!?

There always seemed to be stores shortages for reasons I never understood or cannot remember now. I do remember there being huge warranty issues with Met-Cam (for the Mk4s), perhaps similar with BREL (for the locos) that may have affected supplies.

The Mk4 issues included Met-Cam claiming a broken 'baby change' table being normal wear and tear. The biggest, burliest fitter took a new table, propped up one end on a brick and stamped on it. No breakage or cracking occurred. The Met-Cam people conceded that, just perhaps on this occasion it might possibly have been a manufacturing fault after all.

 

[AlanFry1]

Afternoon all

Hex appear to have a 332 dumped and slowly shedding components at the west end of Old Oak Common. Currently looks to be minus its pan and the light clusters on at least one end. Is this just the usual case of parts-robbing while something is off the road for a while, or have they started formally withdrawing sets? A sad sight, the 332s are fine looking bits of kit!

They're scrapping HEX 332s? but why?

 

[BelleIsle]

There always seemed to be stores shortages for reasons I never understood or cannot remember now. I do remember there being huge warranty issues with Met-Cam (for the Mk4s), perhaps similar with BREL (for the locos) that may have affected supplies.

The Mk4 issues included Met-Cam claiming a broken 'baby change' table being normal wear and tear. The biggest, burliest fitter took a new table, propped up one end on a brick and stamped on it. No breakage or cracking occurred. The Met-Cam people conceded that, just perhaps on this occasion it might possibly have been a manufacturing fault after all.

I know many a senior conductor who found patrons using the baby change table as a 'love seat'. Met Cam made it clear this was out of spec.

 

[NSE]

They're scrapping HEX 332s? but why?

They're not. But quite often if one unit in the fleet is waiting for a repair and is 'off the road' so to speak, it often gets used to donate spares while it waits. Then it often gets so low on parts it can't be moved. I believe the OP is just asking if this is happening because no one on here has reported the scrapping of HeX units.

 

[nottsnurse]

They're not. But quite often if one unit in the fleet is waiting for a repair and is 'off the road' so to speak, it often gets used to donate spares while it waits.

As known in the Military as a "Christmas Tree" or "Hangar Queen".

 

[BestWestern]

As known in the Military as a "Christmas Tree" or "Hangar Queen".

I've never 'got' the term Christmas Tree, though of course it's widely used. Surely you put things on to a Christmas tree, not take them off?!

 

[rebmcr]

I've never 'got' the term Christmas Tree, though of course it's widely used. Surely you put things on to a Christmas tree, not take them off?!

It's full of 'presents' to unwrap.

 

[332 > 444]

Afternoon all

Hex appear to have a 332 dumped and slowly shedding components at the west end of Old Oak Common. Currently looks to be minus its pan and the light clusters on at least one end. Is this just the usual case of parts-robbing while something is off the road for a while, or have they started formally withdrawing sets? A sad sight, the 332s are fine looking bits of kit!

As someone posted it is 014. It was the unit with problems with the chassis which caused them to take the whole fleet out of service. Not sure if it is a write off or will be repaired as I no longer work there.

332s looked good on the outside but their traction gear needs work! Panels stuck together by Velcro and stickyback plastic......

 

[MCR247]

removed

 

[NSE]

Yeah I've never quite got the why they use Christmas Tree. Maybe the first time it happened they all sat round the unit and took the parts they wanted while Band Aid played merrily in the back ground.

As an aside, I've always thought the 332/333's were visually nice units.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

It's full of 'presents' to unwrap.

that's my understanding of it ...