FGW 57/6 (and DRS 57/3)s Unreliability

[PHILIPE]

1A40 Last night left Penzance 50L worked by 57303 on own having been repaired, late start being quoted as as insurance due to congestion. Very strange reason. However, the 2 HST PCs ran up from Penzance preceding it but returned from Lipson Jn to Plymouth to assist after 57303 stalled approaching Liskeard (? rail conditions) but got going again. 99L Plymouth and 14L on arrival Paddington. 57604 was sent down light from OOC yesterday but currently at Laira with square wheels.

 

[221129]

1A40 Last night left Penzance 50L worked by 57303 on own having been repaired, late start being quoted as as insurance due to congestion. Very strange reason. However, the 2 HST PCs ran up from Penzance preceding it but returned from Lipson Jn to Plymouth to assist after 57303 stalled approaching Liskeard (? rail conditions) but got going again. 99L Plymouth and 14L on arrival Paddington. 57604 was sent down light from OOC yesterday but currently at Laira with square wheels.

1A40 came to a stand Between Bodmin Parkway and Plymouth on Up Main line

With a report of sparks from the loco.

 

[obrut165]

Reported engine fire

 

[221129]

Reported engine fire

Although on inspection No Fault was Found.

 

[trac]

Maybe the 57 was just doing its but for fireworks night ?

 

[PHILIPE]

1C99 23 45 Paddington to Penzance last night (16th) failed in Largin area at 0621 this morning due loss of air on 57603, suspected may have hit something.
Train eventually terminated Bodmin Parkway at 0730. My information, especially re rescue, is rather patchy but I'll try and fill in later on. Info from Yahoo Group.

 

[richw]

1C99 23 45 Paddington to Penzance last night (16th) failed in Largin area at 0621 this morning due loss of air on 57603, suspected may have hit something.
Train eventually terminated Bodmin Parkway at 0730. My information, especially re rescue, is rather patchy but I'll try and fill in later on. Info from Yahoo Group.

It's currently in the down loop at Par.

 

[PHILIPE]

Passed through Camborne at 1005 as 5C99 09+14 Par to Penzance

 

[irish_rail]

To clarify,loss of air was between two of the coaches due to a main res pipe being sheared off, possibly due to hitting an object, though driver felt nothing, only felt by staff onboard. 69 late when terminated at Bodmin Parkway, before it limped onto Long Rock depot Penzance.

 

[PHILIPE]

57310 ( the previously unreliable one) back on the scene and ran LE Crewe to Old Oak Common yesterday. Finished up working 1C99 last night due failure at Paddington of 57603 and which returned to OOC. Reported as top and tail so presume the ECS loco remained on rear for insurance. Left 129L and arrived Penzance 6L.
Incidentally 57605 (damaged after hitting tree and reported on another thread)
worked 1A40 with 57303 on rear.

 

[richieb1971]

Someone needs to clear the line. I only read the last few posts and these 57's are obviously requiring low clearance because they keep hitting stuff.

 

[JN114]

Someone needs to clear the line. I only read the last few posts and these 57's are obviously requiring low clearance because they keep hitting stuff.

It's not a gauge clearance issue, these are all incidents where they or their coaches are hitting things that aren't meant to be on the line.

 

[richieb1971]

It's not a gauge clearance issue, these are all incidents where they or their coaches are hitting things that aren't meant to be on the line.

On 2nd thoughts sounds more like its the whole train at fault rather than hitting stuff. On several occasions the engine fails, on other occasions the coaching stock has issues. Yet every other train seems to go on the same lines without a hitch.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Re todays 310/602. This was not a loco issue but a parking brake fault in the BSO. Same up tonight.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also, bear in mind for most of its journey down, its the first train to use the line thus hitting anything from overnight. The reliability of the up service is much better...... !

 

[PHILIPE]

After arrival of 57310 again and thrown in at the deep end, it has been working the Night Riviera on a daily basis, and unlike last spell with GWR, has been performing well until 1C99 last night. Passengers had to be awoken and turfed out at Reading for an HST which came down from OOC. Don't know what the fault was but fitters unable to rectify. Left Reading at 0342 174L but 52L Penzance.

 

[FGW_DID]

After arrival of 57310 again and thrown in at the deep end, it has been working the Night Riviera on a daily basis, and unlike last spell with GWR, has been performing well until 1C99 last night. Passengers had to be awoken and turfed out at Reading for an HST which came down from OOC. Don't know what the fault was but fitters unable to rectify. Left Reading at 0342 174L but 52L Penzance.

DSD fault on 57310. 5C99 was sat in Platform 12 at Reading until approx 07:45 this morning when it limped on to the TCD. When I left work this afternoon, it was awaiting another 57 from Old Oak to come and tow it westwards.

 

[PHILIPE]

57303 LE ex OOCommon to work 5C99 from Reading to Penzance at 1836 with 57310 DIT.

 

[co-tr-paul]

310 has worked just 4 times solo up until Friday 25 since its reappearance deputising for 605.

 

[irish_rail]

310 seemed a good engine when I drove it last week, seems I got lucky :roll:

 

[fgwrich]

After it's rather embarrassing performance on the Sleeper last year, I'm actually surprised GW ok'd it be run or the DRS to even send it south again. Why cant they send one of their more reliable ones, like 306 again?!

 

[co-tr-paul]

Don't u mean "Sand Castle" , 305. But that's gone Northern Belle now.

 

[alexl92]

If they've all been owned and maintained by the same companies throughout their lives, why are some 57/3s more reliable than others?

I get with cars it varies a lot depending on how the owners maintain it, run it etc. But I'd imagine with a fleet of diesels they'd all get used on broadly similar work and be maintained on a consistent basis.

 

[fgwrich]

If they've all been owned and maintained by the same companies throughout their lives, why are some 57/3s more reliable than others?

I get with cars it varies a lot depending on how the owners maintain it, run it etc. But I'd imagine with a fleet of diesels they'd all get used on broadly similar work and be maintained on a consistent basis.

co-tr-paul Will be I'm sure able to explain better than me, But one of the reasons is the intensity that the Great Western ones work at. Virgins now ex 57/3s have lets face it, probably had a much more 'relaxed' later life as 57/3s compared to the GW Examples, which at least 3 out of 4 are used between Penzance to Paddington and Old Oak Common 6 days of the week. The fact that the GW ones were converted from tired ex Freightliner 47s, while the main batch of Virgin's were converted from 47/8s (and one 47/7) probably will have little to do with it all.

Ah, Sand Castle was 305. Thanks Paul, although with the Northern Belle doing little at the moment though I'm still a little disappointed they haven't sent it down. Better for it than sitting doing nothing, or moving around engineers trains! But for some reason, DRS seem to be good at sending down the poorly ones - as per last years fun 57s.

 

[alexl92]

co-tr-paul Will be I'm sure able to explain better than me, But one of the reasons is the intensity that the Great Western ones work at. Virgins now ex 57/3s have lets face it, probably had a much more 'relaxed' later life as 57/3s compared to the GW Examples, which at least 3 out of 4 are used between Penzance to Paddington and Old Oak Common 6 days of the week. The fact that the GW ones were converted from tired ex Freightliner 47s, while the main batch of Virgin's were converted from 47/8s (and one 47/7) probably will have little to do with it all.

Ah, Sand Castle was 305. Thanks Paul, although with the Northern Belle doing little at the moment though I'm still a little disappointed they haven't sent it down. Better for it than sitting doing nothing, or moving around engineers trains! But for some reason, DRS seem to be good at sending down the poorly ones - as per last years fun 57s.

Thanks! I'm still confused though as to why within the DRS fleet some should be more reliable than others in that same fleet? Is it just pot luck?

 

[PHILIPE]

Thanks! I'm still confused though as to why within the DRS fleet some should be more reliable than others in that same fleet? Is it just pot luck?

You always used to have "Rogue" locomotives and units. I think it has improved since then but at one time ATW 158820 was noted for it's failure rate and acquired the nickname of "Damien".

 

[Topgun333]

I imagine it's linked to money. Just like a car. A proper overhaul is more effective than a service. But who's to say that DRS haven't given 310 a good overhaul since returning it to GWR? I guess a faultly driver safety device could happen to any loco though.

 

[PHILIPE]

After a relatively trouble free period, 1A40 failed at Teignmouth last night(08/04), 57310 (lease) suspect piston failure. Fortunately 57603 was on Rear so fired up to draw the train back to Newton Abbot to enable run round. Left there 88L and arrived Paddington 21L.

 

[co-tr-paul]

You mean the UP failed ??!! That never happens !! It still got there though. not my fault ,im on 4 days off. Previous depot manager always said it only goes pear shaped when I'm off....... .

Can we re-name this thread Class 57/3 unreliability instead...... ?

Time for 310 to go back.

 

[alexl92]

Can we re-name this thread Class 57/3 unreliability instead...... ?

Time for 310 to go back.

As the OP, altered accordingly

 

[Steve14]

I think they should scrap the 57s, why waste time and money trying to fix them when they always fail? 68s or even the 67s should replace them.