how many miles on a 'mainline' engine before being withdrawn from service

[Scooby]

I realise that there will not be a definitive answer for this, but does anyone have a rough idea about how many miles a 'typical' mainline engine will have covered before it is withdrawn.

I'm thinking of (say) an 87 that spent its time going from Scotland to England all day, a Deltic that ran for years and years or a 37 that has been around since Noah was a lad.

Just curious

 

[Adam_Harrison]

Some barley make it off the ship in one piece ! So you're looking at quite a variety!

 

[Scooby]

Some barley make it off the ship in one piece ! So you're looking at quite a variety!

Absolutely

I was at a slack end on Saturday and I was considering that if an 87 did a trip and a half per day, Euston - Glasgow - Euston - Glasgow aprox 1200 miles per day, for days a week, 7200 miles per week, for 40 weeks per year 288000 miles per year, for say 20 years, its over 5 and a half million miles -- but my thoughts were so 'finger in the air' that I wondered if anyone had any definitive/accurate figures

 

[Crossover]

Funnily enough, I was thinking about this yesterday, more from a units front as at the time I was on an XC Voyager. Some of them can do nearly 1000 miles/day I think and so taking into account shorter runs and maintenance days I bet these can do 250000 miles/year

These will probably be higher mileage than locos due to the higher speeds involved.

 

[LE Greys]

Funnily enough, I was thinking about this yesterday, more from a units front as at the time I was on an XC Voyager. Some of them can do nearly 1000 miles/day I think and so taking into account shorter runs and maintenance days I bet these can do 250000 miles/year

These will probably be higher mileage than locos due to the higher speeds involved.

EC HSTs typically do about the same. The longest diagram is NH-LDS-ABD-KGX-LDS-NH, which covers 1,076 miles (IIRC). The second is BN-KGX-INV-KGX-BN, which is 1,056 miles (IIRC). A combination of high speeds and very long distance workings accounts for that. A 66 might do some very long workings, but at a reduced speed, so less distance covered. I think it's more on engine hours than actual distance.

 

[NightatLaira]

I seem to remember this coming up a while back. I believe diesel electric engines are designed for a 2million mile lifespan...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
but anything can be 'extended' if necessary - just look at the pacers.

Or on the other hand, perfect good engines can be shelved because of under-use and the subsequent faults that can develop: see 58s, 60s, etc

 

[ObservationCar]

EC HSTs typically do about the same. The longest diagram is NH-LDS-ABD-KGX-LDS-NH, which covers 1,076 miles (IIRC). The second is BN-KGX-INV-KGX-BG, which is 1,056 miles (IIRC). A combination of high speeds and very long distance workings accounts for that. A 66 might do some very long workings, but at a reduced speed, so less distance covered. I think it's more on engine hours than actual distance.

Nothing does KGX-INV-KGX in a day. Out of interest where is BN and BG? I thought the Down Cheiftain started at NH one day going to Hull down to London then to Inverness, the following day the Up Cheiftain went INV-KGX-LDS-NH.

 

[junglejames]

The second is BN-KGX-INV-KGX-BG, which is 1,056 miles (IIRC).

Not in one day it doesnt.
I believe the Northbound Chieftan comes from Hull on the previous journey.
So NH- Hull- KX- INV. Then the next day works south to London.

 

[LE Greys]

I thought that the overnight at Inverness counted as stabling rather than a full service (the Aberdeen set gets cleaned and refuelled when there after all).

BN and BG are the same place, Bounds Green. I tend to think of it as BG and keep forgetting that it's actually BN, post edited accordingly.

 

[GearJammer]

I don't think there is an answer as like somebody said, locos are measured in engine hours as opposed to mileage like a car or truck, in fact i don't think any rail vehicles have mileage counters on them.

 

[Kingfisher200262]

The last of the Valentas in the GC HST power cars would have seen top side of 6 million miles prior to replacement.

 

[captainbigun]

I suspect the 86/2s clocked up some seriously stellar miles.

 

[Barrett M95]

Some eurostar diagrams allow a set to cover over 1200 miles in one day: 4 trips between London and Paris (308 miles per leg + STP to TMI at either end, or LDX to PNO if starting and finishing in Paris).

More normal to have a 3 leg diagram though which is still a respetable 924 miles per day, and most of which at 186mph.

TGV Duplex or Sud-est also do 4 legs to and from Paris-Lyon in a day, but it is slightly less distance - around 290 miles.