Network Rail Train failure Manningtree 03 July

[mtmikethom]

There was a failure of a Network Rail Test Unit? on the Down main line just East of Manningtree Station today Monday, the unit I assume was a 153 (looked to be when went past it), caused delays of up to 150 minutes to mainline services and the Unit looks to have been stuck for around 6 hours on the down main with single line working in place, just wondering why such a time length, is there anything special about the unit or failure or just wrong place wrong time?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jul 2023 ==

PS This is probably the service involved https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R07588/2023-07-03/detailed

 

[66701GBRF]

Believe the delay was something to do with incompatible couplers.

 

[dk1]

153s running in an area with nothing that could possibly rescue them was never going to be a good idea. The cost of delays yesterday will be enormous as the disruption was so bad.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2023 ==

I’m just surprised it’s taken this long before that is realised.

 

[Freightmaster]

153s running in an area with nothing that could possibly rescue them was never going to be a good idea....

...and yet the Track Recording Unit (950001) has been wandering the length and breath of the country
for over 30 years now, seemingly without issue?



MARK

 

[dk1]

...and yet the Track Recording Unit (950001) has been wandering the length and breath of the country
for over 30 years now, seemingly without issue?



MARK

I wouldn’t say without issue but not in an area where there is literally nothing that can assist it. This was bound to happen & being the one engine can’t even limp out of the way. You missed my point.

 

[TheBigD]

66177 on route learning duties between Peterborough and Ipswich rescued it, before returning back light engine to Peterborough.

There's some Facebook photos of it at Manningtree...

(You may have to he a member to veiw it)

Facebook

www.facebook.com

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2023 ==

Believe the delay was something to do with incompatible couplers.

Waiting for a fitter to come from Derby to assist...

 

[66701GBRF]

Waiting for a fitter to come from Derby to assist...

Yet it was GA fitters that fitted the emergency coupling.

 

[dk1]

Yet it was GA fitters that fitted the emergency coupling.

Top GA guys to the rescue

 

[TheBigD]

Team effort involving a number of different companies! Still shafted the GEML for most of the day! The log makes interesting reading!

 

[dk1]

Team effort involving a number of different companies! Still shafted the GEML for most of the day! The log makes interesting reading!

I bet lol. Would love to know the final cost for this farce. I’ve known many in my time one being not bothering to dig the Thunderbird 47 out of a siding one morning as it was buried only for the 05:30up to fail at Manningtree. That was a mere £38,000 so this with throw that into a cocked hat.

 

[TheBigD]

No idea about the cost but there's currently over 1900 delay minutes and 23 cancellations (full and part) attributed to it.

 

[Class 170101]

153s running in an area with nothing that could possibly rescue them was never going to be a good idea. The cost of delays yesterday will be enormous as the disruption was so bad.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2023 ==

I’m just surprised it’s taken this long before that is realised.

Perhaps but it may well be a better way than blocking the lines week in week out just to undertake patrolling

 

[dk1]

No idea about the cost but there's currently over 1900 delay minutes and 23 cancellations (full and part) attributed to it.

Ouch!!!

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Woops!!

 

[Class15]

153s running in an area with nothing that could possibly rescue them was never going to be a good idea. The cost of delays yesterday will be enormous as the disruption was so bad.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jul 2023 ==

I’m just surprised it’s taken this long before that is realised.

There is Ipswich depot?

 

[dk1]

There is Ipswich depot?

I’m confused by what you mean. In what way does Ipswich depot help?

 

[Class15]

I’m confused by what you mean. In what way does Ipswich depot help?

Providing a rescue loco.

 

[dk1]

Providing a rescue loco.

The rescue loco wasn’t the problem. It was attaching it to the 153. There are no longer any BSI coupler fitted units or emergency couplers readily available as nothing needs them now along the GEML or anywhere on GA.

 

[Class15]

The rescue loco wasn’t the problem. It was attaching it to the 153. There are no longer any BSI coupler fitted units or emergency couplers readily available as nothing needs them now along the GEML or anywhere on GA.

Ok, forgive me for my ignorance.

 

[dk1]

Ok, forgive me for my ignorance.

Not a problem mate. It was certainly one of those days lol.

 

[357]

I drive trains that nothing can couple to. We have an emergency coupling adapter onboard.

For us, we can get a competent person into place pretty quickly to use it.

In this case, perhaps it's worth training the train crew how to do it?

 

[dk1]

I drive trains that nothing can couple to. We have an emergency coupling adapter onboard.

For us, we can get a competent person into place pretty quickly to use it.

In this case, perhaps it's worth training the train crew how to do it?

That would be something for the Network Rail organised crew to sort & something I’m gobsmacked wasn’t done in the first place considering the immense disruption it could cause always being so far away from home.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jul 2023 ==

I can only assume (something I don’t advocate) that most areas of the UK except perhaps much of the Southern Region and now Anglia still operate some sort of 2nd gen DMUs that could be used to assist.

 

[Class 170101]

What I don't get is why it wasn't considered turning Intercity services in the Up Platform at Manningtree from Norwich and sending them back to Norwich and conveying people to / from London using Ipswich services terminating at Manningtree from the south, then sending them ECS via Harwich International with passengers swapping between platforms for the through journey.

 

[66701GBRF]

What I don't get is why it wasn't considered turning Intercity services in the Up Platform at Manningtree from Norwich and sending them back to Norwich and conveying people to / from London using Ipswich services terminating at Manningtree from the south, then sending them ECS via Harwich International with passengers swapping between platforms for the through journey.

Maybe it was considered? I doubt anyone here knows the full circumstances of the incident and what decisions were taken and why.

 

[dk1]

What I don't get is why it wasn't considered turning Intercity services in the Up Platform at Manningtree from Norwich and sending them back to Norwich and conveying people to / from London using Ipswich services terminating at Manningtree from the south, then sending them ECS via Harwich International with passengers swapping between platforms for the through journey.

Up trains continued to operate normally until they ran out then as SLW was planned from Colchester Station to Manningtree it would not have been possible.

 

[Class 170101]

Up trains continued to operate normally until they ran out then as SLW was planned from Colchester Station to Manningtree it would not have been possible.

That was never needed that far. the failed train was between Mannningtree South and North Jns. SLW over the short distance was all that was needed (and indeed used).

 

[dk1]

That was never needed that far. the failed train was between Mannningtree South and North Jns. SLW over the short distance was all that was needed (and indeed used).

Would still have impeded SLW had terminating trains arrived from the Ipswich direction. Did trains reverse over the Colchester end crossover?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Jul 2023 ==

Only unsignalled move I've done at Manningtree is passing through the station on the down in the up direction. Thankfully then a position light to get back onto the up.

 

[Class 170101]

Would still have impeded SLW had terminating trains arrived from the Ipswich direction.

Correct but SLW wasn't implemented for over 3 hours after the train failed.

Did trains reverse over the Colchester end crossover?

No, when SLW was implemented it appears it was from the Manningtree Station northbound starter signal (CO197) to Manningtree North Jn (CO209). So appearing to be a straight on move crossing over to the Up Main.

Before SLW was implemented Ipswich services were diverted to Harwich International (ECS Manningtree to Harwich International) passing CO197 signal normally it seems.

 

[dk1]

Correct but SLW wasn't implemented for over 3 hours after the train failed.

No, when SLW was implemented it appears it was from the Manningtree Station northbound starter signal (CO197) to Manningtree North Jn (CO209). So appearing to be a straight on move crossing over to the Up Main.

Before SLW was implemented Ipswich services were diverted to Harwich International (ECS Manningtree to Harwich International) passing CO197 signal normally it seems.

Sounds an interesting one. Unfortunately not a signalled move which complicates things so much. I'm sure control did everything possible but the longer it took the more chaos was ensued with freight as well as passenger. I disappeared down the East Suffolk after getting off the 10:00 ex-Norwich at Ipswich just as it all kicked off.

 

[Class 170101]

Unfortunately not a signalled move which complicates things so much.

I know, hence my earlier suggestion which are all signalled moves.