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Title: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: grahame on May 05, 2016, 11:18:53 The wooden platform section; 4 out of 8 lines closed into / out of Waterloo
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36210107 Quote The blaze broke out in signalling cables underneath one of the platforms at about 02:35 BST. Clapham Junction station was also temporarily evacuated and shut due to overcrowding. South West Trains says services are being severely disrupted and has urged passengers only to travel if "absolutely necessary". Services to and from Waterloo are severely delayed and the bus station at Vauxhall has also been closed. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: paul7575 on May 05, 2016, 12:31:05 Apparently the BBC are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause. Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully.
Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms... Paul Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: ChrisB on May 05, 2016, 12:36:00 Perhaps NR might do some proper track maintenance, by clearing trackside rubbish more frequently.. Fat chance.
Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: Bmblbzzz on May 05, 2016, 13:07:42 Rubbish under the platform, if that's the actual cause, is horribly reminiscent of Kings Cross. :(
Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: broadgage on May 05, 2016, 13:19:35 Rubbish under the platform, if that's the actual cause, is horribly reminiscent of Kings Cross. :( Somewhat, but a fire out in the open is most unlikely to kill anyone since escape is easy and smoke can not build up. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: Richard Fairhurst on May 05, 2016, 13:26:20 Harsh but...
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/commuters-delighted-at-train-delays-for-actual-reason-20160505108588 Quote LONDON commuters delayed for hours by a fire on the tracks at Vauxhall are thrilled that there is a genuine reason for once. The fire in signalling cables beneath the tracks has left thousands happily stranded while marvelling at the clear operation of cause and effect for the first time in living memory. Recruitment consultant Carolyn Ryan said: ^A fire! A real one, with smoke and everything! ^It^s almost a privilege to be delayed by that, instead of unspecified staffing problems or a sudden, mysterious shortage of platforms. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: Tim on May 05, 2016, 14:42:33 Apparently the BBC are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause. Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully. Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms... Paul Maybe. What surprises me is that the Fire Service was called out at 1:30 and yet took many hours to extinguish what was hardly an raging inferno and which one would have thought could be dealt with using a hose reel. I suspect that as facts emerge, we find out that delays in fire fighting may be connected with isolating traction current. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: ChrisB on May 05, 2016, 14:48:14 hmm - ever tried to put out smouldering tar-seeped sleepers and platform supports which aren't easily accessible?
Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: grahame on May 05, 2016, 15:13:48 Late morning from ITV (http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2016-05-05/major-travel-disruption-due-to-fire-at-vauxhall/?):
Quote These are the current warnings in place for South West Trains: London Waterloo to Reading will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction London Waterloo to Weybridge will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside will not run in both directions Farnham to London Waterloo via Ascot services departing at 21 and 51 minutes past will not run London Waterloo to Portsmouth stations may start and terminate at Woking and Guildford London Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter st Davids will start and terminate at Basingstoke Shows what a wide range of routes can be effected ... looks like suburban (but not Windsor lines) and 'via Southampton' are about all that was running. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: TaplowGreen on May 05, 2016, 15:25:29 Late morning from ITV (http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2016-05-05/major-travel-disruption-due-to-fire-at-vauxhall/?): I was at Reading this morning, played musical platforms before catching the 0935 to Plymouth (something wrong with Platform 7 it seemed) and Reading to Waterloo was most certainly not running as scheduled, much to the disgust of numerous customers who had followed the advice supplied by SWT that it was.Quote These are the current warnings in place for South West Trains: London Waterloo to Reading will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction London Waterloo to Weybridge will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside will not run in both directions Farnham to London Waterloo via Ascot services departing at 21 and 51 minutes past will not run London Waterloo to Portsmouth stations may start and terminate at Woking and Guildford London Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter st Davids will start and terminate at Basingstoke Shows what a wide range of routes can be effected ... looks like suburban (but not Windsor lines) and 'via Southampton' are about all that was running. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: SandTEngineer on May 05, 2016, 15:47:42 Apparently the BBC are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause. Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully. Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms... Paul Maybe. What surprises me is that the Fire Service was called out at 1:30 and yet took many hours to extinguish what was hardly an raging inferno and which one would have thought could be dealt with using a hose reel. I suspect that as facts emerge, we find out that delays in fire fighting may be connected with isolating traction current. ...mmm. I don't think it would be a good idea to splash water over live signalling power cables and possibly third rail traction supply cables. It takes time to isolate such things... ::) Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: ChrisB on May 05, 2016, 16:05:42 Here's an early photo posted on twitter by the London Fire Brigade. Well alight.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Chr0QE9VIAAxY3r.jpg) Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: Western Pathfinder on May 05, 2016, 16:49:22 At least no one was hurt !.
Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: chrisr_75 on May 05, 2016, 17:18:33 Apparently the BBC are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause. Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully. Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms... Paul Maybe. What surprises me is that the Fire Service was called out at 1:30 and yet took many hours to extinguish what was hardly an raging inferno and which one would have thought could be dealt with using a hose reel. I suspect that as facts emerge, we find out that delays in fire fighting may be connected with isolating traction current. ...mmm. I don't think it would be a good idea to splash water over live signalling power cables and possibly third rail traction supply cables. It takes time to isolate such things... ::) What happens when it rains?! ??? ;D Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: broadgage on May 05, 2016, 17:42:35 Directing a solid jet of water at live low voltage* electrical equipment is most unwise since the current may travel along the water and endanger the user.
A spray is fine since there is no continuous path for the current to flow to the user. Directing a spray from a reasonable distance onto a live conductor rail is no more dangerous than standing near the platform edge in a thunderstorm. * "Low voltage" in this context means as defined in the electrical regulations, i.e. up to 1000 volts. This includes third rail traction current, which varies a fair bit but is 750 volts DC nominal in most areas, 850 volts on some routes. Power supplies for signalling are typically about 650 volts AC for distribution stepped down to lower voltages as needed. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: stuving on May 05, 2016, 19:39:00 I think that misses the point - which was "wot no insulation" on the cables? I suggest the words "fire-damaged" were missing from the quoted text.
Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: Chris from Nailsea on May 05, 2016, 22:41:42 Rubbish under the platform, if that's the actual cause, is horribly reminiscent of Kings Cross. :( Somewhat, but a fire out in the open is most unlikely to kill anyone since escape is easy and smoke can not build up. Hmm. Rubbish under a wooden structure was a feature of the Bradford City football stadium fire, too - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_City_stadium_fire Fire can spread very quickly in any even semi-enclosed wooden structure, so they were right to take no chances at Vauxhall. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: JayMac on May 06, 2016, 00:41:03 Rather spookily I was watching the unedited Yorkshire Television/ITV sport footage of the Bradford City fire just this week. A video that was long suppressed but surfaced on Wikileaks a few years ago. Interestingly this video was, and maybe still is, used by Fire Services as a training aid.
https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Suppressed_Bradford_City_Vally_Parade_stadium_fire_tragedy_footage,_11_May_1985 4 minutes from small fire to inferno that killed 56. Shocking. Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: Chris from Nailsea on May 06, 2016, 01:34:00 4 minutes from small fire to inferno that killed 56. Shocking. Yes. :( Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: Tim on May 06, 2016, 10:35:48 Rather spookily I was watching the unedited Yorkshire Television/ITV sport footage of the Bradford City fire just this week. A video that was long suppressed but surfaced on Wikileaks a few years ago. Interestingly this video was, and maybe still is, used by Fire Services as a training aid. https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Suppressed_Bradford_City_Vally_Parade_stadium_fire_tragedy_footage,_11_May_1985 4 minutes from small fire to inferno that killed 56. Shocking. We were shown this in our office. Shocking yes Title: Re: Fire at Vauxhall Station Post by: ellendune on May 06, 2016, 19:48:24 This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |