Interesting HST Combo today

[whole diary]

[Super Guard]

1A83 10:00 Penzance-Paddington, arrived at Exeter with leading power car dead, OEO^▸ (One Engine Only) (one engine only) and struggling to build air.

0Z70 (2 x Powercars on test) were on their way up from Laira behind, and were used to couple up to the front and assist as far as Reading at max 75mph.  Service left EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) 84 late and caped at Reading 120 late  .

[JayMac]

So, are we talking about a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) set with three power cars up front (forward, back, forward) and one in rear? Would love to see a picture of that....!

[Super Guard]

Correct.

There is a photo on Facebook of the 3 together, but it's not mine to repost at present.

[LiskeardRich]

could you link to it?

[chrisoates]

Did the combo not have a barrier vehicle ?

[Electric train]

Did the combo not have a barrier vehicle ?

Would not need it, the HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s have 2 rescue drawbars for use at the cab (nose) end, one to couple HST power car to power car (ie cab end to cab end) the other for HST power car cab end to locomotive, I am not sure if the HST still have working through control jumper sockets at the cab end they certainly had them when I was an apprentice (1977).  HST power cars need a barrier vehicle at the non cab end to couple to locomotive because HST's  have fix buckeye couplings and no buffers, unlike loco hauled stock where the buckeye coupling can be lowered to expose the drawbar (hook) and have buffers

[woody]

According to a report on the "Google Uk Rail" forum and I quote
"1A83 (http://www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/C21049/2011/12/12) was failed
at Exeter St Davids this afternoon.(yesterday April 10th).Rather than turf everyone off "they"
decided to run the train on towards London.They procured a back to back
pair of power cars from Laira, attached them on the front and set off for
London.   So we had 43087 43144 dragging 43124 LA06 43163".
 Can anyone confirm this.

[JayMac]

Confirmed!

Couple of youtube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N8ABM-hrl8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDS6DNtVWSk

[fatcontroller]

Usual practise would have been to cancel the train at Exeter and run ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) towards London for repair, however, the train had already been overtaken by one HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and was still full and standing!!

Cancelled at Reading to facilitate getting the set onto OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) easier without having the good powercars useless on the blocks at Paddington.

[bobm]

Nice leisurely lunch for anyone in the Pullman Restaurant on that one! 

[inspector_blakey]

Am I correct in assuming that the 75 mph speed limit on that train was down to the use of the emergency bar coupler between the "power twin" and the train? Presumably they're designed for relatively short distance, low-speed rescue operations rather than prolonged running at linespeed?

[Temple Meads]

A link to a picture a mate took of the combo at Reading:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=339344156122622&set=a.279222418801463.71085.100001411201001&type=1&theater

I would've loved to have seen this, but was in Bristol at the time

[grahame]

A link to a picture a mate took of the combo at Reading:

Thanks ... but I think to follow that link you have to be a Facebook mate of your mate.  I'm married and we have pretty strong rules about mating in our household - is there an alternative link direct to the image

[Electric train]

Am I correct in assuming that the 75 mph speed limit on that train was down to the use of the emergency bar coupler between the "power twin" and the train? Presumably they're designed for relatively short distance, low-speed rescue operations rather than prolonged running at linespeed?

The 75 mph would be the limit of the emergency drawbar, I don't recall (30 plus years since my training on HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s so memory is faded ... a lot) a duration limit for the emergency drawbar, it is a sturdy bit of kit

[IndustryInsider]

it is a sturdy bit of kit

And bloody heavy!  There are two types in each power car, a short one for use when a loco is hauling a HST^▸ (High Speed Train), and a long one for use when HST's are being coupled cab to cab.  The shorter is the heaviest!