IETs into passenger service from 16 Oct 2017 and subsequent performance issues

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

  We used to hear less of it in those 'good old BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) days!'.

Was that because we didn’t have social media, and such easy communications?

Yes, that's what I was hinting at

[stuving]

According to 'insiders' on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum the engine overheating issue is being caused by blocked air filters under the body skirt.  What a brilliant place to put them......

Given the motor/generator modules go under the floor, where else would the filters be? I was a bit surprised not to see the exhausts coming out of the roof (though they may do so, just being well hidden). But cooling air in and out has always been "down there", hasn't it?

But there are design issues to be got right or wrong, as always. Like how much filter capacity can be lost and still get full cooling, the inlet position and design (does it pick up litter as it goes along), how easy is it to check in servicing, and of course what the servicing schedule says. It may be just the last of those - i.e. "only software", but not in the computer sense (it's an item on a daily or weekly checklist).

[SandTEngineer]

According to 'insiders' on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum the engine overheating issue is being caused by blocked air filters under the body skirt.  What a brilliant place to put them......

Given the motor/generator modules go under the floor, where else would the filters be? I was a bit surprised not to see the exhausts coming out of the roof (though they may do so, just being well hidden). But cooling air in and out has always been "down there", hasn't it?

But there are design issues to be got right or wrong, as always. Like how much filter capacity can be lost and still get full cooling, the inlet position and design (does it pick up litter as it goes along), how easy is it to check in servicing, and of course what the servicing schedule says. It may be just the last of those - i.e. "only software", but not in the computer sense (it's an item on a daily or weekly checklist).

Yes, but toyally surrounded by a skirt which is stopping the free flow of air (apparently)....

[patch38]

According to comments on another forum, one of the ten-car units that failed yesterday did so in Sapperton Tunnel. That must have caused chaos: the Golden Valley line is currently being used as the Severn Tunnel diversionary route and is way busier than usual with all the South Wales traffic.

One bonus - I bet it was lovely and cool in the tunnel itself... Shame the windows don't open!

[broadgage]

According to comments on another forum, one of the ten-car units that failed yesterday did so in Sapperton Tunnel. That must have caused chaos: the Golden Valley line is currently being used as the Severn Tunnel diversionary route and is way busier than usual with all the South Wales traffic.

One bonus - I bet it was lovely and cool in the tunnel itself... Shame the windows don't open!

Does anyone know what exactly caused this particular failure ?
It sounds to me as though ALL the engines must have failed. These units should be able to proceed at much reduced performance on just one engine, remembering that the nominally electric version only HAS a single engine, but can proceed at much reduced speed when the wires come down.

If all the engines did indeed fail, then that implies an absence of air conditioning and only minimal lighting.

Or was the failure not the engines, but something else?

[Worcester_Passenger]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) has the 19:15 Paddington - Swansea as a possible - see http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C40095/2018/06/25/advanced.

[BBM]

The following has just appeared under 'Significant Disruption' in JourneyCheck and I think it surely must have appeared there by mistake?

Colleague Assault report - 1B22

Customer Host 1B22 10:15 London Paddington to Swansea advises of a colleague accident the occurred on board.
Customer was dispensing hot water from the standard class trolley in vehicle 812020 when the spout has moved of its own accord and spilt hot water all over the hand of the customer host.
Occurrence has been reported to Hitachi Maintenance.
Guards Comp Manager Swansea will meet customer host for welfare check and to complete accident paperwork.

Last Updated:26/06/2018 13:52

[broadgage]

So was it an assault or an accident ?

[SandTEngineer]

Well here is a report from another 'Industry Insider' (no not our one ) on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum:

The radiator vanes sit behind the intercooler vanes and there is a non accessible gap between the two. Hitachi have been keeping the intercooler vanes clean but they (wrongly) assumed that the radiator vanes were equally clean. They were in fact becoming clogged solid.

There is now some rapid cleaning going on to release sets back in traffic.

How this got past design review and test, I don't know. It is not as if the need to keep radiators clean on underfloor DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s travelling at 100mph or more, especially in harvest, pollen or leaf fall seasons, is unknown in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

[JayMac]

The following has just appeared under 'Significant Disruption' in JourneyCheck and I think it surely must have appeared there by mistake?

Colleague Assault report - 1B22

Customer Host 1B22 10:15 London Paddington to Swansea advises of a colleague accident the occurred on board.
Customer was dispensing hot water from the standard class trolley in vehicle 812020 when the spout has moved of its own accord and spilt hot water all over the hand of the customer host.
Occurrence has been reported to Hitachi Maintenance.
Guards Comp Manager Swansea will meet customer host for welfare check and to complete accident paperwork.

Last Updated:26/06/2018 13:52

I do hope BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) were called to arrest the catering trolley for this alleged assault on a member of staff just doing their job. It's hard enough having to deal with the great British public day in, day out, particularly when said public are so put upon by the woeful service provided by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), without the equipment getting uppity too.

That said, there are two sides to every story. So I'll wait to hear the catering trolley's version of events before pronouncing it a criminal.

[IndustryInsider]

Well here is a report from another 'Industry Insider' (no not our one ) on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum:

The radiator vanes sit behind the intercooler vanes and there is a non accessible gap between the two. Hitachi have been keeping the intercooler vanes clean but they (wrongly) assumed that the radiator vanes were equally clean. They were in fact becoming clogged solid.

There is now some rapid cleaning going on to release sets back in traffic.

How this got past design review and test, I don't know. It is not as if the need to keep radiators clean on underfloor DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s travelling at 100mph or more, especially in harvest, pollen or leaf fall seasons, is unknown in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Sounds like a less than ideal design, but with a manageable remedy in terms of just altering cleaning/maintenance procedures.

[Adelante_CCT]

Perhaps the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) should be called, it says the customer was dispensing the hot water, not the host! 

[stuving]

Well here is a report from another 'Industry Insider' (no not our one ) on the WNXX^▸ (Stored Unserviceable, Mainline Locos HQ All Classes) Forum:

The radiator vanes sit behind the intercooler vanes and there is a non accessible gap between the two. Hitachi have been keeping the intercooler vanes clean but they (wrongly) assumed that the radiator vanes were equally clean. They were in fact becoming clogged solid.

There is now some rapid cleaning going on to release sets back in traffic.

How this got past design review and test, I don't know. It is not as if the need to keep radiators clean on underfloor DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s travelling at 100mph or more, especially in harvest, pollen or leaf fall seasons, is unknown in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

Sounds like a less than ideal design, but with a manageable remedy in terms of just altering cleaning/maintenance procedures.

I'd agree -  and that the designers didn't manage one of the objectives of engineering design: to spot in advance everything that could go wrong. Or it might be a bit more complicated - like originally there was to be a filter in front of the intercooler to prevent anything at all big getting in, but it was found to reduce the flow too much so was removed from the design at a later stage.

[a-driver]

Will Hitachi be financially liable for the failures due to overheating ? Or is there some wiggle room ?

I suppose Hitachi could argue that they were designed to run under the wires for most of their journeys and not so extensively on diesel.

[SandTEngineer]

Will Hitachi be financially liable for the failures due to overheating ? Or is there some wiggle room ?

I suppose Hitachi could argue that they were designed to run under the wires for most of their journeys and not so extensively on diesel.

Wasn't the Hitachi/DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) contract re-negotiated to cover all the extra diesel mileage/engines?  Wheres STUVING when you need him?....