Problems with IET trains from April 2021

[whole diary]

[BBM]

This service is making extra stops and picking up passengers (somehow I don’t think it will) from the cancelled 08:35 Plymouth-Paddington. What a time for this to be a 5 vice 10 if JC is correct 

07:10 Penzance to London Paddington due 12:29 will be diverted between Castle Cary and Pewsey.
It will call additionally at Castle Cary, Westbury and Pewsey.
It will be delayed due to the diversion and is expected to be 10 minutes late.
This is due to the train making extra stops because a train was cancelled.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10 from Plymouth.

From RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) it looks like it was terminated 48 late at RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context):

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P75267/2023-08-04/detailed#allox_id=0

[Timmer]

From RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) it looks like it was terminated 48 late at RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context):

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P75267/2023-08-04/detailed#allox_id=0

Yes it did terminate at Reading and formed the 13.03 Paddington to Plymouth which started at Reading leaving 23 minutes late. Probably left late due to having to ram everyone onto a five coach IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) along with all their luggage 

[broadgage]

Problems with IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) continue, with short formations being routine.
I have previously felt that this is due to defective design or manufacture.

However else where on these forums, at least one well informed member has stated that they are meeting the required levels of availability.

See here for example


   
"Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway since September 2017 - ongoing discussion
« Reply #2048 on: Yesterday at 03:57:43 pm »
Reply with quoteQuote
Quote from: broadgage on August 12, 2023, 02:34:12 pm

So nothing much can be done ? And we are simply stuck with new shorter trains for about another 20 years.
That will help encourage flying and driving, and sod the climate emergency.

This is your question to which I replied that the taxpayer would pay (for longer trains it seems your wish was for). Hitachi completed the contract as stated - otherwise they *would* be rectifying."


So what went wrong ?
Years ago I forecast that that the new trains would be shorter, and they are often shorter.
Was the Hitachi contract so badly drafted that the present shambles counts as meeting the requirements of the contract ?
Or was the intention that the new trains would be shorter.

The present situation is a powerful deterrent to use of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services. Reserving a seat does not much help as reservations are voided on half length trains.

BTW^▸ (by the way), my wish for "longer trains" was for trains of the full planned length, 9 car or 5+5 car. Not for longer than that. At present a great deal of money has been spent to achieve shorter trains.

[JayMac]

IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) caught with its pants up today, 14th August 2023.

1C78 1103 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains) is at a stand just outside Newbury after its pantograph failed to drop at the end of the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") section and subsequently hit a bridge and was ripped off.

[grahame]

IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) caught with its pants up today, 14th August 2023.

1C78 1103 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains) is at a stand just outside Newbury after its pantograph failed to drop at the end of the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") section and subsequently hit a bridge and was ripped off.

I can feel a poll coming on ... to avoid such incidents (I recall one at Blackfriars) should we:
1. Electrify complete routes
2. Stop all trains to change from electric to off-wire diesel traction
3. Convert all overhead equipment to 3rd rail which would not have this problem
4. Revert to steam haulage as standard.
Note to anyone who wonders about me - such a poll would go in "The Lighter Side" but I actually fancy the idea of electrifying complete routes.

[BBM]

Journalist Jacquelin Magnay has been tweeting from the stricken train:

https://twitter.com/jacquelinmagnay

As well as posting a photo of overcrowded conditions on board she said "Our stranded #GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train expected in Westbury in an hour, or so, where we can get off, many miles from where anyone wants to be. Something on top of our train still hitting the bridges. Oh joys"

[Mark A]

"Something on top of our train still hitting the bridges. Oh joys"

That's quite the observation...

Mark

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

 … and 5C78 (formerly known as 1C78) is still at Westbury with a RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) path at 1520 to Stoke Gifford.  Hope they clear the debris off the roof before it gets to Bristol Parkway. 

[broadgage]

IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) caught with its pants up today, 14th August 2023.

1C78 1103 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)-PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains) is at a stand just outside Newbury after its pantograph failed to drop at the end of the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") section and subsequently hit a bridge and was ripped off.

I can feel a poll coming on ... to avoid such incidents (I recall one at Blackfriars) should we:
1. Electrify complete routes
2. Stop all trains to change from electric to off-wire diesel traction
3. Convert all overhead equipment to 3rd rail which would not have this problem
4. Revert to steam haulage as standard.
Note to anyone who wonders about me - such a poll would go in "The Lighter Side" but I actually fancy the idea of electrifying complete routes.

5. Build some proper bi-mode intercity trains that work reliably on diesel or electric power. Word the contract carefully in order that what looks like abject failure cant be considered as a great success by the supplier.

[grahame]

"Our stranded #GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train expected in Westbury in an hour, or so, where we can get off, many miles from where anyone wants to be.

The good people of Westbury will be very sad to read that view of their town ...

[ChrisB]

Probably coz they are all going to stations west of Exeter....

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

800316 is now (at 1605) showing as 5C78 FAIL at Westbury P1.  Perhaps it is quite likes Westbury and doesn’t want to leave even if it is cluttering up the station.  It is/was called “#Lionesses” – is this a bad omen?

[ChrisB]

What remains of the pant probably neds tying/strapping down before being allowed to move further

[Trowres]

1C78 currently at Exeter St Davids (16:42). Presumably the set was switched at Westbury, but how was this achieved?

[IndustryInsider]

1C78 currently at Exeter St Davids (16:42). Presumably the set was switched at Westbury, but how was this achieved?

It was a 10-car unit, so the rear one (which is the one that had the pan damaged) would have been detached at Westbury.

[EDIT] Please disregard this post.