Airgun pellet hits train service at St Erth (26/11/2008)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

A train passing through Cornwall was hit by a pellet fired from an air rifle, police have said.  The Penzance to London Paddington service was passing under a bridge just south of St Erth station when it was hit on Wednesday night.  The windscreen was shattered and the pellet embedded in the glass in the shooting, which happened at about 2215 GMT.

British Transport Police said no-one was hurt in the attack.  A ^1,000 reward has been offered by train operators First Great Western for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offender.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7754761.stm

BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release: http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=2105&NewsAreaID=2

[chrisoates]

Apparently 3 miles up from Penzance, repairs undertaken & 90 mins late at Paddington.

Did they go back to Long Rock or up to Laira for a such a short delay for a new screen ??

I birdwatch at Marazion near to where the incident occurred....locals will drive around the reserve sounding their horns attempting to spoil my day....however...the birds don't give a toss as they obviously hear horns all day long as the reserve is bounds by roads which have cars on them......

Gives you an idea of the mental ability of the train shooters...and what's worse is this attempted murder will be written up as vandalism.

 

[devon_metro]

Loco was replaced at Penzance and left about 2.30AM

[vacman]

Loco was replaced at Penzance and left about 2.30AM

The 08 shunter from Penzance went to St Erth to drag the train back to Penzance where the loco was detached ans taken out to Long Rock for a new screen then being put back on the train to leave at around 0200.

[Sleepy]

  what is top speed of an 08 ? Excuse my ignorance but could the loco not have been turned around and driven from other cab ?

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Builder    British Railways: Derby Works, Crewe Works, Darlington Works, Doncaster Works and Horwich Works.
Build date    1953^1962
Configuration    0-6-0
UIC classification    C
Wheel diameter    3 ft 6 in (1.067 m)
Wheelbase    11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Length    29 ft 3 in (8.92 m)
Width    8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Height    12 ft 8^ in (3.87 m)
Locomotive weight    49.6 long tons (50.4 t) to
51 long tons (51.8 t)
Fuel capacity    668 imp gal (3,040 l/802 US gal)
Prime mover    English Electric 6KT
Traction motors    English Electric 506, 2 off
Transmission    DC^▸ (Direct Current) generator, DC traction motors, double reduction drive
Multiple working    Not originally fitted, some retrofitted with type ★ Blue Star
Top speed    15 mph (24 km/h) or 20 mph (32 km/h)
Power output    Engine: 350 hp (261 kW)
Tractive effort    Maximum: 35,000 lbf (160 kN)
Train heating    None
Locomotive brakeforce    19 LTf (190 kN)
Train brakes    Vacuum, later Air & Vacuum or Air only

[chrisoates]

what is top speed of an 08 ? Excuse my ignorance but could the loco not have been turned around and driven from other cab ?

There's nowhere to turn down here, more puzzling is why the set was dragged to Penzance when the 'good' end was facing that way already.
Possibly the driver was in no fit state and a 20 mph shunter was quicker than taxiing a relief driver up.

Also how do you drag an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) ?

[super tm]

It wasnt an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) but the sleeper engine and coaches

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

It wasnt an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) but the sleeper engine and coaches

that was lucky then but thats a good point none of the fgw have front couplers or buffers what happens in this situation?

[super tm]

Emergency drawbar