http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Network Rail suspends West Coast Railway trains" (only slightly OT) en Mon, 18 May 2026 13:11:46 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-188035 Sat, 09 May 2015 19:43:37 +0000 chdot 188035@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Two locos passed through today -</p> <p><a href="http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t15/t0509p.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t15/t0509p.htm</a></p> <p>Unfortunately I didn't see them! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-187969 Fri, 08 May 2015 13:54:25 +0000 Arellcat 187969@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you get the 'please subscribe' Gaussian blur version of the story, you can read the full text of the article in the source code, lines 302-315. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-187967 Fri, 08 May 2015 13:42:29 +0000 SRD 187967@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/harry-potter-steam-train-suspension-revoked.125515561" rel="nofollow">http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/harry-potter-steam-train-suspension-revoked.125515561</a></p> <p>"The Jacobite will steam out on schedule on Monday May 11 and all services thereafter remain unchanged." </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185075 Sun, 05 Apr 2015 19:54:10 +0000 chdot 185075@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's all about the chime whistle -</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0DijoaJVj0" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0DijoaJVj0</a></p> <p>.</p> <p>(Walschaerts valve gear) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185072 Sun, 05 Apr 2015 19:49:07 +0000 Greenroofer 185072@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Tulyar you'd also be in competition with Mini-Greenroofer. We once went to the end of Bruce Street to watch from track level <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BR_standard_class_7_70013_Oliver_Cromwell">Oliver Cromwell</a> come round the South Sub. 143 tons of loco and tender came by, and even though it was coasting down the grade to Craiglockhart, it still caused the ground to shake where we were standing. After the experience she was literally quivering with excitement, and was an instant convert to the big steam locomotive experience... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185071 Sun, 05 Apr 2015 14:05:38 +0000 Tulyar 185071@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Going West is not a forte for Tangmere it dumped a con rod on the third rail near Winchfield - a really lucky fluke as the previous event of that type (in 1960 on the Long Drag) derailed 2 trains killing 5 people, when the detached con rod dug in to the track beneath the loco.</p> <p>RAIB has already called in WCR about the conflict of interest for the checking of the locomotive by the owner's engineer and the operator's engineer, as they are in this case one and the same person.</p> <p>I wonder if there's any potential work as an independent safety inspector for steam locomotives. I guess I'd be competing with Kaputnik and Arellcat for that job. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185067 Sun, 05 Apr 2015 04:51:30 +0000 Tulyar 185067@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Equally (as the modernisation plan planners discovered to their cost) the continuous rating of a diesel prime mover is the limit of what you can get, but a steam engine can 'borrow' that little bit extra to get past a tough section of the route.</p> <p>That said its largely that 94% of the energy that gets lost between the fire and the drawgear that makes them so attractive. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185063 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 19:43:59 +0000 kaputnik 185063@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Walschaerts is to derailleurs as Lentz rotary cam is to hubs.</p> <p>I've always liked the steam engine : cyclist analogy. Both will chug happily along on the flat, but give them an incline and it's all about the head of steam in your boiler and how well stoked is the fire in your grate. It is inevitable that both'll soon begin to wane going uphill and either crawl puffing and panting, exhausted over the top or require a bit of a push to get there.</p> <p>And if either run out of fuel or water, they'll grind to an embarrassing halt. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185062 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 19:26:34 +0000 chdot 185062@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Walschaerts - just make it up, google does the rest. </p> <p>AND tells you he's another 'famous Belgian'! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185061 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 19:16:32 +0000 Greenroofer 185061@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@chdot - one of the main reasons I avoid valve gear is that I can't spell <em>Walschaerts</em>... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185060 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 17:41:46 +0000 chdot 185060@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>On the other hand -</p> <p><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1050/530089305_8161d7cbc8.jpg"></p> <p><a href="http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/rohloff-impressions.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/rohloff-impressions.html</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185059 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 17:38:15 +0000 chdot 185059@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not <em>that</em> hard -</p> <p><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Walschaert_static.png"></p> <p><a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walschaerts_valve_gear" rel="nofollow">http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walschaerts_valve_gear</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185058 Sat, 04 Apr 2015 17:14:03 +0000 Greenroofer 185058@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I like steam engines for the same reason I like bicycles: they wear their mechanical hearts on their sleeves, are relatively simple to understand (so long as you avoid the complexity of internally geared hubs or valve gear), and depend for optimum performance on physical effort and considerable skill. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185033 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 23:25:43 +0000 Tulyar 185033@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This incident is more the straw that snapped the camels back for Network Rail, and the RAIB bulletin, announcing their intention to investigate highlights what is missing from the way we treat road crashes - (The Glasgow Bin Lorry crash would, by this standard have had a factual statement published by January 1sr 2015)</p> <p>Here : <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dangerous-occurrence-at-wootton-bassett-junction-wiltshire" rel="nofollow">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dangerous-occurrence-at-wootton-bassett-junction-wiltshire</a></p> <p>But clearly the malaise goes much much deeper.</p> <p>here is a listing of the 7 points that NR has had outstanding for West Coast Railways to address and remedy from, it would appear, January 2015.</p> <p>Network Rail made the following recommendations which should be actioned by the 15th of May:</p> <p>1. Introduce an effective, risk-based driver monitoring regime that includes proactively using analysis of On Train Data Recorder downloads for a representative and sufficient sample of diagrams;</p> <p>2. Demonstrate there is in place an effective and secure system of tamper-evident seals for train protection isolator cocks on all relevant traction;</p> <p>3. Implement arrangements to accurately record, monitor and manage all train protection activations (including Automatic Warning System and Train Protection and Warning System), and provide clear instructions to all train crew, including support crew, on the actions expected of them report and respond to train protection activation;</p> <p>4. Establish a time-bound plan to recommence and complete implementation of the actions arising from Network Rail’s review of WCR’s Safety Management System in January 2015;</p> <p>5. Review and implement appropriate changes to company processes to be able to demonstrate that all safety and operational information is received and positively acknowledged by train drivers;</p> <p>6. Demonstrate by independent assurance that there is an effective system for managing access to traction footplates/cabs in traffic, with clear communication protocols; and</p> <p>7. Clarify the safety accountabilities for each Director and independently review the effectiveness of the company’s safety assurance and governance arrangements to demonstrate that those accountabilities are discharged.</p> <p>It is unlikely to result in immediate cancellation of contracted services, but may deliver some interesting developments as WCR has to pay others to deliver its contractual commitments. </p> <p>A spokesperson from West Coast Railways said: "We are working hard to reverse the current suspension imposed by Network Rail by fully satisfying their concerns."</p> <p>"Passengers booked to travel with West Coast Railways and on their associated trips should not be concerned, if necessary West Coast Railways will charter the service of another licensed operator using the same traditional carriages and trips will be unaffected, but West Coast Railways hope this won’t be necessary and trust any issues will be resolved to the satisfaction of network rail." </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185012 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 14:52:12 +0000 wee folding bike 185012@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Some of us like Deltics and whistlers too. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185009 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 14:34:16 +0000 Arellcat 185009@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It sounded from RAIL magazine that it wasn't the first offence. Still, they have six weeks or so to sort themselves out to remove the suspension by mid-May. Bad news for The Jacobite if they don't; tourist season starts on May 11th. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14632#post-185005 Fri, 03 Apr 2015 13:09:43 +0000 chdot 185005@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-32167724" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-32167724</a></p> <p>CCEers love trains... (esp steam) </p>