WCML Disruption at Lockerbie

[Spaceship323]

I'm currently at Beattock hoping to photograph some 90's and nothings gone northbound for an hour now. According to RTT pendolino 390049 has been held at Lockerbie since 1723 with 1S72 held at Carlisle Station for the last 45 mins.

 

[hexagon789]

I'm currently at Beattock hoping to photograph some 90's and nothings gone northbound for an hour now. According to RTT pendolino 390049 has been held at Lockerbie since 1723 with 1S72 held at Carlisle Station for the last 45 mins.

Animals on line between Motherwell and Lockerbie

 

[Spaceship323]

Animals on line between Motherwell and Lockerbie

Southbound stopped as well now, Thanks for the reply.

 

[hexagon789]

Southbound stopped as well now, Thanks for the reply.

That's literally all I could find out, no specifics as yet.

Hopefully, the animals (whatever they may be) are cleared before long.

 

[palmersears]

I'm on 1S72, currently enjoying a beer on the platform at Carlisle. 1S66 the affected service, according to our TM it's a total failure but needs to be pushed into the loop at Carstairs, which could be a problem given 1S69 is between the 397 and the nearest crossover...

EDIT: 1M92 at Carstairs has become 5M92 and is off to rescue 1S66.

 

[Bald Rick]

That's literally all I could find out, no specifics as yet.

Yes it’s all a bit woolly.

 

[hexagon789]

Yes it’s all a bit woolly.

Oh is it sheep then(?), the info I could find out a few mins ago said it was cows!!!

 

[24Grange]

Surely a sheep wouldn't cause a train to " fail" - a cow would, hit one in Wales once in a pacer - that was an experience!

 

[voyagerdude220]

1S66 hit 3 sheep near Symington.

 

[Spaceship323]

390124 just passed southbound on the partially cancelled 1M19. Presumably it reversed at Abington? (as it was 1S69 northbound)

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Surely a sheep wouldn't cause a train to " fail" - a cow would, hit one in Wales once in a pacer - that was an experience!

Trust me - as a callow youth I once assisted the train crew of a class 120 on the Central Wales line in removing an RIP sheep (which luckily did not manage to seriously damage the unit) and about 30 of the deceased's relatives off the line and into a field. Hot day - and there was much strong language. Try herding sheep without a qualified dog.

In those days - there were 37;s at nearby Pantyffynon and one was scrambled , but not needed. Incident was at Llandybie.

 

[zwk500]

Surely a sheep wouldn't cause a train to " fail" - a cow would, hit one in Wales once in a pacer - that was an experience!

Depends exactly which bit of the train it hits. If it's something critical it doesn't take a big impact at 100+mph to sit the train down.

390124 just passed southbound on the partially cancelled 1M19. Presumably it reversed at Abington? (as it was 1S69 northbound)

Would appear to have turned at Lockerbie.

 

[palmersears]

390124 just passed southbound on the partially cancelled 1M19. Presumably it reversed at Abington? (as it was 1S69 northbound)

Indeed. 1S72 cancelled and turned at Carlisle, so we're all now on 1Z81, a 397 to Carlisle. It's very warm, and very full.

1S66 moved under its own power in the end.

 

[trainmananthon]

Surely a sheep wouldn't cause a train to " fail" - a cow would, hit one in Wales once in a pacer - that was an experience!

In this instance a drain cock was sheared off causing the train to lose its air. 100+mph into a lot of things with a bit of weight and density to them won't do the train much good

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

In this instance a drain cock was sheared off causing the train to lose its air. 100+mph into a lot of things with a bit of weight and density to them won't do the train much good

I was once on a train (Gerald, the Welsh premier train) which hit a dog near Leominster northbound at 90mph.
The air pipe was damaged and the train brakes leaked on gradually over 10 miles or so.
Despite the 57 being at full power, we just made it at a crawl into Ludlow station where they sent for a fitter - from Gloucester. Took 2 hours to arrive and make a temporary fix.
We then limped to Shrewsbury where the train was terminated (no doubt to go ECS to Crewe for repairs).

 

[Bald Rick]

Surely a sheep wouldn't cause a train to " fail" - a cow would, hit one in Wales once in a pacer - that was an experience!

A pheasant can fail a train if it hits the right part at the right speed!

 

[hexagon789]

A pheasant can fail a train if it hits the right part at the right speed!

Didn't one imbed itself in a (was it?) Super Voyager coupler some years back and damage presumably an air valve causing the brakes to bleed on and lock solid?

Rings a bell that it got a mention in one of the railway news publications at the time.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Trust me - as a callow youth I once assisted the train crew of a class 120 on the Central Wales line in removing an RIP sheep (which luckily did not manage to seriously damage the unit) and about 30 of the deceased's relatives off the line and into a field. Hot day - and there was much strong language. Try herding sheep without a qualified dog.

In those days - there were 37;s at nearby Pantyffynon and one was scrambled , but not needed. Incident was at Llandybie.

Simple. Just use the train. I was on the Cumbrian Coast when the 37s were operating. Just north of Bootle Flossie and her mates were wandering over the track. The driver just went at walking pace constantly blasting the horn. The sheep got the message and after a few hundred yards of scampering about went back into the field.

 

[Aictos]

A pheasant can fail a train if it hits the right part at the right speed!

Such as a windscreen? there was a Class 360 last week that I'm aware of that had a smashed windscreen on the drivers side.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

A pheasant can fail a train if it hits the right part at the right speed!

Large traffic cones are particularly good at causing damage (slightly OT)

 

[Bald Rick]

Such as a windscreen? there was a Class 360 last week that I'm aware of that had a smashed windscreen on the drivers side.

windscreen, coupler, horn, brake isol valve, lots of things.

 

[norbitonflyer]

windscreen, coupler, horn, brake isol valve, lots of things.

Even a windscreen wiper

 

[24Grange]

I think, in one of the magazine was a photo of a rescued Buzzard/Hawk or similar which was " scooped" up and deposited in the coupling pocket. Bird could then not get out due to wind resistance. Rescued by the RSPA, bit shocked but none the worse for wear ( no damage to the train I think)

 

[sammyg901]

A pheasant can fail a train if it hits the right part at the right speed!

Indeed. Years ago was on a Chiltern 168 that failed at a particularly awkward location between High Wycombe and Princes Risborough after hitting a pheasant that caused the brakes to lock very sharply. Had to wait for a fitter to get to us and IIRC a 165 came and towed / pushed us up to Princes Risborough where the 121 was faithfully waiting to shuttle me home to Aylesbury !