Stourbridge Shuttle Suspended 08/05/2022

[peteb]

Service suspended "until further notice" due to urgent repairs to the track. Alternative buses running between Stourbridge Junction and Town stations.

 

[mrcheek]

I know its a short branch, but how long would it take to walk between the two?

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

15 minutes or so

 

[507020]

How long will these take? I wanted to go on the Stourbridge Shuttle

 

[High Dyke]

Seemingly a rough ride was reported across the points that access the Town branch, and remedial track repairs undertaken. However, I also understand one of the train units is out of traffic for repairs and the second unit requires inspection following the rough ride report.

 

[pdeaves]

The track was replaced recently, said to be the best quality ever on the line. I wonder what broke.

 

[The Planner]

The track was replaced recently, said to be the best quality ever on the line. I wonder what broke.

Track might have been replaced, but I bet the S&C wasn't.

 

[Spartacus]

Service suspended until at least the 10th pending inspection of the 139s, damage to the track was found corrected a couple of days ago which it has been alleged was caused by one of the units.

 

[172007]

I believe that 137 yards of check rail has to be replaced and both 139's inspected by a rolling stock technician before anything can move.

There is no way that the check rail should even have any wear at all let alone need replacing. Something must be seriously wrong with the wheel sets. How close has the 139's come to derailing would be the question?

 

[Megafuss]

I have to be honest, I never found the ride quality of the Stourbidge Town line very smooth, so it must have been very bad at such low speed

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I have to be honest, I never found the ride quality of the Stourbidge Town line very smooth, so it must have been very bad at such low speed

Was that down primarily to the condition of the track or the rolling stock (or maybe a combination of the two)?

 

[High Dyke]

I have to be honest, I never found the ride quality of the Stourbidge Town line very smooth, so it must have been very bad at such low speed

Don't forget that until recently the majority of the branch was primarily jointed track, but was relayed with continuous welded rail (CWR), to give a better ride quality.

 

[Mothball]

I believe that 137 yards of check rail has to be replaced and both 139's inspected by a rolling stock technician before anything can move.

There is no way that the check rail should even have any wear at all let alone need replacing. Something must be seriously wrong with the wheel sets. How close has the 139's come to derailing would be the question?

Could it not be a issue with the rail itself? I remember the 139s having some excessive wheel wear issues at the start but that's over 10 years ago, given there has been no major issues since, and the rail having been replaced not so long ago would suggest the latter to me.

 

[Bald Rick]

There were a lot of people in orange looking at the S&C on Friday afternoon. Presumably related.

 

[RedPostJunc]

Went for my first ride on the Stourbridge shuttle today and was amazed how rough the ride was. It felt like being on a boat pitching and rolling, especially as we approached Stourbridge Town. I was also surprised that there are two drivers, one at each end.

I have a few questions that a local may be able to answer:
About a minute before departure, the driver appeared to "rev up the engine". Any idea why? This happened at both stations and on each journey that I saw.
I know one unit is out of service at present, but usually is one unit normally left in the sidings at Stourbridge Junction, while the other one works the service? Was the defective unit removed by road?

 

[birchesgreen]

Went for my first ride on the Stourbridge shuttle today and was amazed how rough the ride was. It felt like being on a boat pitching and rolling, especially as we approached Stourbridge Town. I was also surprised that there are two drivers, one at each end.

I have a few questions that a local may be able to answer:
About a minute before departure, the driver appeared to "rev up the engine". Any idea why? This happened at both stations and on each journey that I saw.
I know one unit is out of service at present, but usually is one unit normally left in the sidings at Stourbridge Junction, while the other one works the service? Was the defective unit removed by road?

It would be in the little shed at the end of the SBJ platform maybe?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Went for my first ride on the Stourbridge shuttle today and was amazed how rough the ride was. It felt like being on a boat pitching and rolling, especially as we approached Stourbridge Town. I was also surprised that there are two drivers, one at each end.

There are two crew, one acts as driver and one as guard and they swap over. Why it isn't DOO is beyond me.

I have a few questions that a local may be able to answer:

About a minute before departure, the driver appeared to "rev up the engine". Any idea why? This happened at both stations and on each journey that I saw.

Spinning up the flywheel which is what provides the actual power. The engine itself is too low power to actually propel it at any speed, I believe.

The design is pre lithium batteries really being feasible, so this was a different energy storage means. The idea was that it would charge off small sections of third rail at each end, but in the event this one is diesel.

 

[godfreycomplex]

There are two crew, one acts as driver and one as guard and they swap over. Why it isn't DOO is beyond me.

The line isn’t continuously track circuited therefore DOO isn’t permitted

 

[Bletchleyite]

The line isn’t continuously track circuited therefore DOO isn’t permitted

Does it even come under all the rules applicable to the mainline? It needn't, it is more like a tramway. And it is one engine in steam with no level crossings so it is hardly going to hit anything bar a tree.

 

[43066]

Does it even come under all the rules applicable to the mainline? It needn't, it is more like a tramway. And it is one engine in steam with no level crossings so it is hardly going to hit anything bar a tree.

I went past Stourbridge en route to Kidderminster the other day funnily enough and spotted this. Wow! It looks utterly ridiculous, like an oversized dodgem car!

It’s a new addition to my mental list of railway vehicles I’d be most embarrassed to drive, even above above the Marston Vale D-Stock-Not-D-Stock and the “Mail Rail” tourist train at the London Postal Museum* .

*which is well worth a visit.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Does it even come under all the rules applicable to the mainline? It needn't, it is more like a tramway. And it is one engine in steam with no level crossings so it is hardly going to hit anything bar a tree.

Yes it does

To change it into a tramway from the signalling it currently has (or even to continuously track circuit it) would cost far more than the cost of guards.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes it does

To change it into a tramway from the signalling it currently has (or even to continuously track circuit it) would cost far more than the cost of guards.

Are axle counters not allowed for DOO?

 

[DanNCL]

An additional reason for having the specific two crew setup on the Stourbridge Shuttle whereby the driver and guard swap roles at each end is that it minimises turnaround times, something important on a single train shuttle that runs on a high frequency

 

[godfreycomplex]

Are axle counters not allowed for DOO?

Continuously track circuited as a phrase encompasses axle counters so yes they are, but they’re not present here (and the cost factor for design and installation is at best similar to track circuits)

 

[philthetube]

This is a classic example of why the railway costs so much to run, we have always done it that way so we will continue to do so regardless.

There cannot be any safety reason why token working can be introduced, one engine in steam does not need signalling.

 

[43066]

This is a classic example of why the railway costs so much to run, we have always done it that way so we will continue to do so regardless.

There cannot be any safety reason why token working can be introduced, one engine in steam does not need signalling.

That *thing* is not “the railway”. Does an oversized dogem car really need signals?

Anyone on here willing to admit to actually crewing it? It must be an amusing day out.

 

[godfreycomplex]

This is a classic example of why the railway costs so much to run, we have always done it that way so we will continue to do so regardless.

There cannot be any safety reason why token working can be introduced, one engine in steam does not need signalling.

Token (or more accurately train staff) working is already present, and has been since the early 1990s. To install another signalling system, as I’ve said, would be a lot of expenditure for very minimal return (which is probably why the train staff system was left as it was when the line was resignalled seven or eight years ago)

“One engine in steam” hasn’t been permitted on the national network for a number of years on a very simple basis

Train 1 breaks down
Train 2 comes to rescue it
Train 1 fixes itself and gets moving
Train 2 is still coming towards it
Crunch

All the safeguards that would prevent such a situation happening in a “one engine in steam” scenario are essentially verbal or written orders. These are not deemed sufficient protection for an operational railway and the passengers and staff using it in this country (see the Andria-Corato collision as to why), hence the presence of some sort of signalling system on the entire national network.

And as for it only being a “little train” the riposte to trespassers on a narrow gauge railway elsewhere in the country leaps to mind

“Oh they’re only little trains”
“Yes, well they’ll only kill you a little bit then”

 

[507020]

Token (or more accurately train staff) working is already present, and has been since the early 1990s. To install another signalling system, as I’ve said, would be a lot of expenditure for very minimal return (which is probably why the train staff system was left as it was when the line was resignalled seven or eight years ago)

“One engine in steam” hasn’t been permitted on the national network for a number of years on a very simple basis

Train 1 breaks down
Train 2 comes to rescue it
Train 1 fixes itself and gets moving
Train 2 is still coming towards it
Crunch

All the safeguards that would prevent such a situation happening in a “one engine in steam” scenario are essentially verbal or written orders. These are not deemed sufficient protection for an operational railway and the passengers and staff using it in this country (see the Andria-Corato collision as to why), hence the presence of some sort of signalling system on the entire national network.

And as for it only being a “little train” the riposte to trespassers on a narrow gauge railway elsewhere in the country leaps to mind

“Oh they’re only little trains”
“Yes, well they’ll only kill you a little bit then”

I'm sure several single track branches in this country are One engine in steam, including St Ives and Ormskirk and they haven't yet been "crunched" Can drivers of failed trains on such lines not simply be banned from fixing them or moving once 1Z99 has started moving towards it and 1Z99 be banned from exceeding 5mph under emergency permissive working?

 

[philthetube]

Token (or more accurately train staff) working is already present, and has been since the early 1990s. To install another signalling system, as I’ve said, would be a lot of expenditure for very minimal return (which is probably why the train staff system was left as it was when the line was resignalled seven or eight years ago)

“One engine in steam” hasn’t been permitted on the national network for a number of years on a very simple basis

Train 1 breaks down
Train 2 comes to rescue it
Train 1 fixes itself and gets moving
Train 2 is still coming towards it
Crunch

All the safeguards that would prevent such a situation happening in a “one engine in steam” scenario are essentially verbal or written orders. These are not deemed sufficient protection for an operational railway and the passengers and staff using it in this country (see the Andria-Corato collision as to why), hence the presence of some sort of signalling system on the entire national network.

And as for it only being a “little train” the riposte to trespassers on a narrow gauge railway elsewhere in the country leaps to mind

“Oh they’re only little trains”
“Yes, well they’ll only kill you a little bit then”

I am sorry but that is a typical railway answer, this is how we do it so it cannot change.

Train 1 breaks down, train 2 passes red signal to rescue it, train 1 fixes itself and gets going crunch, please explain why a system using one engine in steam and signals would have different results in these circumstances.

In both scenarios the driver of train 1 would be instructed not to move without permission, and if that instruction was ignored the consequences would be the same.

 

[Dai Corner]

If it 'looks like an overgrown dodgem" perhaps it could be designated as a 'fairground ride' instead of a railway and exempt from railway regulations?