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Do Scotrail Class 156s contain asbestos?
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Thanks - sorry no idea of the stock - line is Kilmarnock to Glasgow Central.
Reason asking was metallic looking fibre floating in the carriage - and associated burning/smokey smell.
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
They probably rockwool or similar insulation - definitely no asbestos.
A single fibre floating around in the train could be anything, even a hair off someone's head.
As to the smell, the train could well have gone through a bit of smoke from a garden bonfire or from a building site disposing of some of their rubbish - in which case the fibre could even have been a bit of ash.
Seriously, you have nothing to worry about.
A single fibre floating around in the train could be anything, even a hair off someone's head.
As to the smell, the train could well have gone through a bit of smoke from a garden bonfire or from a building site disposing of some of their rubbish - in which case the fibre could even have been a bit of ash.
Seriously, you have nothing to worry about.
cjmillsnun
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No asbestos in any of the current stock. IIRC they stopped using asbestos in the late sixties and stripped it out of anything during the 70s and the 80s
alexf380
Established Member
Kilmarnock to Glasgow is 156s. Re: The burning smell, is it often when the unit is braking? Sometimes I've found there to be a burning carbon-like smell under braking. It'll just be brake dust or something like that. Nothing to worry about.
gingerheid
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One of the reasons that generation of DMUs was built was to replace old ones that did contain asbestos.
plarailfan
Member
The privatised railway had not come into being when British rail replaced the DMU fleet with pacers, Sprinters, etc and they were well aware of the asbestos hazard. Southern third rail EMU stock went through extensive overhaul, which involved removing all the asbestos.
Some life expired units were disposed of at specialist sites with facilities to burn the asbestos - Meyer Newman at Snailwell was well known at the time.
There's a rather dramatic photo of an electric unit, after being processed in the firing tunnel https://www.flickr.com/photos/23664186@N07/4560343506
Some life expired units were disposed of at specialist sites with facilities to burn the asbestos - Meyer Newman at Snailwell was well known at the time.
There's a rather dramatic photo of an electric unit, after being processed in the firing tunnel https://www.flickr.com/photos/23664186@N07/4560343506
Highlandspring
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There is no asbestos in 156s or, indeed, any of the second generation DMU classes.
NotATrainspott
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Trains get dismantled for repair more often than buildings so any asbestos would have been found by now if it had been installed. Since these strip-downs can be very intensive - essentially dismantling the train back to bare components - there's essentially no way any asbestos could ever be allowed to remain if it had ever been installed in the first place. Depots and works yards would require all sorts of serious asbestos-handling kit that we know they don't have. If ScotRail or the ROSCO (the company which owns and leases out the trains) knew there was asbestos but didn't tell their staff, then they'd be uninsurable.
Really, there's plenty of things the railway has to deal with now but asbestos isn't one of them.
Really, there's plenty of things the railway has to deal with now but asbestos isn't one of them.
hexagon789
Veteran Member
Kilmarnock - Glasgow Central uses Class 156s. These were built in the late 1980s long after BR stopped using asbestos insulation.
I doubt any stock in service has asbestos as most came into service after it was banned I think.
43096
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Wrong. BR was disposing of asbestos insulated stock in the 80s; think it was 1987 was the deadline for removing it or scrapping. BR certainly wasn’t buying new stock with it after they had removed all vehicles with it from service!
You also have to have regular long term exposure for it to have any major risk to your health. Having chatted to a removal specialist about it when he visited my depot one day.
I'd be more worried about older hospital buildings and schools being packed full of it than trains...
I'd be more worried about older hospital buildings and schools being packed full of it than trains...
1. The UK is not the rest of the World, most new use of Asbestos was banned in the the UK under the "Asbestos Regulations (1969)"
2. British Rail stopped using Asbestos for insulation purposes for new or refurbished rolling stock in 1967.
3. In 1974 British rail started what was meant to be a 4 year intensive Asbestos removal programme for 7000+ passenger vehicles which dragged on for longer than 4 years.
4. Passenger Rolling stock that was near end of life or very difficult to remove asbestos from was withdrawn for scrapped by 1987 (some locomotives survived longer e.g. 26s/27s? where the remaining asbestos was sandwiched in the middle of steel bulkheads)
(I once spent 500k on getting Asbestos removed from a "vintage" CHP plant during a refurb)
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hexagon789
Veteran Member
I believe blue sprayed asbestos, a favourite for railway carriage insulation at one point, was banned in 1984 or 1985.
Not sure when BR last built something with asbestos insulation though, 1960s?
Given your location (Oceania) you may not be aware that the UK was substantially ahead of most of the rest of the world in restricting most new Asbestos use. British Rail was also one of the first user organisations in the world to acknowledge the dangers of blue asbestos.
Hi - live in Scotland.
Been using the train since 1995. First time encountered smell and saw fibre floating.
My well have been from the breaks or doors - thought I saw cloud of stuff when waiting to get on the train.
I was not sure if asbestos had been left in situ and things could have deteriorated - realised exposure if any would have been short but wondered about stuff on clothing and also further risk using train daily.
Thanks for everyone’s input - taking it the insulation was never asbestos and if it was it would have been removed and likewise there would be no use of asbestos in the brakes, doors, ceiling etc. Again thanks for everyone’s input - really appreciated.
Been using the train since 1995. First time encountered smell and saw fibre floating.
My well have been from the breaks or doors - thought I saw cloud of stuff when waiting to get on the train.
I was not sure if asbestos had been left in situ and things could have deteriorated - realised exposure if any would have been short but wondered about stuff on clothing and also further risk using train daily.
Thanks for everyone’s input - taking it the insulation was never asbestos and if it was it would have been removed and likewise there would be no use of asbestos in the brakes, doors, ceiling etc. Again thanks for everyone’s input - really appreciated.
Is there asbestos in ANY UK rolling stock on the mainline now?
Given that even asbestos cement (and even fibrous cement, if it cannot be verified) panels are treated as hazardous?
Although personally, and without wanting to open a can of worms here, this thread is very much along the lines of Chemtrails and WTC demolition theory in its veracity.
Given that even asbestos cement (and even fibrous cement, if it cannot be verified) panels are treated as hazardous?
Although personally, and without wanting to open a can of worms here, this thread is very much along the lines of Chemtrails and WTC demolition theory in its veracity.
randyrippley
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221129
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Try again...
Thanks again - i started the thread to get an informed and correct answer. If you look on the net the information is not there or is contradictory. Thanks to everyone - no conspiracy just simply looking for informed and correct info. Thanks all sorry if the query has upset anyone.
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