800/802s running on engines even under wires

[D365]

We don’t run them on diesel for fun, trust me, as mentioned above it’s normally either due to a fault, awaiting inspection/remedial work that’s booked in or because of a BTEC, I think North Pole had one the other night, any opportunity to run on electric and we’d rather take it

What’s a BTEC? Not anything to do with a qualification is it..?

 

[RichardAsh1981]

What’s a BTEC? Not anything to do with a qualification is it..?

There's either an issue with the set or, somewhere on the route is a BTET (block to electric traction). If one of these is on, sometimes the 387 Cardiff - Paddington services don't run and the 800s normally run on diesel

 

[Elecman]

What’s a BTEC? Not anything to do with a qualification is it..?

Think the poster means BTET Blocked to Electric Traction

 

[Taunton]

I apologise for diverting the conversation to accounts of old stock rough riding. Maybe I was distracted by a thread title of "800s", and recollected the real D800s. Back to modern stuff running on diesel under the wires.

This seems to have been widespread ever since the 800s came along to Paddington. I think my first few runs on them all arrived and left there on diesel. The times I notice the engines still thrumming away there really is surprising. The notes above seem to imply that defects on one or another traction system are just treated as secondary, and it helps reduce further spare units provision if they can be sent out on all-electric diagrams if a diesel problem, or out running on diesel if an electrics side issue. Sure this is useful for "get you home", but it seems sets are running like this day after day.

 

[Clarence Yard]

I don’t think traction faults are treated as secondary but Hitachi run a very structured system for repairs, especially if they need “roof work” or an engine drop, the latter may be for some attention to auxiliaries rather than to the engine itself.

That means the work has to be planned in, sometimes for quite a time ahead.

 

[Taunton]

I don’t think traction faults are treated as secondary but Hitachi run a very structured system for repairs ...

I do suspect that the latter is a euphemism for the former ... having justified a minimalist maintenance facility.

 

[Whistler40145]

Obviously, they'll be occasions when a OHLE supply issue would lead to working on Diesel Mode

 

[Thechopperguy]

Think the poster means BTET Blocked to Electric Traction

Yeah it's something that's put on between overhead line locations if there's a problem and electric trains can't run

 

[WarrenTManager]

Wow that's quite unscientifc. I would have thought that modern trains would have motion / g-force sensors that could log unusual movement automatically.

I've picked up stuff by ear way before the various bits of monitoring has!

 

[Flipped Pacer]

Theoretically if all engines are operative on a GWR unit how fast can they go on diesel mode. Can they reach the full 125mph?

 

[800001]

Theoretically if all engines are operative on a GWR unit how fast can they go on diesel mode. Can they reach the full 125mph?

I believe it normally about 117/118 mph that they hit.

 

[nctd2306]

They can hit 125 if going downhill for long enough I believe

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Theoretically if all engines are operative on a GWR unit how fast can they go on diesel mode. Can they reach the full 125mph?

They can reach 125 on diesel but takes a good long clear run…. Or Dauntsey bank

 

[Railperf]

They can reach 125 on diesel but takes a good long clear run…. Or Dauntsey bank

125mph - not a hope on level track, but definitely downhill - as long as all engines are delivering their expected power.