Another class 70 fire

[Silv1983]

70005 had a small engine fire today shortly after leaving Wigan North Western some time after midday. It didn't even make it as far as Hindley. Fire service extinguished it according to the signaller I spoke to - and it was dragged back into WNW by the 66 that was tailing it.

These locos are cursed today it would seem; as 70001 had to shed a load of ballast wagons at Bolton after triggering a hot axle box detector near Lostock Jct this morning.

Thought this might interest some of you as I know they're a topic of conversation (love and hate) amongst enthusiasts

 

[TrainBoy98]

How many of them HAVENT had a problem?! :P

 

[Oswyntail]

When was the previous problem What is the current mpc?

 

[asylumxl]

Did they outsource the building of the 70s to Derby or something?!

 

[TrainBoy98]

Did they outsource the building of the 70s to Derby or something?!

Love it!!

 

[D365]

Did they outsource the building of the 70s to Derby or something?!

Love it!!

I don't recall any Derby produce to have suffered repeated spontaneous combustion! Although, that may have saved 70012 from its tragic plight aboard the ship - Bombardier would have dropped it themselves

 

[Dreadnought]

These locos are cursed today it would seem; as 70001 had to shed a load of ballast wagons at Bolton after triggering a hot axle box detector near Lostock Jct this morning.

I doubt it was 70001 as that was parked in Ipswich stabling point yesterday afternoon when I was there.

Just checked to confirm and I have seen TOPS lists today that say it is still there.

 

[Crossforth]

Maybe built by the same people as the Boeing 787? :P

 

[nathanclass323]

It is built by the 'Muricans. I believe in times like this we need to be building as much as possible in the UK including our trains.

 

[driver9000]

70005 had a small engine fire today shortly after leaving Wigan North Western some time after midday. It didn't even make it as far as Hindley. Fire service extinguished it according to the signaller I spoke to - and it was dragged back into WNW by the 66 that was tailing it.

These locos are cursed today it would seem; as 70001 had to shed a load of ballast wagons at Bolton after triggering a hot axle box detector near Lostock Jct this morning.

Thought this might interest some of you as I know they're a topic of conversation (love and hate) amongst enthusiasts

What hot axle box detector near Lostock Junction?

 

[Silv1983]

What hot axle box detector near Lostock Junction?

Sorry it must have been other drivers' reporting smoke - I assumed there was one somewhere: but thinking back the signaller said there was a hot axle box that was smoking and it had been reported already so not to stop and report it. My brain filling in the gaps (incorrectly)!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I doubt it was 70001 as that was parked in Ipswich stabling point yesterday afternoon when I was there.

Just checked to confirm and I have seen TOPS lists today that say it is still there.

I could swear blind it was 70001. I was with another driver who remarked that the loco involved was "one of those ugly things you like the look off" - to which I clocked the number and said it was the first one off the production line. In that case I don't know which it was.

 

[Oswyntail]

Whenever the class is mentioned, we get the same response here - they always burst into flame. But no one ever actually gives the stats. As I asked earlier: how long since the previous fire and what are the current MPC figures?

 

[driver9000]

Sorry it must have been other drivers' reporting smoke - I assumed there was one somewhere: but thinking back the signaller said there was a hot axle box that was smoking and it had been reported already so not to stop and report it. My brain filling in the gaps (incorrectly)!

You had me thinking I'd missed something important for a minute!

 

[martyn29]

Did 70005 go through man pic as I saw it earlier, obviously before the fire. Looked ok then.

 

[12CSVT]

Whenever the class is mentioned, we get the same response here - they always burst into flame. But no one ever actually gives the stats. As I asked earlier: how long since the previous fire and what are the current MPC figures?

Conversely, how bad are they compared with class 27s or class 127 DMUs which both had a bad reputation for catching fire ?

And is it possible to overcome the fires by revving the engine (a remedy which often worked well with the Deltics) ?

 

[broadgage]

Reving the engine can sometimes put out fires in the exhaust system, but it certainly would not help with an engine fire, nor with a hot axlebox.

 

[BestWestern]

What is the situation regarding the damage and repairs caused by these fires; are these mobile BBQ's under warranty or are Freightliner regretting it big time? Although presumably FL are having to fork out for regular delay minutes and recovery operations anyhow? I don't envisage any more orders for the UK!

 

[starrymarkb]

Maybe built by the same people as the Boeing 787? :P

Well GE did make the engines fitted to about half of them (Airlines can choose between Rolls Royce Trent or GE Gen-X engines*) and a GE engine did combust during ground running...

*Of the UK operators, BA have Rolls and Thomson have GE

 

[BestWestern]

Well GE did make the engines fitted to about half of them (Airlines can choose between Rolls Royce Trent or GE Gen-X engines*) and a GE engine did combust during ground running...

*Of the UK operators, BA have Rolls and Thomson have GE

Without wising to wander too far off topic, what are the considerations and the differences when making that choice? I 'like' planes in a curious kind of way but my knowledge is nil!

 

[Oswyntail]

.... these fires... mobile BBQ's ...

Once again. How many fires have there been in the last six months? What is current MPC? Or are people just mocking this class with no real basis?

 

[BestWestern]

Once again. How many fires have there been in the last six months? What is current MPC? Or are people just mocking this class with no real basis?

I've no idea of the figures, doubtless somebody does though. However there is clearly a problem with the class 70 being unacceptably prone to self ignition; how many other current classes of traction in the UK have had anywhere this many incidents in the same timescale?

Would you be satisfied if you'd invested millions in brand new machines to increase reliability and productivity, only to find that they set themselves ablaze on a semi-regular basis, causing disruption and further extensive costs, and the manufacturer seems to have little idea of how to remedy the problem? I would imagine not!

 

[Oswyntail]

I've no idea of the figures, doubtless somebody does though. However there is clearly a problem with the class 70 being unacceptably prone to self ignition; how many other current classes of traction in the UK have had anywhere this many incidents in the same timescale?

Would you be satisfied if you'd invested millions in brand new machines to increase reliability and productivity, only to find that they set themselves ablaze on a semi-regular basis, causing disruption and further extensive costs, and the manufacturer seems to have little idea of how to remedy the problem? I would imagine not!

No, but is this actually the case? From what I recall, there was a series of fires within a short period of time, from a number of different causes. Since then, they seem to have been fairly well behaved, but, like you, I have no idea how true this is. At the time, I wondered if the problem might have been more related to maintenance of a completely new class, from an unfamiliar manufacturer, but the armchair warriors told me this was impossible.
Usually, on this forum, someone has genuine data (eventually) to support or refute a theory. No one seems yet to have offered this, and this surprises me.

 

[CROMPTON 33]

Toaster 70014 is out of service at brush. they keep them in work putting them wright. shame we don't build trains just service the junk from across the pond. then the way i see it is we are only a service centre for the rest of the world now,

 

[455driver]

As the "fire" on 70001 was nothing more than a hot axlebox on one of the wagons (and so nothing to do with the loco) I think we can discount that one.