Another Class 70007 on Fire / Another 70 Failure

[Matt Taylor]

70007 now at Southampton Maritime by all accounts. SWT and XC have had some awful delays due to FL loco problems on the Reading-Southampton corridor in the last month.

 

[Phil6219]

Perhaps FL should offer to take some 60s off DBS' hands, for a fee obviously.

That said I don't think anything other than the original grey Freightliner livery would work on a 60, DRS could though....

I think it is worth pointing out that when the "mighty" class 60s were introduced they had considerable reliability problems, in fact didn't BR try not to take up the final ones? Once those issues were worked out they became one of the best Type 5 locomotives ever, given how DBS seems to have noticed how EWS P****d on their chips in running them into the ground and seems to have started restoring them into working order perhaps there could be something similar with the 70s (in the sense of naff at first and great later on, not the soggy chips).

* as you may have gathered I love 60s

Phil

 

[Whistler40145]

Are 60s any more reliable?


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[Harbon 1]

as you may have gathered I love 60s

Same over here!

Maybe 60s are more reliable, but after 20 years, they've had all of there teething problems fixed

 

[ash39]

but a whole load of other problems created by leaving them sat unused and exposed to the elements for 6 years plus!

 

[GazzaB24]

70s run up and down the Marches line too - seen them at Hereford, Salop, outside Crewe, and running through Newport.

There is a regular 70 turn through Solihull line to Southampton on Saturday mornings around 9am (at Solihull) too. Don't blame me if a 66 turns up on occasions

Pic of 70008 on 31/3/12: http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/gbrailphotos/7031717053/in/set-72157627248025281/

 

[Peter Mugridge]

70 007 was working 4O49.

Isn't that the same working that 70 018 ignited on?





Perhaps this class should be named after something suitable?

Let's see.... How about:

70 001: Mount Etna
70 002: Mount Vesuvius
70 003: Krakatoa
70 004: Mauna Kea
etc etc etc

 

[142]

so how many of them havent broke up to now..

1,3,5,7,8,9,12,15,18 have broke/burnt so far if im right?

thanks
dan

Add 70006 to that list too as can be seen here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-HsiYSuSJU

 

[Schnellzug]

I hardly think that 60s can be held up as paragons of reliability ....

 

[lordhinton]

are there any pics of this yet?

thanks

dan

 

[asylumxl]

Perhaps this class should be named after something suitable?

Let's see.... How about:

70 001: Mount Etna
70 002: Mount Vesuvius
70 003: Krakatoa
70 004: Mauna Kea
etc etc etc

Truly, they are deserving of these names. They are genuinely hell fire .

 

[sprinterguy]

I have never seen a 70,and at this rate i am not likely to! Has anyone spotted a 70 on the ECML in the Durham area? How far would i have to travel to see one from the North East?

Class 70s work some of the Anglo-Scottish coal trains that originate from York Holgate and head over the Tyne Valley route to Carlisle, so they do pass through Durham. This is one of my mates' photos, taken at the Metrocentre:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northeast_rail_photos/6904931191/in/photostream/

 

[Whistler40145]

Are there problems with other locos of similar build throughout the world?


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[ACE1888]

Not the best advert for a modern locomotive, the 'Fuglies' are they...'severe' teething problems to say the least

 

[Photohunter71]

Looks like they will all be taken off duties and given a thorough inspection etc,maybe Freightliner are wishing they'd opted for a Vossloh,Voith or Bombardier made loco instead.

 

[Whistler40145]

Can the Rail Unions refuse to allow their members to drive the locos if they don't deem them safe to drive?


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[Schnellzug]

Are there problems with other locos of similar build throughout the world?

GE locos does seem to have a reputation as not being as robust as GMs (how many Dash 7s are still in day to day service with US railroads compared with SD40-2s, for instance?), and engine fires don't seem too uncommon with the older engines (Dash 8 and AC series). I think perhaps one problem with these is that they incorporate too much that's new in one package; the engines have never been used in rail traction before, for instance, they were developed from a unit designed for use in power stations. Perhaps the current US standard unit, the GEVO engine, wouldn't meet Euro standards, so they had to try to find something else in-house. Or perhaps they were trying to break into the European market with something all-new. maybe they'll settle down and turn out to be as dependable as Sheds in time, or maybe they'll be the new Metrovicks. Who can say.

 

[Hydro]

Can the Rail Unions refuse to allow their members to drive the locos if they don't deem them safe to drive?

Allegedly worked for SNCF drivers and the Cl.92, or so I hear.

 

[Schnellzug]

Allegedly worked for SNCF drivers and the Cl.92, or so I hear.

yes, but the French unions will refuse to work on something if they don't like the colour of the interior of the cab.

 

[fgwrich]

GE locos does seem to have a reputation as not being as robust as GMs (how many Dash 7s are still in day to day service with US railroads compared with SD40-2s, for instance?), and engine fires don't seem too uncommon with the older engines (Dash 8 and AC series). I think perhaps one problem with these is that they incorporate too much that's new in one package; the engines have never been used in rail traction before, for instance, they were developed from a unit designed for use in power stations. Perhaps the current US standard unit, the GEVO engine, wouldn't meet Euro standards, so they had to try to find something else in-house. Or perhaps they were trying to break into the European market with something all-new. maybe they'll settle down and turn out to be as dependable as Sheds in time, or maybe they'll be the new Metrovicks. Who can say.

Originally developed to run from GAS in Austrian power stations, with a somehow simple conversion to Diesel.

yes, but the French unions will refuse to work on something if they don't like the colour of the interior of the cab.

 

[Eng274]

so how many of them havent broke up to now..

1,3,5,7,8,9,12,15,18 have broke/burnt so far if im right?

thanks
dan

70013 failed in south west scotland sometime in jan/feb IIRC. Not an impressive reliability record.

 

[linesider]

Class 70s work some of the Anglo-Scottish coal trains that originate from York Holgate and head over the Tyne Valley route to Carlisle, so they do pass through Durham. This is one of my mates' photos, taken at the Metrocentre:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northeast_rail_photos/6904931191/in/photostream/

Thanks for that information,I will have to watch more carefully!

 

[Peter Sarf]

Can the Rail Unions refuse to allow their members to drive the locos if they don't deem them safe to drive?

I don't think the unions will force anyone not to drive them. If the 70s are dangerous then the health and safety act would be relevent would it not ?.

To be fair nothing has happened to make the 70s appear dangerous. Some might argue that it is a bit worse than reliability but its not like one has blown up !. This is a new design and as I said before - there would be no point in the 70s if they were not pushing the design ideas a bit. As far as I know there have been no injuries or potential injuries (though don't get in the way of 70012 ).
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Are they beating the Metrovicks, or the Claytons, or the NBL Warships and type 2s?

The class 31s (I think they were originally classified 30 then ?) had such unreliable engines that the whole lot had their engines replaced by an English Electric engine. I believe there were 263 built and I think all started life with the non-English Electric engine for the first five-ish years of their life ?.

 

[cheesemeister]

are there any pics of this yet?

thanks

dan

Photos here

Looks nowhere near as bad as 018 did.

 

[jon0844]

yes, but the French unions will refuse to work on something if they don't like the colour of the interior of the cab.

Like this? http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1028256&postcount=83

 

[moonrakerz]

I think perhaps one problem with these is that they incorporate too much that's new in one package; the engines have never been used in rail traction before,

Thought you were talking about the HST/Valenta there for a minute

 

[tonyderidem]

Just had a report of ‎70007 working 4O49 is on fire between Bramley and Basingstoke...So another of compensation from the Bank of Freightliner & GE Then?

I'm a member of The Saltley Seagulls Group, ex-Saltley man.

These 70s are obviously (without prejudice) not up to the job they were built for. We had 56s and 58s at Saltley doing the same job and if they weren't available a Brush type 4 did the job. A Crompton, 45 or even a 50 could do the same job.

Too many capable engines were scrapped that could do the same job. Total waste of cash.

 

[Michael.Y]

Guess what -- I saw a Class 70 yesterday that WASN'T on fire... 70013 waiting patiently outside Salop for us to trundle south.

Having said that, there was a lot of rain yesterday, so it probably didn't get a chance to start.

 

[Oswyntail]

I'm a member of The Saltley Seagulls Group, ex-Saltley man.

These 70s are obviously (without prejudice) not up to the job they were built for. We had 56s and 58s at Saltley doing the same job and if they weren't available a Brush type 4 did the job. A Crompton, 45 or even a 50 could do the same job.

Too many capable engines were scrapped that could do the same job. Total waste of cash.

And how many of the classes you mention had a totally trouble-free introduction? To say the 70s are not up to the job is patently incorrect unless the faults are caused by the job itself (eg the engine is underpowered). IMHO there is probably a design flaw or a maintenance problem - and my money is on the latter (Making no criticism of anyone - people can follow the wrong instructions perfectly).
I wonder why this rash is happening now and affecting locos across the entire range.

 

[fgwrich]

Albiet total failures not fires this time:

Mondays failure was -

4O51 Wentloog-Maritime with 70001 failed across all lines at Worting Jn. WoE terminate at Basing, Down XC's and Weymouths diverted via Guildford & Havant! Was rescued by tempting fate 70019 Which am informed, was very very close to failing on it's way up on the rescue...

And todays failure -

70019 - Engine died at Colwich on 4O49, 1047 Basford Hall - Millbrook, resuced this time by a more reliable 66543.

So how long will it be before the entire fleet is stopped, not long by the sounds of it!