Another TFW 175 Fire Gowerton 22/12/19

[PHILIPE]

1V93 1232 Manchester Picc to Carmarthen today terminated at Gowerton due to a fire on a 175. At the moment, I can't quote the number but will post later if it comes to hand. I have seen a picture on TFW Twitter showing smoke (not flames) billowing out from underneath and passengers making their way through the carriages to a doorway to disembark to the platform. From a passengers tweet only 2 doors available and suggests overcrowded 2 Car train. 3 Coaches initially arranged followed and necessary to source more.

 

[PHILIPE]

Report from Wales on Line now available

Train evacuated after smoke seen
A train was evacuated at Gowerton station earlier after smoke was seen coming from underneath a carriage.
No smoke got into the carriage itself and nobody was hurt.

A spokesman for Transport for Wales said: “We can confirm that smoke was seen to be coming from the undercarriage of one of our trains earlier today at Gowerton station.

“The train was evacuated by our train crew quickly and professionally, there was no smoke within the carriage, and thankfully there are no reports of any injuries.

“Onward road transport has been arranged to all customers onboard the service and there will be a full investigation into the cause of the incident. We would like to thank the fire service and our train crew for their quick actions and apologise to all those onboard who were affected.”

 

[Sion John]

1V93 1232 Manchester Picc to Carmarthen today terminated at Gowerton due to a fire on a 175. At the moment, I can't quote the number but will post later if it comes to hand. I have seen a picture on TFW Twitter showing smoke (not flames) billowing out from underneath and passengers making their way through the carriages to a doorway to disembark to the platform. From a passengers tweet only 2 doors available and suggests overcrowded 2 Car train. 3 Coaches initially arranged followed and necessary to source more.

Sounds awful 175102 btw

 

[geoffk]

That's at least eight fires on a 175 in the last 15 years. A shame as they are a nice unit to travel on. The related class 180 also doesn't have a good record. Is there a common cause or just bad luck?

 

[Caaardiff]

That would be a 3 car train. It's Christmas weekend so of course it's going to be busy. Not forgetting that quite a few GWR London-South Wales trains have been cancelled so more people will arrive in Swansea/Cardiff in bigger waves wanting to go further west at the same time on TfW services, rather than being spread out through the day.

 

[Sion John]

That would be a 3 car train. It's Christmas weekend so of course it's going to be busy. Not forgetting that quite a few GWR London-South Wales trains have been cancelled so more people will arrive in Swansea/Cardiff in bigger waves wanting to go further west at the same time on TfW services, rather than being spread out through the day.

Yeah shame GWR has been short on swansea drivers to Carmarthen today

 

[Sion John]

That's at least eight fires on a 175 in the last 15 years. A shame as they are a nice unit to travel on. The related class 180 also doesn't have a good record. Is there a common cause or just bad luck?

I agree

 

[Envoy]

OK, I know it is Christmas and things are not normal but is it really wise for Transport for Wales to only have on order 2 coach trains for the Manchesters west of Swansea? (They plan to run as 5 car sets east of Swansea).

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

OK, I know it is Christmas and things are not normal but is it really wise for Transport for Wales to only have on order 2 coach trains for the Manchesters west of Swansea? (They plan to run as 5 car sets east of Swansea).

Two coaches are probably okay for the current demand most of the time. Any growth in numbers could spell trouble but I suppose TfW could always swap the three and two carriage sections round with the three carriage section running the whole length of the service and the two car joining in SX.

 

[Brissle Girl]

I would imagine the Saturday before Xmas is a fairly atypical day in terms of loadings, adding those travelling home for Xmas to shopper traffic. So I’m not sure I’d form an opinion on whether the proposed provision of rolling stock is adequate based on one snapshot.

Is there any plan to increase the frequency of services once the new stock arrives?

 

[Envoy]

Two coaches are probably okay for the current demand most of the time. Any growth in numbers could spell trouble but I suppose TfW could always swap the three and two carriage sections round with the three carriage section running the whole length of the service and the two car joining in SX.

I don’t think that they could do it like that as surely the 3 coaches left at Swansea (westbound) would need to be attached to the next 2 coach that comes in from the west in order to head east back to Manchester. If we are finding people already rammed on 2 coach services going west from Swansea now, then surely TfW should need to think about ordering the whole fleet as 6 coach trains for the run to Manchester splitting at Swansea with 3 coaches proceeding into west Wales?

Of course, the greatest population density west of Swansea is nearby Llanelli. I note that Grand Union propose working a new service from Llanelli to London using bi-mode Class 800’s similar to the GWR ones. Ideally, I think that these should use the Swansea District Line with a new P&R station near the M4 at J45. See>
http://www.granduniontrains.co.uk/llanelli-to-london/

PS. We are now going off topic regarding the fire so any more chat about provision west of Swansea perhaps should be on a new thread.

As our entry in to the UK rail market, we are proposing to initially establish a service every two hours in both directions along the Cardiff to London route on the Great Western Main Line.

This service will create passenger choice where there is currently none, increase service frequency and open up new journey opportunities, providing improved connectivity for South Wales.

 

[Sion John]

I don’t think that they could do it like that as surely the 3 coaches left at Swansea (westbound) would need to be attached to the next 2 coach that comes in from the west in order to head east back to Manchester. If we are finding people already rammed on 2 coach services going west from Swansea now, then surely TfW should need to think about ordering the whole fleet as 6 coach trains for the run to Manchester splitting at Swansea with 3 coaches proceeding into west Wales?

Of course, the greatest population density west of Swansea is nearby Llanelli. I note that Grand Union propose working a new service from Llanelli to London using bi-mode Class 800’s similar to the GWR ones. Ideally, I think that these should use the Swansea District Line with a new P&R station near the M4 at J45. See>
http://www.granduniontrains.co.uk/llanelli-to-london/

PS. We are now going off topic regarding the fire so any more chat about provision west of Swansea perhaps should be on a new thread.

Yes that will be good for me because i live in Llanelli lol

 

[Sion John]

OK, I know it is Christmas and things are not normal but is it really wise for Transport for Wales to only have on order 2 coach trains for the Manchesters west of Swansea? (They plan to run as 5 car sets east of Swansea).

4 is the most they could do because places like Ludlow can only fit 4 carriages

 

[Sion John]

1V93 1232 Manchester Picc to Carmarthen today terminated at Gowerton due to a fire on a 175. At the moment, I can't quote the number but will post later if it comes to hand. I have seen a picture on TFW Twitter showing smoke (not flames) billowing out from underneath and passengers making their way through the carriages to a doorway to disembark to the platform. From a passengers tweet only 2 doors available and suggests overcrowded 2 Car train. 3 Coaches initially arranged followed and necessary to source more.

175102 is in the sidings in Carmarthen i saw this afternoon and this morning

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Meant to be working the 15:22 CDF-HHD today, so guess there wasn't much damage.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Meant to be working the 15:22 CDF-HHD today, so guess there wasn't much damage.

It is indeed, along with 175111! Clearly no stock shortages if there's a 6 car 175 out.

Also 153303+143604+150285 on the 1250 Fishguard flyer!!

 

[Tynwald]

Should imagine it will be being assisted by another unit, to return it to Chester.

 

[Sion John]

Meant to be working the 15:22 CDF-HHD today, so guess there wasn't much damage.

When someone posted it on Twitter i thought it dosnet look bad. Sorry for late reply

 

[Sion John]

It is indeed, along with 175111! Clearly no stock shortages if there's a 6 car 175 out.

Also 153303+143604+150285 on the 1250 Fishguard flyer!!

My friend in burry port saw it in her kitchen window and said its a 153 143 and 150 on the back

 

[Caaardiff]

It is indeed, along with 175111! Clearly no stock shortages if there's a 6 car 175 out.

Also 153303+143604+150285 on the 1250 Fishguard flyer!!

It's just getting 102 back to Alstom to be checked and other stock moves back to depot.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

4 is the most they could do because places like Ludlow can only fit 4 carriages

Well I think TfW's planning team need to be spoken to if that's the case as they're going to be five-car . SDO takes care of the problem

 

[PHILIPE]

Well I think TfW's planning team need to be spoken to if that's the case as they're going to be five-car . SDO takes care of the problem

If 102 was going "Home for Repairs" I should think it would have been locked out of use.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

If 102 was going "Home for Repairs" I should think it would have been locked out of use.

I was replying to a previous comment, unrelated

 

[PHILIPE]

I was replying to a previous comment, unrelated

Sorry, seems to be wires crossed here

 

[Eccles1983]

If 102 was going "Home for Repairs" I should think it would have been locked out of use.

Why?

The seats still work, as long as the engine is isolated then there's no issue.

 

[Caaardiff]

Each car of a 175 is just under 24m in length. For a 5 car 175 the platform would need to be at least 125m.
On the marches these platforms will be an issue (data found from a 2014 document through google)
Ludlow - Up 132m / Down 104m
Leominster - Up 99m / Down 97m
Abergavenny - Up 246m / Down 106m

So going North only Leominster would be an issue, but what goes up, must come down!

 

[Sion John]

Each car of a 175 is just under 24m in length. For a 5 car 175 the platform would need to be at least 125m.
On the marches these platforms will be an issue (data found from a 2014 document through google)
Ludlow - Up 132m / Down 104m
Leominster - Up 99m / Down 97m
Abergavenny - Up 246m / Down 106m

So going North only Leominster would be an issue, but what goes up, must come down!

Yeah exactly

 

[sw1ller]

Ive taken a 6 car from Chester to Holyhead and back where the guard has kept the back train locked out the full journey, complete waste of fuel. If they had SDO fitted it would be so much better.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

My comment regarding SDO was to do with the new 197s after it was mentioned anything above four car is too long

 

[IamTrainsYT]

The related class 180 also doesn't have a good record. Is there a common cause or just bad luck?

they are both the only high speed DMUs with diesel hydraulic engines