kingqueen
Member
1E10 delayed at York today whilst the driver got onto the track and cleared the snow from the horn, using hot water from the catering trolley. (several cups and then a jug)
I don't think so as it is a fairly common occurrence. I suppose the air movement of the train and wind chill (?) compacts the snowProbably a stupid question, but wouldn't the air pressure and vibrations in the horn when it's sounded be enough to get rid of the snow?
Seems to be a common problem with all the 80X fleets this week. A comment made by a driver who had to call out Hitachi fitters this afternoon said that Hitachi Staff wish they'd put them somewhere better (currently located under the nose cone and not far off Rail Height).It's happened plenty of times today- Azumas, various Northern and TPE stock, and that's just the incidents I've heard of. It's a very very common issue in winter when it starts snowing. Even with a snow sock it can still get blocked.
Yep, as you say it's a problem on all types of rolling stock. There's little you can do to stop snow getting in the horns short of putting them behind a solid panel and then you have the challenge of them not being loud enough - 'back in the day', I doubt there were volume standards that Class 26s had to legally meet.It's happened plenty of times today- Azumas, various Northern and TPE stock, and that's just the incidents I've heard of. It's a very very common issue in winter when it starts snowing. Even with a snow sock it can still get blocked.
That can often make it worse - with the residual water refreezing into solid ice.1E10 delayed at York today whilst the driver got onto the track and cleared the snow from the horn, using hot water from the catering trolley. (several cups and then a jug)
That's what I was thinking. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to mount the horn so low down?Seems to be a common problem with all the 80X fleets this week. A comment made by a driver who had to call out Hitachi fitters this afternoon said that Hitachi Staff wish they'd put them somewhere better (currently located under the nose cone and not far off Rail Height).
It's another area where the 80X suffers from Styling over Substance / Engineering. Of course, by locating them under the nose also means that the only attention they can receive has to be at a depot too.That's what I was thinking. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to mount the horn so low down?
I'd question if it was entirely due to the height - I remember HSTs having iced-up horns over the years and they are at the same height as the light clusters rather than at rail level. There's definitely a case for having some standard de-icer on board - that usually helps and is more effective than hot water that tends to re-freeze quite quickly. I know the GWR 80x were fitted with 'snow socks' soon after introduction - not sure about the LNER/TPE sets though.That's what I was thinking. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to mount the horn so low down?
Wouldn’t be doing that in a third rail area!I heard over the radio, Control relaying to Despatch a message from Maintenance asking Despatch to relay to the driver a request to get onto the track and to clear the snow in this manner.
Despatch seemed most surprised at this request and asked Control to confirm that Maintenance were not in fact going to come over.
Control confirmed, and said that if the driver was unwilling or unable to sort this issue, there would have to be a set swap.
It all sounded quite a convoluted route for such messaging, to be honest - risked Chinese whispers.
I did wonder if the hot water could eventually cause more problems by freezing, but that's definitely what Maintenance asked the Driver to do (via control and despatch...)
As do the Class 317/1s, supposed there was a reasoning for them being moved though in newer fleets.Scotrail's class 334 don't normally have issues either. The horn trumpets are recessed in the cab roof. Simple design but not carried forward to newer fleets.
I've done this before on a Cl317 when the horns froze. The trick is to pour the water around the outside of the horns and connecting air pipes.That can often make it worse - with the residual water refreezing into solid ice.
Correct issues with horns, and then 1S15 which collected customers had the same issue, which they managed to overcome.Does anyone know if this is the reason 1S12 1030 KX - Edinburgh was terminated at Biggleswade with the Azuma returning back south (Bounds Green I assume?). We stopped just after Hitchin for half an hour with catering staff going towards the front of the train with lots of hot water. We eventually got going again only to stop again and the TM announced we’d be detraining at Biggleswade.
I noticed that when the ECS left the front (out of KX) coupler hatch was open and the coupler seemed quite snowy/icy which I thought was odd as it was a 9 car
Thanks for confirming. Seems a bad day today for them. I noticed 1D11 was late when it screamed past at Biggleswade which I assumed was down to it being stuck behind but RTT says it lost time shortly after KGX so a similar issue there?Correct issues with horns, and then 1S15 which collected customers had the same issue, which they managed to overcome.
There's been about 15-20 services at least all been at a stand at some point for the drivers to clear the horns.Thanks for confirming. Seems a bad day today for them. I noticed 1D11 was late when it screamed past at Biggleswade which I assumed was down to it being stuck behind but RTT says it lost time shortly after KGX so a similar issue there?
Speculating, but might that be because it's so cold any normal temperature 'seems' too hot? Are the triggers from on board or ground-based detectors?Also several being display false Hot Axle detections.