How does a train get dented?!

[jwhite9185]

450037 is currently parked at Woking sidings. I've noticed there's a dent in the front of it. How does a train get a dent in it?! The position of the dent means its hit something head on, as opposed to something happening whilst at a station. Surely something shouldn't be that close to the track.

Curious to know if anyone has any further info.

 

[vikingdriver]

I imagine it has struck a tree at some point.

 

[Ashley Hill]

One thing I’ve always wondered was why did all class 33s have a dent above the coupling hook? I always though it was after trying to couple to a coach with a still raised buckeye.

 

[skyhigh]

It's hit something that shouldn't have been that close to the track.

There are many, many, items that trains can hit.

 

[edwin_m]

Someone threw a brick in front of it?

 

[37114]

One thing I’ve always wondered was why did all class 33s have a dent above the coupling hook? I always though it was after trying to couple to a coach with a still raised buckeye.

Class 24s were the same. It came about from enthusiastic shunters bashing the front (which over hangs the hook slightly) with the coupling from the wagon etc.

 

[randyrippley]

low flying pheasant or similar maybe........

 

[Big Jumby 74]

To the right of the OP's drawn red circle there appears to be four uniform white-ish smudges. Is that a reflection of something, or possibly damage to paint acquired at same time as the dent. Could have been something that happened 'on depot' somewhere, but not a show stopper by any means. It'll be sorted next time it's in Northam for major exam I should think.

One thing I’ve always wondered was why did all class 33s have a dent above the coupling hook?

I noticed that as well, and it was evident on virtually every 33/0, but not on 33/1's (for obvious reasons perhaps) or 'slim Jim's' (strangely!). Probably just over time the man handling of the 3 link coupling being wacked against the body to ensure it dropped on to the hook in one hit, so to speak. Those things were bloody heavy I can bare witness to!

 

[WarrenTManager]

A tree got in the way at Hook on 11/01

 

[Deepgreen]

A tree would have the bulk to dent it but not the sharp edges to damage the yellow paintwork.

One thing I’ve always wondered was why did all class 33s have a dent above the coupling hook? I always though it was after trying to couple to a coach with a still raised buckeye.

Yes, they were the loco equivalents of RT and RM London buses with their dented roof fronts! This is one of many shots of mine showing the 'normal' dent location (plus the loco number and allocation hand-written near the dent!).

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A few years ago there was a spate of 185s with dents in the front... sadly, mostly caused by hitting persons on the track.

 

[DM352]

I remember some old dmus like class 116s had dents below the cab when using them to BNS which i assumed was bad shunting or throwing the metal connectors too far.

One which sticks in mind is the rear 101 here at 02:40

 

[Spartacus]

I know one unit that had a prominent dent from someone's skull... It's got a bit of a reputation that one....

 

[richw]

A tree would have the bulk to dent it but not the sharp edges to damage the yellow paintwork.

Yes it would, have you never seen a damaged tree? When they split the bark becomes very sharp.

 

[Deepgreen]

Yes it would, have you never seen a damaged tree? When they split the bark becomes very sharp.

I was just reacting to the photo which showed a dent on a 450 cab, but no damage at all to the yellow paint, hence my comment which was merely agreeing with the evidence presented, backed up by the poster's fact on the cause of the damage.

 

[dk1]

Someone threw a brick in front of it?

Very much doubt that

low flying pheasant or similar maybe........

Definitely not

I know one unit that had a prominent dent from someone's skull... It's got a bit of a reputation that one....

That looks too deep for modern stock especially side on. With older stuff the person standing up in front of me at 100mph on DBSO 9714 certainly made an indent.

 

[randyrippley]

Definitely not

I was actually being serious about a pheasant.
A 1.2kg bird at a combined colliding speed of 120+mph can make a pretty big dent.
I've never seen the results of one hitting a train but I have seen the results of several vehicle collisions.

One a SAAB 99 turbo where the grille and bonnet were destroyed, the radiator smashed, the engine knocked off its mounting blocks and the driveshaft disconnected.

A brand new Alexander double decker where the entire front window was knocked into the bus, folding itself around the driver

Another double decker where the bird left a dent in the front roof

A transit Luton van where the van body was dented and distorted quite badly

 

[theironroad]

I'd be surprised if that dent was a pheasant but they have been known to do damage to the fly doors in centre of train and they are dense birds that make a mighty loud impact. I'd suspect this is a tree of some sort as still in far too many places vegetation hasnt been cut back far enough and a a bit of wet and windy weather often means a lot of train whacking branches etc

 

[swt_passenger]

I'd be surprised if that dent was a pheasant but they have been known to do damage to the fly doors in centre of train and they are dense birds that make a mighty loud impact. I'd suspect this is a tree of some sort as still in far too many places vegetation hasnt been cut back far enough and a a bit of wet and windy weather often means a lot of train whacking branches etc

Isn’t post #9 by a member of SWR maintenance staff? He appears to have posted a place and date of a tree hit?

 

[dk1]

I was actually being serious about a pheasant.
A 1.2kg bird at a combined colliding speed of 120+mph can make a pretty big dent.
I've never seen the results of one hitting a train but I have seen the results of several vehicle collisions.

One a SAAB 99 turbo where the grille and bonnet were destroyed, the radiator smashed, the engine knocked off its mounting blocks and the driveshaft disconnected.

A brand new Alexander double decker where the entire front window was knocked into the bus, folding itself around the driver

Another double decker where the bird left a dent in the front roof

A transit Luton van where the van body was dented and distorted quite badly

I’ve hit tens of thousands of pheasants & much bigger birds & animals. Not so much as a scratch.

 

[billh]

Looking at the picture of 450 037 I can see a serious dent in the roof just forward of the displaced access grill. Consistant with a tree trunk on the roof and a branch causing the front damage?

 

[randyrippley]

I’ve hit tens of thousands of pheasants & much bigger birds & animals. Not so much as a scratch.

put it down to luck!