Teething issues that plagued the HST + MK3 sets

[32475]

My first HST journey was just two weeks after they started service from Paddington to Weston Super Mare. I remember being slightly disappointed that I wasn’t on set 253008 which was the one featured on the posters but my abiding problematic memory was of the smell from the brakes.
As a teenager lucky enough to be travelling in first class on a priv ticket I was bowled over by the experience however I remember thinking then that the bright orange upholstery wouldn’t stay bright and clean for too long which is exactly what happened.

 

[xotGD]

In addition to the smell:

Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.

The sound track to any journey on an HST.

 

[43096]

In addition to the smell:

Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.

The sound track to any journey on an HST.

Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.

The sound coming from the Deltic bashers as superior traction took over. Or from those complaining about the squeak.

 

[xotGD]

Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.

The sound coming from the Deltic bashers as superior traction took over. Or from those complaining about the squeak.

Well at least you acknowledge that there is a squeak!

 

[Commoner]

Incidentally a general question which is a follow-up from my previous post, and is tangentially related.

It does appear, from the 80s CWNs I referred to above, that there was no particular pattern in HST diagrams, in the sense that an arrival into Paddington on route A did not always, or almost always form a departure on route B. Turnaround times varied significantly. It was a bit more predictable in 1978 (also on groups.io), early on in the HST era. I presume the diagrams were setup with fuel usage in mind, which might necessitate different patterns during the day?

Diagramming is a complex business. Prior to 79 with the small extension of HST working to the far west, the WR only had Old Oak Common and St Philips Marsh to carry out HST "A Exams" required every 2nd day. Combine that with a dual fleet with sets formed with TRSB only and TRUB only (TRUK/TRSB prior to the spring of 1978) meant that sets couldn't work to a regular pattern. From May 1980 Canton was able to do A Exams as was Penzance. These became vital in keeping the fleet running as it wasn't possible to get half the diagrammed fleet back to OOC or SPM every night - there wasn't enough capacity at either and would have resulted in lots of ECS running. From 1981 Laira came on stream, and although it did A exams, it didn't receive an allocation of internal WR sets until 1984, being involved mainly in maintaining the cross-country fleet. By 1989, the fleet had been reduced in size, and by that time consisted of 3 different catering types TRSB, TRB, TRFB, plus sets formed as 2 plus 7 and 2 plus 8 which also led to diagramming headaches. I have typed this very swiftly, but it hopefully explains that the process of diagramming, even for a fairly small fleet is very complex. Loco diagrams from the 70s and early 80s are a wonder to see by comparison.

 

[PG]

Diagramming is a complex business. Prior to 79 with the small extension of HST working to the far west, the WR only had Old Oak Common and St Philips Marsh to carry out HST "A Exams" required every 2nd day.

Fascinating insight. Thank you

 

[Peter Sarf]

In addition to the smell:

Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.

The sound track to any journey on an HST.

Don't forget the regular drumbeat from wheel flats almost always under the Buffet.

 

[Bald Rick]

IIRC there was an issue with the location of the thermostat for the heating system. On certain sunny winter days the sun would ‘blind’ the thermostat which would switch the heating off. A particular problem on the Eat Zcoast rather than Western, obviously.

 

[43096]

IIRC there was an issue with the location of the thermostat for the heating system. On certain sunny winter days the sun would ‘blind’ the thermostat which would switch the heating off. A particular problem on the Eat Zcoast rather than Western, obviously.

Unlikely, as the thermostat is behind the grilles for the heating system, under the seats. What it does need to function properly is airflow.

 

[Bald Rick]

Unlikely, as the thermostat is behind the grilles for the heating system, under the seats. What it does need to function properly is airflow.

Yes, that’s where it is now. Not in 1978!

 

[Flying Snail]

In addition to the smell:

Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.

The sound track to any journey on an HST.

Was the gangway squeak an original fault? I don't recall it being a thing in the 80s/90s on any Mk3 stock.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

In addition to the smell:

Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.
Squeak.

The sound track to any journey on an HST.

Awful awful sound, so very annoying. I'd even rather hear the rattles of new stock featuring plastic than that.

 

[hexagon789]

Was the gangway squeak an original fault? I don't recall it being a thing in the 80s/90s on any Mk3 stock.

I thought the 'squeak' referred to was perhaps the characteristic whining of the airbag suspension?

 

[xotGD]

I thought the 'squeak' referred to was perhaps the characteristic whining of the airbag suspension?

More of a sigh than a squeak.

 

[coppercapped]

Was the gangway squeak an original fault? I don't recall it being a thing in the 80s/90s on any Mk3 stock.

Certainly the prototype Mark 3 coaches used a one piece closed cell foam moulding for the intercoach gangways faced with the standard Pullman rubbing surfaces.

The moulded material showed itself to be sufficiently robust for day to day service so the concertina sections were replaced by the normal gangway flexible material. This variant was used for all future production.

I must admit that I have no memory of these squeaks in the early days of the HSTs, but it was along time ago.

 

[Ken H]

One of the issues was binary driving. The timetable needed periods of full power interspersed with just hotel load. So stuff got hot then cooled leading to thermal stressing. I think the cylinder heads were the worst affected.
Big problem on western with the frequent stops as the HST services had stops at Swindon, Didcot and Reading as HST commuting took off.
Radiator cleaning became a frequent chore too to keep them working properly.

 

[43096]

Certainly the prototype Mark 3 coaches used a one piece closed cell foam moulding for the intercoach gangways faced with the standard Pullman rubbing surfaces.

The moulded material showed itself to be sufficiently robust for day to day service so the concertina sections were replaced by the normal gangway flexible material. This variant was used for all future production.

They were gradually replaced, with final replacement coming after the fire on an Edinburgh-Glasgow push-pull set at Cadder in August 1983.

 

[TommyJ]

Was the gangway squeak an original fault? I don't recall it being a thing in the 80s/90s on any Mk3 stock.

No, I don’t remember any squeaking back in the 70s 80s 90s. i think it was introduced when they changed the rubber (?) seals at the end of the coaches in the 2000s.