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Post by howda62 on Sept 12, 2015 16:32:20 GMT
On a met train to Amersham this afternoon, we got held at Rickmansworth and again at Chorleywood. Just north of Chorleywood the reason became clear. The top part of a tallish tree backing onto the line was on fire. Many hi-viz folks present on the track with hand held fire extinguishers. Can't see they could do much with the fire themselves (it was above train height), but of course be prepared in case the fire spread towards the track. I assume they were waiting for the fire service to tackle from above. Hope it gets sorted quickly. I assume something hot must have fallen into the top of the tree? |
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rincew1nd
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Post by rincew1nd on Sept 12, 2015 17:36:39 GMT
Aren't there steam trains operating on that bit of the met today?
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Post by howda62 on Sept 12, 2015 19:28:54 GMT
I believe Met 1 was supposed to be running today, though I didn't get to see it. I didn't explicitly mention it in the OP as I felt it too much conjecture to attribute any cause to it, not even being sure if the train ran.
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Post by tjw on Sept 12, 2015 20:03:33 GMT
If the date on this video is correct it did run...
With that load I cannot see that the steam Locomotives would have been working hard enough to throw their fire.
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Post by will on Sept 12, 2015 20:27:05 GMT
Was this the reason for the partial closure of the Met line from Chesham to Chalfont and Latimer today and tomorrow between 1100 and 1645? and if so LUL cannot be blamed for the fire  |
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Post by howda62 on Sept 12, 2015 20:54:55 GMT
Thanks for the video link tjw. Good to hear it did run. I've only seen these steam locos and carriages either on video or from a regular train hurtling past. Looking good as always. I really must go and see them close-up, I feel some plans for tomorrow changing. I notice Sarah was also in the rake, so presumably she was also providing traction as well as the two steam locos.
I really hope they sorted the fire out.
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Post by motorman on Sept 12, 2015 21:04:16 GMT
It was caused by Met No. 1 on its last northbound trip to Chesham this afternoon. I was on the following 'S' stock train which stopped to allow a member of staff to disembark to assess. Later on more personel were in attendance having I believe walked from Chalfont.
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Post by howda62 on Sept 12, 2015 21:34:50 GMT
Thanks for clarifying motorman.
Historically in the days of steam, these types of occurrences could presumably happen fairly frequently, or maybe back then track verges were kept deliberately clear for this reason? The said tree in this incident was quite close to the track. |
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Post by theblackferret on Sept 12, 2015 21:44:06 GMT
Thanks for clarifying motorman.
Historically in the days of steam, these types of occurrences could presumably happen fairly frequently, or maybe back then track verges were kept deliberately clear for this reason? The said tree in this incident was quite close to the track. Yes, they were definitely regularly cropped, pollarded etc. And, I think I'm right in saying, even into the '70's, a lot of land by the track had railwaymen's or other people's allotments on them to help keep the wrong sort of vegetation away from trains. And this also was the case near electric lines, on LT as well. Pretty sure on holiday in 2013, we spotted a couple of ex-allotment areas on the Uxbridge branch & believe there were some out Dagenham way on the District/Met lines? |
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Post by spsmiler on Sept 12, 2015 23:44:57 GMT
Wow, so many people there to see the train... and what lovely weather! I shall be there on the Sunday, when alas it is expected to rain.
Simon
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Sept 12, 2015 23:59:03 GMT
There was also "controlled" burning of the vegetation on embankments and in cuttings. My grandparents, whose garden backed on to what is now the Tyne and Wear Metro, always talked about one that got out of control in the summer of 1976, burning the fence, trees and shed at the bottom of their garden.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2015 11:42:55 GMT
Thanks for the video link tjw. Good to hear it did run. I've only seen these steam locos and carriages either on video or from a regular train hurtling past. Looking good as always. I really must go and see them close-up, I feel some plans for tomorrow changing. I notice Sarah was also in the rake, so presumably she was also providing traction as well as the two steam locos.
I really hope they sorted the fire out.
Sarah is there to act as a braking converter |
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Post by nickf on Sept 13, 2015 11:46:26 GMT
Thanks for clarifying motorman.
Historically in the days of steam, these types of occurrences could presumably happen fairly frequently, or maybe back then track verges were kept deliberately clear for this reason? The said tree in this incident was quite close to the track. Not unknown for unscrupulous farmers to set fire to their own crops and then claim compensation - so I was told when I was working on a Steam Railway. |
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Post by stapler on Sept 13, 2015 13:03:04 GMT
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rincew1nd
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Post by rincew1nd on Sept 13, 2015 14:05:25 GMT
Thanks for clarifying motorman.
Historically in the days of steam, these types of occurrences could presumably happen fairly frequently, or maybe back then track verges were kept deliberately clear for this reason? The said tree in this incident was quite close to the track. Not unknown for unscrupulous farmers to set fire to their own crops and then claim compensation - so I was told when I was working on a Steam Railway. Quite, considering the amount of recent rain I was a little surprised. I'm currently sat ten yards from a steam engine and we've had absolutely no troubles. |
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Post by johnb2 on Sept 13, 2015 18:05:28 GMT
Thanks for clarifying motorman.
Historically in the days of steam, these types of occurrences could presumably happen fairly frequently, or maybe back then track verges were kept deliberately clear for this reason? The said tree in this incident was quite close to the track. Yes, they were definitely regularly cropped, pollarded etc. And, I think I'm right in saying, even into the '70's, a lot of land by the track had railwaymen's or other people's allotments on them to help keep the wrong sort of vegetation away from trains. And this also was the case near electric lines, on LT as well. Pretty sure on holiday in 2013, we spotted a couple of ex-allotment areas on the Uxbridge branch & believe there were some out Dagenham way on the District/Met lines? A friends father had an allotment at the foot of his garden by the Met between North Harrow and Pinner. That got wiped out when the Met was widened to four tracks |
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Post by theblackferret on Sept 13, 2015 19:32:01 GMT
Yes, they were definitely regularly cropped, pollarded etc. And, I think I'm right in saying, even into the '70's, a lot of land by the track had railwaymen's or other people's allotments on them to help keep the wrong sort of vegetation away from trains. And this also was the case near electric lines, on LT as well. Pretty sure on holiday in 2013, we spotted a couple of ex-allotment areas on the Uxbridge branch & believe there were some out Dagenham way on the District/Met lines? A friends father had an allotment at the foot of his garden by the Met between North Harrow and Pinner. That got wiped out when the Met was widened to four tracks Thanks-that's exactly the location we spotted in 2013. There were several foxes liars in the remaining banking separating house bank fences from the lines and the real giveaway-three huge stems of nasturtiams climbing up two tree stumps. Couldn't have broadcast that regularly by a bird & that plant is a very well-known addition to salads, along with the usual allotment crops. |
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Post by johnb2 on Sept 13, 2015 20:22:02 GMT
Foxes, oh yes. I used to live on the other side of the line, just by the Marsh Road bridge and foxes were all over that area even back then in the '60s/'70s. Often saw them and heard the vixens screeching.
John
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Post by christopher125 on Sept 17, 2015 13:02:52 GMT
Sarah is there to act as a braking converter Wasn't the whole rake vacuum-braked? |
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Post by tjw on Sept 17, 2015 17:09:05 GMT
"Wasn't the whole rake vacuum-braked?"
Well Met No.1 had Vac brakes (2000) and I presume still does, the Ashbury / Chesham set are also Vac braked. I presume that the great western tank is also Vac braked, and the Jubilee Carriage and milk van.
Sarah had it's Vac brake apparatus put back, I believe it is Air Braked with a converter to allow it to run with Vac braked stock. I think it is part of the set as it has the tripcock apparatus which I don't think the Steam engines have.
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Post by br7mt on Sept 17, 2015 19:36:43 GMT
Both the steam locos are fitted with Tripcocks, as required by any leading vehicle in a LU train running on trainstop protected lines.
Regards,
Dan
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Post by tjw on Sept 18, 2015 7:59:10 GMT
Dan
Tripcocks are designed to work with Air Brake systems... Also they are designed to stop the train. A tripcock on a Steam locomotive without air brakes, would have to apply either the steam brake (difficult) or destroy the vacuum in the brake pipe, which may not depending on the locomotive stop the train.
Hmmm
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Post by br7mt on Sept 18, 2015 9:35:50 GMT
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Post by tjw on Sept 18, 2015 12:19:21 GMT
Thanks,
Have just read up about tripcocks, and they are also designed to work with the Vacuum brake system. They are quite simple just opening a flap that destroys the Vacuum in the train pipe. Of course this will not stop the train as quickly as on an air brake system.
So perhaps Sarah is in the train to improve the braking performance, of the train, to keep inside the signalling overlaps.
I presume that the western loco has been modified to run a normal Vacuum 21" rather than GWR Vacuum 25".
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Post by trainopd78 on Sept 22, 2015 20:47:01 GMT
Sarah was in the formation to assist (push) as required and as a backup in case of the failure of either of the steam locos. Although sarah has its own ejector, it wasn't used as both steam locos created their own vacuum. Both locos created a vacuum of 21".
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