2x Class 331 moving without any pantographs raised

[bengley]

I've just been sent a video by a friend of a pair of 331s departing Wigan NW in the up direction with no pantographs raised. They were empty coaching stock and had no passengers on board.

They were definitely both 331s, neither was a 195 and both pantographs were definitely lowered.

I have previously signed the similar class 397 and these could not move under their own power, so I was wondering if anyone has any information about 331s which might clear this up?

(note the direction the train was leaving in is a steepish downhill gradient however I doubt they would have been rolling it out as it couldn't make it all the way to springs branch without power)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Did the battery thing get as far as a test unit?

 

[bengley]

Did the battery thing get as far as a test unit?

That was the only thing I could think of!

 

[Geeves]

If there's sound on the video presumably you'd hear some kind of motor noise or conversely nothing if it's just rolling away?

 

[hexagon789]

Any chance of seeing this video?

 

[skyhigh]

Did the battery thing get as far as a test unit?

As far as I know, no. There's definitely no 331s with batteries at the moment.

(note the direction the train was leaving in is a steepish downhill gradient however I doubt they would have been rolling it out as it couldn't make it all the way to springs branch without power)

I think it's most likely that driver error was involved, but I could be wrong. Would be interesting to see the footage though.

 

[bengley]

As far as I know, no. There's definitely no 331s with batteries at the moment.

I think it's most likely that driver error was involved, but I could be wrong. Would be interesting to see the footage though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That looks very much like the driver hasn't realised the pantographs aren't up and is wondering why he's only coasting and not getting power!

 

[skyhigh]

That looks very much like the driver hasn't realised the pantographs aren't up and is wondering why he's only coasting and not getting power!

Yes that's almost certainly just coasting.

 

[ASharpe]

Would it not be obvious to a driver?

As a passenger I've had 3 trains drop pans, 2 stopped very quickly and another coasted into Leeds from the Kirkstall area but didn't quite make it to a platform and was stuck in the middle between 11 and 12.

Why coast through a platform?

 

[skyhigh]

Would it not be obvious to a driver?

As a passenger I've had 3 trains drop pans, 2 stopped very quickly and another coasted into Leeds from the Kirkstall area but didn't quite make it to a platform and was stuck in the middle between 11 and 12.

Why coast through a platform?

A pan dropping due to an ADD is a different kettle of fish. You get an audible and visual alarm in the cab on 331/333s. Setting off with no pan raised isn't as obvious.

 

[Towers]

Would it not be obvious to a driver?

As a passenger I've had 3 trains drop pans, 2 stopped very quickly and another coasted into Leeds from the Kirkstall area but didn't quite make it to a platform and was stuck in the middle between 11 and 12.

Why coast through a platform?

They presumably at the very least have a 'Line Light' indicator in the cab? The TMS may or may not give additional warnings that the train is being 'driven' without power!

 

[CAF397]

If multiple pantographs raised on the train, can only reset the VCB if ADD operates but line light does not extinguish. Obviously with pans down, the line light would've extinguished and the train should have been stopped.

Obviously there's more to the story.

 

[childwallblues]

Would it not be obvious to a driver?

As a passenger I've had 3 trains drop pans, 2 stopped very quickly and another coasted into Leeds from the Kirkstall area but didn't quite make it to a platform and was stuck in the middle between 11 and 12.

Why coast through a platform?

It was starting from P6 at Wigan NW on a Liverpool train.