Minutes Before Disaster!

The ill-fated 'Sunset Steam Express' of 22 August 2023, seen at speed shortly after sunset at Worplesdon about ten minutes before the catastrophic failure of the steam loco, 'Britannia', at Chilworth. There, when climbing the long bank to Gomshall, part of the motion broke, and the train came to an abrupt halt. The crew had to remove the offending, very heavy elements in the dark before the train could move again, two hours later, when the rear diesel hauled it back to London, arriving at 0240!
Extract from my compilation of the 2023 season of 'Sunset Steam Express' runs, also now on KZbin.

[@Richardsrailway]

Well documented. As we all know , these beautiful machines are costly to maintain and operate . What happened was something that could of only been detected had the loco had an ultra Sonic’s defect test before leaving shed that day . That isn’t a practice that is carried out , mainline exams yes , so nobody would of known if it was internally present . As a railwayman of 19 years , you tested for broken rail defects with an ultra sonic machine that pin pointed fatigue internally within the steel material of a piece of rail that the naked eye couldn’t spot visually on the surface . Praise to the footplate crew for swiftly taking action and the main thing is nobody was hurt , only Brittania’s pride I think ! She will live to fight another day I’m sure , it’s a beautiful machine , but few think about how much mechanical forces and stresses are being used to get that locomotive from A to B . Not to mention the cost . All the best ,Richard .

[@colinsrailways]

I was on the ill fated train that was hauled by Tornado on 20th April 2013 when it failed with a faulty air pump valve at Rhyl. The train failed about 19.30, it took 2 hours for the Thunderbird loco to reach us (67002). We eventual arrived in Crewe around midnight and was told the line ahead was closed for the night and we couldn’t go any further. After being crammed into a taxi with my 2 friends and some other passenger we got back to Watford (Hert) at 05.15. The other passenger needed to get to Hatfield, so that would have got him home well after 06.00. I’ve never been on a rail tour since. 😢

[@MasterMoyle]

You can't just give it up completely after only one major mishap as I go on atleast one railtour every year and apart from 2 occasions where something's gone wrong iv never had a serious disaster like you've had. 19th July 2015 - North Wales Coast Express, Liverpool-Holyhead. (45699 Galatea: failed at Llandudno Junction on outward due to hotbox). There was one occasion on 3rd April 2013 where NR put down a steam ban as 48151 had sparked the lineside and had to be removed from the train in York, and although it was well past 1am when we got back to Preston I didn't have any problems getting home afterwards.

[@MasterMoyle]

@@joeydutch7178 I'm sick to the back teeth of ruddy shoeboxes on wheels as I see them daily. Always have to travel onboard DMU or EMU services whenever I go out somewhere. The majority may now be over 70 or older but they can still perform fault free if properly maintained and looked after. Also there are brand new engines in existence now like 60163 Tornado which was completed in 2008 and in a few years time there's gonna be more about as 2007 Prince of Wales isn't far off completion & eventually 5551 The Unknown Warrior (the society for the Patriot I'm also a member of).

[@Palkia792]

I was on the Ebor Flyer which was really bad, in 2018 when she broke down on East coast Mainline. I was able to continue my day but have been on Railtours since. These things can happen but they are sorted. Sorry your experience wasn't nice that time but they'll be better in the future.

[@hilsthetrainlady4683]

Nice one, Ian. Worplesdon is great place to film in daylight with the long approach. We were at Chilworth and my accomplice caught the fateful moment at the end of his vid. It was almost out of sight, but not out of earshot!

[@iandocwra1169]

Thanks. Yes, I saw the video! The sound of the loco cuts off very abruptly.

[@raydunn2582]

Nice shots of trains passing. NO DISASTER! What good is a video advertising a disaster when the disaster happens after the train leaves the station - literally.

[@iandocwra1169]

If you read the introduction, and my comment further up, the catastrophic failure happened shortly after the train passed, hence the title BEFORE disaster, rather than, say, 'watch the disaster as it happened'. Sorry you were disappointed.

[@28pbtkh23]

Beautiful piece of filming, very atmospheric.

[@iandocwra1169]

By the way, I notice that this clip is attracting quite a number of views, and I wonder if it is due to the title. I didn't use the word 'disaster' lightly or as a way to 'clickbait' views, but it simply seemed an appropriate term for the horrendous disruption caused and the huge ensuing delay. YT is full of OTT titles and I don't want to fall into that category! If anyone feels 'short-changed' by it I'll happily consider changing it.

[@desw9146]

That might be partly my fault - I put a link to your video, and another on the same subject, on a rail discussion forum where the failure hadn't previously been mentioned. I linked your video specifically because of the discussion below on the exact cause and nature of the failure which seemed particularly detailed and informative. I hope it was ok to do that!

[@iandocwra1169]

Absolutely - I'm happy that it has garnered so many views, but didn't want it to be under false pretences! I contribute to that forum too and have just seen the post!@@desw9146

[@johnpro2847]

certainly boeding on click enticements..that is why i looked...

[@Jonathantuba]

I am so sorry to hear about failure by Britannia and for the ill it has no doubt done for steam on the mainline. I wonder how serious the damage?

[@iandocwra1169]

I think the damage is moderate. The main drive rod had to be removed (In the dark, trackside, by the support crew - heroic!) to allow the loco to be moved. Failures like this are very rare with main line steam so probably not too harmful on its own. It happened on a secondary line and so the cumulative delays to passengers were less than might have been.

[@bikerguychris33]

Any locomotive can suffer from a catastrophic failure, be it Steam, Diesel or Electric, catastrophic failures like Britannia had a very rare, but can happen occasionally unfortunately.

[@monsieurchevrebois9811]

The crosshead snapped in half which is very unusual. I am meeting one of the footplate crew this evening for a beer and will no doubt get the full story. The question may be whether the piston spindle bent and if it led to any damage within the cylinder, either to the piston, the liner or the head. There's then the question of the motion and bearings. Not a quick nor a cheap fix.

[@iandocwra1169]

@@monsieurchevrebois9811 Thanks for the information. Yes, it was a rare failure type, both in BR days and in preservation. Maintenance is probably far better now than it was in the 1960s anyway, but anything can fail no matter how good the maintenance regime is.

[@monsieurchevrebois9811]

@@iandocwra1169 It's a component that would "just sit there" for the want of a better term with the faces being fed with oil from a mechanical or wick fed lubricator. The damage looks consistent with an internal casting defect however that is based on one photo of the component which split in half. The team who look after the loco will have carried out a thorough fitness to run exam in the preceding 24 hrs. My armchair guess is that a hairline crack propagated during the day and reached a point where the component failed. No doubt the experts will be examining the faces of the crack to look at any voids and for evidence of the age of the areas that failed. In other failures, it's easy to see what was pre-existing and what failed on the day.

[@timbarnes2259]

Perhaps the Driver caused it by shutting off power, then suddenly applying it again.. They say that the motion was already cracked, for some time.. You can hear a change in engine note before the station..

[@iandocwra1169]

No, the re-application of power wouldn't do that, but, on another video shot at Chilworth, what sounds like a sudden closing and re-opening of the regulator is not that, but only the train passing under a bridge. There had probably been a latent crack in there for some time but which rapidly worsened - it could have happened anywhere, and, luckily, it was off the third rail area and on a quiet route.

[@cannadineboxill-harris2983]

I needed to know why they don’t dig a tunnel and do an extension for the main line Train so that they can extend the unused abandoned underground train stations. Why couldn’t they use the part D78 Stock train doors on the sides and also restructure the front face of the A60 and A62 stock that includes the class 313, class 314 and class 315 remix and make them all together and also redesign them an overhead line and also make them into Five cars per units and also having three Disabled Toilets on those Five cars per units A60 and A62 stock trains and also convert the A60 and A62 stock trains into a Scania N112, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXB, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Engines and also put the Loud 7-Speed Voith Gearboxes even Loud 8-Speed Leyland Hydra cyclic Gearboxes in the A60 and A62 stock, class 313, class 314, and class 315 and also modernise the A60 and A62 stock and make it into an 11 car per unit so it could have fewer doors, more tables, computers and mobile phone chargers. A Stock Trains and also having 8 Disabled Toilets on those A stock trains. why couldn’t we refurbish and modernise the Waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel and make it more Larger and extend it to the bank station, making it into a Triple-Track Railway Line so those Five countries such as Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden to convert the waterloo and city line Triple-Track Railway tunnel into a High-Speed Railway lines? The Third Euro tunnel Triple-Track Railway line to make it 11 times better for passengers so they could go from A to B. Then put the modernised 11 car per unit A Stock and put them on a bigger modernised Waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel so it could go to bank station to those Five countries such as Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. The modernised refurbished 11 cars per unit A stock could be a High Speed The Third Triple-Track Euro Tunnel Train So it is promising and 47 times a lot more possible to do this kind of project if that will be OK for London Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. oh by the way, could they also tunnel the Triple-Track Railway Line so it will stop from Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex so that the Passengers will go to Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden and also extend the Triple-Track Railway Line from the Bank to Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex Stations so that more people from there could go to Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden more Easily. Why couldn't they extend the Piccadilly Line and also build brand-new underground train stations so it could go even further right up to Clapton, Wood Street can they also make another brand new underground train station in Chingford and could they extend the Piccadilly Line and the DLR right up to Chingford? All of the classes 150, 155, 154, 117, 114, 105, and 106, will be replaced by all of the Scania N112, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXB, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Five carriages three disabled toilets are air conditioning trains including Highams Park for extended roots which is the Piccadilly line and the DLR trains. Could you also convert all of the 1973 stock trains into an air-conditioned maximum speed 78 km/hours (48 MPH) re-refurbished and make it into a 8 cars per unit if that will be alright, and also extend all of the Piccadilly train stations to make more space for all of the extended 8 car per unit 1973 stock air condition trains and can you also build another Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive Companies and can they order Every 67 Octagon and Every 37 Hexagon shape LNER diagram unique small no.13 and unique small no.11 Boilers from those Countries such as Greece, Italy, Poland, and Sweden, can they make Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive speeds by up to 147MPH so you can try and test it on the Original Mainline so it will be much more safer for the Passengers to enjoy the 147MPH speed Limit only for HS2 and Channel Tunnel mainline services, if they needed 16 Carriages Per units, can they use those class 55’s, class 44’s, class 40’s and class 43HST Diesel Locomotive’s right at the Back of those 18 Carriages Per Units so they can take over at the Back to let those Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s have a rest for those interesting Journeys Please!!!!!!, oh can you make all of those Coal Boxes’s 18 Tonnes for all of those 147MPH Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s so the Companies will Understand us PASSENGER’S!! so please make sure that the Builders can do as they are told!!!!! And Please do something about these very very important Professional ideas Please? Prime Minister of England, Prime Minister of Australia, Prime Minister of Sweden, Prime Minister of Germany, Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister of Poland and that Includes the Mayor of London.

[@michaeltaylor1869]

Nice video great camera work as usual as always

[@iandocwra1169]

Very kind, thanks. I have fairly recently bought a Samsung S23 Ultra phone, which has 8k video (not that 8k is used on YT!), so it makes the 'going away' sequence easier to capture while the main camera (CanonR5, also with 8k) remains in situ.

[@michaeltb1358]

This could have been worse if the broken pieces contacted the live rail. I assume this did not happen.

[@iandocwra1169]

Fortunately it happened off the third rail section - Chilworth is on the North Downs line which is not electrified fro Shalford Junction to Reigate. Being off the third rail also made it easier and safer for the crew to work on the loco from the track. The juice would ovbiously have been turned off it had been on that section, but even a dead third rail presents another trip hazard for workers in the dark.

[@TheMofRider2]

So many actual good and informative comments but not a single one providing a link to some footage of the actual breakdown or the aftermath. I'm disappointed.

[@iandocwra1169]

That's because there are no known videos of the actual breakdown, as it was in the dark, and away from any public view. The people involved in getting things moving again were not going to be filming it! There is at least one clip which show the train passing Chilworth and at the extreme end of the sequence the sound of the loco cutting out can be heard but that's it.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

To whom disaster do you refer? I remember the absolutely awful train accident at Potters Bar.

[@iandocwra1169]

As stated in my description, the catastrophic failure of the steam engine a few minutes after this clip was shot.

[@Erin-Thor]

I’m lost, what happened and when?

[@iandocwra1169]

About ten minutes after I shot this video, a major part of the engine's drive mechanism fractured and the train stopped for two hours while the crew removed the broken parts. The train eventually got back to London at 0240.

[@Erin-Thor]

@@iandocwra1169 - Ahh! Thanks. Clearly I’m not a local and kept looking for the “disaster.” LOL!

[@iandocwra1169]

No problem - it was mentioned in the description of the video.@@Erin-Thor

[@patrickwhite3127]

Click bait headline. Don't bother.

[@iandocwra1169]

It shows the train a few minutes before it suffered a catastrophic failure. BEFORE means the incident happened afterwards. Sorry if there was no blood, etc!

[@englishcitystone1663]

Good work. A big disappointed for the gouls that feed on human misery!

[@jamesfranklin2203]

What di happen that day?

[@iandocwra1169]

Please read my description.

[@PoulLausen]

Good video!

[@johnhickson3472]

Priming possibly? The cross head may have been the weakest link in the chain. Great shame.

[@Han-wh5ie]

Sfeervolle beelden.

[@zebrainfart]

I guess I missed something.

[@iandocwra1169]

Perhaps you missed my description?

[@scm50able]

What disaster? Where is it. Cheaters.

[@iandocwra1169]

I suggest you read my description.

[@scm50able]

@@iandocwra1169 , hey man, you want us to be April foolers?

[@hoppercar]

Never saw any disaster

[@iandocwra1169]

Did you read my introduction?

[@krystalstarrett6760]

Get this "like something " garbage, off my phone!

[@iandocwra1169]

I think only you can do that...

[@krystalstarrett6760]

@@iandocwra1169 thanks, I think your rite. These automatic things are irritating.

[@iankemp1131]

Interesting question whether it will make Network Rail wary of allowing evening and night trains in case of mechanical problems. It was a great effort by the train staff to dismantle the broken parts, but obviously much harder (and maybe slower) than in daylight, and might have been impossible. Unfortunate that the engine couldn't be detached from the train to allow it to be rescued more quickly, given that the diesel was already attached.

[@iandocwra1169]

Indeed, but this sort of incident is extremely rare (and not really any different from a modern train having a catastrophic failure en route). Preserved locos are also maintained to extremely high standards (probably far better than they were in service!), but there will always be some failures that are very hard or impossible to predict.

[@rickbullock4331]

I would say the use of the word”disaster” certainly is the reason you got so many views but good for you. Use it too many times and it’ll be The Boy Who Cried Wolf and nobody will watch.

[@iandocwra1169]

Thanks - I hope not to have to use it again!

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

You must be very lucky to catch her before she failed 10 minutes later

[@iandocwra1169]

Exactly.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

@@iandocwra1169yeah

[@thomas-o8d3o]

sounded like he was pushing it to the limit !and has it turned out it was its limit !

[@manjunatha9707]

I love those steam trains. The whistle, the chugging sound.

[@kalinystazvoruna8702]

I'm a bit confused and I hope someone can clear this up for me. I know that this was a steam engine pulling (?), but it appears to me that at the 3:33 mark, I'm seeing a "regular" electric engine pushing as well? I love watching train videos, but I'm in the US and not at all familiar with UK's rail system. Appreciate any clarification.

[@iandocwra1169]

What often happens in the UK with steam specials is that a diesel engine remains attached at the rear, sometimes to provide electric 'hotel' power to the train, sometimes adding to traction power in places and also to shunt the train at its destination. In this case, it was lucky it was attached as it was used to rescue the failed steam loco and the hugely-delayed passengers.

[@kalinystazvoruna8702]

@@iandocwra1169 Many thanks!

[@BigDaveW6799]

Pardon my ignorance but is this why steam trains today have a diesel engine at the back ?

[@iandocwra1169]

They are attached for several reasons - to enable shunting at the destination, to provide 'hotel' services to the train en route and, most often in autumn, to provide 'insurance' in case leaf fall causes the steam loco to slip and lose time/stall. Some runs are done without a diesel if none of the above conditions apply.

[@briansr.5219]

Good video and location. All you need,really !

[@scotland753]

What happened ?

[@iandocwra1169]

Did you read my description?

[@scotland753]

@@iandocwra1169 no sorry I was in a rush

[@thomastheyoutuber9933]

i don't see it!

[@iandocwra1169]

Try reading the video's description.

[@Welsh_Dragon1976]

Can someone explain to me what the disaster was? All I saw was two trains with nothing looking wrong with either. Thanks

[@iandocwra1169]

My explanation in the video's description explains.

[@jimdaniels7472]

The cross head on the driving crank failed with a loud bang putting the loco out of service. 4:26

[@MrDaiseymay]

I don't understand a thing about this, WHAT DISASTER ?? I was expecting a huge bang and chunks of Trains, and bodies, flying through the air ? SO--a Train broke-down, is that it? Oh DEAR.

[@iandocwra1169]

Did you read my description?

[@basiltaylor8910]

The poor woo woo, the driver should have reduced the regulator setting to give the engine a rest at a lower speed, as considerable centrifugal forces acts on the coupling and connecting rods on a two cylinder express passenger engine around seventy plus.

[@iandocwra1169]

The driver will have used the appropriate regulator for the conditions - there is only one section on the whole route that this weekly summer working takes that can allow the train to get to about 70mph, and that only for a few minutes. The motion failure's cause is unknown as yet, but will not have been related to regulator use.

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

Funny not the first time in Britannia's career since being built in 1951, that things have gone amiss with Driving wheels & motion on this particular member of the class !!!!

[@basiltaylor8910]

Yes ,particularly axleboxes running hot, on one Brit, the hollow driving axle ran so hot it glowed cherry red you could see down the axle bore. Driving wheels working loose on the axles is another problem facing BR engineers in order to keep Brits Railworthy. @@railwaymechanicalengineer4587

[@charlespaulgriffiths3100]

what do you expect this is an old loco, well looked after so you put it on a heavy load, then stick a 100 ton loco on the back. then run it into the ground ,away man get real instead of greedy.

[@iandocwra1169]

Huh? The loco has not been 'run into the ground' - on the contrary, most of its schedules are very slack and it sees use far, far less often than its daily deployment by BR. This is a failure that could happen to any engine, of any age and at any time. Not sure who you think is being "greedy" here.

[@monsieurchevrebois9811]

Utter nonsense. I guess you have never been on a footplate in an operational capacity. Locos are never "run into the ground" and if you had some idea of the cost of maintenance, you would understand why.

[@MrTumnus1987]

Don’t appear to know what your talking about, do you?