18:22 Paddington - Hereford, Tuesday April 15

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

....other than lightsticks, what backup lighting is there in HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train)? Surely there should be some emergency facility if the main power fails?

[a-driver]

There are emergency LED lighting in the vestibule areas.

The power to the carriages come directly from the power cars, each carriage is not capable of generating its own power although it does have batteries underneath the carriage which, in the event of a power failure, would keep lights illuminated and control functions live for at least 90 minutes possibly longer depending on the condition of the batteries.

[bobm]

Interestingly I was on a stopping service from Exeter to Paignton over the weekend which was formed of two 143s.  The lights were not working in one of the four carriages.   The train was heavily loaded, so rather than not use the offending coach people were allowed sit there providing they moved to one of the others at Dawlish and back again at Teignmouth after the train had been through the seawall tunnels.

Not quite the same as the Ledbury situation as the tunnel clearances are greater - but a sensible use of resources in my opinion.

[Worcester_Passenger]

I'm on the 18:22 again this evening. And this time it's only going as far as Colwall on account of "a problem with the rear power car".

Alas, according to JourneyCheck, this decision was taken at 18:51, just as we left Reading. Which neatly snookers any opportunity for any Hereford passengers to bale out and travel via Newport.

And having taken the decision at 18:51, it wasn't announced on the train until 19:30, after we'd left Oxford.

Passengers for Ledbury and Hereford are being advised to change at Worcester Foregate St for a "replacement train service". Which I fear will be an hours' wait for the Next London Midland train.