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Author Topic: Fire at St Erth - 08 Aug 16  (Read 14924 times)
bobm
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« Reply #15 on: August 10, 2016, 13:07:36 »

The Up sleeper ran - it passed St Erth before the line was closed for the second time.

The stock from the previous night's Down sleeper was terminated at Plymouth early on Tuesday morning and ran as ECS (Empty Coaching Stock) from Laira in the early evening straight to platform 1 at London Paddington.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #16 on: August 10, 2016, 15:58:28 »

A detailed update on the fire, from the BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Quote
Fire in St Erth blazes into third day

A fire that broke out at a recycling centre has continued to blaze into its third day.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue said the fire at St Erth, near Hayle in Cornwall, started at about 20:15 BST on Monday and more than 70 firefighters were called to fight it.

Ruptured fuel tanks have caused the fire to spread with another bursting on Wednesday morning, firefighters said.

No one has been injured but the yard owners' turtle was killed in the fire.

Owners Kathy and Mark Bailey said all the usual safety checks were completed the night the fire started.


Crews have been working at the scene with aerial ladder platforms since the early hours of Wednesday

"We are devastated for our employees who have worked so loyally for us for over 12 years and devastated to have lost not only our livelihood but many personal effects," they said on their Facebook page.

They said these included "our daughter's dear little Turtle 'Alfie' who had become a loved company mascot", as well as items that once belonged to Ms Bailey's late parents, diaries dating back to 1884, photo albums spanning 90 years and a vintage car.

The pair thanked the emergency services and sent their thoughts to the residents of St Erth who "bore the brunt of the smoke".

Fran, a resident who lives in St Erth said her house was "full of awful fumes".


The fire is an "ongoing incident", firefighters have said

"I had the most dreadful headache and I'm asthmatic and it's just been really horrible", she said.

Public Health England said people living near to the fire were not likely to suffer any long-term health effects, but residents with asthma and chronic respiratory problems should stay indoors.

There have been no reports of water pollution but soil samples from areas affected by firewater run-off would be collected for inspection, the Environment Agency said.

Great Western Railway said lines through St Erth station would be closed for a second day on Wednesday because the fire had spread.


Alfie the turtle died in the fire

Harry Hodgson, who was on a train which pulled into St Erth station on Monday, said the "huge black smog" could be seen from a mile away. "It just erupted and basically took a huge building out within minutes and all of a sudden it was just an uncontrollable inferno, a massive blaze", he said.

Mr Hodgson said "the general mood was excitement" because no one had been injured and people were "enjoying the power and the beauty of the fire".

People living in the area have been advised to close windows and remain indoors owing to the large plumes of thick, black smoke.


St Erth station has been closed due to the fire


A diesel and oil tank was caught up in the fire at the recycling centre


The blaze appeared to be centred on a stock of vehicle tyres


The smoke could be seen for miles as the sun set

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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
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« Reply #17 on: August 10, 2016, 16:36:54 »

The St Ives branch line is restarting with a shuttle service between Lelant Saltings and St Ives.  It'll be this now until St Erth and the remainder of the branch into the station reopens.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #18 on: August 10, 2016, 17:52:39 »

Thanks for that update, RichardB.  Smiley
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
rower40
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« Reply #19 on: August 11, 2016, 07:51:01 »

The St Ives branch line is restarting with a shuttle service between Lelant Saltings and St Ives.  It'll be this now until St Erth and the remainder of the branch into the station reopens.
Or until the unit runs out of fuel...
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TaplowGreen
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« Reply #20 on: August 11, 2016, 08:22:33 »

RIP Alfie  Sad
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bobm
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« Reply #21 on: August 11, 2016, 08:25:18 »

Main line trains now calling at St Erth.

The fire brigade blockade on the branch line was lifted temporarily to get a fresh unit onto the line for the shuttle to and from Lelant Saltings yesterday so hopefully it had a full tank of fuel.
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broadgage
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« Reply #22 on: August 11, 2016, 11:55:58 »

Presumably when a unit is trapped on a branch line, it could be fueled from a drum of diesel in the back of a van transferred by a hose and a small pump ?
55 gallons should last a while.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
chrisr_75
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« Reply #23 on: August 11, 2016, 13:00:14 »

Assuming suitable road access, I would think they could refuel from a tanker lorry as they will likely use standard pipe fittings. I would imagine there would be too much risk of a spill by transferring from a drum - in that instance probably simpler just to hire in a couple of coaches/buses to cover the service by road.
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rower40
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« Reply #24 on: August 12, 2016, 13:22:54 »

Assuming suitable road access...
From memory of the delightful St Ives line, the only place one could get a road tanker near to the train would be in the platform at St Ives.  And the whole point of the park-n-ride service is that driving to St Ives in high summer is a nightmare.  AND it would mean taking a tanker full of fuel past the site of ... errm... a great big fire.

Could a class 139 be helicoptered in, and a few hamsters to spin up the flywheel?
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LiskeardRich
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« Reply #25 on: August 12, 2016, 16:07:23 »

Assuming suitable road access...
From memory of the delightful St Ives line, the only place one could get a road tanker near to the train would be in the platform at St Ives.  And the whole point of the park-n-ride service is that driving to St Ives in high summer is a nightmare.  AND it would mean taking a tanker full of fuel past the site of ... errm... a great big fire.

Could a class 139 be helicoptered in, and a few hamsters to spin up the flywheel?

Lelant saltings I should think to be accessible, as long as some spaces are blocked out of use to allow manuevarbility of a tanker. In fact I would say leant saltings is more accesibile than st Ives.

Oops just remembered as I was typing Cornwall council have put a one way system which would mean access to the saltings is now only possible under the low bridge. Google 'Lelant one way' to see the local uproar over the one way system installed! I'm on my phone in poor reception so unable to link myself
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TonyK
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« Reply #26 on: August 12, 2016, 20:54:54 »

I have trouble linking myself after a couple...
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Now, please!
bobm
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« Reply #27 on: August 20, 2016, 20:03:46 »

Went past the scene of the fire at St Erth this week and more than seven days on you can still smell it as you pass the signalbox at St Erth.

You can see how close it came to damaging the railway.


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