In the October 1989 issue of The Railway Magazine, all 30 new class 90 Intercity electric locomotives were reported as having been temporarily withdrawn by BR after a braking-system fault was found during routine maintenance. The report also covered rolling-stock safety concerns and separate derailments involving MkIII coaches and a London Underground Jubilee Line train.
Braking fault forces recall of class 90s
ALL 30 new class 90 Intercity electric locomotives were temporarily withdrawn by BR on 17 August as a precaution because a fault in the braking systems had been found during routine maintenance. The fault was described as ‘a deterioration of materials’, which is understood to have affected a compressed-air distributor. Services over the West Coast Main Line were severely disrupted when the decision was made.
This is the latest in a series of faults to hit BR new train equipment (such as on classes 319 and 442 EMUs and ‘Sprinter’ and ‘Pacer’ DMUs). A leaked memorandum from BR’s Managing Director of Operations, David Rayner, reveals that rolling-stock safety, and particularly design effectiveness and installation practice of underlying equipment, is being urgently reviewed.
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Cause of a derailment to the 14.00 Glasgow Central–London Euston express at Harrow & Wealdstone in which six people were hurt—though it had potential for a major disaster—on 20 July had been identified as the dropping from underneath a carriage of an alternator and its cradle which tangled with the wheels. The alternator is linked to a wheel axle by a belt to supply power to the vehicle and was secured by only three bolts.
Remedial work and Jubilee Line derailment
Following the accident, some MkIII coaches were withdrawn for remedial work.
Derailment of a London Underground Jubilee Line train north of Neasden Station on 14 August is being blamed on a broken bracket falling from a carriage and jamming points mechanism. The train comprised prototype tube units that have been undergoing trials in passenger service for more than a year. They are from different manufacturers and, based on running experience, announcement of the first order for the production fleet, destined for LU Central Line, has been imminent.
