All those crusty old traction and rolling stock engineers had their reasons
As reported last month, the root cause of the diesel generator set (genset) fire in Vivarail’s Class 230 demonstrator was the failure to follow the engine maker’s workshop manual after working on the fuel injection system. This resulted in a high pressure spray of fuel from an injector pipe igniting.
However, Vivarail’s detailed report into its investigation of the blaze reveals a number of design and construction flaws that exacerbated the original problem.
It also highlights those features of the conversion of the D78 Stock vehicles to a diesel-electric multiple-unit that it got right.
Critics of the ‘technically backward’ railway point to specifications which block innovative ideas. I can remember British Rail engineers moaning about the requirement to fit a solid steel plate above engines in the then-new DMUs as a fire barrier. This prevented access for maintenance through a panel in the floor to the top of the engine.
In the Class 230 the steel barrier above the genset did its job and there was no sign of the fire inside the vehicle. The only damage was where heat had entered the underfloor wiring loom tray that runs the length of the vehicle.
