Evening Standard (London): Tube chiefs knew about motor fault 15 months ago

LONDON UNDERGROUND knew the problem of motors breaking free on high-speed Central line trains 15 months ago, it was revealed today.

The alarm was first raised as one of the pounds 3million trains was entering Hainault depot in October 2001. A half-ton motor "became dislodged" LU confirmed today.

In a second incident, at Loughton station last September, a motor broke free and derailed a train being shunted from the middle platform.

An internal report seen by the Evening Standard stated "the motor of one car had sheared off and was sitting on the track". An LU spokesman confirmed the Hainault incident, saying: "The motor did not come off but became dislodged."

A motor breaking away from its mounting caused the derailment of the Central line train at Chancery Lane station on Saturday, injuring 32 passengers. The last four carriages of the eight-car train were derailed.

There was mounting furore when it was revealed that LU knew the westbound train had a problem some 15 or 20 minutes before it crashed - but did not take it out of service.

The alarm was first raised by the driver of an eastbound train who passed the faulty westbound one at Leyton depot. It was making such a noise that he reported it to the line controller at White City. The alarm was also raised at Bank station when an employee reported an "unusual noise".

Driver Steve Cusick received a call from the line controller saying "Yes, you have got a problem." Mr Cusick said the controller asked him to continue to Holborn where the train would be taken out of service - calling at St Paul's and Chancery Lane on the way.

There is confusion over who is responsible for taking a train out of service. Drivers have contacted the Evening Standard to tell how they are repeatedly "pressurised" to keep trains in service. Steve Grant of Aslef, the train drivers' union, said: "LU recognised there was a problem and passengers should have been taken off at St Paul's."

RMT leader Bob Crow said: "We don't even really know who is investigating Saturday's incident. Only a week ago one of our members lodged a grievance for the bullying and threats he received after refusing to move a train he reported defective after hearing banging noises."

An LU spokesman said of circumstances which led to the derailment: "The train was monitored as per procedures and reasonable judgment was exercised by staff at all times."

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Central line will stay closed all this week

MORE THAN a million Tube commuters suffered further bad news today as it was revealed that the entire Central line would be closed for the rest of the week following the Chancery Lane derailment.

The Waterloo and City line (The Drain) between Bank and Waterloo mainline station - which uses the same trains as the Central line, now undergoing rigorous safety checks - will also remain shut.

Earlier, London Underground had forecast that a major part of the busy Central line, used by more than 650,000 passengers a day, would reopen tomorrow - though not the middle section between Liverpool Street and Marble Arch. This is not now expected to reopen for at least two weeks - and there is doubt over whether it will open even then.

An LU spokeswoman admitted today: "We were overlyoptimistic about getting some sections of the line reopen.

That will not happen for the rest of the week." She was unable to say when the reopening would be.

Many other lines are carrying thousands of extras passengers as commuters use alternative routes to get into London.

The delays to reopening the lines are for two reasons: all remaining 84 trains on the Central line and the five on the Waterloo and City line are now undergoing safety examinations. There are demands from both the two main rail unions that if there is a design fault - as is alleged - the trains must remain out of service until the suspect motor fixings are redesigned, however long that takes.

Each of the eight-carriage trains has 32 motors and each motor bracket is secured by four bolts. A senior LU source connected with the Central line said: "These trains are very powerful and the fastest on the system and can reach 70mph in places. As the motor engages when the power comes on it is thought it twists slightly. This may either shake the bolts free of shear them. The motors take an enormous battering. It's not yet known what but something is quite clearly wrong."

Because of the detailed inspections now taking place LU is refusing to give any date when the trains may come back into service. Even if given the all clear there will then have to be rigorous testing. Also, the damage caused by the derailed train is worse than first thought. Part of the roof of the sixth carriage - in the tunnel on the Bank side of Chancery Lane station - was ripped off when the train left the tracks.

Mick Rix, leader of Aslef, today accused the Government of being "conspicuously silent" about the accident. He said ministers were playing "Russian roulette with people's lives" in pushing ahead with the part-privatisation of the network.

For commuters the delays simply add to the feeling of a crumbling system.

Peter Smith, 52, who works for a finance company, said: "The Tube compares very badly with other metro systems in the States and European cities. The system needs help, it needs investment."

Fire strike piles on agony

FIREFIGHTERS today began a 48-hour strike as peace talks failed to end the row over pay and working conditions.

Union sources said that they saw no hope of a likely end to the strikes and they are becoming entrenched for a long and increasingly bitter dispute.

More than 19,000 armed forces personnel - many using 40-year-old Green Goddess fire appliances, were again drafted in to provide alternative-fire cover. The stoppage, which began at 9am, also closed 20 deeplevel London Underground stations and all lift services on safety grounds.

Another 48-hour stoppage is due to get under way at nine o'clock on Saturday morning.

Leaders of the Fire Brigades Union, which has already staged 11 days of strikes, will now meet to decide on what further industrial action to take.

Livingstone 'close to deal on PPP'

KEN LIVINGSTONE is today said to be "close" to reaching agreement with the Government about his eventual takeover of the Tube, it was revealed today.

A compromise deal is understood to be under discussion which would see the Government providing an increased amount of taxpayer funding for the first seven and a half years of the controversial part- privatisation of London Underground. The Mayor, however, has decided to go ahead with his appeal to the European Court in his fight to prevent the public-private partnership (PPP) from going ahead.

PPP would divide the Tube into four main sections with only the running of the trains and operation of signals remaining under public control. The rest is being hived off to the private sector on 30- year leases.

Mr Livingstone's European appeal is merely thought to be a safeguard action mounted by the Mayor in case talks with ministers over the funding issue break down. Sources close to the Mayor said they expected a decision on the Tube takeover "within days".

A Transport for London spokesman said: "Good progress has been made in negotiations with the Government about the transfer of London Underground."