"Clive D. W. Feather" wrote in message ...
Hot (sorry) off the press ....

I caught a High Barnet train (train 26, as it turns out) at Leicester
Square this afternoon, boarding the fourth car back. We progressed
normally as far as East Finchley, arriving between 14:30 and 14:35. Some
people later said they'd smelled something, but I can't say I did (on
the other hand, I have a cold).

As we sat there, a member of staff walked in the (platform-facing) door
at the front end, walked along the car, and out the other. About that
point I noticed an odd smell, sort of burning. Others also started
wrinking their noses and commenting. Half a dozen or so decided to get
off, when the doors shut (separating at least one party). Then the doors
opened again, we sat for a bit longer, and then the platform staff
started shouting "all change", so we all got off.

There was smoke oozing out from between the train and the platform where
I was standing, and more coming out the other side of the train. After
three or four minutes the train departed under green signals. On the
negative rail, level with the location of the rear shoegear on that car,
was a nasty-looking burn mark on the rail. Rather odder was that there
is another such mark about 10m south, which is under the *fifth* car
(which doesn't have shoegear).

The following train (21, IIRC) was a Mill Hill East. Everyone got on and
we progressed normally to Finchley Central, where I alighted. The train
continued on normally and, in the north end siding, was what turned out
to be the original train with someone looking under it from the side.

We then had a High Barnet train come and go, followed by one showing
"Finchley Central" which came into platform 1. Then there was a second
High Barnet, after which train 26 came out of the siding (this would be
about 14:50) and proceeded southwards towards East Finchley - no signs
of smoke.

Whoa!

Based upon your description, it sounds like a piece of combustible
debris got stuck between a collector shoe and the power rail, and
either the friction of the shoe passing over the rail or the residual
heat of said friction caused it to catch fire.

SO far I've not been lucky enough to be on a burning train, and
hopefully I never will be ;-)

Brad