Quoting Joetom,
I'm still holding out for 1 or 2 reasons for the events on that day.
Reason 1. Leak on a fuel manifold.
Reason 2. CWT scavenged fluid into wings that had very cold fluid in them.
Both the above could start a chain of events that may fit.
The interesting points I remember are.
1. Aircraft had a cold flight to PEK.
2. Aircraft had a cold 3 hour transit in PEK.
3. Aircraft topped up wings with fuel in PEK.
4. Aircraft uplifted neat PEK fuel into CWT.
5. Aircraft had a cold flight to LHR.
6. Aircraft had little or no holding into LHR.
7. Aircraft engines wanted more flow, but was unable to provide.
With regards to reason 1:
A leak in the fuel manifold does not explain 2 engines rolling back within 8 seconds from eachother with crossfeed valves closed and an empty center tank.
With regards to reason 2:
According to the AAIB in their bulletin S1/2008 the aircraft's fuel tanks were last checked for water in the fuel on january 15 at Heathrow; this was prior to its refuelling for the sector to Beijing. Minimum temperature at Heathrow on January 15 was 6 deg. C, maximum temp. was 10 deg. C (I have temp. records for that day).
Warm enough to drain any water collected in the tanks if transit time was long enough between the previous flight and departure to Beijing. Since fuel samples taken after the accident revealed no excessive water content, it votes for correct water sampling on January 15th and that there was no significant amount of water in the tanks when departing for PEK.
So the flight to PEK may have been cold but if the tanks were "clean" with regards to water content when departing from Heathrow, steps 2 thru 7 become less relevant.
Regards,
Green-dot