West Somerset Railway General Discussion

There is a bigger problem - folks dont know how to get out. Open the window, put your hand out and turn the handle seems simple to us but defeats some

Does anyone else automatically check for a tail lamp/tail lights when a train passes - even on the big railway

 

I commuted on HSTs from 2012 to 2015, and can confirm that a substantial proportion of passengers on them nowadays do not know how to open the doors on them. Luckily at commuting time, someone will quickly open each one from the outside. If I was on board I would usually offer to help anyone who looked puzzled.

 

Of course. Maybe reduce it to five on.

Now I might be tempted to motor 200 miles to see that

Steve

 

How do the orange jackets square up against the safety - efficiency - heritage theme?

Tom

 

Better that than the previously mentioned irritating loudspeaker announcements as a substitute for actually checking the doors before despatching the train.

PH

 

Are the DEPG not able to provide motive power?

 

It’s the orange jackets I was interested in - what risk are they protecting against?

Tom

 

I'm sure RMW will provide more detail but the picture was taken during a training/experience day for NR (?) staff which also covered a lot of operational tasks on the track.

Steve

 

I was quite aware of that. Still of the same opinion regarding high viz clothing where not needed being preferable to loudspeaker announcements being given rather than physical checks being made. Someone I know checks personally every door when guard before giving the right away.

PH

 

It looks to be 'rain' in this instance

 

No - none of their locos are able to provide train heating.

 

Conversely its excruciating watching ignorant "normals" trying to slam shut GW coach doors with the handle already horizontal. Worse still some do it repeatedly until stopped by staff. A future WSR issue??

 

It will be. You have to make doubly sure that the handles are turned on a closed door. With wood framed bodies it is all too easy for a door to jamb in the frame and look closed

 

Yes, that always makes me wince when I see it. Shame the GWR never reached the same level of technology as the other three.

 

Some GW are slam locks & plenty of pre grouping are non slam?

 

It did surprise me to encounter a 1947 Hawkesworth carriage with non slam locks. Distinctly primitive by then.

The South Devon Railway had the very sensible idea of issuing a short note on how to use these locks when tickets were sold. Perhaps something similar could be issued elsewhere.

PH

 

The daft thing is they did. Swindon built coaches with slam locks then went back to the old design

 

Many thanks for update Steve, looking forward to Friday.

 

These door locks are all part of the 'heritage' experience.
Surely visitors don't need an instruction sheet on how to open a door.
& it's better than being locked in with a carriage key, as is the practice on some, mostly NG, lines.

 

Noted. Thanks. Brain now switched on.