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Great Western Two Tone Whistles Enquiry...

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by The Black Hat, Sep 27, 2011.

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  1. The Black Hat

    The Black Hat Member

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    Just asking if anyone knows how Great Western engines whistles work as this weekend, as other times have heard Western region engines using the whistle and it sounds as if it has two, or that it has two pitches. I know the practice has been done to great effect with Western engines but is it limited to them. I'm not looking for tones normally, but would like the prototypical sound to be used on a western engine sound chip for a model im getting.

    Can anyone else offer advice on how it works.

    Thanks....
     
    The Black Hat, Sep 27, 2011
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  2. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

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    they have two whistles, the normal one and a brake whistle to request the Guard to apply the brakes on a non-fitted freight (as far as Im aware)
     
    Reading General, Sep 27, 2011
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  3. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

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    Indeed, 2 whistles, 2 separate chains etc. Can be quite entertaining for playing tunes on as well as their proper purpose, should the mood take you!
     
    Rumpole, Sep 27, 2011
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  4. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I thiink that this was quite common on other railways in the 19th Cent but only the GWR continued with the practice.
     
    Steve, Sep 27, 2011
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  5. Anthony Coulls

    Anthony Coulls Well-Known Member

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    Yes, high pitched normal train whistle and deeper toned brake whistle. Being married to a girl from Skipton, I did "Ilkley Moor bah t'at" on Saturday on 5643 to certain folks' disgust!
     
    Anthony Coulls, Sep 27, 2011
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  6. The Black Hat

    The Black Hat Member

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    I know the words and verse to that being a Cub Leader.....

    Thanks to all your help, especially above quoted person, for whom his role this last weekend should be the stuff of legend..... (inc. Old Peculiar if needed....)
     
    The Black Hat, Sep 27, 2011
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  7. guard_jamie

    guard_jamie Part of the furniture

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    guard_jamie, Sep 28, 2011
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  8. Eightpot

    Eightpot Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Not so much a case of tradition dying hard at Swindon, it never died at all.
     
    Eightpot, Sep 28, 2011
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  9. Steve from GWR

    Steve from GWR Well-Known Member

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    9600 did it on the mainline too, see 3mins 15secs into this:

    [video=youtube;GrFrj6kBgak]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrFrj6kBgak[/video]
     
    Steve from GWR, Sep 28, 2011
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  10. Stu in Torbay

    Stu in Torbay Part of the furniture

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    Anyone ever heard them blown together - to make a GWR 'chime'?
     
    Stu in Torbay, Sep 28, 2011
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  11. Anthony Coulls

    Anthony Coulls Well-Known Member

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    Did it on Saturday...
     
    Anthony Coulls, Sep 28, 2011
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  12. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

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    Kje7812, Sep 28, 2011
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  13. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    There were good reasons for retaining both the service whistle and the brake whistle on GWR locos. Clearly the brake whistle had a function on unfitted freight workings where the guards brake was also required.

    Also though in talking to enginemen (unfortunately now deceased) the brake whistle was used to draw attention to danger where trains were nearby/passing by blowing several blasts to alert attention. Those using the brake whistle for trivial entertainment purposes devalue this useful feature not found on lesser company locos and should be discouraged from doing so.
     
    1472, Sep 28, 2011
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  14. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

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    Its not a chime, its a power chord!

    For those with a liking for slightly sad 1990's music, you can do a pretty good impression of the start of 'Jump Around' by House of Pain with them as well...
     
    Rumpole, Sep 28, 2011
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  15. Great Western Steam

    Great Western Steam New Member

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    Here is a fine exampe of 5542 on the GWSR blowing both notes at once:

     
    Great Western Steam, Jan 3, 2015
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  16. K14

    K14 Member

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    <Zombie_thread>

    I make the notes D# (Brake) & G# (Main), so it's actually either a Fourth or an Inverted Fifth depending on which note you take as the root - a power chord is a Fifth.

    </Zombie_thread>
     
    K14, Jan 3, 2015
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  17. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    I'll stick to Ilkley Moor Baht 'at on the two tone air horns myself :)
     
    Martin Perry, Jan 3, 2015
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  18. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Is that like with a bugle, no valves, just different pressure giving the different notes and only 4 per octave?
     
    RalphW, Jan 3, 2015
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  19. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Good old Swindon, stuck in the 19th Century as always. :)
     
    Spamcan81, Jan 3, 2015
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  20. big.stu

    big.stu Well-Known Member

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    One from 2009 at York:

    5043 had just passed the SNG hauled Christmas White Rose from Cambridge outside the station, which I was on.
     
    big.stu, Jan 3, 2015
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