Destination blinds question

[JoeGJ1984]

With 'Manual' destination blinds (i.e. ones that are turned by hand and so only have a set number of destinations), what happens if the train moves to a new TOC/location? It wouldn't have any of the new destinations on its blinds. E.g. the 150s that left London Midland for Northern and FGW - what did they do initially about this? (Because they seemed to initially use them in the state they were in, including the existing livery).

And what if an 'unusual' destination is needed for any reason that is not on the blinds? How is that handled? (Surely this difficulty must have arisen by now?)

 

[317666]

Generally if any destination needs to be shown that isn't on the blind, I've noticed it's written on a piece of paper and stuck in the front window! Units moving between TOCs or locations generally are given new blinds.

 

[MCR247]

Or they just don't use the blinds until new ones are fitted?

 

[Class172]

Sometimes I have seen destinations written on the blank sections of the blind (with what looks like a marker pen) to cover temporarily.

 

[driver9000]

The maintenance depots keep a stock of blinds to be fitted to units that are either new to the fleet or require a new blind (to replace a torn one for example). They are relatively straight forward to change.

The London Midland 150s that Northern received were fitted with a Northern blind before entering traffic although most managed to keep their Centro 'via' blind for a time. One or two still carry the 'via' blind.

Any destination needed that is not on the blind would have it wound to a blank position.

 

[High Dyke]

Any destination needed that is not on the blind would have it wound to a blank position.

Or just put a random destination on display to confuse people.

Depending on the age of the blind then some of the destination served by a different TOC may already be on the blind - think this sort of thing has been mentioned on other threads. Or as mentioned they would recieve a new blind. In the case of electronic displays it's just a case of reprogramming them.

 

[starrymarkb]

When the batch of 142s arrived in the SW some destinations were printed up on A4 and displayed in the Cab window until more permanent ones coult be fitted (remember FGW hadn't operated 142s b before)

 

[rebmcr]

And what if an 'unusual' destination is needed for any reason that is not on the blinds? How is that handled? (Surely this difficulty must have arisen by now?)

I've seen those displaying "Special".

 

[applepie2100]

During my travels over the last week or two it seems there are a few Northern 323's which have the manual blind holders but no blinds fitted. I also saw a Northern 323 fitted with a new orange LED display and side displays refitted.

Looks like Northern aren't interested in telling their punters where the train is going!

 

[northernrailer]

Some First Great Western class 143 and class 153s still carry the old White with Black text blinds from Wales & West days which have destinations on them like Abbotswood and Newton Abbeywood which have never had stations.


In answer to the question above regarding Northern's 323 units, they are now starting to receive manual destination indicators and a lot of units are not fitted with blinds as yet, this is due to Longsight depot not stocking the DMU blinds that Newton Heath and Allerton Depots stock, plus the only destinations on the DMU blinds that can be used on a 323 are: Crewe, Hazel Grove, Manchester Airport, Manchester Oxford Rd, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Special and Not In Service. So Northern probably see this as a waste of time fitting a blind and from what I have seen on the 323 is that they display the yellow blank most of the time anyway. Northern's DMU blind has around 100 destinations on it and having to change it from Crewe to Stockport or Manchester is quite a wind!!

 

[northwichcat]

When Northern sent ex-ATN 142s, 150s and 156s to the former FNW area a lot of trains said they were going to 'Adwick', while some crews tried to looked for something similar e.g. Chesterfield instead of Chester. While other times they had plain stupid destinations displayed.

Presumably there were similar issues with the ex-FNW 142s, 153s and 158s in the former ATN area.

There was some overlap though. For instance, both operators served Huddersfield, Blackpool North and Sheffield among other stations.

The crews on the Glossop/Hadfield services seem to leave the blinds on blank even when going in the Manchester direction.

 

[applepie2100]

Could Northern be brought to task for having units either showing incorrect destinations or no destinations at all?

Lets face it even the 323's which do have roller blinds don't seem to have them backlit so in anything other than daytime it would be impossible to tell where they're going"

 

[High Dyke]

As an aside when i used to drive buses for a living i crossed swords with a senior manager of the firm i worked for. I had travelled empty from the bus station to the depot for a break (a distance of about a mile) - and accordingly put 'Not In Service' on the blind. This manager saw it and stated: "If you've driven 25 miles with that on the blind i'll have you disciplined!" I just replied "And good morning to you." before walking away.

 

[northernrailer]

when ex FNW units first started working into Yorkshire at the start of the Northern franchise a lot of the units just had yellow blanks displayed. On my local line when a ex FNW worked to Knottingley they use to display Knutsford.

The reason Adwick was shown on the blind when working ex FNW services is because the blank area between the start of the blind and Adwick wasn't big enough to display a full blank and this was the same at the other end as well. On some units you could just see the top of the Adwick destination and on the other you could see it all.

The new Northern blind has around 100 destinations on it and because it is so long it tends to get torn and ripped in the mechanism as the blind comes over the end caps what keep it straight and in line.

 

[northwichcat]

The reason Adwick was shown on the blind when working ex FNW services is because the blank area between the start of the blind and Adwick wasn't big enough to display a full blank and this was the same at the other end as well. On some units you could just see the top of the Adwick destination and on the other you could see it all.

The funny thing about Adwick is one day between the ATN units coming over to the west side and them getting new blinds is I asked for a ticket to Adwick in a west side ticket office (because I was actually travelling there not as a wind up) and the man in the ticket office said he'd never heard of that one and asked me to spell it!

 

[atwales]

On the subject of destination blinds, why do some northern 142's have an LED destination and some the old traditional blind? e.g. 142053 has LED destination blind...

 

[driver9000]

On the subject of destination blinds, why do some northern 142's have an LED destination and some the old traditional blind? e.g. 142053 has LED destination blind...

The 142s fitted with electronic destination equipment are the former MerseyTravel sets and the equipment was specified by MerseyTravel when they sponsored the refurbishment of them.

 

[34D]

Could Northern be brought to task for having units either showing incorrect destinations or no destinations at all?

Lets face it even the 323's which do have roller blinds don't seem to have them backlit so in anything other than daytime it would be impossible to tell where they're going"

When the RVAR (rail vehicle accessibility regulations) come into force, then yes. Until 2019, they don't apply to anything that northern have (apply now to stuff like 185s etc).

 

[starrymarkb]

When the RVAR (rail vehicle accessibility regulations) come into force, then yes. Until 2019, they don't apply to anything that northern have (apply now to stuff like 185s etc).

333s?

 

[Crossover]

The 142s fitted with electronic destination equipment are the former MerseyTravel sets and the equipment was specified by MerseyTravel when they sponsored the refurbishment of them.

Makes for a good way of knowing which ones to avoid (or groan when you find the one you want it an ex Merseytravel as it rolls in!)