What's that sound, East Coast?

[Ianmel1969]

It's been a little while since I travelled on East Coast Trains, however this weekend I jumped on a couple of their trains and was baffled to hear what I can only describe as sounding like a shrieking seagull when the train has pulled into a station and the doors have been opened. Any idea what this is please? No I haven't been drinking before you ask!

 

[317666]

It might be the train's air suspension, particularly if you've been travelling on the HSTs (the slam-door trains).

 

[Simon11]

It's been a little while since I travelled on East Coast Trains, however this weekend I jumped on a couple of their trains and was baffled to hear what I can only describe as sounding like a shrieking seagull when the train has pulled into a station and the doors have been opened. Any idea what this is please? No I haven't been drinking before you ask!

A seagull caught in the door?!!!

Sorry, couldnt resist!


--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It's been a little while since I travelled on East Coast Trains, however this weekend I jumped on a couple of their trains and was baffled to hear what I can only describe as sounding like a shrieking seagull when the train has pulled into a station and the doors have been opened. Any idea what this is please? No I haven't been drinking before you ask!

A seagull caught in the door?!!!

Sorry, could resist!

 

[9007pinza]

I was going to start a new thread on this very subject. Noises on East Coast 1st class coaches.
I used to bash in the 70`s, and always held an interest in Uk rail. I recently did a return trip Ncl - London, in 1st class. i must admit to being very impressed with the service, & the staff.
The comfort was good in the better seating, and the food was enjoyable. However, there was some very annoying noises coming from the carrige i was travelling in. The air suspension at low speeds can be described as a braying donkey, in time to the movement of the bogies/frame. As the speed increased, this was drowned out , only to be replaced by a low pitched ratteling sound coming from above the roof panel. I can only presume that there was some sort of `dry` joint/slider in the bogie, & a disloged pipe or cable behind the roof panel
3/1/2 hours of this was very annoying !
My question is, is it up to the travelling fare paying members of the public to report suchs annoying sounds, or is it up to the train staff, to note and report such noises as they pass throu the carrige, If noises like these are not acted upon, can they be guarranted to picked up upon inspections?

 

[samuelmorris]

Air suspension levelling I believe - most stock does it to some degree, but it's usually when large numbers of people embark/disembark, as there's a major level change required. I've not really heard it on Mk4s, but Mk3s do it almost perpetually on any operator as they're sensitive to the slightest changes.

see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gwQVs_F28Ss#t=68

that the noise?

 

[Harlesden]

9007pinza, train staff passing through the train are generally engaged upon a legitimate activity whether checking tickets or trying to sell overpriced refreshments. It seems unreasonable to expect these hardworking folk to be listening out for odd noises emitting from the train itself. It is not in their job description. It is up to the passenger distracted by such noises to politely engage a member of train staff in conversation in order to draw his/her attention to the noise in question

 

[edwin_m]

I don't think this is air suspension, hustle alarm or any of the usual suspects. I've heard it in two different coaches of different journeys on Mk4s so it's not a one-off. "Shrieking Seagull" is a good description or it could be a rubber tyre skidding for a very short period, basically a very loud screech of about 0.5s duration. I think it is associated with the door opening or closing but I can't be sure of this.

 

[O L Leigh]

I think the OP said that the train had stopped and the doors were already opened, therefore it is fair to assume that people were getting off the train. Therefore it is indeed the air suspension blowing off as the load decreases through the variable-load valve (or fat b@stard valve, as it is sometimes known).

Units do it too. I can clearly recall going over uneven track and the air suspension squeaking as it vented at the top of each bounce.

O L Leigh

 

[tsr]

My question is, is it up to the travelling fare paying members of the public to report suchs annoying sounds, or is it up to the train staff, to note and report such noises as they pass throu the carrige, If noises like these are not acted upon, can they be guarranted to picked up upon inspections?

A little story for you... I have reported "odd noises" to customer service staff with regards to both trams and trains. The response is generally speedy and professional.

On one occasion I reported a loud - but not especially alarming rattling noise - from what I believe was a ventilation fan bearing on a Croydon Tramlink CR4000 (not a train, I know, but a vehicle on rails!). The next day, a duty manager emailed and then called me to let me know that anything that could cause such a noise would be checked as a matter of routine (it had been checked the night before he called), and also upon request from a customer, within a reasonable timescale. He then confirmed that we shared suspicions as to what it was, and told me how seriously they took any such defect report, just in case it turned out to be a serious symptom of something hazardous (which in this case it wasn't).

This is how seriously operators of light or heavy rail transport should probably take these reports - even if the timescales are a little extended - and I imagine most of them do. On the other hand, any very common noises can probably be interpreted from the description, and if they get a lot of reports about something trivial, I imagine some common sense and a stock explanation can be sent - rather than a phone call and bespoke email!

For information, the above rattling noise I reported was fairly trivial and I made that clear in my initial communications. I did not file it as a complaint or an imminent safety hazard report, because it was neither of those.

 

[Ianmel1969]

Thanks for all the replies so far. it was definately two separate MK4's that I was travelling on and each had the noise, whilst stationary at platforms along the route. It was really quite loud too. I had never heard it before in all my travels. I even thought and then dismissed it as being as a wacky new type of whistle for platform staff. The mystery continues...