thameslink stock question about cantrail white lights i think

[big all]

crossed the railway bridge over earlswood station in a bus with a completely misted out windows
a train passed underneath with what looked like a white light on the roof
today walked to the doctors along and under the railwayline at homethorpe north off redhill and again saw a white light but this appeared on what looked like perhaps the cant rail [roof level incase cant rail means something else lol]rear off two or front off vehicle three but could be a bit wrong as it was dark and at a shallow angle
now i assume probably something that needs attention shortly like toilets or doors or air conditioning but as my last training was on turbos 25 years ago could be miles out

 

[EM2]

A lot of modern units have a light on the roof that illuminates the pantograph, so that CCTV can see any issues.

 

[swt_passenger]

...and it illuminates the area whether the pantograph is raised or not, because issues such as tree branches getting caught up can happen on the DC part of the route.

 

[Tunnel Bore]

And on the class 700s those lights are on all the time, including when the pan is down and it's running on 3rd rail. Presumably this ensures you can see/record cases where the pan goes up when it shouldn't

 

[big all]

ahh ok thanks is there any cameras keeping an eye on the pantoghraph as they seem so cheap to install nowadays

 

[jon0844]

ahh ok thanks is there any cameras keeping an eye on the pantoghraph as they seem so cheap to install nowadays

The lights are there to make it possible for the cameras to record at all times. The lighting can also make for some nice effects when a train passes in heavy rain!

 

[ComUtoR]

The cameras/light/CCTV are all horrendous. I like the idea but the implementation is Cra Sh Not very good.

 

[westcoaster]

The cameras/light/CCTV are all horrendous. I like the idea but the implementation is Cra Sh Not very good.

Never #wipeclean . I like them and think it's good to view the pan.

 

[Bald Rick]

Old war story time - pan cams and lights were first specified on the Class 379s, as NXEA (as was) didn’t believe that some of the big incidents where the wires came down were actually pantograph faults (as determined on investigation) rather than OLE faults.

Naturally, the first big ‘wires down’ incident with the 379s was a pantograph fault. And had it not been for the cameras, it would have been classed as an OLE fault.

 

[ComUtoR]

Never #wipeclean . I like them and think it's good to view the pan.

I do like the system and its good when your sitting at City and check the pan BUT and seriously a big but. They are dirty and you can't see the pan on most units I've checked on. All you see is a blur of light. It's gotten to the point now when I don't bother checking. I only now regularly check on a prep or when I'm demonstrating to someone else in the cab. Over the winter and during those dark mornings you tap the pan button and its so dark you can't see the pan anyway :/

 

[big all]

0k thanks
are they selected from a check menu on the main screen to check the panto
or i assume up to 6 small screens in the cab for doo can be used ??
now i could look this up on wiki but at my age [65 ]it wont sink in so by interactive conversation might ----
----another question am i imagining things are they 8 or 12 units cab each end no other option ??

 

[pdeaves]

another question am i imagining things are they 8 or 12 units cab each end no other option ??

Thameslink units are, yes.

 

[theageofthetra]

...and it illuminates the area whether the pantograph is raised or not, because issues such as tree branches getting caught up can happen on the DC part of the route.

Ahh did wonder about that.

 

[sw1ller]

0k thanks
are they selected from a check menu on the main screen to check the panto
or i assume up to 6 small screens in the cab for doo can be used ??
now i could look this up on wiki but at my age [65 ]it wont sink in so by interactive conversation might ----
----another question am i imagining things are they 8 or 12 units cab each end no other option ??

I would assume the cameras and lights are solely for network rails use, nothing to do with the driver. There’s mention of them in the weekly operating notices for pendelino trains on the WCML but I’ve only seen 2 in action. It’s just to monitor the wires no? Is this correct?

 

[swt_passenger]

I would assume the cameras and lights are solely for network rails use, nothing to do with the driver. There’s mention of them in the weekly operating notices for pendelino trains on the WCML but I’ve only seen 2 in action. It’s just to monitor the wires no? Is this correct?

There are two slightly different roles, IIRC from earlier discussions.
AIUI a couple of Pendolinos were supposed to have been fitted with “measuring and recording” quality CCTV to undertake a preventive maintenance role on behalf of NR, ie to undertake part of the new measurement train’s work on the WCML.
However the run of the mill equipment on all new pantograph fitted EMUs, (since 379s as Bald Rick mentioned earlier), is more about evidence for investigation following OHLE incidents.

 

[John Webb]

It was rather interesting at St Albans South Signal Box when the 700 units started out in use, because the lights illuminating the pantographs are at our 1st floor window height......

 

[sw1ller]

There are two slightly different roles, IIRC from earlier discussions.
AIUI a couple of Pendolinos were supposed to have been fitted with “measuring and recording” quality CCTV to undertake a preventive maintenance role on behalf of NR, ie to undertake part of the new measurement train’s work on the WCML.
However the run of the mill equipment on all new pantograph fitted EMUs, (since 379s as Bald Rick mentioned earlier), is more about evidence for investigation following OHLE incidents.

But just to clarify, the driver doesn’t see the CCTV image at all, no? The question from @big all seems to ask (#11) if it’s for the drivers use to check the state of the pan? Or am I reading it wrong? I only work with diesels so this is all foreign to me.

 

[swt_passenger]

But just to clarify, the driver doesn’t see the CCTV image at all, no? The question from @big all seems to ask (#11) if it’s for the drivers use to check the state of the pan? Or am I reading it wrong? I only work with diesels so this is all foreign to me.

Don’t know if it can always be viewed in real time. Post #10 suggests a view is available during changeover but it’s poor quality anyway.

 

[Highlandspring]

The (recorded) pantograph camera footage I’ve seen has been of excellent quality.

 

[ComUtoR]

But just to clarify, the driver doesn’t see the CCTV image at all, no? The question from @big all seems to ask (#11) if it’s for the drivers use to check the state of the pan?

When we had 319s there was a long standing rule that when you have completed the changeover that the pan had to be checked to see if it was in contact with the wires etc. Now we have 700s you can check the pantograph by using the onboard CCTV.

Don’t know if it can always be viewed in real time. Post #10 suggests a view is available during changeover but it’s poor quality anyway.

As long as the unit is stationary; you can check the pan. As I mentioned, the idea is good but implementation is bad. The camera needs some kind of hood because they are very very dirty, literally to the point of being useless.