Recent content by Saj8

The train FX system contains a GSM module, so that it can announce live delay info as the train makes progress, and also to display ETAs at stops on route. It was activated for a couple of months a couple of years ago, and then deactivated again. I dont know why it was deactivated, it did seem...

Then I stand corrected!

I guess I must have, although to be honest I only drove them for a couple of years before they went west in the form of castle class sets, and in that time I didn't actually attempt to set it on the move, so I was wrong to assert that the DRA applies the brake. The reason why I never attempted...

Which is absolutely the right answer, whichever way you do it. I've found the split of drivers setting it on the move vs at a stand is about 50/50. They all have their different reasons for doing it the way they do, and if it works, then fine. For me, I always do it at a stand as part of my...

Yes, but unless the rails are very dry, an emergency brake application will almost always trigger at least a small amount of wheel slide, resulting in WSP activity. It only takes a little bit of moisture on the rail, or even in the air as fog or mist to cause wheel slide under such heavy...

I don't know about the 350s, I don't drive them, but I did drive HSTs, and this is the case with them. You can't set the DRA on the move because it gives a full service brake application.

Yes, you do, and the latest iteration of the professional driving policy at my company says that in AB sections if you pass a distant signal at caution and then stop at a station with or without a starting signal, you must set the DRA even if the starting signal (if present) is clear, unless...

I mean it's not an every day occurrence, but there are many occasions when an emergency brake application is required. When a REC is received for one, but also for a myriad of other reasons, such as a signalling irregularity (an example of which would be a signal reverting danger), trespassers...

Yes, I've heard arguments from competence managers that in this situation if the signal has cleared, you should still set the DRA as the letter of the rule says that you must set the DRA after passing a single yellow and then stopping at a platform where no starting signal is provided. The rule...

True. But I was assuming the OP was talking about somewhere on the national rail network.

If you've come in on a green and there's a red 800 yards away, then that's a signalling irregularity! My answer to the OP is that you would be required to set the DRA irrespective of whether the signal is a starting signal or not. If it is a starting signal, you would be setting the DRA...

You wouldn't want the one shot emergency sander to work like this though, because the automatic sander already does work like this, but mainly because of the fact that once deployed, the unit is out of service until recharged. There have been many times where I have made an emergency brake...

Just to pick up on the point that was made about the only option for a train sat at the signal outside the station and platform 4 subsequently getting blocked by a failure, is for the train to proceed through the middle road, not calling at Oxford, that isn't usually what happens. I've been in...

Can't speak for the 158s, but the turbos all have both USB and 3 pin mains sockets. There's a 3 pin socket and 2 USBs on the wall at each row of seats. They can be a bit hit and miss though, if they're not working in one coach, it may be worth trying another coach.

As a driver at one of the other GWR East depots, who knows most of the drivers and managers at Paddington, I would encourage the OP to take this comment with a massive pinch of salt.