Break testing in stations

[michael769]

An odd thing happened on the way home the other night.

The train I was on got right away, and the driver started to edge forwards very slowly without picking up much speed and then stopped sharply. He then started off more normally. The OFF indicator was on so it was not a "ding ding and away".

I'm guessing it was a brake test?

The train usually get seems to have sat in the station for a while as most nights it it shut up till a few mins before departure and the driver usually has to rev up to recharge the air tanks. But usually they just drive straight off when they get right away.

Is there a new policy on brake testing in stations? Or are some drivers just extra conservative about this?

 

[John Webb]

If a train has terminated at the end of one service and is forming another service, then it is my understanding that shortly after moving off a 'running brake test' has to be done. At St Albans City station there is a turn-back siding for the local trains; a train from this siding forming a new service always does one of these tests shortly after pulling away from the up slow platform, as it passes St Albans South signal box, which is why I am aware of it happening.

 

[CarterUSM]

An odd thing happened on the way home the other night.

The train I was on got right away, and the driver started to edge forwards very slowly without picking up much speed and then stopped sharply. He then started off more normally. The OFF indicator was on so it was not a "ding ding and away".

I'm guessing it was a brake test?

The train usually get seems to have sat in the station for a while as most nights it it shut up till a few mins before departure and the driver usually has to rev up to recharge the air tanks. But usually they just drive straight off when they get right away.

Is there a new policy on brake testing in stations? Or are some drivers just extra conservative about this?

Glasgow central by any chance, platform 6 I think? If so, it is to do with the train sitting over the magnet, you pull away, stop, driver takes key out, then back in and off we go.

 

[westcoaster]

If a train has terminated at the end of one service and is forming another service, then it is my understanding that shortly after moving off a 'running brake test' has to be done. At St Albans City station there is a turn-back siding for the local trains; a train from this siding forming a new service always does one of these tests shortly after pulling away from the up slow platform, as it passes St Albans South signal box, which is why I am aware of it happening.

Quiet right we have to perform 2 running brake tests ,we have to see a speed drop of about 10mph and use all 3 braking steps, this is also the case when we relieve another driver as well.

 

[O L Leigh]

Bit of an odd time and place to be doing a running brake test (RBT). Admittedly I've seen it done by colleagues going down the platform at Liv St at 15mph, but you're not really going to get much info by doing that. I tend to wait until I can get the train up to at least 30mph before testing the brakes.

We have since had some guidance about where to do an RBT when leaving Liv St. Due to the frequency of departures it is possible that a driver doing an RBT immediately in the tunnel could delay the next departure, so now we're supposed to wait until we're around the corner and past Bethnal Green (unless you're booked to stop there, naturally). I feel that's a bit late and still do my RBTs in the tunnel but then get smartly back up to linespeed to minimise delay.

O L Leigh

 

[TDK]

An odd thing happened on the way home the other night.

The train I was on got right away, and the driver started to edge forwards very slowly without picking up much speed and then stopped sharply. He then started off more normally. The OFF indicator was on so it was not a "ding ding and away".

I'm guessing it was a brake test?

The train usually get seems to have sat in the station for a while as most nights it it shut up till a few mins before departure and the driver usually has to rev up to recharge the air tanks. But usually they just drive straight off when they get right away.

Is there a new policy on brake testing in stations? Or are some drivers just extra conservative about this?

The train was most likely over TPWS grids that puts up a fault light, the driver moved the train, stopped, reset the desk and observed the fault light had extinguished, this is only one reason, there are many others but it was not a running brake test

 

[O L Leigh]

Too many possibilities.

O L Leigh

 

[CarterUSM]

The train was most likely over TPWS grids that puts up a fault light, the driver moved the train, stopped, reset the desk and observed the fault light had extinguished, this is only one reason, there are many others but it was not a running brake test

That's the one. If it was Central anyway.

 

[michael769]

Glasgow central by any chance, platform 6 I think? If so, it is to do with the train sitting over the magnet, you pull away, stop, driver takes key out, then back in and off we go.

Waverley platform 12. I get the same train from the same platform almost every weekday and it's the first time I have noticed it being done. I doubt he even hit 15mph more like 5 or so.

My first thought was the guard and dispatcher had given right away on red and the driver was making a point to them - but when I looked out the window the OFF indicator was on.

I get the impression from the "WTF?" uttered by one driver last week that the crews are not always expecting to have to start a train from cold.... Indeed it is not uncommon for the train to be late leaving as the driver hasn;t finished recharging the air tanks when he gets right away... At one point they used to send (I assume) a fitter down to get it ready for use but they seem to have stopped that so we are at the mercy of when the crew gets over from wherever they were last /

 

[northwichcat]

Break testing in stations

Please send the 142s for this type of testing.

 

[Minilad]

My money is on the train being over the TPWS grid. Happens quite often at New Street