Class 08 wheel in cab?

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

I assume it's a wheel, but I was watching the Westbury Class 08 doing some shunting the other day, and when he was creeping the 08 forward, he looked like he was winding some wheel forward and then the train slowly sped up as I assume he had the power handle open a bit already. Wasn't sure if it was a wheel or not but it was at the side of the cab and was winding it like you would see on some steam loco's reverser wheels.

Do some 08's have these? When I was operated 08032 on the East Somerset Railway (was a brake van ride driver for a bit) it was a reverser switch, much like the ones on loco's like Class 20's, 33's, 47's etc

Just curious what it was, but I noticed it a few times, either just before coming to a stop and again when moving away

 

[GB]

Could it be the lever for a manual fuel pump I wonder? The up and down motion of operating the lever may make it look like turning a wheel from the outside.

Of course never having been in an 08 I could be very wrong!

 

[TB93]

Thats what I thought the only other thing is the parking brake which is in front of the desk.

 

[91104]

Possibly the straight air brake which is a handle that is pulled down to apply the brakes at around shoulder height on the cab bulkhead.

 

[chris89]

Would be handbrake or the manual fuel pump on the back wall.

Especially since 08032 was Vac only. Well at least when it was on the ESR when I volunteered on the railway.

 

[Strathclyder]

Possibly the straight air brake. Of course, I could be wrong.

 

[ash39]

Isn't it the steering wheel?

 

[455driver]

Isn't it the steering wheel?

Dont be silly, we employ somebody else to do the steering!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Oh yes Chris, you were there too. Not sure about the pump as that was on the back wall yes, I saw this through the back window of the loco from the platform and all I can explain it as was his left arm was going up and down and looked very much like back and forth too like you would winding something round, must be some size as his body was leaning as he got to the bottom and straight when at the top.

Whatever it could have been, it was somewhere to the left of the cab, on the cabside, below or thereabouts of the cabside window, would that add up to a handbrake wheel on the cabside but not the backwall maybe?

 

[dk1]

Sounds like he suddenly realised the parking brake was on & was unwinding it. Straight air brake is the small lever just above the desk on either side. The manual fuel pump is bottom left of desk.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Very true yes, the 08's out most weekdays, when I see it again I'll observe the cab and see what happens

 

[RAGNARØKR]

Steering wheel. They may need to make a sharp turn to port or starboard in an emergency.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/4160782882/

Found this pic of the cab of what I presume is a class 08, could it have been one of the controls visible in the pic that you saw the driver operating?

btw: the pic doesn't seem to want to embed

 

[route:oxford]

It would have been the key for the clockwork motor.

 

[Strathclyder]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/4160782882/

Found this pic of the cab of what I presume is a class 08, could it have been one of the controls visible in the pic that you saw the driver operating?

btw: the pic doesn't seem to want to embed

Here you are:

 

[Jamesb1974]

The parking brake on a 350 (08/09) is mounted on an upright stand with a large lever handle mounted on the top. From memory, Anti clockwise to apply, clockwise to release (I could be wrong, but I'm at least 50% right..) It is at the 'window end', not where the control desk is. So it is unlikely to be the parking brake you saw being operated.

More likely one of the brake controls and the driver was 'fanning the brake'. Rapidly applying and releasing the brake to bring the train to a smooth stop.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

As stated probably fanning the straight air brake, I sign 08/09 and certainly don't recall any wheels in the cab! Or the manual fuel pump is situated in front of the drivers seat on the left hand side of the cab in front of the drivers seat which is an up and down motion.

 

[No Fault Found]

From memory, Anti clockwise to apply, clockwise to release (I could be wrong, but I'm at least 50% right..)

Remember the rule, righty tighty, lefty loosey

 

[heart-of-wessex]

As stated probably fanning the straight air brake, I sign 08/09 and certainly don't recall any wheels in the cab! Or the manual fuel pump is situated in front of the drivers seat on the left hand side of the cab in front of the drivers seat which is an up and down motion.

yes this was to the left of the cab, facing bonnet first, first impression was a wheel perhaps but wasn't really certain, all I saw through the window was his left arm going up and down putting some effort into it, there's a chance it could have been that in that case, I suspect there are times where you need to pump more fuel into it or something I take it