Class 379 Unesecerry Lights

[317653]

I recently went on my first class 379 (020) and I realised as it was departing Harlow, there was a really bright light on the pantograph, does anyone else think this is a waste of light and really a bit pointless???

 

[GB]

Its there to aid the pantograph camera.

 

[starrymarkb]

Its active monitoring - the 379 remotly reports the condition of the OHLE back to NR, there is a camera recording it aswell (which I suspect can be downloaded rather then sent over the air)

IEP is going to have the same kit

 

[ralphchadkirk]

So no, it's not unnecessary or a waste of light.

 

[317653]

So it's a motoring train aswell

 

[thefab444]

So no, it's not unnecessary or a waste of light.

Bit harsh - the OP didn't know it had a function and it could easily appear unnecessary to the untrained eye.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Bit harsh - the OP didn't know it had a function and it could easily appear unnecessary to the untrained eye.

Just answering the question!

So it's a motoring train aswell

Yes, it feeds OHL data back to NWR.

 

[317653]

oh right interestin, spose it saves a bit of money aswell that having to go and and get inspection teams

 

[jopsuk]

they also have a light and camera aimed down at the track at the front.

Also, there seem to be cameras (also on 378s) mounted on the cab sides, at about floor level, facing almost towards the bogies?

 

[317653]

So it is an inspection train aswell

 

[O L Leigh]

Nope. Those are courtesy lights to illuminate the footsteps when the cab door is opened. They just happen to be in housings similar to those used for the DOO cameras.

Yes, more lights. But this time very necessary.

O L Leigh

 

[jopsuk]

Aha! had wondered what they were- and I can understand why they might be required!
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So it is an inspection train aswell

I think that's the concept- every train is a test train, so problems can in theory be spotted sooner, and without having to run extra trains on conjested commuter lines.

Whether it works in practice is of course something yet to be determined.

 

[moggie]

Usefull evidence when it comes to apportioning blame (costs) as to who's kit is at fault when the wires come down?

Wonder if NR would be interested in running a pair up and down East Coast?

 

[Hydro]

Unmanned monitoring equipment is not new. UGMS, Unattended Geometry Monitoring System has been fitted to a Pendo, and a Chiltern 165 for some years now. It was part of a trial to see if unmanned kit could provide a day to day view of track geometry and reduce the need for manned test trains. The kit unfortunately suffered from lack of maintenance (the laser apertures and camera lenses need frequent cleaning to provide valid data) and lack of facilities to download the data unobtrusively. Plus, without trained personnel to view the output, any immediate action track defects would go unreported until the next download.

A Pendo was also fitted with an instrumented pan, akin to the instrumented Brecknell Willis fitted to MENTOR, as an experiment to run test equipment on service trains. AFAIK, it suffered the same fate as UGMS, but still runs.

The cameras fitted to the 379's, as far as I can tell, do not feed any raw data back to NR. It seems to be nothing more than a camera system, with no instrumentation on the pantograph itself. They seem to be fitted to allow retrospective analysis of dewirements or OHLE problems. I have not heard of any data feeds back to the Engineering Data Centre at Derby from the introduction or running of the 379's.

 

[Juniper Driver]

they also have a light and camera aimed down at the track at the front.

Also, there seem to be cameras (also on 378s) mounted on the cab sides, at about floor level, facing almost towards the bogies?

I saw that at Liverpool Street when it was running in.One lower light on the secondmans side.It's getting mad now...How many more lights will we get.Still im sure it will warn the snails.