Class 455 incident at Waterloo Sunday evening

[Bigfoot]

Every time I look at a SN 455 I do wonder what possessed them to do that. There must've been a better way they could've incorporated the air con unit, and agreed he probably was thinking of the SN 455s. However with the incident happening at WAT, it will be SWT stock that was affected.

Swt just bolted it underneath the cab on non driving side. Not that it works very well...

 

[455driver]

Swt just bolted it underneath the cab on non driving side. Not that it works very well...

It works fine, although I normally use the mark 1 version and open the window.

 

[user15681]

It works fine, although I normally use the mark 1 version and open the window.

I saw a 377 one day with it's front corridor connection open going about 30mph. Now that's air conditioning alright!

 

[DJL]

I've always wondered why the corridor connection on a 455 is not open to the public.
Is it because they are worried about the likelihood of a separation?

 

[455driver]

I've always wondered why the corridor connection on a 455 is not open to the public.
Is it because they are worried about the likelihood of a separation?

No? :roll:
If that was the case then they wouldnt be allowed out coupled up!

One of the reasons is because the gangways are a bit of a trip hazard and bearing in mind how hard people these days find it to watch where they are walking!

Another is because the guard needs somewhere to sit and do the sudokus.

 

[JB25]

No? :roll:
If that was the case then they wouldnt be allowed out coupled up!

One of the reasons is because the gangways are a bit of a trip hazard and bearing in mind how hard people these days find it to watch where they are walking!

Another is because the guard needs somewhere to sit and do the sudokus.

I don't know what they are like, but if they are anything like ours they aren't very secure either.

I tried to be clever whilst doing traction training on them and lock a class mate in the little driving cab bit with my BR1 key. Unfortunately my plan failed as you can simply open from inside by pulling the handle down!

 

[DJL]

Would they really stop them going out?
If a train did separate they risk to the public is minimal is it not?
Stopping all 455s from being coupled means ordering a lot of a new trains.
Why do that when you can simply stop people walking through the train!

Obviously I don't know about any trip hazards having never been through but it seems that should be fairly easy to overcome by means of a short raised section with ramps at either end - somewhat similar to what I've seen on other classes (375 I think?)

Anyway the connection between cars isn't exactly great on a 455!
Coming out of Waterloo I always wait until were not on a bend before going through

 

[Peter Mugridge]

In the early years of 455 use the gangways between the units were open for use and I never had any problems tripping while passing through them; the identical gangways are still open to the public on the 317s off Liverpool Street aren't they?

What I did have problems with in the early years of 455 use was the plates in the gangways within the unit collapsing under my feet - happened at least three times...

 

[455driver]

Would they really stop them going out?
If a train did separate they risk to the public is minimal is it not?
Stopping all 455s from being coupled means ordering a lot of a new trains.
Why do that when you can simply stop people walking through the train!

So you consider trains where the couplers part company whenever they chose to acceptable do you! hock:
Once the coupler lets go it cannot be used again until it is inspected etc so you wouldnt mind being caught up in the delays while the mess is cleaned up with trains left on the mainline with no driver on board etc?

 

[DJL]

no I don't; and I neither said nor implied that.

However if the risk of the average unit uncoupling is 1 in a billion vs 1 in, say, 10 million for a 455. That might not be enough to withdraw the unit but might be enough to stop public traffic through the connection.

Risk vs money and all that.


Although obviously if it did start to become a "frequent" occurence I would hope they look into either moving the units to somewhere the coupling is not needed, or (more likely) fix the problem with the couplers.

As for where the line is drawn between the various options available - who know, certainly not me

 

[swt_passenger]

I saw a 377 one day with it's front corridor connection open going about 30mph. Now that's air conditioning alright!

The actual corridor connection wouldn't have been open, just the lightweight doors that are basically only there to 'neaten' the front end. There's another solid door behind them, that hinges inwards towards the drivers side when set up as a through gangway.

 

[A-driver]

The actual corridor connection wouldn't have been open, just the lightweight doors that are basically only there to 'neaten' the front end. There's another solid door behind them, that hinges inwards towards the drivers side when set up as a through gangway.

Not quite. The door you are referring to is a lightweight door with the monitors on it. The actual front end doors are white double doors which sit just behind the yellow fly doors.

 

[Monty]

You couldn't have passengers go through the gangways on SWT's fleet these days. For one the cabs are not secure and potentially a mischief maker could get himself into a lot of trouble. More importantly since their refurb the position of the door controls have changed (there is a set of controls next to the cab door) and if a guard has his 'key on' these panels are live and the risk of a full door release being carried out on the move by a curious passenger is too great.

 

[JB25]

May or may not be an obvious answer but would my keys work in a SWT 455?

 

[swt_passenger]

Not quite. The door you are referring to is a lightweight door with the monitors on it. The actual front end doors are white double doors which sit just behind the yellow fly doors.

Thanks for the detail, am I still basically correct in that (just like the Desiro front end), if the 'fly doors' are accidentally left open it doesn't mean the train is actually open to the elements...

 

[455driver]

May or may not be an obvious answer but would my keys work in a SWT 455?

Yes, keys are standard throughout the industry.

 

[JB25]

Thanks for the detail, am I still basically correct in that (just like the Desiro front end), if the 'fly doors' are accidentally left open it doesn't mean the train is actually open to the elements...

It makes a bloody annoying rattling noise, but the train would be fine.

Seen a few lately where one of the fly doors was open, so clearly someone somewhere (shunters or platform staff) aren't doing the doors properly.

 

[user15681]

Thanks all for clearing it up. JB25 it sounds exactly like what you've seen.

I had just assumed it was similar to what LU drivers did with leaving their door open on hot days, but alas I'm wrong.