Drivers doors on SWT 158s

[Drsatan]

I've noticed on SWTs 158s that the passenger door adjacent to the drivers cab is now marked as 'emergency exit only' in the passenger saloon, meaning that there's only one door in the leading coach from which passengers can board or alight.

Is there a reason why this is the case? Apparently all units are supposed to have cab doors nowadays, and making the leading door of each 158 driver-only is a way around this.

 

[starrymarkb]

Has been that way on the 159s since new under NSE

 

[scotsman]

The ex-SWT 158 up with ScR (789) doesn't have any of this

 

[TheWalrus]

Yes I was on a 159 yesterday and this happened. It's ridiculous, it makes dwell times longer by causing conjestion.

 

[asylumxl]

Yes I was on a 159 yesterday and this happened. It's ridiculous, it makes dwell times longer by causing conjestion.

159S have no cab doors. How is it ridiculous? If a problem arises, the driver doesn't need to battle with passengers joining the service and their luggage/bikes.

 

[ukrob]

159S have no cab doors. How is it ridiculous? If a problem arises, the driver doesn't need to battle with passengers joining the service and their luggage/bikes.

Because there is lots of stock with no cab doors all over the country, including other operators 158s, which manage just fine.

 

[asylumxl]

Because there is lots of stock with no cab doors all over the country, including other operators 158s, which manage just fine.

And to anyone but rail enthusiasts, it's not really an issue if the drivers door is out of use. Can't say I've ever heard someone moan cos they can't get in a 222s staff door...

 

[Greenback]

I don;t think it's a huge issue for anyone, including enthusiasts. It's more of a minor irritant if you don't realise it's not for public use and have to walk back down the train!

I'm all for drivers having unhindered access to cabs, but it seems a little weird that SWT class 158's are like this when there are so many 158's around where the door can be used.

 

[CarterUSM]

I have never heard of this??!! Are these doors isolated?

 

[Dreadnought]

I wonder if this is related to the fact that if a driver needs to exit a 158 they open/close the door from within the cab, as I have witnessed a few times on Northern ones stopped at signal checks.

This could lead to issues, especially if the vestibule area is occupied, as there would be an unmanned open door whilst the driver is either exiting the cab or rentering the cab after climbing back onto the train.

 

[northwichcat]

I wonder if this is related to the fact that if a driver needs to exit a 158 they open/close the door from within the cab, as I have witnessed a few times on Northern ones stopped at signal checks.

So they actually open the door rather than just release the door from the cab and then use the open/close buttons?

When it happens on a 142 you usually have an open drivers door to the cab and an open door down to the track that's fully open to any passengers deciding to jump off or run in to the cab - not that I've ever seen anyone do that.

 

[CarterUSM]

I wonder if this is related to the fact that if a driver needs to exit a 158 they open/close the door from within the cab, as I have witnessed a few times on Northern ones stopped at signal checks.

This could lead to issues, especially if the vestibule area is occupied, as there would be an unmanned open door whilst the driver is either exiting the cab or rentering the cab after climbing back onto the train.

It shouldn't really be an issue, as long as the vestibule is checked and prior warning is given to anyone in the vicinity .

 

[starrymarkb]

Because there is lots of stock with no cab doors all over the country, including other operators 158s, which manage just fine.

It dates back to BR - Regional railways were happy to have the door unlocked, Network South East wanted it locked when the drivers key is in.

 

[Dreadnought]

So they actually open the door rather than just release the door from the cab and then use the open/close buttons?

Yes, they actually open the door from the cab and once trackside close it using the release mechanism at the bottom of the bodyside.

 

[CarterUSM]

deleted

 

[westcoaster]

The only reason I can see for this, is to mitigate the risk of someone falling from the door onto the third rail, thus this would be why it only affects SWT.

 

[starrymarkb]

Its more to do with Peak Loadings into Waterloo, the same was true for the 442s, leading door locked out. Its a Network South East thing that SWT have continued with. IIRC the 159s and 442s were the only power doored stock with an intercity layout under NSE - other areas may have been the same if NSE had continued.

 

[swt_passenger]

It dates back to BR - Regional railways were happy to have the door unlocked, Network South East wanted it locked when the drivers key is in.

I believe on the original 159s it was installed specifically because of the Salisbury - Exeter signalling system, which uses a specific form of tokenless block system on the singled sections, and it was agreed that the drivers would have the adjacent lobby to themselves in case they needed to get out to talk to a signaller.

Another story I've heard is that it was thought to be safer if the driver needed to go to an SPT in the third rail area.

Whatever the reason, the same system has been installed retorspectively on all SWT's 159/1 conversions and 158s.

 

[devon_metro]

Union issue afaik.