ungreat
Member
- Joined
- 11 Nov 2006
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- 964
This is me responding with a toot or two...they are all me driving
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn2Tia84-ns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn2Tia84-ns
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Friendly train drivers
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poshbakerloo
Member
Train drivers in general are real nice...bus drivers on the other hand are so rude!
driver9000
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Jan 2008
- Messages
- 4,556
I always give a blast of the horn to respond to a friendly wave - Im friendly but also quite shy! 
25322
Member
There has always been the fare share of friendly and unfriendly drivers around.
One particlular driver wouldnt drive his train if there were people walking near the railway lines at Leek Brook. Used to have to disappear over the fence for him to move the train. However, it was many years later when I met the driver in question as his second man did he tell me why he had been that way when people were around. He had not long had someone step out in front of him at Llanfairfechan and it had shaken him up quite badly. Recalling quite graphically the face of a young women staring back it him through the window of a class 40 for a brief second
Whereas some others would more than happy show you around, sit at the controls and give you a go. All for a photograph to add to the mess room wall. Sadly those days have gone forever.
One particlular driver wouldnt drive his train if there were people walking near the railway lines at Leek Brook. Used to have to disappear over the fence for him to move the train. However, it was many years later when I met the driver in question as his second man did he tell me why he had been that way when people were around. He had not long had someone step out in front of him at Llanfairfechan and it had shaken him up quite badly. Recalling quite graphically the face of a young women staring back it him through the window of a class 40 for a brief second
Whereas some others would more than happy show you around, sit at the controls and give you a go. All for a photograph to add to the mess room wall. Sadly those days have gone forever.
mr_moo
Member
My two year old loves the railway and trains and we can spend an hour on Coventry station waving at trains. About 50-60% of pendolino drivers wave back, about 70& of LM drivers wave back, about 80% of voyager drivers wave back, and I've never yet had a Wrexham and Shropshire driver who didn't wave or toot!
To all of you: Thanks!
We also sometimes get toots of the horn, especially if my son waves at trains on the far platform where we can't see if they driver is waving back.
The only bad one we had was a W&S driver who gave us a lovely toot on the horn, except he was a bit close and it scared the daylights out of my son! He was fine again 2 mins later and was happily waving at the next trains though.
To all of you: Thanks!
We also sometimes get toots of the horn, especially if my son waves at trains on the far platform where we can't see if they driver is waving back.
The only bad one we had was a W&S driver who gave us a lovely toot on the horn, except he was a bit close and it scared the daylights out of my son! He was fine again 2 mins later and was happily waving at the next trains though.
25322
Member
Toilet chain action is to create vacuum (int olden days) or test the brake pipe pressure ont airbrake stock. Not to blow you horn.
I have qusetion now. Are you the lad who uses a Sony PSP to shoot video? Well if you are can you stop pulling the toilet chain, I'm fed up of trying to explain it to you and it makes you look a bit odd. (no offence intended)
37401
Established Member
drivers of 66`s and 67`s are knowen for doing that!, happend to my mate and he shot out of his skin! 
Mintona
Established Member
So if a driver doesn't let you into his cab is he construed as "unfriendly"?
Think it depends how he says no, like anything. There's the "I'm sorry pal but I'm really not allowed" or the "No, do you mind i'm trying to do something" way.
I'm guessing it's a little like piloting now where if someone other than the train driver so much as touches the (cockpit ?) door the companies gets their toilet roll ready.
33056
Established Member
A driver acquaintance of mine used to like trunding quietly along a certain commuter line whilst driving class 56s; if he saw a platform load of people lost in thought the favourite trick was to yank the power handle wide open 
hock: If, due to speed / signal restrictions, that was not possible a toot on the loud tone of the horn was in order
hock: If, due to speed / signal restrictions, that was not possible a toot on the loud tone of the horn was in order A driver acquaintance of mine used to like trunding quietly along a certain commuter line whilst driving class 56s; if he saw a platform load of people lost in thought the favourite trick was to yank the power handle wide open
I was standing on a platform as a commuter on the WCML sometime early 2008, a 56 opened up right behind me, scared the sh*te out of me and everyone else!
25322
Member
Preston got a taste of 37 roar on the Cumbrian Coaster (12/09/09)when the driver gave it hell for leather as we went through the station.
Unfriendly or Friendly?
Ask the persons on the platform who ran for cover as it blasted through.
A pure mastercard moment
The driver in question. An acquaintance of mine.
Unfriendly or Friendly?
Ask the persons on the platform who ran for cover as it blasted through.
A pure mastercard moment
The driver in question. An acquaintance of mine.
the sniper
Established Member
- Joined
- 4 Sep 2007
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- 3,498
I think everyone knows that this isn't the way the horns are operated, but the drivers know what it means if they see someone doing it. If someone was to replicate the true way of operating the horn, it would just look bizarre, and that's if any driver would notice an enthusiast moving their hands back and forth a couple of inches.
I wouldn't personally do the 'toilet chain action', I find just raising a hand is often enough to get a toot.
gchst
Member
Coming back from Ashford to Eastbourne on a 171 the guard showed me the rear cab and talked me through the controls. Also locally we get quite a few toots and waves. The 377s also have a quiet horn setting (sounds more like a steam loco!) that they seem to use for enthusiasts.
mr_moo
Member
Lots of people getting cab rides! I must try harder...
I've had two cab rides ever. One was in a class 365 or 366 (IIRC) when I was quite young, and the the driver let an obviously very enthusiastic young boy into his cab to show him around and tell him what all the buttons were. This was pulling out of Orpington station towards London - he let me stay in until the first stop at Petts Wood.
My second was more recent - A few years ago I had a more official cab ride in a Chiltern turbo looking at the new signal positions on the Chiltern lines and chatting with the driver about where they were going to be. When I pointed out the proposed location adjacent to the sewage works, he was not very impressed!
I've had two cab rides ever. One was in a class 365 or 366 (IIRC) when I was quite young, and the the driver let an obviously very enthusiastic young boy into his cab to show him around and tell him what all the buttons were. This was pulling out of Orpington station towards London - he let me stay in until the first stop at Petts Wood.
My second was more recent - A few years ago I had a more official cab ride in a Chiltern turbo looking at the new signal positions on the Chiltern lines and chatting with the driver about where they were going to be. When I pointed out the proposed location adjacent to the sewage works, he was not very impressed!
gchst
Member
I had a cab ride on the first southeastern 375 passenger run on the hastings-charing cross line.
ChrisTheRef
Established Member
I vaguely remember a friendly guard on my train home from nursery when I was 4 who would let me stamp my own ticket and showed me around what must have been a 142 cab.
Matter of interest, I learnt to read using station signs and maps travelling to and from central Liverpool from the age of two. I could spell 'Cressington' before I could spell my surname
Matter of interest, I learnt to read using station signs and maps travelling to and from central Liverpool from the age of two. I could spell 'Cressington' before I could spell my surname
bengley
Established Member
- Joined
- 18 May 2008
- Messages
- 1,987
I've taken to the controls of an Underground train before.
I'm not going to say any more because I don't want to get the driver in trouble.
I'm not going to say any more because I don't want to get the driver in trouble.
SWT Driver
Member
Can I just make a couple of points here.
1/ Please don't ask for a cab ride, it's not that we won't take you, it's plain & simply we're not allowed by law to take you, if you don't have the necessary authority (Cab Pass or accompanied by a DM) to be there namely it's in line with your duties at work then sorry, it's strictly NO ENTRY!
I don't mind too much if I'm say down at Portsmouth Harbour & you want to have a look in the cab (time permitting), but I'll always ask you to leave 1 minute before departure, that way it allows you to vacate the cab, the CCTV to see that you've left the cab & see that the security doors close and LOCK.
It protects you & it protects me from prosecution.
2/ Horns. As you may or may not be aware all use of the horns are registered on the OTMR, that's as a matter of course so if there was a incident such as a fatality & they say you didn't sound the horn to warn the victim, the OTMR will prove otherwise, it can also be used to "do" a driver for incorrect use of the horn, say early in the morning, late at night or if there's a complaint about someone playing a tune on it or a driver being over zealous with it by people who live near the line.
Also modern stock has variable volume horns, so whilst the trains horn maybe quite quiet when moving slowly or stationary, it'll blow your eardrums to pieces at speed, so that's why I don't usually sound the horn when approaching a bridge where kids/adults are waving, the only time I do is if I've been warned that they're stoning or dropping stuff onto trains, in which case I let them have it on FULL BLAST!
1/ Please don't ask for a cab ride, it's not that we won't take you, it's plain & simply we're not allowed by law to take you, if you don't have the necessary authority (Cab Pass or accompanied by a DM) to be there namely it's in line with your duties at work then sorry, it's strictly NO ENTRY!
I don't mind too much if I'm say down at Portsmouth Harbour & you want to have a look in the cab (time permitting), but I'll always ask you to leave 1 minute before departure, that way it allows you to vacate the cab, the CCTV to see that you've left the cab & see that the security doors close and LOCK.
It protects you & it protects me from prosecution.
2/ Horns. As you may or may not be aware all use of the horns are registered on the OTMR, that's as a matter of course so if there was a incident such as a fatality & they say you didn't sound the horn to warn the victim, the OTMR will prove otherwise, it can also be used to "do" a driver for incorrect use of the horn, say early in the morning, late at night or if there's a complaint about someone playing a tune on it or a driver being over zealous with it by people who live near the line.
Also modern stock has variable volume horns, so whilst the trains horn maybe quite quiet when moving slowly or stationary, it'll blow your eardrums to pieces at speed, so that's why I don't usually sound the horn when approaching a bridge where kids/adults are waving, the only time I do is if I've been warned that they're stoning or dropping stuff onto trains, in which case I let them have it on FULL BLAST!
To sort of tail off what has beeen said by SWT Driver. I used to always think from the outside perspective if a driver didnt do stuff like that it was because hes just a bit of a moany git, wanting to throw rules at you just to make you clear off. Whilst in college i tried to get cab footage for a small documentary I was making and I got words to that effect hock: Now im training to be a driver ive seen the other side of the coin and what it can lead to.
To put it simply if a driver doesnt let you in the cab or give you a horn its not because he's being a moron. You spend quite a bit of time in training learning about who you can and cant let in the cab with you. Indeed for my first probationary year at NXEA the only people I can have in my cab with me is a driver manager or instructor and thats after youve passed out and your on your own! Even another driver wanting to hitch a lift, if I get caught, Stage 1. Some drivers may be on a action plan of some sort after an incident, you just dont know. Indeed even if theyre not, they are taking their job in their own hands by letting unauthorised personell in the cab, so I would just say if your refused entry dont take it personally, they are the rules. If some feel to bend them then thats fine to. If they chance it and get away with it then good for them, I wont be one of them! Not worth the risk.
Again as said above OTMR downloads can be be a drivers best friend if rules and procedures are followed after an incident. Can prove a drivers not guilty of negligence after something like a Category A SPAD where he/she applied the brakes in ample time for a red signal but slid straight passed it due to low rail adhesion. But as soon as you start blowing up your horn here there and everywhere youd be a amazed how fast a DM will "do" you as said above. Thats IF you get caught. But again you have to ask yourself is it worth the risk? No.
So again if either of these situations come up for anybody. Just remember those guys are just doing their job properly!
Times I think have changed considerably though, things like cab rides were possible or less frowned upon before terrorism was a factor. I would have been more than happy to say "Yeah mate have a look at the office" and go through what does what, especially for young kids that love trains. Now you cant even tell whos genuine, and if I even dream of it my jobs on the line! Ashame really but these are the times were living in. :-x
hock: Now im training to be a driver ive seen the other side of the coin and what it can lead to.To put it simply if a driver doesnt let you in the cab or give you a horn its not because he's being a moron. You spend quite a bit of time in training learning about who you can and cant let in the cab with you. Indeed for my first probationary year at NXEA the only people I can have in my cab with me is a driver manager or instructor and thats after youve passed out and your on your own! Even another driver wanting to hitch a lift, if I get caught, Stage 1. Some drivers may be on a action plan of some sort after an incident, you just dont know. Indeed even if theyre not, they are taking their job in their own hands by letting unauthorised personell in the cab, so I would just say if your refused entry dont take it personally, they are the rules. If some feel to bend them then thats fine to. If they chance it and get away with it then good for them, I wont be one of them! Not worth the risk.
Again as said above OTMR downloads can be be a drivers best friend if rules and procedures are followed after an incident. Can prove a drivers not guilty of negligence after something like a Category A SPAD where he/she applied the brakes in ample time for a red signal but slid straight passed it due to low rail adhesion. But as soon as you start blowing up your horn here there and everywhere youd be a amazed how fast a DM will "do" you as said above. Thats IF you get caught. But again you have to ask yourself is it worth the risk? No.
So again if either of these situations come up for anybody. Just remember those guys are just doing their job properly!
Times I think have changed considerably though, things like cab rides were possible or less frowned upon before terrorism was a factor. I would have been more than happy to say "Yeah mate have a look at the office" and go through what does what, especially for young kids that love trains. Now you cant even tell whos genuine, and if I even dream of it my jobs on the line! Ashame really but these are the times were living in. :-x
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TGVDUDE
Member
a couple of years ago i have a cab ride of a Eurostar for about 10 minuets in northern france on the way to Disneyland Paris! that was one of the best days of my younger childhood! i don't take it personally when drivers don't give me tones or let me in the cab, i just know that they are doing they're job and let them get on with it and earn they're living! 
royaloak
Established Member
Sounding the horn can be a bit iffy but I always wave to kids that wave at me (unless I am approaching a red or close to the stop car mark), I mean that is only being polite.
adamp
Member
The guy in the video sounds like hes having an orgasm. That kind of reaction he gives makes me cringe and I feel like I should be reporting this video as inappropriate!
-Adam
royaloak
Established Member
it would apear you made him rather happy .
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