Horn Gesture

[HMS Ark Royal]

13yr old trainspotters are rare but the forum is a good place to find out what's happening.

Indeed

 

[90019]

Is this forum filled with children...?

Anybody here OLDER then me?

13yr old trainspotters like me are rare but the forum is a good place to find out what's happening.

Now you're making me feel old.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Now you're making me feel old.

What about me? I'm older then you, 19...

I'm 27

 

[M7R]

I was out today with my little lad, we made a special trip to get on the Northern Nottihgham to Leeds service which goes via Toton Sidings, the staff today were spot on, EMT driver on the 9:34 at Beeston gave my little lad a wave as they pulled into the station (we was well down the platform away from the stop board) the guard was chatting to my little lad while doing our ticket and then printed him his own special ticket (the receipt, a small gesture but as other have said it means the world to him), then on the Northern service the guard took the time to check my lads special ticket as well and clip it. At Langley Mill we hot footed it to the other platform before the train we arrived on left and I can only assume there was a sainsburys bag blowing across the line as we had a toot with both of us waving at the driver ... And finally the EMT driver gave us both a big cheerful wave when we got off at Attenborough and watched the train out of the station.

He has been telling anyone and everyone about his special trip and all the staff all day, it is true what folks say small gestures make big impressions on little kids and my little lad has great respect already for any staff on the railway,

 

[colchesterken]

68 trainspotting since the Brits ran through Forest Gate ( don't collect numbers any more but still like to watch )

 

[90019]

What about me? I'm older then you, 19...

I'm 27

You're not that old - I'm only a couple of years behind you.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I haven't been 19 for quite a few years...

Its a short form of your name - I know how old you are

 

[90019]

At Langley Mill we hot footed it to the other platform before the train we arrived on left and I can only assume there was a sainsburys bag blowing across the line as we had a toot with both of us waving at the driver ...

I think there must be some sort of magnet drawing Sainsbury's bags towards the railways...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Its a short form of your name - I know how old you are

I took a minute to twig that, I'm more used to seeing it as 019.

 

[G136GREYHOUND]

I'm nearly too old then.

if you are older than 15, you're 16, and an adult !

 

[Nym]

Now you're making me feel old.

And you're making me feel aincent

 

[RPM]

As a driver I agree, always nice to get a wave from the signallers at Ash Vale box as we passed by, very sad day the first time I went past after it had been closed!

Yes, I'm going to miss doing that when Banbury North & South boxes close later this year. That will leave Greenford East as the only manual box on my patch, and I only pass that one occasionally.

 

[Dr_Paul]

I'm old enough to have a free travel for London Oyster card (and very useful it is) and have had an interest in railways since I was a tiny kid, but I have never at any age thought of making this gesture.

My dad told me when I was young that I should acknowledge with a small wave of the hand a whistle or horn being sounded if I was at a foot crossing or fairly close to the edge of a station platform, to let the driver know that I'm aware of the train's approach. Would a driver appreciate that?

 

[SPADTrap]

I'm old enough to have a free travel for London Oyster card (and very useful it is) and have had an interest in railways since I was a tiny kid, but I have never at any age thought of making this gesture.

My dad told me when I was young that I should acknowledge with a small wave of the hand a whistle or horn being sounded if I was at a foot crossing or fairly close to the edge of a station platform, to let the driver know that I'm aware of the train's approach. Would a driver appreciate that?

Probably best to just stand well clear rather than remain in position and wave but people are free to wave at whoever they wish! On a crossing I'd certainly appreciate it.

Interestingly the other day I was approaching a booked station stop which has a user worked vehicle crossing just before, the railway line is flanked by fields which means the crossing is regularly used by farm traffic especially during the harvest when some pretty large vehicles cross the line. I spotted the farmer waiting to cross (they contact the signaller and get permission and are usually very good about it) and noticed that the farmer had donned an orange HiVis and gave me a wave to acknowledge my approach while sitting in the tractor cab. It was reassuring and nice to see and whenever I see them waiting to cross be it on foot or in a vehicle they're always first to wave to let me know they've seen me. Nice to see.

I even switch the cab light on when waving to the signallers on the Kings Lynn at night, it's just nice.

 

[D Foster]

When I was signalling we used to work a lot of (traditional) boxes in the dark at night. At most we'd have a desk lamp on. (This meant we could see outside and, in bad areas, not get a brick through the window). We would flash the main light on/off when a train approached - and they would flash their headcode off/on.
That was a different world!

 

[G136GREYHOUND]

I'm old enough to have a free travel for London Oyster card (and very useful it is) and have had an interest in railways since I was a tiny kid, but I have never at any age thought of making this gesture.

My dad told me when I was young that I should acknowledge with a small wave of the hand a whistle or horn being sounded if I was at a foot crossing or fairly close to the edge of a station platform, to let the driver know that I'm aware of the train's approach. Would a driver appreciate that?

Yes, very much so, I always blow the horn when I see people at a foot crossing, and having almost ploughed several down at foot crossings over the years, a PTS style acknowledgment from the people standing at the foot crossing entrance, is very much appreciated

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Yes, very much so, I always blow the horn when I see people at a foot crossing, and having almost ploughed several down at foot crossings over the years, a PTS style acknowledgment from the people standing at the foot crossing entrance, is very much appreciated

The few times I have used a foot crossing, this is always what I have done - its not just common sense, but a sign of respect and courtesy towards the driver

 

[james60059]

If I'm videoing or photographing near a crossing, I will always raise my arm to the approaching train to acknowledge I've seen them, sometimes I get a wave back or a slight toot.