Looking through the front cab window

[phil8715]

While I can't speak for other members of the Pacer family the 142 has a blind on the cab door, this used to pretty much always be up allowing a view of the cab and the track ahead. I have not seen one open in years now...

Phil

I've been in the rear cab of a 142 when travelling that was always quite good.


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[fgwrich]

While I can't speak for other members of the Pacer family the 142 has a blind on the cab door, this used to pretty much always be up allowing a view of the cab and the track ahead. I have not seen one open in years now...

Phil

I haven't seen many 142s with the blinds up too - thought they had mostly been replaced with black sticky back plastic these days? Though at least on some units ive noticed a small wristband sized hole which you can just about see through!

There is very occasionally a forward view when the Driver leaves the inner cab door swinging free on a 150/1, and the whole coach can see through the glass panel in the locking saloon-vestibule door and straight out of the centre windscreen

I've seen that too - Both on the Tamar Valley line and in complete contrast, most of LOROLs Goblin line - quite an interesting view compared to what you can normally see!

...and on a completely random tangent thanks to 150130, you can also fit a Mountain bike through the manual cab door on 150/1s

Yes but the blind is not solid. It's sort of see through isn't it ?

Sounds like the blinds on the Croydon Trams - It's there, just has thousands of small holes to make the view slightly darker...

 

[Crossover]

I haven't seen many 142s with the blinds up too - thought they had mostly been replaced with black sticky back plastic these days? Though at least on some units ive noticed a small wristband sized hole which you can just about see through!

The last 142 I was on last week had black plastic over the door, as did one I was on back in September (both Northern) so I suspect that up here at least, the blinds are no longer

 

[BestWestern]

It's not the end as such, the main stock is now the new Flexity Swift but the traditional ones are still going to be in service.

Hmm, sort of...!

 

[73001]

When I used to work for the PTE in Merseyside, we frequently went out with the railway revenue inspectors. If the trains were busy, we'd often ride with the guard in the back cab.... the ride around the loop line and through the Mersey Tunnel itself was an experience and a half.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Hmm, sort of...!

It's a shame that their not going to be in service as often as they were before, but we'll still see them hopefully

 

[BestWestern]

It's a shame that their not going to be in service as often as they were before, but we'll still see them hopefully

I'd like to think that with the level of interest and the number of preserved cars, there would be plenty of enthusiast specials and visiting trams etc, but of course it depends not only on the costs of shipping them in and out but also on how co-operative Blackpool Tranny want to be. I'm not entirely convinced that they'll want to make too many concessions given their rather 'hard line' on it all so far. We'll see.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I'd like to think that with the level of interest and the number of preserved cars, there would be plenty of enthusiast specials and visiting trams etc, but of course it depends not only on the costs of shipping them in and out but also on how co-operative Blackpool Tranny want to be. I'm not entirely convinced that they'll want to make too many concessions given their rather 'hard line' on it all so far. We'll see.

I'm sure there will be, look at the success of Crich!

 

[quarella]

Just out of curiosity I wonder how bus/coach drivers feel as they can be observed driving by any passenger.

Never found it a problem when I did bus and coach driving in the early nineties. You know it's going to be like that. I think the drivers who would have found it difficult were those who had started in half cabs to suddenly have people around them. Passengers could be annoying complaining about your driving, other road users, the route etc. Asking a question when you are squeezing round something with inches to spare but I just did the best I could and the golden rule is don't lose your temper.
I now work in the railway industry and I admit I sit there in disbelief sometimes at what a train driver will claim is a distraction and refuse to take a set when I used to drive 50+ people, do fares, have one alarm which could be anything from an open emergency door to low coolant. (fun in the middle lane of busy motorway at 70 mph) with two ways of stopping-My right foot or hitting something.

 

[BestWestern]

I now work in the railway industry and I admit I sit there in disbelief sometimes at what a train driver will claim is a distraction and refuse to take a set when I used to drive 50+ people, do fares, have one alarm which could be anything from an open emergency door to low coolant. (fun in the middle lane of busy motorway at 70 mph) with two ways of stopping-My right foot or hitting something.

You're spot on brother!

 

[notadriver]

I think train driving and bus / coach driving are different. A few members have experience of both including myself.

 

[Grantham]

I sit there in disbelief sometimes at what a train driver will claim is a distraction and refuse to take a set when I used to drive 50+ people, do fares, have one alarm which could be anything from an open emergency door to low coolant. (fun in the middle lane of busy motorway at 70 mph) with two ways of stopping-My right foot or hitting something.

Right on the money. It's like as though they belong in a sheltered workshop, with seventy five safety officers standing around them to help them remain focussed.

M

 

[notadriver]

I'm assuming you're qualified to drive trains ?

 

[Grantham]

I'm assuming you're qualified to drive trains ?

Yes, steam as well as diesel, both over steep mountains, mostly 1/33 and 1/40, and also in a busy metropolitan area.


Steam hauled tourist trains as my hobby (20 to 50 days driving a year over the last 11 years since qualifying)


Diesel hauled freight for my work, mostly coal trains of 4,500 tons.

Please don't doubt that there are similar turkeys who can't chat/use a camera/drink coffee/eat lunch while driving/firing in my area, but there are far less of them than appear to be in your side of the planet!

Mick

 

[notadriver]

Very nice. Maybe it's a different philosophy over there. Distraction of train drivers is taken so seriously that no unauthorised persons are allowed in the cab.

I've had experience of driving both but find the train far more demanding in terms of concentration needed.

 

[Grantham]

Very nice. Maybe it's a different philosophy over there. Distraction of train drivers is taken so seriously that no unauthorised persons are allowed in the cab.

I've had experience of driving both but find the train far more demanding in terms of concentration needed.

Sure, I'll leave you to it, but I'm not sure where the big difference lies. I'd rather drive a train for twelve hours than a car, especially overnight. I certainly do both! Visiting my wife's rellos who live west of Melbourne (bit over 1,000km from where I live) means I leave here at 6pm with a station wagon full of Mrs and kids, and get there at 6am. At least on the train you don't have to steer!

Trains are very different to road traffic, but you have all day, and you get paid by the hour! I start planning signal stops in difficult terrain for miles in advance, it makes concentating very easy. I commonly apply the brakes over a mile away from a red signal on descending 1/33s, and adjust the brakes or dyno to increase or decrease my rate of deceleration. If you have to sit on the edge of your seat, you're doing it wrong.

Do your blokes over there decelerate at the maximum possible rate up to a red stick? If so I can understand why you need to concentrate so hard on it, that sort of driving would give me brown undies. Or expose the crown sheet of a steam engine boiler.

Please don't think I don't take safety or my work seriously. Cabriders can be booted off if they affect either, but I've never even had to make the threat. If they look dodgy, you just tell them they can't come.

Also please don't think I'm being critical of you, I'm more inclined to think that railway management teams have instilled a culture of fear into their crews, partially or mostly to avoid any responsibilities that they don't directly control...ie, they don't trust anyone, least of all industry professionals! The management culture of the modern world stinks.


Mick

 

[PFX]

I had the good fortune to board on an old Scotrail slam door DMU (101 or something similar, sadly I don't remember what) from Edinburgh to Kirckaldy in the mid 90s if I recall correctly. I was delighted to get a seat behind what I'd call the second man's position which had the blind up on just that side. It certainly added a new perspective to crossing the Forth Bridge.

I have to admit I was more interested in the view than what the driver was doing. Sadly, that was the only time I ever experienced this on a mainline revenue service.

 

[CarterUSM]

Also please don't think I'm being critical of you, I'm more inclined to think that railway management teams have instilled a culture of fear into their crews, partially or mostly to avoid any responsibilities that they don't directly control...ie, they don't trust anyone, least of all industry professionals! The management culture of the modern world stinks.


Mick

Absolutely spot on! It's this matter of trust that irritates me greatly to say the least! Though sometimes, I can understand it when some colleagues occasionally take liberties.

 

[driver9000]

While I can't speak for other members of the Pacer family the 142 has a blind on the cab door, this used to pretty much always be up allowing a view of the cab and the track ahead. I have not seen one open in years now...

Phil

These were removed quite some time ago now. They now either have the black plastic panel with spy holes or in some cases they are a solid door panel. No 2nd generation DMU that I have driven or indeed travelled on has had a blind on the cab door except for a solitary class 156 door.

 

[Smethwickian]

I take it there are no more heavy rail trains these days where you can do it?

Not exactly a heavy rail train, but running on Network Rail line, the class 139 (Parry People Mover) used on the Stourbridge Town-Junction shuttle doesn't, if memory serves me correctly, have much separating the driver from the passengers. It's like being in a minibus. Sit on the left facing the direction of travel nearest the cab and watch the driver at work for, ooh, all of two minutes or so on the scenic trip....

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Cab rides in the UK are pretty much a thing of the past.

Well that's what I thought, but I was unexpectedly proved wrong one day on a well known main line service less than 2 years ago. That's all I'm prepared to say about it, though. (Ses he unhelpfully)

 

[Requeststop]

As a child, I used the St.Ives branch to go to school, Lelant-St.Ives and back. One driver used to let me regularly ride the cab with him - mostly because he knew my father. The best views of the branch into St.Ives by far. Return journey not so good for the views, and to be honest in the summertime, I wanted to look out with my mates for the nudists in the sand dunes at Porthkidney Sands.

Much later, I was invited for a cab ride by the driver from outside Leeds to Barnsley on my way to Sheffield. The first and only time I had done the line. For me from West Cornwall to see all the freight lines joining and leaving the main line was fascinationg and the driver gave me a great commentary along the route.

I do like cab ride videos that you can buy now, but for me, it's not the same.

 

[Hydro]

As a child, I used the St.Ives branch to go to school, Lelant-St.Ives and back. One driver used to let me regularly ride the cab with him - mostly because he knew my father. The best views of the branch into St.Ives by far. Return journey not so good for the views, and to be honest in the summertime, I wanted to look out with my mates for the nudists in the sand dunes at Porthkidney Sands.

.

I've cab rode the St. Ives branch a couple of times in 37's, but always at night. Shame, as it seems so nice.

 

[Requeststop]

I've cab rode the St. Ives branch a couple of times in 37's, but always at night. Shame, as it seems so nice.

Summernighttime the ride into St.Ives after the Lelant Golf Course can be good -if the weather is clear - the view to Godreavy Lighthouse, and then as you turn and pass by Carbis Bay and then approach St.Ives harbour and Porthminster beach with the lights on can be spectacular. It's good during September St. Ives festival time.Unfortunately, the nudists will be at home and dressed when it's dark so no fun there.:eek: and as stated previously, no one is allowed cab rides nowadays! :cry::cry::cry:

 

[Hydro]

I saw the lighthouse, and the approach into St. Ives is really nice. Utter crawl though, locos are 10mph on the whole branch.

 

[Requeststop]

Utter crawl though, locos are 10mph on the whole branch.

Come on man, think of the views at 10mph more time to enjoy it. Next time you do it, when you arrive at St Ives - go down on your knees and thank the guys who built the line, and curse the spalpeens who cut the line to build the car park. Car drivers, passengers don't get those views on the ride in and they have to find parking spaces when they get to the town - on the train the parking space is reserved - JUST FOR YOU! - return journey to St Erth from 100m from the Towan crossing the trains get up to the fantastic speed of 25mph heading down to 6 feet above sea level at Lelant. Because the train went too fast, we never got to see too many of the nudists! Although there was one day we stopped because a golfer had a severe slice and his ball (singular) had passed over the rail line on the 7th hole and.................................Sorry it's non train related!

 

[brillopad]

Although there was one day we stopped because a golfer had a severe slice and his ball (singular) had passed over the rail line on the 7th hole and.................................Sorry it's non train related!

Used to experience ball reclamation most mornings.
Also a Guard that told us he'd seen a woman sunbathing naked in the glass patio of the old Station house - we looked and looked....

 

[Requeststop]

I've changed my spots on this one! When I was a kid I used to love watching the driver working on DMUs. Now I'm a driver though, the thought of having passengers looking over my shoulder seems both distracting and uncomfortable.

In terms of having somebody along for an authorised cab ride, I'd prefer someone in the middle of the two extremes that you describe; a certain amount of chat would be absolutely fine but there are times when I need to concentrate harder which may even require me to stop talking mid-sentence. In any case there would have to be a Driver Standards Manager present so he'd probably answer the bulk of the questions anyway.

To be very honest I totally agree with the poster. I'd have to agree also that the HSE fascists/commissars have a point in this case. The driver is the front line "person" in this case, and who knows what unexpected event may happen during a cab-ride. No matter what line or speed a train is travelling, even on a rural line, there are those as we have seen even today who'll attempt to jump a barriered crossing, even at a station. It is the driver who almost certainly be injured or worse in an accident, what of the unauthorised passenger who is riding the cab? Sadly but wisely in this case the HSe people have got it right and cab rides are now very strictly controlled.

 

[D1009]

That's fair enough, but the thread is about a view from the front or rear, which has been denied to passengers in this country with few exceptions since the demise of the first generation DMUs. There are many designs of train in Europe which offer this facility, including the ICE3 and its derivatives in other countries, one of the most successful trains in Europe. A couple of years go I had a wonderful journey over the Arlberg pass in the front compartment of on an ICE3 hired from DB working a domestic service in Austria. A waste of a 300 km/h unit, but still a wonderful journey. What price a unit offering a forward view to Mallaig or Kyle of Lochalsh ?

 

[bnm]

Probably the closest I'll ever get to a cab ride. From the Cardiff Bay 'Bubble':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJYp...xt=C39c9221UDOEgsToPDskKLm3TnRQgcGRGCkKdve33n