New 319 Door Buttons?

[asylumxl]

While waiting for a train at Luton station I noticed something different about the terminating train in Platform 2. It took me a few seconds to put my finger on it, but I realised it had new buttons inside and out!

Is this old and I've never noticed, or is it a new addition? If it's a new addition will further members of the class be fitted with such buttons?

Cheers!

 

[Mike395]

It's certainly a new thing - I wonder whether these are now being fitted whenever a train goes back to Derby for any reason. They certainly needed doing, the old ones arent DDA compliant IIRC.

 

[Aictos]

It's certainly a new thing and not something that's been advertised, the only fleet modification at the moment that I know of is one of the two first class compartments on the 377s are being declassified permanently to provide more standard class seating.

One wonders if the Class 317s will be done as they can't be DDA compliant.

Thanks to the OP for this info though,

 

[Class377/5]

I think that this was done awhile ago. I do remember getting a unit with said button. Will enquire in work later.

 

[Eagle]

It took me a few seconds to put my finger on it, but I realised it had new buttons inside and out!

Oh god, are you one of those annoying people who hovers by the button for ages before pressing it? :P

 

[Alan1310]

there have been a few 319 old style door buttons on ebay

 

[mappman1000]

Hoping the 317 ones don't get changed as they are one of the few trains where the doors instantly as you press them.

 

[talltim]

I liked the old square ones. And the rubber 317 ones.

 

[asylumxl]

Oh god, are you one of those annoying people who hovers by the button for ages before pressing it? :P

Awful attempt at humour there

Nobody was on the train as it had just terminated.

I'm one of the people who gets annoyed at those people, thank you very much .

 

[Eagle]

Awful attempt at humour there

Well don't use metaphors that could be interpreted literally, else people are apt to make puns.

 

[northwichcat]

Why is there not a standard convention for the position of open and close buttons? Sometimes the open button is at the top, other times it's at the bottom.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Hoping the 317 ones don't get changed as they are one of the few trains where the doors instantly as you press them.

The SWT 455s also do this ( you can actually depress the button before the doors are cut in and they will open as soon as the guard cuts them in ); not sure if the Southern ones do since they were refurbished.

 

[causton]

The SWT 455s also do this ( you can actually depress the button before the doors are cut in and they will open as soon as the guard cuts them in ); not sure if the Southern ones do since they were refurbished.

313s do this as well (except of course, no guard, so when the driver releases them in FCC land)!

 

[WatcherZero]

Why is there not a standard convention for the position of open and close buttons? Sometimes the open button is at the top, other times it's at the bottom.

You asking for more red tape?

 

[northwichcat]

You asking for more red tape?

No I'm asking for a standard convention moving forward.

 

[Lampshade]

It's the same unit as most new refurbs, Northern's ex-ATN 150s and 156s have them.

 

[Aictos]

I think that this was done awhile ago. I do remember getting a unit with said button. Will enquire in work later.

Already done so - waiting to see if there's a answer.....

 

[OxtedL]

It looks a bit like the door buttons that have randomly taken over some panels on some of the Southern 455s. Although that seemed to be a sporadic thing, massive variation across the fleet as far as I've seen.

 

[westcoaster]

They are part of a trial, the external hazard hazard lights have also been changed to the brighter led type ones on this unit.

 

[Aictos]

They are part of a trial, the external hazard hazard lights have also been changed to the brighter led type ones on this unit.

Thanks, is it only restricted to one of the 319s on the trial or will more then one of the 319s see this modification during the trial?

Also, what unit/s are involved in the trial please?

 

[westcoaster]

Ajax afaik only one unit at the moment iirc it's 375 or 379,or there about's. There are also a few other mod trials ongoing, and also the trial for new driving desks is now being rolled out across the whole 319 fleet.

 

[asylumxl]

The unit I saw was 319363.

 

[DavidBusDriver]

Definitely at least two units, one being 363 that you saw (think that is one of the ones in the stripey livery) and there is another that is in the standard FCC scheme, if I remember rightly, just know those two since I passed them and thought 'blimey those hazard lights are bright!'

 

[jon0844]

Why is there not a standard convention for the position of open and close buttons? Sometimes the open button is at the top, other times it's at the bottom.

The new ones have the open at the bottom, to make it easier for someone in a wheelchair (and no doubt a child) to open the doors, as being able to close the door is less important (although nice in the cold months of the year!)

So, I'd say there is a standard but no requirement for them all to be changed immediately.

I'm surprised anyone ever though it a good idea to put the open button at the top when the panel can be quite high up.

 

[Nym]

Remember how long ago this was specified, when children had pearants and disabled passengers had carers, or the conductor would open the door for them...

 

[northwichcat]

The new ones have the open at the bottom, to make it easier for someone in a wheelchair (and no doubt a child) to open the doors

Except you don't want very young children playing with the door controls, so having them out of reach to small children is a good idea.

So, I'd say there is a standard but no requirement for them all to be changed immediately.

So it's standard to do it that way round but Siemens have done the complete opposite and put the open buttons at the top then:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...terior-01.jpg/1024px-Class350-interior-01.jpg

It's a good job we don't have many new Siemens units in operation then. :roll:

 

[jon0844]

What harm does pressing the open button do when the train is moving? And surely a parent or guardian can keep a child from pressing them anyway?

It makes far more sense to have the open at the bottom than the top, and if Siemens does it different then I think it's wrong. But that's my personal opinion.

 

[northwichcat]

It makes far more sense to have the open at the bottom than the top, and if Siemens does it different then I think it's wrong.

I posted a link to an interior picture of a 350 showing the buttons in reverse from the 319s, although not as clearly.

In the North West almost all of our trains have the open button at the top and when we get one of the old Arriva Trains Northern units that has the buttons in reverse it confuses passengers.

What harm does pressing the open button do when the train is moving?

None but pressing the door close button at the wrong time can cause problems.

 

[318259]

Why is there not a standard convention for the position of open and close buttons? Sometimes the open button is at the top, other times it's at the bottom.

You should try the EMUs in Strathclyde sometime.

- The newer class 334s and 380s have the open button at the top.
- The 318s originally had the (square) open button at the top, but during an upgrade they got these buttons and the open button is now at the bottom.
- The 320s originally had the (square) buttons at the top. During a refurbishment, they got these 'easy to press' buttons and the door open button was at the bottom. They're now being refurbished again, and the open button is now back to the top!
- The 314s don't have buttons on the doors.

 

[IanXC]

You should try the EMUs in Strathclyde sometime.

- The newer class 334s and 380s have the open button at the top.
- The 318s originally had the (square) open button at the top, but during an upgrade they got these buttons and the open button is now at the bottom.
- The 320s originally had the (square) buttons at the top. During a refurbishment, they got these 'easy to press' buttons and the door open button was at the bottom. They're now being refurbished again, and the open button is now back to the top!
- The 314s don't have buttons on the doors.

Try Northern 158s, always someone at the front of the queue to get off bashing the wrong button. Complete mix of top/bottom, square/round!