Just out of curiosity why do Southeastern not allow ten bell despatch to be used? Is anyone aware of why exactly they are against this method being used on their 377s when so many other TOCs use it?
On the 375s the guard can close the doors from the rear cab or a middle cab. They simply press the door close button on the guards panel in the cab just like they would when using a saloon panel.
But on the 377s the guards door close buttons in the cabs do not work (only the drivers controls work) and they are basically dummy buttons that do nothing. The policy on Southern has always been that guards can simply use ten bell despatch from the cab as the bell button still works. The guards on Southern still use ten bell despatch today on the Clapham Junction to Watford Junction route when working from the cab and up until 2017 (when Southern introduced DOO on most routes) the ten bell despatch was used on 377s all over their network. So it has never been an issue on Southern as their guards simply use ten bell despatch when they work from the cab.
But yet for some reason Southeastern ban their guards from using ten bell despatch on their 377s units. This is an issue because it means on crowded trains the guard has to squeeze in to the saloon to operate the doors. Also i remember during covid the guards were operating from the cab on 375s but yet on 377s some of them blocked off a massive area of the carriage. I was on a 377 on Southeastern last week which was full and standing and the guard was having to squeeze in with all the passengers. But if that was a 375 he would have just used the cab. It is ridiculous that they have to squeeze in to the saloon on full and standing trains.
Just curious if there is a particular reason why they do not want ten bell despatch used? Is it likely to change especially now that Southeastern have so many 377s in use all over their mainline network?
On the 375s the guard can close the doors from the rear cab or a middle cab. They simply press the door close button on the guards panel in the cab just like they would when using a saloon panel.
But on the 377s the guards door close buttons in the cabs do not work (only the drivers controls work) and they are basically dummy buttons that do nothing. The policy on Southern has always been that guards can simply use ten bell despatch from the cab as the bell button still works. The guards on Southern still use ten bell despatch today on the Clapham Junction to Watford Junction route when working from the cab and up until 2017 (when Southern introduced DOO on most routes) the ten bell despatch was used on 377s all over their network. So it has never been an issue on Southern as their guards simply use ten bell despatch when they work from the cab.
But yet for some reason Southeastern ban their guards from using ten bell despatch on their 377s units. This is an issue because it means on crowded trains the guard has to squeeze in to the saloon to operate the doors. Also i remember during covid the guards were operating from the cab on 375s but yet on 377s some of them blocked off a massive area of the carriage. I was on a 377 on Southeastern last week which was full and standing and the guard was having to squeeze in with all the passengers. But if that was a 375 he would have just used the cab. It is ridiculous that they have to squeeze in to the saloon on full and standing trains.
Just curious if there is a particular reason why they do not want ten bell despatch used? Is it likely to change especially now that Southeastern have so many 377s in use all over their mainline network?
