Tail lights on front when swapping drivers?

[Bletchleyite]

I noticed, which I never had before, that on a unit swapping drivers at Bletchley, the outgoing driver put reds on the front as well as whites, then the relieving driver (who boarded immediately) put them back off again pretty much straight away.

Is this normal, if so what is the reason?

 

[pompeyfan]

I noticed, which I never had before, that on a unit swapping drivers at Bletchley, the outgoing driver put reds on the front as well as whites, then the relieving driver (who boarded immediately) put them back off again pretty much straight away.

Is this normal, if so what is the reason?

If those desiros are anything like SWR’s, the driver will be removing their key and the new driver will be keying on (Covid restrictions). Previously drivers would leave a key on and just exchange keys whilst handing over. However the removal of key on desiro will automatically put tail lights on front.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Probably just did it out of habit and then immediately corrected it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If those desiros are anything like SWR’s, the driver will be removing their key and the new driver will be keying on (Covid restrictions). Previously drivers would leave a key on and just exchange keys whilst handing over. However the removal of key on desiro will automatically put tail lights on front.

Cheers, odd I haven't noticed it before!

 

[driver9000]

Tail lights illuminate automatically when the key is taken out on Desiro stock.

 

[Ianno87]

If those desiros are anything like SWR’s, the driver will be removing their key and the new driver will be keying on (Covid restrictions). Previously drivers would leave a key on and just exchange keys whilst handing over. However the removal of key on desiro will automatically put tail lights on front.

Tail lights illuminate automatically when the key is taken out on Desiro stock.

Same on 387s at Cambridge.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Tail lights illuminate automatically when the key is taken out on Desiro stock.

Isnt that a bit odd if left on a running line?

 

[JN114]

Tail lights illuminate automatically when the key is taken out on Desiro stock.

Can this not be overridden at all? IE stabling in locations with a white buffer stop (ergo whites required to be shown on “open” end of the train)

 

[43066]

Can this not be overridden at all? IE stabling in locations with a white buffer stop (ergo whites required to be shown on “open” end of the train)

Nope! Hence the SWR Desiros stabled at Clapham yard have both red and white lights on display.

A strange bit of design.

 

[dctraindriver]

Nope! Hence the SWR Desiros stabled at Clapham yard have both red and white lights on display.

A strange bit of design.

There’s a tail light switch which turns the tail lights off if required. The red and whites displayed at Clapham are to show if I recall correctly train has been prepped.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Apr 2021 ==

Can this not be overridden at all? IE stabling in locations with a white buffer stop (ergo whites required to be shown on “open” end of the train)

Yes it can.

 

[43066]

There’s a tail light switch which turns the tail lights off if required. The red and whites displayed at Clapham are to show if I recall correctly train has been prepped.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Apr 2021 ==


Yes it can.

Thanks - I stand corrected!

Having recently done a traction course on Desiros I should probably have known that...

 

[dk1]

Been driving all new stock for over a year now & I still feel like I’ve missed something every time I change ends.

 

[CAF397]

I still check my lights even though all indications are in the cab/automatically done. Old habits die hard!

 

[172007]

If those desiros are anything like SWR’s, the driver will be removing their key and the new driver will be keying on (Covid restrictions). Previously drivers would leave a key on and just exchange keys whilst handing over. However the removal of key on desiro will automatically put tail lights on front.

Clearly SWT drivers don't have Brass keys costing £50 quid like some driver's have up north. #bitofblingindailylife

 

[pompeyfan]

Clearly SWT drivers don't have Brass keys costing £50 quid like some driver's have up north. #bitofblingindailylife

drivers have “their” key but they don’t don’t tend to use them for driving duties. For day to day service, driver managers tend to issue the cheap ones regularly

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Id imagine most modern trains the red lights come on once the key is taken out of the master controller.
Ours in Melbourne the marker light switch has red/white/auto. When the key is put in to the master controller it changes the marker lights to white and turns the low beam headlights on. Take the key out back to red and low beams off and park brake applies.

 

[S-Car-Go]

During a handover with WMT drivers, you may see the red tail lights illuminated, sometimes not. It's entirely down to the driver's preference whether they leave the key in or not. Some feel they (or their family) are at more risk from Covid so retain their key, and totally understand that.

 

[Llama]

Isnt that a bit odd if left on a running line?

I thought that last year when I went into Morley tunnel and saw a 185 half way through stopped with reds on.

Turns out he'd had a fault and had to do some kind of reboot/reset. I didn't appreciate having to walk forward through Morley tunnel to find that bit of traction info out from him! The signaller was a bit perplexed too, he didn't even know the TPE had come to a stand when I rang in before going to find out what was up.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Apr 2021 ==

During a handover with WMT drivers, you may see the red tail lights illuminated, sometimes not. It's entirely down to the driver's preference whether they leave the key in or not. Some feel they (or their family) are at more risk from Covid so retain their key, and totally understand that.

Also depends on one driver's perceived levels of the other's hygiene...

 

[choochoochoo]

Isnt that a bit odd if left on a running line?

Yes. I once had to leave the cab of a 700 to fault find. On returning to the cab I found a train on the opposite line had come to a stand about 400 yards ahead. Turns out the other driver saw my reds on the front and had stopped.

 

[43066]

Turns out he'd had a fault and had to do some kind of reboot/reset. I didn't appreciate having to walk forward through Morley tunnel to find that bit of traction info out from him! The signaller was a bit perplexed too, he didn't even know the TPE had come to a stand when I rang in before going to find out what was up.

Usually best just to pretend you haven’t seen things like that, and carry on regardless .

 

[pompeyfan]

Usually best just to pretend you haven’t seen things like that, and carry on regardless .

Its amazing what gets missed on a going home train.

a reasonable amount of UK rolling stock can now show flashing hazards lights which would be the way to do it if there was an issue

 

[8J]

I thought that last year when I went into Morley tunnel and saw a 185 half way through stopped with reds on.

Turns out he'd had a fault and had to do some kind of reboot/reset. I didn't appreciate having to walk forward through Morley tunnel to find that bit of traction info out from him! The signaller was a bit perplexed too, he didn't even know the TPE had come to a stand when I rang in before going to find out what was up.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Apr 2021 ==


Also depends on one driver's perceived levels of the other's hygiene...

The 80x fleets have the same design as the Desiros with tail lights coming on once the driver switches the reverser to off to remove their key.

I don't think they can be overridden either unlike Desiros.

 

[20atthemagnet]

Been driving all new stock for over a year now & I still feel like I’ve missed something every time I change ends.

I still check my lights even though all indications are in the cab/automatically done. Old habits die hard!

That's the problem with new stock. So many steps I had on old units are gone. Many a unit on the mainline running on markers (which ironically are brighter than the Day/night running) because drivers get used to not touching the lights due to the auto tail/daylight changeover when you key on and then emerge from a depot and forget....On my stock we don't even have a Neutral for the MCS, absolutely hate it, especially when stopping at Reds, always feels like my hands should be doing something else.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

That's the problem with new stock. So many steps I had on old units are gone. Many a unit on the mainline running on markers (which ironically are brighter than the Day/night running) because drivers get used to not touching the lights due to the auto tail/daylight changeover when you key on and then emerge from a depot and forget....On my stock we don't even have a Neutral for the MCS, absolutely hate it, especially when stopping at Reds, always feels like my hands should be doing something else.

Some of our drivers move the marker switch out from auto to white. Then proceed to forget about it when they change ends. Cue train running around with white marker lights on the rear:

https://i.imgur.com/YHKXf1G.jpg